Process for kegging homebrew with d sanke kegs?

[makisupapolice14]

I've been home brewing on and off for years and recently bought a house and we are hoping to finally start kegging soon. I'm looking to buy a 2-3 tap commercial style kegerator that we can place both commercial beers and homebrew on tap interchangeably.

I have a friend who owns a brewery and he has offered to give me a few 1/6 barrel sanke kegs free of charge. In doing some research, it seems that this would be a good route to go for being able to meet our needs.

I've read through various threads and cleaning the sankes seems easy enough. For those who currently use sankes to keg their homebrew, can you give me a rundown of your process?

Besides the kegs what other equipment will I need to comfortably have 2-3 beers on tap? Any tips for the best way to transfer beer from the fermenter to keg? Ie you don't just siphon from fermenter to keg like you do when siphoning into a bottling bucket, correct? I'm a newb when it comes to the intricacies of kegging in general And want to be well informed before I just jump into the deep end and start wasting $$ haha

Thanks!

 

[D-Train]

That's a great friend right there.

For me, it's simple. Remove retaining clip, remove spear, clean keg and spear, starsan keg, sanitize siphon and tubing, purge keg of o2 via utility co2 line (optional), siphon from carboy into keg, sanitize spear, install spear, install retaining clip, hook up coupler, pull purge ring several times to purge o2, set psi to 30 for 48 hours, drop psi to serving temp, enjoy carbonated beer.

Over time I've added a few bonus items:
* Clean in place recirculating system (bucket, pump, faucet growler filler, and tubing) for cleaning lines from faucet to coupler.
* Same cleaning system for cleaning kegs (add copper tubing with spray head)
* Same recirculating cleaning system with spare coupler to clean spear
* Spare coupler and spare co2 line to completely purge kegs and do closed transfers for hoppy IPA's.

 

[makisupapolice14]

Thanks for the info! Much appreciated.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

First get one of these.So easy,youll never need to disconnect anything and your entire system will be cleaned..no brainer.
I rinse my kegs in the tub,fill halfway with water oxiclean mix and shake it around,dump,rinse with water a few times.I just got a new dual tap tower with perlick flow control 650ss.The lines are only 4 ft and seem to be working like a champ.I had 10 ft lines as most recommend here and got no head after the second beer.Get the flow control and never look back.I keep ferm bucket higher than the keg and transfer with a 1/2 auto siphon.Takes about exactly 1 min to transfer 5 gallons.I had the 3/8 siphon and it took forever..Heres the link http://www.googleadservices.com/pag...=pla&catargetid=320012430000210412&cadevice=c

 

[makisupapolice14]

Thanks I can't get your link to open though

 

[applescrap]

Do you keg 15? I think that amount I could stop buying commercial

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Heres another link. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...147-ck&usg=AFQjCNFiAOuD568t7WeLRkb18wSE0pY5Uw

 

[PGEduardo]

^Seems cool, but I don't think I'd spend $120+ for arguably redundant equipment. If I understand that product, it simply allows you to run cleaning solution through the coupler/faucet? I do this anyway as part of my Sankey cleaning process, with the added benefit of cleaning my spear from the inside out as well.

Just open up the keg, rinse out, fill with hot water and PBW, run this solution through tap/coupler (and cleans the inside of the spear too), rinse, fill with starsan and run this through system, purge with CO2, fill with beer and tap.

No special equipment beyond couplers (and a skinny but strong flathead screwdriver) should be necessary for running sankey kegs...

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

^Seems cool, but I don't think I'd spend $120+ for arguably redundant equipment. If I understand that product, it simply allows you to run cleaning solution through the coupler/faucet? I do this anyway as part of my Sankey cleaning process, with the added benefit of cleaning my spear from the inside out as well.

Just open up the keg, rinse out, fill with hot water and PBW, run this solution through tap/coupler (and cleans the inside of the spear too), rinse, fill with starsan and run this through system, purge with CO2, fill with beer and tap.

No special equipment beyond couplers (and a skinny but strong flathead screwdriver) should be necessary for running sankey kegs...

