racking via co2

I don't remove my bucket lid, but I do put a Starsan soaked paper towel over the airlock hole to prevent any venereal disease. : )

 

Good thinking Sailor!

 

Glad it finally worked out for you, I know it's been a struggle. For what it's worth, I am a cheap ass and hate wasting the last portion of the bucket even when I get close to 5 gallons in the keg. I do often siphon off a two liter bottle worth or two from the bottom of the fermenter and then carb with a carbonater cap. It's also a nice way to sample early without disturbing the full keg. The close to Congress Street double IPA I have carbing now tasted pretty awesome even super young and without half the dry hops. A bunch of yeast in a plastic bottle is also much easier to deal with than a clogged dip tube.

 

I don't use a thermowell, but you should be able to make it work. It can leak a little under CO2 pressure and still work fine for this purpose. The rubber ring where I insert the tapered barb to infuse CO2 sometimes leaks a tiny bit at 4psi.