First pressure transfer tomorrow...check my process please

[hoppyscotty]

As per title really. seen loads of YouTube vids and there are still a couple of details I'm a bit unsure of so just looking for a check on my process please.
Equipment - Fermzilla 27ltr been cold crashing for the last 3 days (will be 4 or 5 by the time I transfer). Currently purged with CO2 and at a low positive pressure. Looking to transfer into a couple of 5ltr mini kegs with the rest going into bottles.

- mini kegs currently filled with starsan. Connect to CO2 and push out Starsan to fill with CO2 and sanitize throughout. Will use my beer tap for this.
- Connect gas to Fermzilla and pressurise to a few psi. Connect transfer tube (pre-sanitised) to mini keg
- Connect Spunding valve to mini-keg gas post
- open Spunding valve slowly to control flow of beer. Will use weight of keg to judge when its full (5kg heavier than when empty)
- pressurise keg and carbonate as usual (not carbonated in fermenter as I didn't ferment under pressure)
- For bottling will connect a bottling want to the fermzilla. Appreciate wont get a total O2 free transfer.

The bit I'm unsure of is using the Spunding valve to control flow of beer into keg. Seems a better option than using the pressure relief valve. Am worried about getting beer trough the Spunding valve though so not sure if there is a simpler/better way.

Anything I'm missing? Thanks.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

What are you making ? Low positive pressure is it an ale?
Do you mean the 5 l thin metal kegs with tap you pull out from bottom or more solid kegs? I'm assuming more proper mini kegs as you mention connecting CO2?

You have 4 or 5 mini kegs ? and a big cylinder or sodastream cylinder rather than bulbs?
Await this info.

 

[hoppyscotty]

Its a dry hopped Pale ale. I removed the blow off tube and put in about 10 psi when I started to cold crash and checked there was a couple of PSI in the fermenter once down to temp to make sure I wasn't pulling partial vacuum. But currently just satin the fermentor at 1 degree C with a psi or two pressure. But yes, transferring in to proper pressure capable 5ltr mini kegs. Splitting the 20ltr batch into 4 - two 5ltr kegs and the remainder into bottles. Want to stay Oxy free for the kegs, but realise can't do that with the bottles as no fancy beer gun, so once transferred to keg, will pitch some priming sugar into the fermenter for the bottling.

Got 2 Sodastream bottles for the gas supply, but got a big cylinder on order which might come in time, so will use that if it arrives in time, but hopefully will have enough between the two soda stream bottles if not.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Okay heres how to save a lot of gas and some time as well as part of your process for next time.
You will need a few extra tubes and connectors but it will pay off.
Once krausen drops Fill your first 5l with starsan to the brim make sure its full.
Then Gas of fermzilla to gas of MK ( filled ), liquid of MK to next liquid of MK,
THis way the gas empties first MK and fills the second one liquid shouldn't get out of the 2nd one or you can just leave it with a gas and no connector so it just vents and any spillover is caught in a bucket. Then put second on the first site and add in number 3 and repeat until all the kegs are flushed and have been purged with CO2. You start to use the spunding valve once you have an empty but CO2 purged keg on the end of your line spundit valve on the gas post set at say 10 psi ( I go a bit higher 15-20 psi). THen get all of them filled to at least 15 psi with ferment gas. You can of course daisy chain them all together but this takes more connectors and tube.
You will have ridiculously low levels of oxygen in your MK this way.
Then you can put the spunding valve back on the keg and let pressure rise a bit more aim for a pressure that will suit your packaging vol

I use Beer Carbonation Calculator

Pressure seems quite high when the beer is warm but that's okay, you won't have to add any gas when you cold crash and it will already be carbing to the correct vol.

Then cold crash when ferment and thermal rest finished.

Now once beer clear you are ready to transfer.

Chill the MK in freezer.
At this stage MK has more CO2 pressure than your beer in FermZ,
Purge your beer to beer line to get the air out. Purge a gas to gas as well to get air out of tube.
Then connect MK gas to FZ gas ( gas leaves MK ), disconnect one gas connector.
Connect Liquid to liquid and release PRV just a little and the siphon starts ( height difference helps ), then connect the gas back again.
This way as beer goes in gas goes out. Watch out for bubbles in the Liquid tube means gas coming out of beer equals foam.
If flow stops can steal gas from next MK etc.
Watch for condensation on the side of keg as well as change in weight.
Swap over MK when full and repeat.

You might need to put CO2 in your FZ from the cylinder towards the end.

I've just done a kveik and so bumped the pressure up to 30 psi at the end ( it's hot ) and so the receiving keg had a lot of excess gas saved for this process.

You can use the spunding valve but have it set as close to your pressure as you have in FZ.

When you get your big cylinder get the adapter to allow you to refill the sodastream cylinders ( much cheaper ) if you are going to use the sodastream a lot if not flog them.

Of note if you want to fine in the kegs then use the kit in this video.


My method above will save you more gas than his closed transfer. As a note on his fining method addition I would squeeze that bottle virtually empty before purging it a few times.

 

[hoppyscotty]

Wow thanks Room with a Brew. Love these forums where you can tap into so many different experiences.

 

[Justin Dean]

What is in the weed spray bottle, is that pumped with cos2 first? then uses pump to increase the pressure as he needs to?

 

[RoomWithABrew]

@Justin Dean
He has the weed spray bottle filled with line cleaner or sanitiser or PBW depending on what he needs. Then connects to the lines he wants flushed through and opens tap / ball lock adapter and pumps the weedspray handle to put air in and force the cleaner through.
I made one for cleaning my keg lines with but instead of his double male adapter I just fitted a bulkhead corney liquid post on the pipe flow control and then the liquid ball lock connector that would go on the keg can be plugged on and the line flushed with whatever I want.

 

[Hoffmonkey]

I'm wanting to get into pressure fermentation, and I'm sure with it will come mini kegs, beer guns. co2, o2free transfers... I'll get my simple brewing process down with a few more brews firstly.

 

[hoppyscotty]

I've not done any pressure fermentation yet...struggling to see the benefit really unless the yeast is particularly responsive to it, but got the fermzilla to aid O2 free transfer. Although beers I've brewed to date have all been very drinkable and not disappointing, the more hoppy ones have suffered from O2 exposure. But I'm sure I'll be delving into pressure fermentation soon enough.