This is very true.I like the ease of not having to deal with the kegs when cleaning.For me it was money well spent.I open and close the kegs enough as it is

 

[makisupapolice14]

Pretty cool cleaning system I'll keep it in mind for sure if cleaning becomes a chore... After bottling it probably won't seem so bad to start.

How many taps do you guys have? I feel like I need a two tap system minimum. Probably 3 though.

 

[D-Train]

The nice thing about that sort of cleaning system is that it recirculates, allows using a caustic cleaning product (BLC), and doesn't have to use up co2 for cleaning. But I definitely agree that kegging can be done without all of the extras. The price is high but a pump, bucket, growler filler insert, and tubing can do it for less.

 

[Paps]

There's a kit that allows you to hook corny ball lock couplers directly onto a sanke style coupler. You can then transfer cleaning solution into the sanke WITHOUT having to remove the spear. I have not used them yet but plan on doing so soon as i also have recently aquired a few 1/6 bbl sankes...... let me dig up a link to it.

http://www.thekeggingpart.com/homebrew_in_commercial_kegs

http://www.cornykeg.com/product/sanke-keg-to-corny-keg-conversion-kit/

 

[PGEduardo]

The nice thing about that sort of cleaning system is that it recirculates, allows using a caustic cleaning product (BLC), and doesn't have to use up co2 for cleaning. But I definitely agree that kegging can be done without all of the extras. The price is high but a pump, bucket, growler filler insert, and tubing can do it for less.

I think we're looking at different products? This one linked does not recirculate, just dumps out the tap like using the keg would? The only benefit I see to this system is if you wanted to clean your lines before finishing a keg and you don't have a spare keg (nevermind that another keg would also be cheaper)...

Not trying to knock the product I just struggle to see the point of the particular system linked here.

OP - I have 4 taps. Just right IMO. Allows you to have a bit of variety for guests without them sitting too long...

 

[Paps]

Not trying to knock the product I just struggle to see the point of the particular system linked here.
..

It's a "tap line cleaner" nothing more

 

[D-Train]

I think we're looking at different products? This one linked does not recirculate, just dumps out the tap like using the keg would? The only benefit I see to this system is if you wanted to clean your lines before finishing a keg and you don't have a spare keg (nevermind that another keg would also be cheaper)...

Not trying to knock the product I just struggle to see the point of the particular system linked here.

OP - I have 4 taps. Just right IMO. Allows you to have a bit of variety for guests without them sitting too long...

You are correct. I assumed it was recirculating but in looking closer it appears I was wrong.

 

[D-Train]

There's a kit that allows you to hook corny ball lock couplers directly onto a sanke style coupler. You can then transfer cleaning solution into the sanke WITHOUT having to remove the spear. I have not used them yet but plan on doing so soon as i also have recently aquired a few 1/6 bbl sankes...... let me dig up a link to it.

http://www.thekeggingpart.com/homebrew_in_commercial_kegs

http://www.cornykeg.com/product/sanke-keg-to-corny-keg-conversion-kit/

I think I'm missing the point of the ball lock piece here. You still need a spare sanke coupler in this scenario right? In my opinion there would be easier ways to fill a sanke keg with cleaning solution through a spare coupler without introducing ball lock hardware and a spare corny keg.

 

[Paps]

I think I'm missing the point of the ball lock piece here. You still need a spare sanke coupler in this scenario right? In my opinion there would be easier ways to fill a sanke keg with cleaning solution through a spare coupler without introducing ball lock hardware and a spare corny keg.

Generally homebrewers that get into kegging start with corny kegs and then later (if at all) get into sanke kegs. That being said then they would probably allready have corny gear. With the part shown you'll never have to remove the spear from the sanke kegs (pro brewerys don't remove spears and they refill their kegs many times) I don't know about you, but i would probably slice a finger off trying to remove a keg spear with a screwdriver, and since i like having all ten fingers figure not having to mess with it be much simpler. However what works for you is what works for you. Do what you feel most comfortable with. Their are different ways of doing it this and i merely showed one of them.

As for the coupler, you take a regular sanke D style coupler and modify it to accept ball lock fittings. This gives the benefit of allowing the user to serve both corny kegged beer AND sanke keg beer from the same lines without changing anything out cept the empty keg with a full one.

