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

Author Topic: Floating Pick Up Tube For Corny Keg  (Read 3813 times)

Offline mainebrewer

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 594
Re: Floating Pick Up Tube For Corny Keg
« Reply #15 on: March 27, 2020, 10:14:53 am »
The one downside to these is that you can't purge a keg filled with Star San in a closed pressure transfer.  I remember reading that when someone tried this, it left 3-6 oz of Star San in the bottom of the keg.  A pressure transfer should work otherwise but you would have to just purge the keg with CO2 and hope you got all the oxygen out.

Clear Beer recommends on their website to do an open transfer to the keg with some time still left in active fermentation to consume the remaining oxygen in the keg.  This seems less than ideal if one is concerned about oxidation.

I put the Clear Beer system in most of my kegs. If you want to fully drain all of the sanitizer out of the keg, trim the gas in tube flush with the inside of the keg. Then after pushing the sanitizer out with CO2, put a gas connector on the post, turn the keg upside down and drain the rest of the sanitizer. I have no problem doing a closed transfer with the Clear Beer system.
"It's not that people are ignorant, it's just that they know so much that just isn't true." Ronald Reagan

Offline ynotbrusum

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4881
Re: Floating Pick Up Tube For Corny Keg
« Reply #16 on: March 27, 2020, 10:24:06 am »
The one downside to these is that you can't purge a keg filled with Star San in a closed pressure transfer.  I remember reading that when someone tried this, it left 3-6 oz of Star San in the bottom of the keg.  A pressure transfer should work otherwise but you would have to just purge the keg with CO2 and hope you got all the oxygen out.

Clear Beer recommends on their website to do an open transfer to the keg with some time still left in active fermentation to consume the remaining oxygen in the keg.  This seems less than ideal if one is concerned about oxidation.

I put the Clear Beer system in most of my kegs. If you want to fully drain all of the sanitizer out of the keg, trim the gas in tube flush with the inside of the keg. Then after pushing the sanitizer out with CO2, put a gas connector on the post, turn the keg upside down and drain the rest of the sanitizer. I have no problem doing a closed transfer with the Clear Beer system.

Definitely a good way to go - I might consider that with my gas in tubes.  For now, I typically use my Clear Beer floating diptube in a Kegmenter fermentation set up, so I spund with a spunding valve near the end of fermentation and transfer closed loop to the serving kegs with clear and carbonated beer that I top off with a little force carb when needed.  Pretty slick.
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Offline BrewBama

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6049
Re: Floating Pick Up Tube For Corny Keg
« Reply #17 on: March 27, 2020, 01:06:02 pm »
The one downside to these is that you can't purge a keg filled with Star San in a closed pressure transfer.  I remember reading that when someone tried this, it left 3-6 oz of Star San in the bottom of the keg.  A pressure transfer should work otherwise but you would have to just purge the keg with CO2 and hope you got all the oxygen out.

Clear Beer recommends on their website to do an open transfer to the keg with some time still left in active fermentation to consume the remaining oxygen in the keg.  This seems less than ideal if one is concerned about oxidation.
I use Iodophors and purge my kegs with the Clear Beer system with zero issues.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

TXFlyGuy

  • Guest
Re: Floating Pick Up Tube For Corny Keg
« Reply #18 on: March 28, 2020, 08:21:46 am »
Weights were mentioned here...so what is best to use? I have some nice and small fishing weights.  ;D

Online denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27093
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Floating Pick Up Tube For Corny Keg
« Reply #19 on: March 28, 2020, 08:25:30 am »
Weights were mentioned here...so what is best to use? I have some nice and small fishing weights.  ;D

I assume they don't make those put of lead any more, like when I was a kid.  Do you know what the material is?
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline BrewBama

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6049
Re: Floating Pick Up Tube For Corny Keg
« Reply #20 on: March 28, 2020, 08:50:31 am »
I recommend a stainless weight. Maybe a nut that won’t pull the bobber all the way under.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

TXFlyGuy

  • Guest
Re: Floating Pick Up Tube For Corny Keg
« Reply #21 on: March 28, 2020, 10:21:57 am »
I recommend a stainless weight. Maybe a nut that won’t pull the bobber all the way under.

Now there is a good idea!

Offline goose

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1287
Re: Floating Pick Up Tube For Corny Keg
« Reply #22 on: March 28, 2020, 12:00:29 pm »
I recommend a stainless weight. Maybe a nut that won’t pull the bobber all the way under.

Now there is a good idea!

Just make sure it is a good quality stainless that is usable for food grade applications, like 304.  Some stainless steel alloys will rust.  I have had this happen on some of my ham radio antenna installations.  I would get the stainless nuts from a brewery supply outfit like SS Brewtech or Brewers Hardware.  I am sure they would either sell you some or tell you where to get them.
Goose Steingass
Wooster, OH
Society of Akron Area Zymurgists (SAAZ)
Wayne County Brew Club
Mansfield Brew Club
BJCP Certified

TXFlyGuy

  • Guest
Re: Floating Pick Up Tube For Corny Keg
« Reply #23 on: March 31, 2020, 11:09:11 am »
Today is kegging day. Just installed the floating pick-up tube in one keg. Added three small stainless washers to it for ballast. The tube inlet appears to be a full 1/2" below the surface of the beer, so hope we can avoid the foam issues.

Stand by, I'll let you know how it works for us.

Offline steppedonapoptop

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 36
Re: Floating Pick Up Tube For Corny Keg
« Reply #24 on: April 05, 2020, 07:53:40 pm »
I cut all my dip tubes. I got nothing but time. And if that it fast enough I pull out a little Knox. Works every time.

But those fancy floaters sure our interesting

TXFlyGuy

  • Guest
Re: Floating Pick Up Tube For Corny Keg
« Reply #25 on: April 05, 2020, 08:14:16 pm »
I cut all my dip tubes. I got nothing but time. And if that it fast enough I pull out a little Knox. Works every time.

But those fancy floaters sure our interesting

Yes, we always cut about 1 inch off the bottom end of the tubes also.

With the gelatin added, the beer is sparkling clear. But we have the floating pick-up, so maybe that helps too.

Offline steppedonapoptop

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 36
Re: Floating Pick Up Tube For Corny Keg
« Reply #26 on: April 06, 2020, 08:50:02 am »
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t eyeing them for awhile

Offline James Jacobson

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 9
Re: Floating Pick Up Tube For Corny Keg
« Reply #27 on: April 07, 2020, 09:34:41 pm »
I've got 3 torpedo dip tubes, 1 in a 10 gallon fermenter keg, one in a 5 gallon serving keg and my third I can't decide if I want to make my other 10 gallon a fermenter primarily or put it into another serving keg.

Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk


Offline BrewBama

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6049
Re: Floating Pick Up Tube For Corny Keg
« Reply #28 on: June 04, 2020, 11:30:45 am »
I have two clear beer draft setups. I stopped using them.  To me they are not any better than a dip tube for clear beer. My two cents...
I just took the Torpedo Buoy out of that keg. It was just not working right. I put the straight dip tube back in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline James Jacobson

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 9
Re: Floating Pick Up Tube For Corny Keg
« Reply #29 on: June 04, 2020, 11:35:52 am »
I have two clear beer draft setups. I stopped using them.  To me they are not any better than a dip tube for clear beer. My two cents...
I just took the Torpedo Buoy out of that keg. It was just not working right. I put the straight dip tube back in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
My most recent beer in my keg with the torpedo had a few issues where there were times when I'd start pouring and only gas was coming out even though it was half full or more.

Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk