I cold crash in the keg, and when I dry hop I use a nylon paint strainer bag in the keg - no tube clogging.
Part of the issue for me is that I cold crash 3 times. Once when FG is reached to precipitate the yeast, after which I dump the yeast and I raise the temp again to dry hop. Then crash again to precipitate the hops and dump them. I have been kegging at that point and then continuing the cold conditioning in the keg… so I guess its 2 times, the second one in conical and keg.
Anyway, I think the solution that I am going to do is this: once FG is reached just use a stopper with a valve stuck in it. That way I can keep it closed during cooling and when I go to keg I can just attach CO2 and transfer it with a little pressure to the keg.
But again, this appears to be a solution in search of a problem. But being the CDO type I’m going to do it anyway. (CDO is the same as OCD except the letters are in the correct order)
Oooo. I like the stopper with a valve idea!
I don’t think this is really much of an issue, but since I ferment in 10 gallon corny kegs, I just pop the airlock (tubing attached to a gas disconnect) off before cold crashing, let a small vacuum form as the beer chills, and then pump a bit of CO2 in through the gas post.
You’re adding just as much air when you open and throw in the dry hops. I just don’t worry about it until it’s time to rack, and then I make sure the receiving keg is fully purged with CO2.
I’d also be careful about using a stopper and creating a vacuum… have you ever seen a commercial fermenter that has imploded? Not a pretty sight.
I appreciate your reply, but have you ever tried either of those? Despite the theoreticals, they work great.
I have not tried either of those Denny. I do know many who swear by them. I guess I am still trying to figure out how they could be better than simply using a one-piece airlock. Do you agree that plastic wrap is probably gas permeable and that oxygen can enter underneath the foil as the temps inside the headspace in the fermenter cool down and get sucked in?
I think the real issue is this - is the amount of oxygen that ingresses with any of these techniques something to worry about, or is it negligible and not worth bothering over? A dissolved O2 meter would be really handy for this!
I’m with you. I’m a foil topper and no issues. But I often think that perhaps I’m not worrying enough…
No doubt.
Anal? Do you purge your racking cane with CO2 like I do? Now THAT’s anal!
Oh, and the foil on the carboy has worked for me just fine. I pull the airlock, shoot a little CO2 into the carboy before crashing and hit it with the foil - never a problem that I could detect.
+1. And FWIW, that’s why I rack into a purged keg, dry hop a week @ room temp, and then cold crash under force carbing pressure - no rush of air occurs inward until the keg’s empty, .
Try the newly invented Klickitat Jim method. Inspired by the blowing CO2 comment.
Near the end of active fermentation stretch a large balloon over the airlock. When full of CO2 and fermentation is done, cold crash. Any shrinkage should be compensated for by the positive CO2 pressure in the balloon.
Of course all of this must be done in a 100% CO2 purged room.
BTW, I don’t do this nor do I worry about room air touching the surface of my beer. Do I splash it around or blow bubbles through it? No, but why would I need to?
You are clearly on the right track Jim. Now I need to buy a scuba breather and purge my garage with CO2 before a cold crash.
My takeaway from this is that doing something is better than doing nothing, but don’t go beyond your means in worrying about it. I have racked to purged keg as my SOP for quite a while, but now I have to consider purging my auto siphon…I recall Charlie Papazian recommending a tube of water to start the siphon - dumping this into an empty pail, then letting the beer flow into your bottles when bottling. Maybe that’s another way to go with kegs, too.
^^THIS^^. Same here.
Your true best bet is to push the finished beer closed transfer with CO2 directly from the primary into the liquid out post of the corny keg. With this technique all transfer lines are purged with CO2 before beer enters them.
I do like Jim’s idea with the balloon though. Kind of cool…
Not original. My pappy used to start his mead with a blowoff, and once the bubbles quit he’d put this huge necked balloon over the top of the carboy. Balloon would slowly fill and when it stopped and started sagging it was done.
That was about 1974…
It’s called a condom, Jim…
Oh, cool. I’ve never seen one before.
This is illustrative. Steam cleaned, then the valve was shut, cooled off, Kablamo!