Keg Transfer Made Easy...

[avaneyk]

I would just purge an empty keg with a few shots of CO2 rather than pushing a heap of extra liquid through it, saves on CO2, and any CO2 in the keg will form a blanket over the beer to avoid oxidisation.

I thought about this but was worried about any air left in my party keg ending up in my 19L keg and spoiling the remaining beer. Have you had any issues with oxidation in either keg doing it this way Raven? (I saw your post from a fews years back above so assume you've been doing keg to keg transfers for a while)

I'm not too worried about the Co2. It seems to me that the gas used to push the water out of the small keg would be needed to pressurise it anyway. Also, this gas will end up displacing beer in the bigger keg so its not wasted (I would have used the same amount to serve beer out of the big keg if I wasn't moving it to the party keg).

But then again - if its not necessary, then I wouldn't bother... :unsure:

 

[raven19]

Nowadays I tend to just gravity filter to keg rather than transferring keg to keg. However once the receiving keg is full as you mentioned there is bugger all headspace. Maybe disconnect everything, then purge the headspace of the receiving keg with some more CO2.

 

[beerbog]

Has anyone done the keg transfer with the receiving keg having no relief valve? If so how did you get the flow started?

I have a couple of 9L kegs that I want to transfer into without manual relief valves and I was thinking to create the pressure difference
i would just connect the receiving beer disconnect last with both kegs equalised with C02.

Has anyone tried this? Thanks. :beerbang:

 

[Ross]

Has anyone done the keg transfer with the receiving keg having no relief valve? If so how did you get the flow started?

I have a couple of 9L kegs that I want to transfer into without manual relief valves and I was thinking to create the pressure difference
i would just connect the receiving beer disconnect last with both kegs equalised with C02.

Has anyone tried this? Thanks. :beerbang:

Just give the gas poppet of the recieving keg a quick press before connecting the return disconnect - this will work exactly the same as pulling the relief valve.

cheers Ross

 

[Batz]

this will work exactly the same as pulling the relief valve.

cheers Ross

:lol:

Oh well it looked funny to me anyway, I've been working in the sun.

 

[skippy]

why did i wait so long to buy a pressure release valve for the gas dissconnect!

tranfer at 100kPa from dirty keg - filter - clean corny, 20 L took 5 min

 

[Hawko777]

Has anyone done the keg transfer with the receiving keg having no relief valve? If so how did you get the flow started?

I have a couple of 9L kegs that I want to transfer into without manual relief valves and I was thinking to create the pressure difference
i would just connect the receiving beer disconnect last with both kegs equalised with C02.

Has anyone tried this? Thanks. :beerbang:

Hi All,
Transfering beer needn't be so difficult at all. There are 3 instances when I transfer.

1/After putting fermented beer in keg to go into fridge for a week or so @ ~2Deg C to get dropout or clear beer, no need to filter.
2/ Transfer to 5 L party keg.
3/ Transfer to Bottles.

1/ I dont use any filters, just natural filtration. Wheat beers will need more than one transfer, but you dont loose that unfiltered flavour.

2/ My party keg has a little dip tube inserted on the Gas inlet, set at the correct headspace, beer starts to come out when full and you still maintain the correct headspace. Inlet has a S/Steel tap connected for purging ( Plus John Guest fittings) C02 to generate flow from 19L to 5L, no gravity necessary and you can control the flow precisely. Just use a piece of beer tube with the same quick connects on each end ( Outs) so you suck from one dip tube(19L) to the Out ( with the dip tube )on the 5L. Like all the others said, Pressurize party keg to same pressure, (I have a 5 tap manifold) and slowly release inlet tap to generate flow.
I sometimes use this method to transfer sterilizer if doing more than one keg so all lines, connects, tubes etc get done, then purge O2 with C02 ready to go.

3/ This method of having a Beer inlet, CO2 Inlet and a Purge Valve remains for the transfer from keg to bottles.
I made up 2 Tees joined together with taps and a dip tube on the bottom and a rubber stopper to seal. Works like a champion, you just need to have the capper ready to cap real quick before the gas wants to escape the liquid. Best use cold bottles too.

I will get around to posting some pics of my setup.
Keep the information flowing all ye brewers.

Happy brewing :drinks:

 

[sim]

Just thought i'd share my blinding appifany with you all, appologies to any who find it bleedin' obvious:

You've got the liquid flow/syphon going, now to link up the two kegs with gas, completing the circuit so to speak. Rather than using an independant piece of gas line joined by two disconnects, you can just wack a double adaptor on the line from your gas cylinder and two gas disconnects at the end. You connect the first gas disconnect on the giving keg to get the flow going, then close the PRV on the recieving keg and wack on the second gas disconnect to complete the circuit.

