Transferring from a corny keg fermenter w/o trub

[alestateyall (tommymorris)]

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.

[alestateyall (tommymorris)]

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

[skatz (Stevie)]

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?

[alestateyall (tommymorris)]

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]

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 (Dwain)]

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

[alestateyall (tommymorris)]

@brewcrew7

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]

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

[BrewBama (Dwain)]

@a10t2

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

Cool!

[alestateyall (tommymorris)]

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]

@alestateyall

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]

@alestateyall

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

[alestateyall (tommymorris)]

@stpug

@alestateyall

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.

[alestateyall (tommymorris)]

@EnkAMania

@alestateyall

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]

@alestateyall

@stpug

@alestateyall

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.

[brewinhard]

I have 3 clear beer systems and after spunding to the keg, I am able to pour beer that is clearer than beer that has been lagering for at least 3-4 wks already in the very first pour.

For me, they just allow me to drink a beer when it is super fresh instead of having to wait 3 wks for it to pour somewhat clear after the spund.

[brewinhard]

@EnkAMania

@alestateyall

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

I heard that dry hopping directly in the keg did not work quite as advertised with the screen filter, but I have not tried it directly myself yet.

Hmmmmm…3 oz of pellets, leaf, or cones?  No clogging, or particles in the beer at all?

[stpug]

@brewinhard

I have 3 clear beer systems and after spunding to the keg, I am able to pour beer that is clearer than beer that has been lagering for at least 3-4 wks already in the very first pour.

For me, they just allow me to drink a beer when it is super fresh instead of having to wait 3 wks for it to pour somewhat clear after the spund.

That’s hopeful then.  I should probably just pull the trigger on one and find out for myself how it’ll work in my process/system.

[EnkAMania]

@brewinhard

@EnkAMania

@alestateyall

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

I heard that dry hopping directly in the keg did not work quite as advertised with the screen filter, but I have not tried it directly myself yet.

Hmmmmm…3 oz of pellets, leaf, or cones?  No clogging, or particles in the beer at all?

Pellets

[alestateyall (tommymorris)]

@stpug

@brewinhard

I have 3 clear beer systems and after spunding to the keg, I am able to pour beer that is clearer than beer that has been lagering for at least 3-4 wks already in the very first pour.

For me, they just allow me to drink a beer when it is super fresh instead of having to wait 3 wks for it to pour somewhat clear after the spund.

That’s hopeful then.  I should probably just pull the trigger on one and find out for myself how it’ll work in my process/system.

My experience was that it took two weeks for the beers to be completely bright with and without the clear beer system. Before that the beers were somewhat cloudy.

I can’t really say how much better the clear beer was than the dip tube before week two since I didn’t do a side by side comparison.