Pressurized transfers from Fermonster to corny keg

[ApolloSimcoe]

I wanted to circle back on this and see how you all are doing with this. I've done 3 batches using this and so far its been great. One issue i have been running into though is the depth of the draw at the bottom of the floating ball. The distance is about 1-1.5", so while the ball is still floating in the beer the draw is now in the trub at the bottom of the fermenter. Has anyone come up with a solution on how to decrease that distance? I've tried starting with the fermenter slightly tilted but have gotten less than stellar results with this method

 

[Hannabrew]

I wanted to circle back on this and see how you all are doing with this. I've done 3 batches using this and so far its been great. One issue i have been running into though is the depth of the draw at the bottom of the floating ball. The distance is about 1-1.5", so while the ball is still floating in the beer the draw is now in the trub at the bottom of the fermenter. Has anyone come up with a solution on how to decrease that distance? I've tried starting with the fermenter slightly tilted but have gotten less than stellar results with this method

Ha, I was just coming here to post the exact same question.

However I think the solution to this issue is to cut the tubing shorter. My thought is if the diptube is about 1.5 inches off the bottom of the fermenter (or however long you prefer) with nothing in the fermenter then when there is beer in there it can never get lower than that and hopefully all your trub will be below it. If for some reason there is beer below that line I would THINK you could tilt the fermenter to get the rest but I will let you know as I'm about to snip mine as we speak.

The only downside to this is I have been using my floating dip tubes interchangeably between kegs and fermonsters so now I need to pay attention to which is which (or at least the tube part of it).

Anybody have any other ideas or reasons why this wouldn't work?

 

[Hannabrew]

Discovered another good solution...a magnet! Once the dip tube gets to the point where it's about to suck trub, grab it with a magnet and hold it in place

This also works well for keeping the dip tube out of the hop debris when dry hopping...I just "pin it" above the liquid line until I crash it all to the bottom

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

Discovered another good solution...a magnet! Once the dip tube gets to the point where it's about to suck trub, grab it with a magnet and hold it in place View attachment 662557

This also works well for keeping the dip tube out of the hop debris when dry hopping...I just "pin it" above the liquid line until I crash it all to the bottom

BINGO! You got Bingo!

 

[Paladen]

like the idea of purging empty sanitized keg with Co 2 from the fermenter.
RE : Gravity Transfer. I would assume the return line from keg to fermenter is to provide a vent without introducing air into the fermenter ? Also sealing the keg would also have to be done with a 30lb ( or less) burst of bottled CO 2 correct ?

This all seems like a more convenient way than bottled CO 2 purging and pressure transfers.

 

[LittleRiver]

...Gravity Transfer. I would assume the return line from keg to fermenter is to provide a vent without introducing air into the fermenter ?...

Correct. The fermentation gas that has collected in the keg transfers into the headspace of the fermenter as the liquid drains into the keg.

... sealing the keg would also have to be done with a 30lb ( or less) burst of bottled CO 2 correct ?

There is no need to pressurize the keg at any point (until it's time to carbonate the beer).

This all seems like a more convenient way than bottled CO 2 purging and pressure transfers.

Absolutely. I've done it both ways, and have now standardized on fermentation gas purging and gravity powered transfers. It works.

 

[McKnuckle]

@LittleRiver why do you lay the keg on its side during (what I believe is) the transfer stage?

 

[LittleRiver]

... why do you lay the keg on its side ...

To get more height differential.

My setup puts the fermenter kinda low, and I don't like moving the fermenter before the transfer because I don't want to disturb the trub.

Laying the fermenter on its side was an idea I got from one of the good people here on HBT. Same is true for the little filter.

 

[Paladen]

So simple, did first gravity xfer today. SS Brew bucket fermenter on standard height table to upright keg on the floor. I thought it might stop because of the head pressure in the keg filling from the bottom,but it worked great the first time. Still had to first purge the keg w bottled CO 2 but will purge from fermenter on next brew day and from now on

 

[brewman !]

Are you guys putting the airlock on the gas ball lock ?

 

[brewman !]

it will be 100% air tight up to 20psi.

A fermonster will hold 20 PSI ?????

Fantastic thread, people !

 

[brewman !]

