help with creating a self-agitating corny keg

[debbiewebbie44]

i make ginger beer that has a lot of natural sediments that separate from the liquid and submerge to the bottom of the corny keg. before serving, i always have to shake it up a bit so that what i pour out isn't a heavy concentrate of ginger beer sediments, but rather a nicely blended beverage.

i talked to some other folks who keg craft cocktails and they suggested adding a dip tube into the gas side, so that when gas enters, it naturally "stirs" up the bottom. this seems to work, but it's having a strange affect on my gas lines, causing liquid to go into the gas line as well as the other gas lines connected on the manifold (i'm using a 3-valve manifold). anyone knows why this happens? alternatively, anyone have any other suggestions for making a "self-agitating" corny keg?

 

[andrewmaixner]

You could put a check valve on the gas line disconnect: https://www.google.com/search?q=MFL+inline+check+valve&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

If you want to avoid the sediment completely instead of evening it out, you could cut a half inch off the liquid-out dip tube, or move it through a beer/wine filter to a second "clean" keg.

 

[BrewboyTK]

First time this happened to me; I was really confused. What is happening is the kegs are equalizing pressure between them. When you connect a 0 PSI keg to a manifold that already has a 10 PSI keg, gas will flow from the regulator AND the 10 PSI Keg to fill the new keg. We don't normally notice because
1) Our gas lines terminate in the head space of the keg (i.e we don't notice or care about gas flowing from keg to keg)
OR
2) as AM says above, we have check valves in place to keep gas from flowing OUT of the 10 PSI keg

Put dip tubes on the gas lines and the 10 PSI keg is now pumping LIQUID as a result of the pressure differential. I would suggest a check valve as AM suggests

I make BIG IPAs and often hop in the keg (in a steel mesh tube). I find only the first glass or two pulls sediment; after that it tends to run clear. Might be worth a try if you haven't.

 

[Elric]

Might be worth a try if you haven't.

it's been a month shy of four years since he posted this his one and only message. I think it’s safe to say he isn't going to see your response.

 

[BrewboyTK]

To funny, I usually look at that stuff!!