Ideas for closed transfer from basic HDPE fermenter

[goatchop41]

So having recently made an NEIPA that was amazing for a grand total of 6 days in the keg before oxidising, I am wondering if anyone has come up with any inventive ways of doing closed transfers from their fermenter to keg, that doesn't involve a siphon.
I haven't been able to find any sort of tubing that will fit both the fermenter tap and a liquid disconnect, hence my issue...perhaps there is a push in fitting that might work? I haven't been able to find one though...

If all else fails, I guess that I will just have to get a Gen 2 Fermentasaurus for myself for xmas!

 

[Fro-Daddy]

I've seen people push regular beer line inside silicon hose to connect tap to liquid ball lock

 

[PTG]

Irrigation shops sell heaps of stainless and brass fittings as in reducers of all sizes

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I've seen people push regular beer line inside silicon hose to connect tap to liquid ball lock

I have done it, anyone with the Valterra hand pump would have done it too.

 

[sp0rk]

I've recently started removing my liquid out connector, removing the poppet valve, screwing the connctor back on then connecting my 1/2" silicon hose to the fermenter and the liquid out post
A good squirt of CO2 into the keg hopefully gets rid of most of the O2

 

[goatchop41]

I've recently started removing my liquid out connector, removing the poppet valve, screwing the connctor back on then connecting my 1/2" silicon hose to the fermenter and the liquid out post
A good squirt of CO2 into the keg hopefully gets rid of most of the O2

This is what I have also just had suggested to me by someone else.
It's a good idea, but I also see it as being not ideal, as you still have to re-insert the poppet and therefore allow some O2 ingress. I know that you can put the QD back on without the poppet in the post, but I have more kegs in the fridge than taps, so I change them around sometimes and therefore aren't keen on having to have a tap tied up for the whole time that the keg in question still has beer in it.
Perhaps I'll have to just have to attach a picnic tap to the other keg and accept that that particular tap will be tied up for the sake of good beer!

 

[altone]

Another reason to use a kegmenter
There used to be stepdown barbed joiners available but I can't remember where I got one from many years ago.
I do remember gravity transfer was awfully slow using it and opening the keg relief valve.

 

[gap]

You could try one of these.
https://www.craftbrewer.com.au/gravity-filter-connector

Large tube goes over tap and attach beer line and disconnect to other end

 

[S.E]

perhaps there is a push in fitting that might work?

12mm silicon from the fermenter tap, beer line from a disconnect on the keg outpost then join the two.

A beer line straight push connector will fit the beer line as normal then the silicon tube will push and hold firmly over the connector.

Then run a gas line from the keg up to the air lock grommet on the fermenter.
https://www.keg-king.com.au/catalog/product/view/id/114/s/push-in-joiner-8mm-x-8mm/category/48/

Edit: forgot to say, I cut the little screw tab off the middle of the joiner so the silicon slipped over the whole thing.

 

[altone]

12mm silicon from the fermenter tap, beer line from a disconnect on the keg outpost then join the two.

A beer line straight push connector will fit the beer line as normal then the silicon tube will push and hold firmly over the connector.

Then run a gas line from the keg up to the air lock grommet on the fermenter.
https://www.keg-king.com.au/catalog/product/view/id/114/s/push-in-joiner-8mm-x-8mm/category/48/

You've done this successfully? No big leaks or air sucked in?
If so, what a nice cheap option.

 

[Smokomark]

A closed transfer is ideal but a few sqirts of co2 really doesn't purge the O2 out of the receiving keg.

I keep a keg full of starsan and pump the whole lot into a freshly cleaned keg. Your empty keg is then 100% co2. Invert and release prv to get rid of any remaining starsan then fill keg thru the liquid out post.
I've been doing this for years now and have noticed a big improvement in quality of my brews as they age a bit. Hop charecter stays brighter for longer. And no off oxidation flavours with long term aging of beers.

 

[S.E]

You've done this successfully? No big leaks or air sucked in?
If so, what a nice cheap option.

Yep, done it no problems. Its a bit slow but if you go away and forget about it the beer will only fill up the gas line to the level of the remaining beer in the fermenter.

The keg gas in post will be full of beer so careful gassing up the keg, preferably draw off some beer first.

 

[Meddo]

Get one of these bottling wands and cut a two inch section off the main stem. Jam that section in the fermenter tap and some 8mm beer line in the other end of it with a normal disconnect on the other end of the beer line. Fits perfectly, no leaks.

https://www.cannonhillbrewing.com.au/product/blue-bottler-spring/

 

[goatchop41]

Get one of these bottling wands and cut a two inch section off the main stem. Jam that section in the fermenter tap and some 8mm beer line in the other end of it with a normal disconnect on the other end of the beer line. Fits perfectly, no leaks.

This is a great idea!
The idea above yours of bunging tubing over a push-in fitting sounds workable too, but I'd be even happier with the thinner beer line as opposed to the big silicone tubing that I have, as the flowing beer doesn't always completely fill the tube, which will obviously be also introducing some O2

 

[Meddo]

Yeah that's why I like it, the beer line is thin enough that the first flow of wort will push all the air out. As I mentioned elsewhere, I normally discard that first bit of running just through a carb cap into a glass then disconnect the cap so the line is full of beer before it starts flowing into the keg, clears out the yeast debris from the tap and any slight risk of oxidation from the first flow of beer. If you get the length of the stem piece right you should be able to get the beer line all the way through it to butt directly up against the bottom of the tap, then you've got the thin line all the way from the fermenter to the keg.

 

[Meddo]

Disclaimer: when I say "fits perfectly" that might be slight creative use of language - the beer line fits snugly enough that I've done this ten times or so without a drop leaking, but I wouldn't try it for a pressure transfer (although I can't imagine anyone would use a plastic fermenter tap on a pressure vessel anyway).

 

[Wobbly74]

Errrrr......

 

[Meddo]

Ha, I stand corrected!

 

[altone]

Yeah that's why I like it, the beer line is thin enough that the first flow of wort will push all the air out. As I mentioned elsewhere, I normally discard that first bit of running just through a carb cap into a glass then disconnect the cap so the line is full of beer before it starts flowing into the keg, clears out the yeast debris from the tap and any slight risk of oxidation from the first flow of beer. If you get the length of the stem piece right you should be able to get the beer line all the way through it to butt directly up against the bottom of the tap, then you've got the thin line all the way from the fermenter to the keg.

Ok just fiddled with a retired "blue bottler" sitting in the garage and it seems to work like a charm ( only pushing water around but still)
@Meddo to the rescue

 

[OATY1KENOBE]

Try turning and old keg into a fermenter,.... easier,.... cleaner,... no oxygen,... EVER !!!