Oxygen Free Transfer

Transfer beer to the keg without oxidation.

When we transfer from fermenter to keg we want to avoid contact with oxygen as much as possible. We spent time and money to make the beer, so we want it to taste as good as it possibly can.

“Oxidised beer tastes like a wet dog smells.”

— Anon.

Why use kegs? They are easier to clean, easier to fill, easier to control (quality and serving). Save time, space and ultimately money. Quicker to carbonate and enjoy. Bottles have to be individually cleaned, filled and capped. Then stored while they carbonate (can take 2 weeks)

You can transfer from an air-locked fermenter to keg, but it is more prone to oxygenation.

Why go to this trouble? Oxygen causes oxidation - off flavours (tastes like a wet dog smells) can also be wet cardboard or wet cement.

Fermenting under pressure creates a ‘cleaner’ tasting beer and can partially carbonate the beer.

Equipment

Keg

Fermenter

Hose and fittings to connect the two

Beer Line
2 x Beer Connector

CO2 tank with connectors

Beer Line
Beer Connector
Gas Connector

‘Bleeding’ tube

Beer Line
Gas Connector

You can use a ‘spunding’ valve to control the flow rate, but setting a low pressure will achieve the same thing.

Could also use a flow stopper, but I found them to be unreliable, especially with foaming, and you can judge from condensation.

The steps

1. Clean and sanitise all your equipment
   StellarClean
   StellarSan

2. Purge oxygen from keg - connect gas to ‘out’, set to 5psi

3. Slowly open the PRV in short bursts

4. CO2 is heavier than air so it will sink to the bottom and push air out the top

5. Connect out on keg to out on fermenter

6. Connect gas to IN on the fermenter

7. Connect bleeding tube to in on keg

   Connect out to out because a dip tube runs all the way to the bottom of the keg and it creates less foaming. Foaming represents wasted gas AND beer.

8. Turn the gas on to between 4-10 psi, depending on the beer and current amount of carbonation. Heavily carbonated beers should be transferred at lower pressures to avoid foaming.

9. If the keg is warmer than the beer you can see how last the beer is filling from the condensation

10. When the keg is full or the fermenter is empty, disconnect the bleeding tube first to stop the process

11. Turn the gas off and disconnect it from the fermenter

12. Disconnect the transfer line from the keg and fermenter

13. Put the keg into your kegerator and finish carbonating it.