 

[PGEduardo]

There's a kit that allows you to hook corny ball lock couplers directly onto a sanke style coupler. You can then transfer cleaning solution into the sanke WITHOUT having to remove the spear. I have not used them yet but plan on doing so soon as i also have recently aquired a few 1/6 bbl sankes...... let me dig up a link to it.

http://www.thekeggingpart.com/homebrew_in_commercial_kegs

http://www.cornykeg.com/product/sanke-keg-to-corny-keg-conversion-kit/

Now these I can understand actually. I have ball-locks mostly with a couple sankeys and a couple pin locks (that I haven't used yet). Right now I have a dedicated Sankey tap, but this would let me convert everything to ball lock fittings.

Removing the spear for cleaning really isn't that bad once you get the hang of it, although not having to do it at all would be something I would consider.

Thinking about the sankey tap line cleaner - this is definitely a product geared towards a commercial bar. The homebrewer likely cleans each line/tap/keg at the same time when they kick, however a bar swaps in kegs all the time. I assume they have a weekly schedule where the just disconnect all the kegs and clean all the lines at the same time. In that setting, this device would make sense...

 

[makisupapolice14]

There's a kit that allows you to hook corny ball lock couplers directly onto a sanke style coupler. You can then transfer cleaning solution into the sanke WITHOUT having to remove the spear. I have not used them yet but plan on doing so soon as i also have recently aquired a few 1/6 bbl sankes...... let me dig up a link to it.



http://www.thekeggingpart.com/homebrew_in_commercial_kegs



http://www.cornykeg.com/product/sanke-keg-to-corny-keg-conversion-kit/

Pardon my ignorance but I'm looking to purchase one of tees sanke to ball lock conversion kits but I'm wondering how the transfer of cleaning solution into the sanke without removing the spear works? Thanks

 

[cilestiok]

Is your friends brewery close? If so maybe you could take the kegs there for cleaning? If that's the case, filling them and carbing is pretty much the same as using cornies.

 

[Paps]

The kit i bought, i flipped the `adaptors` around and was able to fill the sanke keg pushing fluid from a seperate corny keg (filled with star-san) into the "gas inlet" side of the sanke keg. You then swap the adapters back over to the normal spots and can then empty the sanke keg using your normal ball lock "liquid out" fitting. The only tool required was a pair of channel locks but an adjustable wrench (or just the right sized one to begin with) would work fine.

 

[makisupapolice14]

Interesting paps I'll have to try that once I'm all set up thanks

 

[makisupapolice14]

Paps one more obvious question. How do you then fill the sanke w/ beer without removing the spear? Or so you transfer the beer from fermenter to corny and then corny to sanke using the same
Method above? If so will this transfer cause oxidation?

 

[cilestiok]

You would transfer into the liquid out side of the coupler. You'd need to vent either the prv or gas in side to keep the flow steady into the keg.

 

[Paps]

Paps one more obvious question. How do you then fill the sanke w/ beer without removing the spear? Or so you transfer the beer from fermenter to corny and then corny to sanke using the same
Method above? If so will this transfer cause oxidation?

Same method as mentioned above.
Having pushed the star-san out using gas there should be no oxygen in your sanke keg so it would not be exposed to air except when you rack it into your corny keg.As mentioned you do have to stop every now and then to purge pressure from the sanke to keep continious flow happening.

 

[makisupapolice14]

Hey everyone checking in again....I kegged my first homebrew with a corny keg with great success a week or so ago. I brewed another beer about a week ago and plan to keg within the next few weeks.

At the current moment I have 2
Sanke kegs available and I have the sanke to ball lock conversion posts attached to a commercial sanke I have on tap, so I can easily pour from commercial sanke and corny through my single tap kegerator.

The "problem" I have is that I don't have a spare corny keg to transfer sanitizer/beer to the sanke keg without removing the spear. Since I have the necessary hardware to clean and fill the sanke without removing the spear (and I've had trouble messing around with manually removing the spears), I'd prefer to do as paps discussed above.

Without a spare corny keg (I may purchase another soon) at the moment, is there a way for me to do a closed cleaning and beer transfer into the sanke?

