Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Transfer from Sanke Keg to Corny keg?  (Read 4761 times)

Offline FasterYellow

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 1
Transfer from Sanke Keg to Corny keg?
« on: March 31, 2016, 01:02:55 pm »
I would like to put craft beers on my tap system at home. Is it possible and safe to depressurize a full sanke keg and pour that beer into a corny keg so I can connect and enjoy at home?

Other suggestions?

Offline Pinski

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1943
  • Portland, Oregon
Re: Transfer from Sanke Keg to Corny keg?
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2016, 01:10:41 pm »
Many breweries in Portland will fill a corny for folks.
Is that an option for you?

If your transferring from a sanke to a corny I would try to set it up so that you can use CO2 to push the beer from keg to keg. IF, you haven't already been hand pumping AIR/O2 into the sanke, in which case I would just pour from the tap into the corny, carb it up and drink it FAST before it oxidizes if it hasn't already.
Steve Carper
Green Dragon Brewers
Clubs: Oregon Brew Crew & Strange Brew
BJCP Certified

Offline Joe Sr.

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4467
  • Chicago - NORTH SIDE
Re: Transfer from Sanke Keg to Corny keg?
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2016, 02:10:15 pm »
Run the tap line from the Sanke to the beer-out post of the CO2 purged corny.  Push via CO2 to the corny.  No worries.

I've done this several times.  I have flare fittings on my sanke tap and on my corny QDs.  I have a line with flare fittings on each end that is specifically for keg to keg transfers.

Don't pour it.  Don't just run it from the tap.  You can do a pressurized transfer and avoid all oxidation concerns.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline toby

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1021
  • Galvez, LA
    • Beer Judge Chronicles
Re: Transfer from Sanke Keg to Corny keg?
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2016, 02:42:18 pm »
Go with Joe's suggestions, or replace your barbed connectors with FFL/MFL connectors.  I have two low profile sanke connectors with MFL connectors that I swap out on the rare occasions I have commercial brews in my kegerator.

Offline Joe Sr.

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4467
  • Chicago - NORTH SIDE
Re: Transfer from Sanke Keg to Corny keg?
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2016, 03:59:17 pm »
Go with Joe's suggestions, or replace your barbed connectors with FFL/MFL connectors.  I have two low profile sanke connectors with MFL connectors that I swap out on the rare occasions I have commercial brews in my kegerator.

I've got the taps on my outdoor portable bar set up like that so I can run a sanke or a corny.  Or a pin lock. 
Very convenient.  Regrettably, I initially set up my sanke taps with flare fittings.  I don't use them often, but when I do it's a PITA and I've been migrating them to flare fittings.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11326
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Transfer from Sanke Keg to Corny keg?
« Reply #5 on: April 01, 2016, 05:15:27 am »
This is super easy, I do it the other way (corny to sanky) about 2 times a week. You just make a jumper. That being said you will want to transfer under pressure or you will lose so,e co2 and get excessive foaming. Best way to do that would be to release a little bit of co2 from lid a little but at a time always keeping the pressure higher on the sanky side, but never letting the pressure out of the corny (ideally you would want 15 psi on sanky and 10-12 on corny). Go slowly and sYou shouldn't have any problems.
« Last Edit: April 01, 2016, 05:17:56 am by majorvices »

Offline Joe Sr.

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4467
  • Chicago - NORTH SIDE
Re: Transfer from Sanke Keg to Corny keg?
« Reply #6 on: April 01, 2016, 08:22:26 am »
I would also add to transfer cold.  It probably doesn't matter as far as carbonation loss, since you can just pressurize the keg, but it should help reduce foaming in the destination keg and it helps to gauge the level of fill on the destination keg as you will get condensation on the outside up to the level of fill.

I think knowing how full the destination keg is getting is important.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline lindak

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 42
Re: Transfer from Sanke Keg to Corny keg?
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2016, 06:53:30 pm »
I have a commercial keg that maybe has 1.5 gallons left that I have been considering moving to a 2.5 gal ball lock.  Can you guys sanity check me based on what you've said above?  1) purge the ball lock (push starsan), which would probably leave that keg pressurized at 2psi.  2) turn off co2 to the sankey and drop pressure (or I guess I could just remove the tap) and attach the beer out with a quick disconnect and to the beer out on the ball lock.  3) open the co2 to the sankey, while using the prv on the ball lock keg to keep pressure approx 10 psi.  You recommend to go slowly-- is that a function of co2 to the Sankey?  I feel logically challenged here-- thanks

Offline Joe Sr.

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4467
  • Chicago - NORTH SIDE
Re: Transfer from Sanke Keg to Corny keg?
« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2016, 08:43:45 am »
Everything in your post sounds correct.

2 psi seems a little low, but the important thing is (obviously) having greater pressure on the Sanke than the ball lock.  I usually just burp the PRV occassionally to keep the beer flowing.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11326
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Transfer from Sanke Keg to Corny keg?
« Reply #9 on: April 04, 2016, 08:59:24 am »
Ideally you want about 10 psi on receiving and 12-15 on keg you are pushing. At 2psi you will lose so,e carbonation.

Offline amichuda

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 31
Re: Transfer from Sanke Keg to Corny keg?
« Reply #10 on: April 04, 2016, 11:34:33 am »
I have ball lock quick disconnect posts on my type D coupler. Voila.