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Howdy all,
I try to elaborate a plan for “all-in-one” fermenting, bottling and distribution in used [German slider/round flat type] kegs.
After open primary fermentation a green beer will be pumped to kegs by a free flow.
Following secondary fermentation and cold crash the beer should be transferred to another set of kegs.
This transfer supposed to be from one [pressurized to some extent] keg to another one for cold maturating and trade.
When looking for solutions for keg-to-keg transfer I have encountered several bits of information.
At http://stpats.com/index.htm - Barrel Tools - they sell for $195 Keg Washer and Filler: "Filling: Keg is upright. Center port is fill port. Side port is vent."
At http://www.mikrobrau-berlin.de/shop_neu_2005/
Druckfuller-KEG- FULLKOPF FUR KEGs: here for mere 150 EUR there is a counter-pressure keg filler. Following are a description in German and my "translation" (I don't speak German).
"FULLKOPF FUR KEGs, zur Abfullung von gelagertem Kellerbier vom Drucktank (bright beer tank) fur Anschluss an Flachfitting oder Korbfitting, Funktion mit Gegendruck und Vorspannen des zu befullenden KEGs und zum Abfullen unter einer Druckdifferenz von 0,3 bar, inkl. Manometer, Gebrauchsanweisung ist beigefugt. Eine CO2 Flasche ist zum Vorspannen der KEGs erforderlich, sowie eine CO2-Flasche zum Umdrucken des Lagertanks zum Fullkopf."
The "translation":
"Filling head for kegs for filling of a lagered beer from a bright beer tank, for flat type or [another, European Sankey?] coupler connection, functioning on a counter pressure and Vorspannen ["forward", head pressure?] of kegs to be filled and filled at any pressure difference less than 0.3 bar, including pressure gauge, instruction for use is attached.
One CO2 bottle is for Vorspannen? that kegs require, one more CO2 bottle for transfer pressure from a bright beer tank to the filling head."
One way or another this is a counter-pressure filler that could be understood and bought or much better built.
My question is: am I really need a counter-pressure filler?
The beer after secondary fermentation is slightly carbonated with a little head pressure at about 3C. Before the transfer the beer could be even more vented to make it more flat-quiet. Then it could be transferred as a quiet beverage (wine) as shown at http://stpats.com/index.htm just venting the coupling's CO2 outlet.
Here at the "target" kegs the force carbonation could be done without problems.
Or alternative simplified (at least two CO2 tanks needless) procedure for the transfer comes to my mind:
- to measure a head pressure with a gauge at a source keg;
- to pressurize the target keg for a pressure 0.3-0.5 bar (5-7 psi) less than the source keg;
- to make transfer with a pressure equal to the head pressure of the source keg.
Does this approach look like having sense? Should the transfer line restriction be taken into consideration?
Any help, advice, ideas, suggestions will be highly appreciated.
Leonid
LiBira Brewery
Haifa, Israel
I try to elaborate a plan for “all-in-one” fermenting, bottling and distribution in used [German slider/round flat type] kegs.
After open primary fermentation a green beer will be pumped to kegs by a free flow.
Following secondary fermentation and cold crash the beer should be transferred to another set of kegs.
This transfer supposed to be from one [pressurized to some extent] keg to another one for cold maturating and trade.
When looking for solutions for keg-to-keg transfer I have encountered several bits of information.
At http://stpats.com/index.htm - Barrel Tools - they sell for $195 Keg Washer and Filler: "Filling: Keg is upright. Center port is fill port. Side port is vent."
At http://www.mikrobrau-berlin.de/shop_neu_2005/
Druckfuller-KEG- FULLKOPF FUR KEGs: here for mere 150 EUR there is a counter-pressure keg filler. Following are a description in German and my "translation" (I don't speak German).
"FULLKOPF FUR KEGs, zur Abfullung von gelagertem Kellerbier vom Drucktank (bright beer tank) fur Anschluss an Flachfitting oder Korbfitting, Funktion mit Gegendruck und Vorspannen des zu befullenden KEGs und zum Abfullen unter einer Druckdifferenz von 0,3 bar, inkl. Manometer, Gebrauchsanweisung ist beigefugt. Eine CO2 Flasche ist zum Vorspannen der KEGs erforderlich, sowie eine CO2-Flasche zum Umdrucken des Lagertanks zum Fullkopf."
The "translation":
"Filling head for kegs for filling of a lagered beer from a bright beer tank, for flat type or [another, European Sankey?] coupler connection, functioning on a counter pressure and Vorspannen ["forward", head pressure?] of kegs to be filled and filled at any pressure difference less than 0.3 bar, including pressure gauge, instruction for use is attached.
One CO2 bottle is for Vorspannen? that kegs require, one more CO2 bottle for transfer pressure from a bright beer tank to the filling head."
One way or another this is a counter-pressure filler that could be understood and bought or much better built.
My question is: am I really need a counter-pressure filler?
The beer after secondary fermentation is slightly carbonated with a little head pressure at about 3C. Before the transfer the beer could be even more vented to make it more flat-quiet. Then it could be transferred as a quiet beverage (wine) as shown at http://stpats.com/index.htm just venting the coupling's CO2 outlet.
Here at the "target" kegs the force carbonation could be done without problems.
Or alternative simplified (at least two CO2 tanks needless) procedure for the transfer comes to my mind:
- to measure a head pressure with a gauge at a source keg;
- to pressurize the target keg for a pressure 0.3-0.5 bar (5-7 psi) less than the source keg;
- to make transfer with a pressure equal to the head pressure of the source keg.
Does this approach look like having sense? Should the transfer line restriction be taken into consideration?
Any help, advice, ideas, suggestions will be highly appreciated.
Leonid
LiBira Brewery
Haifa, Israel