Author Topic: Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub (Read 7842 times)

tommymorris · « **on:** August 28, 2017, 09:16:30 pm »

I have been fermenting in a 5 gallon pin lock keg the last few batches. I brew 3 gallon batches, so, the size is perfect. I use a spunding valve to naturally carbonate the beer and then transfer under pressure to a sani-purged keg.

I tried using a cut dip tube. That worked okay, but, I also have tried using a Clear Beer Draft System (http://www.clearbeerdraughtsystem.com/) in the fermenter. The clear beer draught system works well for this application.

Here a couple of pics stolen from Clear Beer's website.

The float keeps the beer inlet above any trub. The float is in the fermenter from day one. I was worried it might get clogged by krausen, but, so far that hasn't been a problem.

The float is stainless steel.

tommymorris · « **Reply #1 on:** August 28, 2017, 09:18:23 pm »

PS. I forgot to set the subforum for this post. It ended up in the same subforum as my previous post. Sorry.

Stevie · « **Reply #2 on:** August 28, 2017, 11:22:14 pm »

That's some quality MS Paint art there. I know a few people that use these for dispensing, but hadn't heard about it for fermenting beer. No issue with krausen?

tommymorris · « **Reply #3 on:** August 29, 2017, 05:42:54 am »

Quote from: Stevie on August 28, 2017, 11:22:14 pm

That's some quality MS Paint art there. I know a few people that use these for dispensing, but hadn't heard about it for fermenting beer. No issue with krausen?

No krausen issues for the 2 lagers I tried. Both with the same yeast. If it gets stuck, I can try extra pressure to unstick.

If that doesn't work, I can put the original dip tip back in without too much fuss, I think (some oxygen exposure though).

brewcrew7 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 29, 2017, 08:27:40 am »

I've been thinking of fermenting in kegs. I've got two taps, 4 5-gallon ball-lock kegs and 2 3-gallon pinlocks. Are you serving your 3 gallon batches in 5-gallon kegs? I suppose if you are voiding oxygen as best you can, the smaller batch size to keg shouldn't be an issue.

BrewBama · « **Reply #5 on:** August 29, 2017, 11:57:17 am »

I used the clear beer system to dispense. Never thought of using it to ferment.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

tommymorris · « **Reply #6 on:** August 29, 2017, 02:12:46 pm »

Quote from: brewcrew7 on August 29, 2017, 08:27:40 am

I've been thinking of fermenting in kegs. I've got two taps, 4 5-gallon ball-lock kegs and 2 3-gallon pinlocks. Are you serving your 3 gallon batches in 5-gallon kegs? I suppose if you are voiding oxygen as best you can, the smaller batch size to keg shouldn't be an issue.

No. I have 2.5 gallon kegs. The extra half gallon is mostly trub.

I fill the kegs all the way with starsan then empty by pushing co2. This gets nearly all oxygen out of the keg.

a10t2 · « **Reply #7 on:** August 29, 2017, 04:28:16 pm »

I have a buddy who does the same thing with a ping pong ball and some zip ties.

BrewBama · « **Reply #8 on:** August 30, 2017, 05:02:21 am »

Quote from: a10t2 on August 29, 2017, 04:28:16 pm

I have a buddy who does the same thing with a ping pong ball and some zip ties.

Cool!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

tommymorris · « **Reply #9 on:** August 30, 2017, 06:41:53 am »

I have three things that can go inside my kegs. (1) Ball and Keg to monitor the beer remaining, (2) the clear beer draught system, (3) a stainless dry hop container.

It seems these items are not 100% compatible with one another. I could not get the ball and keg magnet to stick when the clear beer was inside the keg. I am guessing the inside magnet of the ball and keg was sticking to the clear beer floater.

Then at one point with about 3/4 gallon remaining the clear beer somehow got stuck (I think the dry hopper got in the way) and stopped serving beer. I had to open the keg and knock it free.

For my current brew, I only have one of the three in the keg; the clear beer. I am pretty sure the clear beer has no real value when serving. My beer took about the same amount of time to clear. I am glad I bought it for the fermenting keg transfer not for serving.

stpug · « **Reply #10 on:** August 30, 2017, 12:45:58 pm »

Quote from: alestateyall on August 30, 2017, 06:41:53 am

For my current brew, I only have one of the three in the keg; the clear beer. I am pretty sure the clear beer has no real value when serving. My beer took about the same amount of time to clear. I am glad I bought it for the fermenting keg transfer not for serving.