Here are my proposed steps, which are just modified from the closed transfer method I used to sanitize and fill my corny keg. Will these work?
1. Attach sanke to ball lock conversion posts to sanke coupler. Attach coupler to sanke keg
2. Fill bucket or fermenter with spigot with 5 gallons of pbw/sanitizer
3. To transfer cleaner to sanke keg, Attach tubing with liquid qd to spigot, open prv on coupler and attach liquid qd to liquid out post in sanke coupler. Pull prv manually or attach gas qd to gas out post on coupler to vent (will this step work if the keg wasn't previously pressurized with co2???!? If not I can still just pressurize the keg prior to doing this step, correct?)
4. Attach co2 to sanke keg
5. Push all cleaner out through the tap at 10-15psi. Store o2 purged keg until ready to fill with beer.
6. Prior to use, release prv on sanke coupler
7. Fill keg with beer using same steps 2-3 above
8. After filling purge/vent keg several times at 30psi

Thanks in advance for the help!!

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Pretty cool cleaning system I'll keep it in mind for sure if cleaning becomes a chore... After bottling it probably won't seem so bad to start.

How many taps do you guys have? I feel like I need a two tap system minimum. Probably 3 though.

I repurposed my 5cf ferm chamber as a kegerator. It will fit 2 kegs on the floor plus a third on the compressor hump (with a 2x6 collar) and a 10# co2 cylinder. I installed 2 taps through the collar. I have 2 kegs serving plus 1 conditioning, so if the keg kicks in the middle of a party, I just move the lines around.

 

[wooda2008]

Hey everyone checking in again....I kegged my first homebrew with a corny keg with great success a week or so ago. I brewed another beer about a week ago and plan to keg within the next few weeks.

At the current moment I have 2
Sanke kegs available and I have the sanke to ball lock conversion posts attached to a commercial sanke I have on tap, so I can easily pour from commercial sanke and corny through my single tap kegerator.

The "problem" I have is that I don't have a spare corny keg to transfer sanitizer/beer to the sanke keg without removing the spear. Since I have the necessary hardware to clean and fill the sanke without removing the spear (and I've had trouble messing around with manually removing the spears), I'd prefer to do as paps discussed above.

Without a spare corny keg (I may purchase another soon) at the moment, is there a way for me to do a closed cleaning and beer transfer into the sanke?

Here are my proposed steps, which are just modified from the closed transfer method I used to sanitize and fill my corny keg. Will these work?
1. Attach sanke to ball lock conversion posts to sanke coupler. Attach coupler to sanke keg

step 1.5: remove liquid and gas check valves from Sanke tap

2. Fill bucket or fermenter with spigot with 5 gallons of pbw/sanitizer
3. To transfer cleaner to sanke keg, Attach tubing with liquid qd to spigot, open prv on coupler and attach liquid qd to liquid out post in sanke coupler. Pull prv manually or attach gas qd to gas out post on coupler to vent (will this step work if the keg wasn't previously pressurized with co2???!? If not I can still just pressurize the keg prior to doing this step, correct?)

Depressurize your keg; you can't gravity feed into a pressurized keg. forget about the PRV because you've removed the gas check valve in step 1.5. Just pulling the PRV will take forever for it to siphon from the bucket.

Step 3.5: reinstall both check valves in Sanke tap

4. Attach co2 to sanke keg
5. Push all cleaner out through the tap at 10-15psi. Store o2 purged keg until ready to fill with beer.

yes

6. Prior to use, release prv on sanke coupler
7. Fill keg with beer using same steps 2-3 above

remember step 1.5

8. After filling purge/vent keg several times at 30psi

vent it at whatever pressure. It purges at 5psi or 30psi.

Thanks in advance for the help!!

You're welcome!

 

[makisupapolice14]

^ thanks a bunch! I've never dabbled with removing check valves from a sanke coupler. I'll do some research but is it fairly easy?
I assume when I used this method on my corny keg that there are no check valves on the ball lock liquid and gas qds? With the corny it did take quite awhile to transfer
The beer from my fermenter to corny with the prv released on the corny.

One obvious thing I neglected to mention is that I'll need to flush/rinse the keg several times using co2 after soaking in pbw. This could be a cumbersome process and use extra co2 but it should work.

Do you think this process will adequately clean a dirty sanke keg with yeast, dried beer etc inside? Thanks again