This worked a treat for me just now, and is convenient for my setup hence my enthusiasm.

 

[Amber Fluid]

or if you have a manifold just use 2 lines from the same source

 

[MarkBastard]

Just thought i'd share my blinding appifany with you all, appologies to any who find it bleedin' obvious:

You've got the liquid flow/syphon going, now to link up the two kegs with gas, completing the circuit so to speak. Rather than using an independant piece of gas line joined by two disconnects, you can just wack a double adaptor on the line from your gas cylinder and two gas disconnects at the end. You connect the first gas disconnect on the giving keg to get the flow going, then close the PRV on the recieving keg and wack on the second gas disconnect to complete the circuit.

This worked a treat for me just now, and is convenient for my setup hence my enthusiasm.

Isn't this just using gas to push the liquid instead of gravity? Handy but different. Would also mean that you can have both kegs on the same level.

The beauty of the original method is that it doesn't have to 'waste' gas.

 

[WillCowan]

I transfer from my 19L kegs through to my 9L keg via a jocky box to chill the beer for my backpack party keg system.

I will let you know if it works ok using this method.

 

[kegs23]

this works so good,been doing it this way for a few weeks now as i all ways take a 9l keg to every party i go to,some time even 2 9l kegs,

 

[Amber Fluid]

Yabba-Dabba-Doo!!.. found it.

Ummmm sorry, just having a spaz attack as I have been searching for about 20 minutes for this.... if only I went to the forums first instead of the search feature. Doh!!

 

[tonyt]

I did too a couple of days ago, very simple, not even a drop of beer spilt!

 

[Rik]

Just finished my Jockey box.....time for some camping

 

[treefiddy]

Looks great!

Just make sure there's no stress on the joins between the coil and beer line, or you'll end up with no gas and an esky full of beer

 

[maldridge]

Hey guys, I've got a bit of a problem with one of my kegs. It seems to be leaking, probably half way up, on the wall of the keg. It leaks only when it's pressurized, so I'm guessing the keg is farked and I'll have to dispose of it.

I'm going to go and get a new keg today, and the old keg is currently sitting in the fridge at 2c, not connected to the gas, and the beer is not carbonated at all.

To transfer to my new keg, will I be able to just connect the old keg to my kegerator system, and then just pour the beer out the tap, through a silicon hose and transfer to the new keg? As the beer is not carbed up, there shouldn't be any oxidation issues if I take it slow and steady, right?

I read through this thread but from what I can tell all the transfer methods listed is for carbed up beer...

Cheers.

 

[NewtownClown]

with the transfer method outlined in this thread, carbed or uncarbed makes no difference. If both kegs are at equal (or damned close to equal) pressure, foaming wont be an issue.
With the hole in your keg, it may be best to push the beer out into the new keg using CO2.

Oxidation can occur with uncarbed beer. In my mind probably easier. Careful slow pouring out of a tap through a hose into a keg purged with CO2 should be okay. A better option would be to purge the new keg with CO2 then connect both the kegs at the beer out posts and use low pressure to push the beer from the old keg to the new... slowly releasing the pressure in the new keg as it goes. A good tip is to chill the new keg to help eliminate foaming

 

[gordo_t]

I'm having a few problems with the this transfer method. once it gets about halfway it starts to really slow, and I get bubbles in the liquid line.
After this I then have to give the relief valve on receiving keg a pull every few minutes to keep the flow going. I take it that I should be able to pretty much transfer unattended after the initial release of gas. Do the symptoms sound like a slight leak in my line, or maybe i'm not putting enough gas in receiving tank initially? It always seem at the half way mark that it slows/stops.

 

[Ross]

It does sound like you're sucking in some air somewhere during the transfer. Once a siphon starts, it really should continue till finished.


Cheers Ross

 

[bradsbrew]

I'm having a few problems with the this transfer method. once it gets about halfway it starts to really slow, and I get bubbles in the liquid line.
After this I then have to give the relief valve on receiving keg a pull every few minutes to keep the flow going. I take it that I should be able to pretty much transfer unattended after the initial release of gas. Do the symptoms sound like a slight leak in my line, or maybe i'm not putting enough gas in receiving tank initially? It always seem at the half way mark that it slows/stops.

I leave the PRV open the whole time during the transfer. Wouldnt the pressure just balance otherwise? If you are getting bubbles in the line either your sucking air or the co2 is coming out of suspension due to the temp change?

