Transfer your beer straight from the carboy to the keg without the risk of oxygenation. Check out this handy chart and step by step guide.
- CO2 tank
- CO2 Regulator
- Heavy walled 5/16″ Vinyl Tubing
- 2 x Swivel Barb – 3/8″ Barb x 1/4″ FFL
- Nylon Flare
- Stainless Hose Stem – 1/4″ MFL x 1/4″ Barb
- Orange Carboy Cap
- Carboy, glass or plastic
- Racking Cane 3/8″
- 3/8″ Vinyl Tubing
- Ball Lock Liquid Connector w/ 1/4″ MFL
- Ball Lock Keg
- (NOTE: Pinlock keg & parts can be used)
- OPTIONAL: in-line filter
- Sanitize everything that will be touching beer.
- After sanitizing everything, assemble the line as seen in the diagram. The nylon flare is paramount in the connection of the gas line connector to the carboy cap to avoid leaks!
- Important: PULL THE PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE ON THE KEG. If you do not vent and let air displace, pressure will not allow you to transfer the beer. The carboy cap will be the first item to fail and will blow off the carboy.
- Insert the racking cane into the beer, and turn your regulator to no more than 5 psi. The CO2 will fill the headspace of the carboy, pushing the liquid down and then up the racking cane.
- The beer will transfer through and fill through the dip tube. As it the beer fills from the bottom, it is pushing any residual oxygen and CO2 upwards and out of the PRV. The process will go slow, keep a close watch on your regulator gauge.
- After the beer is in the keg, hook up your CO2 tank directly to the keg’s gas post. Purge the headspace of the keg with CO2 and pull the PRV pin to displace any remaining oxygen. I do this 3 times to ensure no oxygen remains in the keg.
- Carbonate.
- If you are using the optional filter: Your 3/8″ Vinyl Tubing that connects the racking cane to the keg, simply snip that in half, and attach your filter in-line. Be sure to follow the directional arrow on your filter.
Check out in action, the beginning of this podcast episode shows how we run our closed transfer system.