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Author Topic: Purging Keg  (Read 8595 times)

Offline Jeffinn

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Re: Purging Keg
« Reply #15 on: June 23, 2015, 06:37:45 pm »
I've never bothered purging empty kegs prior to transferring before. In my illustrious past 3 or so batches of kegged beer, I've simply transferred over to the sanitized keg and will seal, add gas, and bleed off oxygen 4-5 times.

Is there a need to purge the keg prior to transferring? I just assumed doing this followed by an open keg as you transfer wouldn't do anything as oxygen would be re-introduced.

35 batches, never purged my kegs beforehand and never had an issue. I do it exactly the same way as you and for me its never been a problem. To each their own I guess.
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Offline brewsumore

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Re: Purging Keg
« Reply #16 on: June 26, 2015, 07:13:20 pm »
I've never bothered purging empty kegs prior to transferring before. In my illustrious past 3 or so batches of kegged beer, I've simply transferred over to the sanitized keg and will seal, add gas, and bleed off oxygen 4-5 times.

Is there a need to purge the keg prior to transferring? I just assumed doing this followed by an open keg as you transfer wouldn't do anything as oxygen would be re-introduced.

I do exactly what you do.

I do the same, but to feel extra safe I've gone to bigger co2 tanks and purging 7 - 8 times.  :>

Offline coolman26

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Re: Purging Keg
« Reply #17 on: July 01, 2015, 08:19:23 am »
I've never bothered purging empty kegs prior to transferring before. In my illustrious past 3 or so batches of kegged beer, I've simply transferred over to the sanitized keg and will seal, add gas, and bleed off oxygen 4-5 times.

Is there a need to purge the keg prior to transferring? I just assumed doing this followed by an open keg as you transfer wouldn't do anything as oxygen would be re-introduced.
I do the same thing.  I used to push out the StarSan and got to thinking about opening the lid.  Ideally I would like to do closed transfers.  I think that is the best practice.  I need to set up my fermenters to do this.  I have so many people stopping by for a drink, my kegs never have much time to oxidize or anything else. 
Jeff B

narvin

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Re: Purging Keg
« Reply #18 on: July 01, 2015, 08:48:00 am »
Yeah, if you're going to purge the keg with sanitizer and CO2 (which I do), you might as well fill through the dip  tube.  All you need is a black liquid disconnect on the end of your siphon tubing.

S. cerevisiae

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Re: Purging Keg
« Reply #19 on: July 01, 2015, 09:32:24 am »
How do you clean and sanitize your keg?  I use CO2 to push cleaning solution through the dip tube and a picnic tap.  My preferred keg cleaner is CTSP (chlorinated trisodium phosphate).   I rinse the keg and use CO2 to push hot water through the dip tube and a picnic tap before repeating the process with Star San.  The keg is purged at the end of cleaning and sanitizing.

Offline brewsumore

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Re: Purging Keg
« Reply #20 on: July 01, 2015, 09:59:16 am »

Is there a need to purge the keg prior to transferring? I just assumed doing this followed by an open keg as you transfer wouldn't do anything as oxygen would be re-introduced.

The primary source for oxygenating the beer in the receiving keg, if not purged, is due to splashing of the wort in the receiving keg, along with beer surface exposure to air.  That is why when transferring via auto-siphon you place the the hose end at the bottom of the keg - so that it is quickly buried under the level of beer so as to reduce splashing.

I rarely do it, but especially in certain circumstances purging the keg prior to racking into it is recommended, such as by Vinnie Cilurzo when racking Pliny the Elder into kegs and wanting to minimize oxegenation of the beer.  He explains it in:

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/attachments/0000/6351/doubleIPA.pdf
« Last Edit: July 01, 2015, 10:02:31 am by brewsumore »

Offline a10t2

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Re: Purging Keg
« Reply #21 on: July 01, 2015, 10:58:39 am »
My SOP is to pressurize the keg to 20 psig (30 psia) and push the sanitizer out to get the dip tube, beer line, and faucet sanitized, then blow down using the PRV and repeat the pressurize/blowdown process twice more. That *should* reduce the O2 from 21% to <1%. Attach the auto-siphon to the liquid post, open the PRV to start the flow, finish racking the beer, and then pressurize/blowdown three more times to purge the headspace. Once you actually play around with a DO meter, it's shocking how much purging is necessary.

CTSP (chlorinated trisodium phosphate)

5 Star's CMC, in case anyone was wondering. Awesome stuff.
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Offline flbrewer

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Re: Purging Keg
« Reply #22 on: July 01, 2015, 12:55:43 pm »
My SOP is to pressurize the keg to 20 psig (30 psia) and push the sanitizer out to get the dip tube, beer line, and faucet sanitized, then blow down using the PRV and repeat the pressurize/blowdown process twice more. That *should* reduce the O2 from 21% to <1%. Attach the auto-siphon to the liquid post, open the PRV to start the flow, finish racking the beer, and then pressurize/blowdown three more times to purge the headspace. Once you actually play around with a DO meter, it's shocking how much purging is necessary.

CTSP (chlorinated trisodium phosphate)

5 Star's CMC, in case anyone was wondering. Awesome stuff.

How would you attach the auto-siphon to the liquid post? What if I don't use an auto-siphon anymore and simply fill the keg with a silicone tube from my ball valve on the fermenter.

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Purging Keg
« Reply #23 on: July 01, 2015, 12:59:25 pm »
How would you attach the auto-siphon to the liquid post? What if I don't use an auto-siphon anymore and simply fill the keg with a silicone tube from my ball valve on the fermenter.

The tubing from the autosiphon runs to a disconnect which is attached to the liquid post.

You would attach the tubing from your ball valve in the same fashion.

Don't over-think this.  The goes-out from the fermenter attaches to the goes-out on the keg (which is now effectively the goes-in).
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline a10t2

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Re: Purging Keg
« Reply #24 on: July 01, 2015, 01:00:27 pm »
How would you attach the auto-siphon to the liquid post? What if I don't use an auto-siphon anymore and simply fill the keg with a silicone tube from my ball valve on the fermenter.

Same way as anything else; flared hose barb/nut attached to the QD. Sized appropriately for your tubing, of course.
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Offline flbrewer

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Re: Purging Keg
« Reply #25 on: July 01, 2015, 01:03:18 pm »
Thanks gents! New baby is making me foggy.

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Purging Keg
« Reply #26 on: July 01, 2015, 01:33:53 pm »
Get an espresso machine.  The only time I ever used mine was when I had newborns in the house.  It works miracles.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline a10t2

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Re: Purging Keg
« Reply #27 on: July 01, 2015, 02:13:54 pm »
I hear good things about meth.
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Offline flbrewer

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Re: Purging Keg
« Reply #28 on: July 01, 2015, 03:31:53 pm »
Amazing how much one can function on an hour sleep.

Offline bassetman

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Re: Purging Keg
« Reply #29 on: July 01, 2015, 09:06:14 pm »
Try twins....kiss that hour goodbye. Think I was awake all the first six months.
If it ain't broke let me have a go at it.