That's a real shame because is sure makes sense that it should result in clearer pours much earlier on in a kegs life. This is the first time I read that it doesn't result in clearer beer. You're not spunding or keg priming are you?

EnkAMania · « **Reply #11 on:** August 30, 2017, 01:10:06 pm »

Quote from: alestateyall on August 30, 2017, 06:41:53 am

Then at one point with about 3/4 gallon remaining the clear beer somehow got stuck (I think the dry hopper got in the way) and stopped serving beer. I had to open the keg and knock it free.

Clear beer system now has a screen. I was able to throw three ounces in the keg without clogging or getting hop bits in my beer

tommymorris · « **Reply #12 on:** August 30, 2017, 01:15:19 pm »

Quote from: stpug on August 30, 2017, 12:45:58 pm

Quote from: alestateyall on August 30, 2017, 06:41:53 am
For my current brew, I only have one of the three in the keg; the clear beer. I am pretty sure the clear beer has no real value when serving. My beer took about the same amount of time to clear. I am glad I bought it for the fermenting keg transfer not for serving.

That's a real shame because is sure makes sense that it should result in clearer pours much earlier on in a kegs life. This is the first time I read that it doesn't result in clearer beer. You're not spunding or keg priming are you?

I spund then transfer to a keg with the method described in my original post. I generally have clear beer about two weeks after kegging for lagers.

My observation is just a comparison of two batches. I brewed a German Pils and my SABL clone both with same yeast. I kegged both after two weeks in the fermenter. Both were clear two weeks later. One used the Clear Beer system and one used a dip tube. YMMV. Things may be different for different yeast and other situations.

tommymorris · « **Reply #13 on:** August 30, 2017, 01:16:16 pm »

Quote from: EnkAMania on August 30, 2017, 01:10:06 pm

Quote from: alestateyall on August 30, 2017, 06:41:53 am
Then at one point with about 3/4 gallon remaining the clear beer somehow got stuck (I think the dry hopper got in the way) and stopped serving beer. I had to open the keg and knock it free.

Clear beer system now has a screen. I was able to throw three ounces in the keg without clogging or getting hop bits in my beer

That's a good use for the screen. I don't have the screen. I have stainless screen container. The Clear Beer screen is probably better.

stpug · « **Reply #14 on:** August 30, 2017, 01:28:34 pm »

Quote from: alestateyall on August 30, 2017, 01:15:19 pm

Quote from: stpug on August 30, 2017, 12:45:58 pm
Quote from: alestateyall on August 30, 2017, 06:41:53 am
For my current brew, I only have one of the three in the keg; the clear beer. I am pretty sure the clear beer has no real value when serving. My beer took about the same amount of time to clear. I am glad I bought it for the fermenting keg transfer not for serving.

That's a real shame because is sure makes sense that it should result in clearer pours much earlier on in a kegs life. This is the first time I read that it doesn't result in clearer beer. You're not spunding or keg priming are you?
I spund then transfer to a keg with the method described in my original post. I generally have clear beer about two weeks after kegging for lagers.

My observation is just a comparison of two batches. I brewed a German Pils and my SABL clone both with same yeast. I kegged both after two weeks in the fermenter. Both were clear two weeks later. One used the Clear Beer system and one used a dip tube. YMMV. Things may be different for different yeast and other situations.

Good info. I've been eyeing the clear beer system but this is going to slow me down for sure. I'll let it keep playing out for now I guess. Thanks for your feedback on this.

American
Homebrewers Association

Author Topic: Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub (Read 7842 times)

tommymorris

Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub

tommymorris

Re: Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub

Stevie

Re: Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub

tommymorris

Re: Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub

brewcrew7

Re: Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub

BrewBama

Re: Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub

tommymorris

Re: Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub

a10t2

Re: Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub

BrewBama

Re: Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub

tommymorris

Re: Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub

stpug

Re: Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub

EnkAMania

Re: Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub

tommymorris

Re: Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub

tommymorris

Re: Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub

stpug

Re: Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub