Transferring BeerSociety of Barley Engineers Sean Bush May 1, 2019

Transferring Beer

Topics CoveredTransferring Beer

• Why does it matter (or what could go wrong)?

• Points of transfer

• How do we do it?

• Tips from Pro’s

Sources:

Homebrewers (Thanks!)

Ray at Kohala

Grant at Papa Marce’s

George J. Fix (Brewing Techniques)

John Palmer (How to Brew)

Low oxygen brewing website

Ready the hoses!

Why should we care about our processes?

Cold Side Aeration issues • Ethanol to acetaldehyde to acetic acid (vinegar) • Hop alpha acids / oils to valeric and butyric acids • Unsaturated fatty acids from trub to oleic and linoleic acids George J. Fix

The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) describes oxidized beer as demonstrating “Any one or a combination of stale, winy/vinous, cardboard, papery, or sherry-like aromas and flavors.” & it should be noted that on some darker, high strength beers melanoidans can oxidize into sherry like & acceptable flavors. From Craft Beer & Brewing

Why does it matter? continued“Extract brew taste” The oxidation of fatty acids in old LME resulting in blunt, stale or soapy flavors. John Palmer (How to Brew) Long chain fatty acids transform to trans-2-nonenal and the taste is of paper or wet cardboard

Points of transfer (or when do we transfer beer)

In order of processes! Fermenter to Secondary ! Fermenter to Keg or Barrel ! Barrel to Keg ! Keg to Keg ! Keg to Tap ! Keg to Bottle ! Tap to Glass ! Glass to Stomach!

Let’s Pour a Beer (2 ½ year old Eisbock)

(just not this way)

(Now we’re talking)

Points of Transfer (continued)

In order of process! Fermenter to Secondary

! Why?

! To get it off the yeast ! To harvest yeast without being

dry hopped

Points of Transfer (continued)

! Fermenter to Keg ! Common place for introducing Oxygen

! Fermenter to Barrel ! Try not to splash

! Barrel to Keg

Points of Transfer (continued)

! Keg to Keg ! Filtering process ! Racking off of the sludge that

accumulates at the bottom of the keg

! Blending beers ! Sharing a 2.5 gallon keg

! Keg to bottles ! Various mechanisms

Points of Transfer (continued)

! Keg to Tap ! How often do beer lines get cleaned

by home brewers? ! Replaced?

! Tap to Glass ! How often do taps get cleaned? ! Steps to pouring beer

! Clean Glass

! Fill at 45°

! Slowly tilt to 90°

! Do not put the tap into the beer

Quiz time: Why is Bud Light not really BEER?(hint: it’s in their ingredient list)

How “we” transfer beer scenarios

For our talk ! Good ! Better & ! Best

! Good: ! Siphon from fermenter to Keg with CO2

Purging Head Space

From http://www.lowoxygenbrewing.com

How we transfer beer scenarios(continued)

! Better: Push the beer with CO2 out of the fermenter into the keg/container

! Better than that: Push with CO2 and have a CO2 blanket in the receiving keg

How we transfer beer scenarios(continued)

! Best: Push the beer with CO2 from the fermenter into the CO2 purged keg

The Spunding Valve

Vhwat is SPUNDING@!! Spunding is putting a bung

into the keg to naturally carbonate the beer.

The Spunding Valve is used to maintain a back pressure to ensure… NO Oxygen!

Pushing with CO2

Let’s Pour another Beer

(do you ask for them to top it off or only pay for half?)

Best Scenario Keg Preparation

! Fill a clean keg with water & star san solution ! Push the star san solution out of keg with CO2 ! Fill keg by pressurizing fermenter and bleeding off

CO2 from keg ! Who here does this?

Racking beer for clarity

! Andy’s floating ball ! Brewing Partner sensitive nose checking for cleanliness

Racking beer for clarity (continued)

! Avoiding the Sludge ! Great Organizing!

Filtering

Types of Filters! Canister Filter

! Plate Filter

! Small In Line Filter ! Bouncer

Bottling –-Bottling pail with filler-Keg & Beer Gun-Keg & Counter Pressure Bottle FillerWhatever the method using chilled bottles will make for less foam.

Professional Brewers –what they do

Ray from Kohala! Harvesting Yeast: Fills yeast brink (keg) with paracetic acid

and uses Co2 to push the liquid out, then transfers yeast ! Typical brew prep procedure

! Sanitizes tank / hoses day before ! Fills with CO2 from bottom until smells at top, then 10 psi more ! Next morning bleeds 5psi from top

! Fruiting Beer: Fruit in Bright tank, beer on top, transfer beer out

! Keg to tap: changes line every change in beer type…

How the Professional Brewers Do it

Grant from Papa Marce’s! Fermenter to Bright tank: flush clean hose with 185° water

! Prepping a sanitized Bright Tank: ! Press up with CO2 to 5 psi, blow it off ! Press up to 12 psi, blow it off ! Let sit 24 hours & then transfers from fermenter with minor

differential pressure

Random Photos

Summary

! Why we care (we don’t want oxidized beer)

! Transferring points ! Transferring processes ! Tips from the Pros

What happens when you drink oxidized beer?

You Outgrow your Bike!

Questions / Comments?