Racking to a keg

[Tarpon87]

For sure I don't know, I only have 1 regulator and it's set to 12psi right now because there is a keg on tap currently. So it pushes the starsan out at that psi, I disconnect and then bleed some off but can't be sure what psi would be going into the fermenter

 

[hezagenius]

Assuming no clogs, it seems like it's gotta be either not enough pressure to get it started and/or not enough height differential between the 2 vessels.

I'd still try to see if you can put 1-2 psi on the fermenter and push it that way. If that works, that will rule some things out as the cause.

 

[Tarpon87]

I want to thank you guys for your help. I have managed to keg the beer mostly from disconnecting and reconnected the liquid QD and getting 1/8gal flow each time. So that's the good news, hopefully haven't ruined this beer in the process. The bad news is I haven't fixed my issue. When my current keg kicks I will clean out the dip tube, poppets etc. I will clean out the QDs and I have a RIS in secondary that I will transfer, no hops no trub to clog anything, hopefully that will eliminate some variables.

 

[Silver79]

I pull the tube from my Sanke keg, rinse it and shake several times with really hot water, dump it out, then rack from carboy to keg. Try to keep the end of the hose near the bottom. No problems in 6.5 gal. batches so far done it probably 15 times. May not always work I guess....

 

[mongoose33]

You're stressing me out with the oxygen thing. I'm thinking I'm making progress with my starsan purged kegs, now I find out I still have half a cup of open space in my kegs that could still contain oxygen? I'm getting nowhere trying to keep up with the anti-oxygen movement...

On the other hand, how much Oxygen do I need to add to this Helles lager to keep the yeast happy?? ?

Seriously, why oxygenate when pitching yeast after all the work cutting down hot side o2 and post fermentation o2? I'm at a loss, is it good or bad? Should I even be consuming oxygen myself (please don't answer that)?

I hadn't seen this the first time, so let me add something to purging kegs full of star-san.

When I transfer star-san from the serving keg to purge it w/ CO to the next keg, I always have the lid off; I let the CO2 bubble up from the bottom until the headspace is filled with foam and it starts to come out of the mouth of the keg.

What's in that foam? CO2! So by ensuring I replace the lid on that foam, I'm ensuring I have virtually nothing but star-san and CO2 foam in that keg. When it becomes the next serving keg, I'll transfer the star-san from that to the next in line.

So I don't have much if any oxygen in those kegs when I'm purging of star-san.

 

[derekcw83]

Question: I understand how to fully purge the SK prior to racking, but how do you all purge the tubing and racking cane? Maybe I'm missing something, but if there is air in the tubing or racking cane, isn't that mixing with the beer once it enters the keg?

 

[mongoose33]

Question: I understand how to fully purge the SK prior to racking, but how do you all purge the tubing and racking cane? Maybe I'm missing something, but if there is air in the tubing or racking cane, isn't that mixing with the beer once it enters the keg?

Depending on how you want to do it, you can leave a little residual CO2 pressure in your serving keg. Before you insert your racking cane/tubing into the fermenter, attach the QD and blow out the cane/tubing; as the pressure subsides, then put the racking cane in the beer.

Do not put the racking cane in the beer first then attach the QD or you will not only force the air in the tubing into the beer, you'll create a lot of bubbles and may stir up the trub. And if you are doing this with a spigot on the bottom of the fermenter, well, you don't want to do that.

Believe me. Don't ask how I know.

 

[derekcw83]

Perfect, that makes sense. So I can potentially do this with my autosiphon correct?

 

[mongoose33]

Perfect, that makes sense. So I can potentially do this with my autosiphon correct?

It's been a long time since I've used one, but I would think so. Try blowing through it and see if you can get an open air channel.