Purging Corny Kegs -- Looking for Quick Response

I do 5 or 6 purges. The idea is that the CO2 is heavier, so it forces the O2 up and out.

 

If you only want to do a couple of purges, set the regulator to 30 PSI, and wait for the keg to reach that. If you do the math you end up with a small fraction of O2 that can be possibly be left, even if it mixes with the CO2.

 

I think hopfenunmaltz has a plan, your gas is a mix and it will change the % the higher you go with CO2.
How are you transfering the wort to the keg.
Afetr I purge my keg, I go from my carboy to the keg with a CO2 pressurized carboy side, into the oval hole in the keg. The keg is open and exposed, so I usually seep CO2 into the keg as it is filling. An open keg sort of knocks the whole no O2 thing out the window. Any other transfer ideas, I have been keging for about a year.

 

IMO, there's no point to purging the keg before siphoning with something like a brown ale. I will purge before kegging for things that are extremely oxygen-sensitive, for example, hop-forward beers, and things meant to be aged for significant periods of time. I do, however, purge the headspace for all my beers after kegging.

 

With 10 PSI you would need to purge more time to get to the same O2 level. Your choice.

 

For my Pilsners I like to transfer into a CO2 purged keg, pushing the beer with CO2. The beer goes into the beer out post, the CO2 goes out the gas in post, and the hose from the gas in post is in a jar full of Star San. Keep it all under CO2 like the production breweries.

If you ferment in a carboy, use the carboy caps, and DO NOT EXCEED 2 to 3 PSI when transfering! It take a while, but you do not want to explode a carboy.

 

Wow! you guys are pretty serious about purging. I cant say I waste the time purging the keg before I fill it. How long does it take you to fill a keg from a carboy 5min? During that amt of time there isnt going to be alot of oxygen exposure, especially if you arent splashing the beer around when you siphon. Best way is to keep the out tube underneath the beer once you have a bit in the keg. Going this route, even on pils that have been in the keg 9+ mos I cant say Ive ever noticed any oxidation flavors, and I get to save a lot of gas

 

I pressurize the keg to make sure it isnt leaking, and then take the top off and fill it up. I like the idea of filling through the out post. Therefor you dont have to worry about the tube going down far enough.

 

So, how does that work? I assume you have a tube attached to the carboy cap, correct? Any concerns with trub or hop particles (assuming you dry-hopped in the carboy)?

 

Here what I do and had posted, but hopfenunmaltz beat me to it so I deleted my post.

I use two racking canes. Each will go to the bottom of the reflective vessel. I start with the cane in the carboy (in the carboy cap) with the end in the head-space. I run some CO2 to blow out the hoses and racking canes, I let that drip into a bucket. Then I place the free raking cane into the corny the end touching the bottom of the corny. I let it build up a layer of CO2 from the bottom up. I then push the cane in the carboy into the beer. With only a few pounds of pressure it take a few moments to start. Once it start and runs for a bit I prop up the cane going into the carboy. If the end stays at the bottom is can restrict the flow. Then I normally pop off the cap and turn off the CO2. This way I can tilt the cane so it's end touches the glass side of the carboy. Then I slowly lower it as the carboy drains keeping out of the yeast cake. From here on it's pretty much gravity fed.

The yeast cake stays pretty compacted. And again use a very low pressure. A wet cap with starsan will act as a safety release, depending on it's fit of course.

google : closed transfer beer

 

Great info. Thanks!

 

You use a racking cane, SS is less likely to snap putting through the cap. This might help. http://www.maltosefalcons.com/tech/racking-co2

The typical Pilsner is not dry hopped. Dry hops could be bagged, or a nylon paint stainer bag put over the racking cane.

If the receiving vessel is a corny, you could rack in through the out post.

 

Thanks! I wasn't assuming a pilsner would be dry hopped but I was wondering if the same technique was applicable for all brews. Thanks for great info!