There are still times I want to rack to a secondary, usually because I want that yeast for my next brew. I’ve never really tasted a beer I’ve transferred and thought, “ew, that’s oxidided” but I get that the transfer is a potential oxidization risk.
I’ve seen PC dusters at Walmart that take a co2 cartridge for about $12. Dick’s calls the same thing a ball filler or a bike tire filler for $20. Could one of these be used gently to put a blanket of co2 in the secondary before racking? I know some people purge like this from keg’s CO2 lines, but alas, not an option for me.
I’d rather this not turn into another, “Don’t do secondaries” debate. I’m just asking about dusters/ball fillers as carboy purgers. Thoughts?
That sounds like a cool brewing gizmo! I have always thought a person could adapt a blow nozzle to a co2 tank, and like you say, put a blanket of co2 on top of yer brew. So with the cartridge its not a one time and its done type? I haven’t gone to a secondary for years, but I would like to see this gizmo and see how to use it for when I keg. See, I’ve got to disconnect my tank then hook up to the keg, turn it, on pull up on the lid to let the co2 seat the seal…. You may be on to something here!! Sneezles61
I’d think it would work. Anything that can pump some CO2 in would work IMO. Doesn’t have to be fancy.
You might even pump some CO2 inside before racking. The CO2 should sink in the carboy or whatever you’re using. As you rack the beer in (using a hose that reaches the bottom of your vessel), it “should” push the oxygen out and leave CO2 on top, right? And you can always top off with some more CO2 after it’s full. Just my thoughts, though I’m not an expert.
I have “Dust Off” purchased at Walmart. The only ingredients listed are diflouroethane and a bittering agent, to make huffing a nasty experience. Dust Off is also flammable.
I had thought products like these were CO2, but not all are.
The OP said that he has seen something different than a can of dust off or something else. He said that they specifically take CO2 canisters.
Just read what is on the label. If it’s not CO2 then don’t use it.
If you have a link to the product you found, maybe we can check it out too. I’m curious about it as well. As long as it doesn’t have any other sort of product in it and is only CO2, then it should be fine.
[quote=“flars”]I have “Dust Off” purchased at Walmart. The only ingredients listed are diflouroethane and a bittering agent, to make huffing a nasty experience. Dust Off is also flammable.
I had thought products like these were CO2, but not all are.[/quote]
This was purchased for cleaning the PC, not for use with beer. Thought I would post this just in case someone thought all types of compressed aerosol computer cleaning products were CO2.
sounds like a neat idea! I,ll have to look at my self…I wonder if the pressure can be regulated and if so, I could probly use that during bottling as well…Tank… :cheers:
Well with all this deciphering going, wasn’t the cartridges fer bb guns and maybe even paint ball guns, co2? I am going to do some look and see this W/E. You started a great thought JMcK !! I believe this is the fun part of home brewing, making a silk purse out of a sows ear!! Gizmo on!! Sneezles61 :cheers:
If I’m using a carboy and I want to push CO2 in it before racking I use my CO2 tank with a long enough gas line to go to the bottom. In a pinch I have used this:
I usually use it when I take kegs somewhere but I have used it in a pinch. Just be mindful about products like this are basically one time use as they have slow leaks.
Are you bottle conditioning? If so, don’t worry about the minimal amount of oxygen that a proper transfer technique (a gentle, slow transfer that avoids splashing) may introduce into your beer. The yeast will readily scavenge any that is introduced. If you’re still really worried about oxygen use O2 absorbing bottle caps. You can also store your secondary carboy in a room with a higher temperature than the beer is when you rack it. The higher temperature will induce CO2 off-gassing that will quickly fill your carboy’s headspace with a layer of CO2.
William’s Brewing USED to offer a CO2 kit. The valve went for about $25 and the small cartridges for about $5. The valve could also be used with a paintball tank with an additional adaptor. Haven’t seen it offered online in over a year.
I thought it might be a stupid idea, I’ll give it a try.
Flourocarbon dusters are a pretty bad idea; It has to be CO2. The bike tire filler takes 16 or 20 gram CO2 cartridges. So it looks like the standard pellet gun cartridges work.
Alright then, just go online and look fer co2 cartridges and dispenser. Sooooo many options! I see some that look like a mini gun with a threaded nozzle, seems like I could attach a hose long enough to reach the bottom of the keg, pull the trigger! Shazam! very simple… Now I won’t need to mess with the big bottle and kegs and unconnecting, reconnecting, on and on… :cheers: Sneezles61
So I did my first experiment with a CO2 bike tire inflator. Not a success.
I experimented with a bucket assuming that if I can make a CO2 blanket in a bucket I can do it in a carboy. Success means that a lit butane lighter lowered into the bucket gets snuffed.
The inflater was too fast. It dumped all its CO2 and froze solid after just a second or two. It blew so hard that it didn’t create a blanket of CO2; the turbulence just displaced it and regular room air was back in the bucket. The entire 16g cartridge ended up discharged. Of course, the inflater may have been played with before I got to use it, butseriously, it was dead in less than 3 seconds.
I’m thinking if I clamp a hose to a cut-off tire valve, and put an aquarium air stone on the other end of the hose it will act as a regulator. The stone goes to the bottom of the bucket and maybe, success next time.
You got a great start! I got too busy, but see light at the end of the tunnel, just a couple more weeks and I will get back to it… I think the stone at the bottom will work or a ball inflater? Sneezles61 :cheers:
If you have a keg set up the easiest method would be to just remove the gas QD from the line then dangle the end in your fermenter then open up the tank for a few seconds.
Its not the same thing but I always pull the pressure relief valve on kegs to let out O2. I honestly have never shot CO2 into a fermenter though and also can’t say I have ever thought a beer was oxidized.
See, thats the whole thing, then you are mickey mousing with yer keg stuff. It would be of great advantage to have something dedicated for kegging…. I use pin locks and I have to bleed through the gas inlet to burp them…. OR as I normally do, is crack the valve ( after I have brought the gas from the tap room to my brewing set up) with the lid close to seated position then tug up to seat…. I would like to flood the keg, then fill, give it one last shot, then seat!! Sneezles61 :blah:
[quote=“HD4Mark”]If you have a keg set up the easiest method would be to just remove the gas QD from the line then dangle the end in your fermenter then open up the tank for a few seconds.
Its not the same thing but I always pull the pressure relief valve on kegs to let out O2. I honestly have never shot CO2 into a fermenter though and also can’t say I have ever thought a beer was oxidized.
Still a cool brew toy idea though.[/quote]
I don’t have kegging stuff, and don’t foresee getting any.
I’ve never really had a problem with oxidized beer either, so you could argue I’m working on solving a non-issue. What got me started was the argument that the RISK of oxidization makes use of a secondary a bad idea. Proponents of secondary say their beer clears faster. (My wife likes secondaries; I’m on the fence) if the risk can be mitigated, and the benefit remains, then why not?
