Couple Of Q's

[EVOSTi]

howdy

firstly, how do you clamp down those little clamps that come with beer lines? crimp with pliers? iver only ever used normal screw type clamps before.

second, my first lager is finishing up fermentation and im getting keen to get it into my first keg setup. ive never racked before with my bottled ales because i dont mind sediment (and you cant see it in a brown bottle too much anyway) but i think clarity will be an issue with people if they are drinking from a glass.
so should i rack to a cube for a few weeks then keg, or can i just go straight to a keg with some gellatin and lager it in the keg then serve when ready?

thanks for any help, i know these have probably been covered to death but i suck at searching.

 

[mika]

I find side cutters are best for crimping the clamps, but pliers will work as well.
You can cube and lager or keg and lager. Cube and lager probably drops a bit more sediment out, but then you've got an increased risk of oxidation. Personal preference really.

 

[BungalowBill]

howdy

firstly, how do you clamp down those little clamps that come with beer lines? crimp with pliers? iver only ever used normal screw type clamps before.

second, my first lager is finishing up fermentation and im getting keen to get it into my first keg setup. ive never racked before with my bottled ales because i dont mind sediment (and you cant see it in a brown bottle too much anyway) but i think clarity will be an issue with people if they are drinking from a glass.
so should i rack to a cube for a few weeks then keg, or can i just go straight to a keg with some gellatin and lager it in the keg then serve when ready?

thanks for any help, i know these have probably been covered to death but i suck at searching.

Hi Evosti , are these the clamps with a little square section on the side?
BB

 

[Frank]

If they are cobra clips, use pliers or multigrips.

 

[BungalowBill]

If they are cobra clips, use pliers or multigrips.

cobra clips are easy peezy attached is a pic , these have me confused as I dont want to stuff any up

 

[kenlock]

View attachment 21722


cobra clips are easy peezy attached is a pic , these have me confused as I dont want to stuff any up

+1 Would like some help on these myself. Having just stuffed one up this afternoon. :unsure:

 

[recharge]

For these clips i use a pair of nail pinching/removing type pliers on either side of the square bit and squeeze away.

Rich

 

[kenlock]

For these clips i use a pair of nail pinching/removing type pliers on either side of the square bit and squeeze away.

Rich

So it pulls the inner circle tight and squeeze to clamp.
Thanks Rich

 

[Carbonator]

This is the correct tool for the job;


You can get away with using "nippers", a tool used by concreters;


Seen here is the "1 ear" SS Oetiker clamp (the best), 2 "ear" generic clamp and the SS Oetiker clamp in situ;


The Oetiker clamps are 60 cent each from places like Andale. The side pliers are about $60.

 

[EVOSTi]

great replies guys
im glad i asked because for some reason i thoguht i would squeeze down onto the clamp rather than squeeze the sides of the raised section.

 

[BungalowBill]

great replies guys
im glad i asked because for some reason i thoguht i would squeeze down onto the clamp rather than squeeze the sides of the raised section.

Thanks for clarifying that, I have the cobra ones too , I received the others when i purchased my kegging gear.
BB

 

[newguy]

second, my first lager is finishing up fermentation and im getting keen to get it into my first keg setup. ive never racked before with my bottled ales because i dont mind sediment (and you cant see it in a brown bottle too much anyway) but i think clarity will be an issue with people if they are drinking from a glass.
so should i rack to a cube for a few weeks then keg, or can i just go straight to a keg with some gellatin and lager it in the keg then serve when ready?

If you have some patience, you don't need any finings. Just rack to the keg, apply pressure to seal, and chill. Leave the gas on for a week to carbonate or shake the hell out of it with gas attached once it is chilled. Leave it alone for 1-2 weeks, then simply pour until the beer runs clear. My own kegs that I chill, force carbonate, then store will only pour cloudy for the first 1/2 glass. Crystal clear after that. If you're in a rush you can put finings in the keg and rack onto it. Same result as with no finings, only faster. Welcome to kegging! :super:

 

[buttersd70]

If you have some patience, you don't need any finings.

If you don't have enough patience for it to clear on its own, then lager's probably not for you anyway....It needs time in lager, not just to clear. With a lager, by the time its ready, it should have cleared on its own anyway.

I agree with newguy about lagering it in the keg, imho its the best way. If you think it's likely the keg might get moved around at all (before the first cloudy pour is taken off), I would say to fine it anyway, not so much to make it clear quicker, but because it will re-clear quicker if the keg does gets moved.

 

[EVOSTi]

thanks newguy and butters, thats exactly what i wanted to hear

i just bumped the FM yesterday up to 18 degrees (heard this was a good idea with lagers) and i will keg it in the next day or two.

so i can add some finnings, fill the keg, purge with gas and leave to lager? how many weeks is ok?