 

[AndrewQLD]

I agree with Brad, as the receiving keg fills if it's a closed system the pressure will increase and slow the flow down, newly fermented beer holds gas, especially if it's cold beer and this will come out of the beer and form bubbles as it warms.

 

[black_labb]

The method as describes uses gravity as opposed to gas pressure to create the flow of beer. By connecting both gas lines the pressure remains equal between the kegs. If you open the PRV you are allowing the pressure to release until it reaches atmospheric pressure in the head space (or head spaces if the gas posts are both connected, or both PRV's are open). By having the pressure in the headspace and the beer the co2 won't come out of solution. With the PRV open then you are likely to get foaming.

 

[gordo_t]

It does sound like you're sucking in some air somewhere during the transfer. Once a siphon starts, it really should continue till finished.


Cheers Ross

I'm transferring carbonated beer, and I pressurise the receiving keg well before I start the transfer (and only give the prv a quick release before siphon starts going). I sprayed down the disconnects etc last time looking for leaks but found no obvious ones. But once the transfer starts to stop and I give the prv another pull, I do often get a gurgling noise.

Also the first keg would heat up a degree or two during the transfer since its sitting out of the fridge for about halfa, would the co2 coming out of suspension have anything to do with it?

 

[gordo_t]

I'm transferring carbonated beer, and I pressurise the receiving keg well before I start the transfer (and only give the prv a quick release before siphon starts going). I sprayed down the disconnects etc last time looking for leaks but found no obvious ones. But once the transfer starts to stop and I give the prv another pull, I do often get a gurgling noise.

Also the first keg would heat up a degree or two during the transfer since its sitting out of the fridge for about halfa, would the co2 coming out of suspension have anything to do with it?

New JG fittings all round, and swapped out the cheap liquid disconnects for the better ones, Problem Solved.
Must have been a leak there somewhere, latest transfer was completely smooth.

 

[Tb1978]

Any reason this method wouldn't work with a commercial keg? I've just setup my kegerator and need beer for a party in 4 weeks, not yet started the home brew.. Thought it would be good to get a few 50ltr kegs, transfer into 20ltr kegs, that way I can have a few beers or beer and cider in the kegerator all hooked up, and put the remainder 20ltr kegs in a old beer fridge in the garage and swap over as needed.. My kegerator only fits 1 x 50ltr or 3 x 20ltr.. Anyone done this?

 

[Drew]

I used a 50l keg coupler for the first time last night to transfer to a 12l keg. But all I got was slow downs, foam in the line and the need to pull the PRV about a thousand times. I gave up after getting probably 4 litres done in half an hour.

* 50 litre keg is raised above the height of the 12 litre
* Both kegs at room temperature
* Pressure equalised at 14-16 psi between kegs using grey disconnect straight to CUB disconnect
* Black disconnect to CUB
* Pull PRV to start flow.

Then is just slows down to a bubbly trickle.
Does anyone have a checklist for resolving? I've done corny to corny heaps of times without difficulty.

 

[mckenry]

I used a 50l keg coupler for the first time last night to transfer to a 12l keg. But all I got was slow downs, foam in the line and the need to pull the PRV about a thousand times. I gave up after getting probably 4 litres done in half an hour.

* 50 litre keg is raised above the height of the 12 litre
* Both kegs at room temperature
* Pressure equalised at 14-16 psi between kegs using grey disconnect straight to CUB disconnect
* Black disconnect to CUB
* Pull PRV to start flow.

Then is just slows down to a bubbly trickle.
Does anyone have a checklist for resolving? I've done corny to corny heaps of times without difficulty.

Once the pressure equalises, the flow will stop. Thats why you had to pull the PRV a thousand times. You either need to leave the PRV open, or loop the gas out back to your 50L keg. Its easier to leave the PRV open.
I once had the same slowing problem, but it was the beer disconnect on the commercial coupler. It was stuffed and wouldnt let beer out properly.

Edit v- just re-read your post, you did close the loop. Sorry, try point 2.

 

[Drew]

Shizer though - how do I identify if the commercial coupler has a problem? (I only purchased the coupler 15 hours ago so it should still be covered by warranty.)

It does have a valve in the stem, perhaps I could try running it without the valve in case it's introducing eddies. It also had a strangely placed spring on the beer output.

Thanks for the thoughts.

 

[mckenry]

Hope it's not too late. I meant the beer disconnect that you clip onto the commercial coupler was buggered.