I've had modded lids with gas and thermowell but recently added the liquid and looking forward to trying it!
View attachment 624847View attachment 624848

What is the liquid connector that the dip tube is attached to ? Edit: I figured it out... it is a thermowell for a thermistor.

Why do you need a balllock liquid connector ?

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

A fermonster will hold 20 PSI ?????

Fantastic thread, people !

This has not been my experience. YMMV as it did for Loud Brewing. I am also not using the keg lube he is on the O-Ring. This may be something I will try moving forward.

Most of the time i hear a slight hissing noise coming from the lid. Other times I don't. The lid is the only complaint I have about the Fermonster at this point and its a small one

 

[LittleRiver]

Are you guys putting the airlock on the gas ball lock ?

Yes, during fermentation put the airlock on the gas post of the keg.

 

[Steven Barrett]

@LittleRiver I really like the elegance of gravity transfer, especially for glass carboys. What I was ruminating is whether you could pressurize the keg in lieu of filling the mylar balloon but now I am seeing the potential issue, as it would also pressurize the fermonster if the two were connected.

 

[SmokeyRydr]

I've had modded lids with gas and thermowell but recently added the liquid and looking forward to trying it!

in case anybody else wants to try this, one thing I found out the hard way is that you will need to cut one of your long liquid dip tubes in order to have something to put the tubing on for the floating dip tubes. Either that or find someone who carries extra long gas dip tubesView attachment 624847View attachment 624848

hey, I want to add a thermowell like you did. do you remember where you got the thermowell & bulkhead?

 

[LittleRiver]

I got my thermowell here.

 

[SmokeyRydr]

Wow, this so much better than a racking cane!

this is all it took:
1- blank lid
2- bulkhead posts
1- floating dip tube

the tip about using a magnet to "pin" the pickup tube worked great.

thanks for all the tip!

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

Discovered another good solution...a magnet! Once the dip tube gets to the point where it's about to suck trub, grab it with a magnet and hold it in place View attachment 662557

This also works well for keeping the dip tube out of the hop debris when dry hopping...I just "pin it" above the liquid line until I crash it all to the bottom

Update! I brewed a NEIPA and was ready to Keg. Lots of hops in the bottom. Had my Super Magnet ready! Turns out neither the draw tube or the metal ring that connects it to the ball are magnetic....
In your photo it looks like you have two rings. Did you add a second that would attract a magnet? And if so wouldnt that rust?

 

[SmokeyRydr]

Update! I brewed a NEIPA and was ready to Keg. Lots of hops in the bottom. Had my Super Magnet ready! Turns out neither the draw tube or the metal ring that connects it to the ball are magnetic....
In your photo it looks like you have two rings. Did you add a second that would attract a magnet? And if so wouldnt that rust?

It worked for me. I used one of those super strong rare-earth neodymium magnets. the metal didn't seem very magnetic, but just enough.

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

The magnet i used is strong enough to stick to my palm with my hand between it and the fridge. I don't think magnet strength is my issue. Neither the ring nor dip tube are magnetic. I'm guessing they are both SS. What i do have is a slight draw on the ball itself.

 

[SmokeyRydr]

I finished the lid off with a thermowell.

Screw corks and racking canes!

it turns out that the DuoTight 3/8×1/2" bulkhead fit my existing thermowell perfectly.

so basically it cost me about $48 to make this. a solid lid ($5), 2× weldless posts ($24), floating pickup tube ($15), thermowell (?) & bulkhead ($3).

tips, for the ball lock posts I mounted the orings under the lid, but for the thermowell bulkhead, it didn't seal so put that one on top of the lid and it presure tested just fine.

features:

• inexpensive
• light weight
• easy clean
• easy closed sampling during fermentation
• center mass temp measurement
• pressurized fermentation with spunting valve (I don't one have yet)
• closed pressure transfer

Cheers!

 

[mattman91]

I'd start with the solid lid...

Cheers!

Does this work? I have a solid lid. I could just put the solid lid on after active fermentation has slowed, then keep it on the rest of the way and transfer from my spigot into the liquid out post?

 

[day_trippr]

Umm....not sure what's going on here, but in case you literally skipped everything since that post of mine, by "start with the solid lid" I meant get a solid lid then drill holes in it.
Read the thread the whole way through...

Cheers!