[homoeccentricus]

I'm planning to ferment my next brew - an IPA (this time without dry hopping to keep things simple) in a keg (which I'm already doing now) and a spunding valve. Has anyone done this? I understand that spunding valves work well with lagers because fermentation is slower, but may be more difficult with faster fermenting top cropping yeast. The idea would be to ferment the IPA in a keg with a blow-off into a bucket, and after 2 days or so, depending on the speed of the fermentation, close up the keg and add a spunding valve. It may be tricky to determine when it is the right moment to add the valve? Then the pressure should build up to something like 15 psi, correct?

After fermentation is finished, the carbonated beer would be transferred under CO2 pressure to a serving keg. In order for the flocculated yeast not to block the transfer I will use an OUT tube of which two inches or so have been sawed off.

I would get the spunding valve in Germany. Either this one: http://www.malzmuehle.eu/Profi-pressure-relief-system--wall-mountable-Kolonne-pressure-relief-system-Spundhund-and-Kolonne-Keg-manometer-for-home-brewing-Automatic-constant-pressure-relief-valve/beer-brew-beer-beer-accessories-nrw-malt-yeast-hops-homebrewing-automatic-constant-pressure-relief-valve.html

or this one:

Obviously filtering with gelatin or dry-hopping would make things more complicated, but I'm not going to do that for now.

Comments?

[EDIT: fixed link]

[Stevie]

Should work fine,  but you want more like 30psi at room temp.

Two inches off the tube is a lot. Start with about an inch and see how that works for you. You should use a tubing cutter for this, not a saw. Tubing cutter will leave a cleaner cut.

Also, your links are identical.

[homoeccentricus]

Should work fine,  but you want more like 30psi at room temp.

Two inches off the tube is a lot. Start with about an inch and see how that works for you. You should use a tubing cutter for this, not a saw. Tubing cutter will leave a cleaner cut.

Also, your links are identical.

- Thanks, fixed the link.
- Can you point me into the direction of a good cutter that's internationally available?
- 30 psi works with those German spunding valves - they go to 3 bar so should be ok.

[EDIT: oops, meant to ask, why is 30 psi better?]

[Stevie]

Here is one on Amazon
Ridgid 32975 1/8-Inch to 5/8-Inch Close Quarters Tubing Cutter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LDGNCU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Bwa6xbEPZYA49

30 is "better" for the same reason 12 is better than 6 at 40°. You will only get about 2/3 the co2 you are expecting at 15psi

[tonyccopeland]

I have tried fermentation in a keg twice with a cut tube and the tube gets clogged.  Anyone have any tips on how to prevent this problem?  I have even tried pushing co2 down the serving disconnect without success.

-Tony

[homoeccentricus]

I have this gizmo: http://www.homebrewing.org/Corny-Keg-Dip-Tube-Screen_p_2091.html

But it's for hop particles, don't know whether it will work with yeast.

[homoeccentricus]

By the way, this is what I used as a reference: http://www.terifahrendorf.com/Closed-Pressurized-Fermenatation.pdf  (sic) - it's originally from 1990 or something like that And I quote:

"After pressure testing, remove the long OUT tube from one of the Corneliuses. This Cornelius will
be your fermenter. Carefully cut about two inches off the bottom of this tube with the hacksaw. To
avoid squashing the tube while cutting it, stick the dowel in the end to support it. The other
Cornelius will be your serving tank."

So two inches. Maybe that does the trick?

[homoeccentricus]

[tonyccopeland]

That looks sweet with the stainless quick disconnect.

-Tony

[homoeccentricus]

Deutsche Gründlichkeit 

[erockrph]

I haven't really bothered with cutting my dip tubes in my fermenting kegs. I just blow off the trub under pressure, then transfer to the serving keg. One caveat is that I haven't done any brews with dry hops in the fermenting keg, so that may cause an issue with clogs.

[homoeccentricus]

That's why my first experiment will be with an IPA without dry-hopping. One step at a time. "New World IPA" recipe from Gordon Strong. No dry-hopping, no crystal malts, whirlpooling @0

[tonyccopeland]

Deutsche Gründlichkeit 

Efficient indeed.  I naturally carb kegs when my kegerator is full and have overcarbed more than once, I may have to add the parts for one of these to my wish list.

-Tony

[homoeccentricus]

I just blow off the trub under pressure, then transfer to the serving keg.

You simply use a picknick tap and more pressure than you would use to transfer to the serving keg?

[erockrph]

I just blow off the trub under pressure, then transfer to the serving keg.

You simply use a picknick tap and more pressure than you would use to transfer to the serving keg?

Bingo. I put a picnic tap on the fermenter and dial up the PSI until beer and gunk flows out. I open the tap in a few short bursts once it gets flowing to blow out most of the crud. Once it looks clear coming out of the picnic tap I drop the pressure down to about 2 PSI and connect it to the serving keg. I put my spunding valve on the serving keg and loosen it until I hear just a faint, steady hiss. This way you're filling under pressure to keep foaming to a minimum, but you don't need to constantly pull the valve on the keg to keep the transfer flowing.