25 replies to this topic

[passlaku]

I am considering cutting about a 1/2 inch off my dip tubes for my kegs. I am hoping to avoid all the yeast particulate whenever I move my kegs around. How do you cut these things? Does cutting them open you up to getting metallic flavors? Any other tips of advice are welcomed.Thanks,

[BlKtRe]

There are other ways to accomplish the same goals without destroying perfectly good diptubes. But to answer your question, no.

[MakeMeHoppy]

You may be better leaving them long. Just let the keg settle for a couple days (cold temp is better) and draw off about 1/2 pint until it runs clear. You now purged most of the yeast from the keg.If you cut the tube the yeast will settle below that and now everytime you move the keg you'll stir up the yeast and have to wait for it to settle.

[CoastieSteve]

Get a proper sized tube/pipe cutter at Lowe's or Home Depot. It looks like a C-clamp but has a cutting tool instead of a foot on the threaded rod. I've done this to all my kegs and it works. No issues with metallic anything- they're simple stainless through and through.

[klickcue]

Leave them long as OEM.If you must, a hack saw will do the job since you do not need a square end for a fitting.Pretty much covered in the above.

[djinkc]

If you don't get them super hot you shouldn't have to repassivate them. I cut a couple with a pipe cutter. They weren't indexed and would spin when I tightened the QD posts - usually ended up smashed against the concave bottom. Others I just bent a bit to get them off the bottom. That won't solve the sludge problem though. It'll stir up every time you move them. Bet to just transfer off the sediment if you're concerned.

[Stout_fan]

If you cut them then one day you will fill the keg with sanitizer.Push it out and then fill it with beer.Except the keg didn't empty the whole way.Then you will cry. Trust me.Don't cut the dip tube.Just MHO.

[Howie]

If you cut them then one day you will fill the keg with sanitizer.Push it out and then fill it with beer.Except the keg didn't empty the whole way.Then you will cry. Trust me.Don't cut the dip tube.Just MHO.

You guys are acting like people are cutting them off by a foot. If you only cut 1/2", then it's only leaving about a cup of beer in the bottom when you are done.A lot of people get REALLY bent out of shape over this topic. I've cut some of mine, and I like it that way.In the past when I had the full length tubes, I found that frequently all the yeast did not come out in a slug with the first pint. Rather, I had experiences where only a small amount of yeast came out with each pint for a while. That was frustrating. I think it depends on the yeast strain and the particular beer. A better option would be to cut the tubes by a fair amount on a couple of your kegs and then use them as conditioning tanks. Transfer your beer from the fermenter in the keg with the dip tube cut. Cold condition in there, then make a sealed transfer to a new serving keg. You should have clear beer at that point.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

A better option would be to cut the tubes by a fair amount on a couple of your kegs and then use them as conditioning tanks. Transfer your beer from the fermenter in the keg with the dip tube cut. Cold condition in there, then make a sealed transfer to a new serving keg. You should have clear beer at that point.

If I was going to do it this is what I would do. I have been putting most of my beers through a cold conditioning secondary phase before kegging so I have pretty minimal yeast in the bottom of my kegs but I recently kegged a lager after about a month of primary with no secondary. I'm hoping I don't end up with too much yeast/junk at the bottom of the keg

[siouxbrewer]

I've never modified any dip tubes yet but a guy in our club primaries in kegs and has those dip tubes cut, he jumps to another keg and has clear and tasty beer. No reason it couldn't work for secondary too.

[Humperdink]

If you cut them then one day you will fill the keg with sanitizer.Push it out and then fill it with beer.Except the keg didn't empty the whole way.Then you will cry. Trust me.Don't cut the dip tube.Just MHO.

I cut my tubes. To get the last bit of sanitizer out I just flip the keg upside down and pull the PRV til it runs dry. the pressure in the keg keeps any outside air from coming in.

[Cheatin Bastard]

I dont like the shot of yeast from the bottom of the keg.I dont find that the yeast ever dissapates untill I have drawn many a glass of cloudy beer,even after its sat in the keg for weeks and settled.I also give great effort to rack clear beer off primary but still end up with too much yeast.So I secondary cold before a final transfer to keg.I get clear beer from the first pull and dont leave any behind on the last.C.B

[MakeMeHoppy]

I agree that a secondary in a keg OR a carboy will result in little yeast in the final serving keg. However, the OP was asking about a solution to yeast when he moves his kegs and the yeast get disturbed. A shortened tube will only be effective when the yeast has enough time to settle below the tube again and each time it is moved this will occur. I agree a shortened tube will likely have clearer beer once the yeast settles again but there are other drawbacks to a shortened tube. If you have enough kegs by all means shorten a tube in one and make it a conditioning keg. But I don't think that was the original question.

[Stout_fan]

You guys are acting like people are cutting them off by a foot. If you only cut 1/2", then it's only leaving about a cup of beer in the bottom when you are done.

Howie, it's not leaving the beer in that hurts, it's leaving in a cup of chlorinated cleaner, like one step.That does nothing to a flavor profile. And it wasn't me it was a very accomplished National BJCP guy that did this. All I am saying is even the best slip up. And it was (deliberate use of PAST tense here) a very tasty stout that he ruined. And he did it in front of 200 home brewers at a camp out.If you cut the tubes ALWAYS invert the kegs to drain them before filling with our precious alcohol based fluid.

[Stout_fan]

... If you have enough kegs by all means shorten a tube in one and make it a conditioning keg. But I don't think that was the original question.

Now I can get 100% behind this statement. Also be sure to MARK the keg, so you know it is shortened. Perhaps thats what happened to my friend. He was in a rush to get out the door and on the road and confused kegs. He still doesn't know how it happened.

[Howie]

Howie, it's not leaving the beer in that hurts, it's leaving in a cup of chlorinated cleaner, like one step.That does nothing to a flavor profile. And it wasn't me it was a very accomplished National BJCP guy that did this. All I am saying is even the best slip up. And it was (deliberate use of PAST tense here) a very tasty stout that he ruined. And he did it in front of 200 home brewers at a camp out.If you cut the tubes ALWAYS invert the kegs to drain them before filling with our precious alcohol based fluid.

I see your point, though it doesn't matter for my process. I don't pump the sanitizer. I dump it out and then seal and flush the keg with CO2.

[Stout_fan]

I am considering cutting about a 1/2 inch off my dip tubes for my kegs. I am hoping to avoid all the yeast particulate whenever I move my kegs around. How do you cut these things? Does cutting them open you up to getting metallic flavors? Any other tips of advice are welcomed.Thanks,

I've been scanning back over this and the only thing the OP did was ignite a flame war over to cut or not to cut.Terribly sorry that happened guy. FWIW I cut down excessively long gas tubes, so it should be the same thing.Just get a tubing cutter and after marking the location, twist the cutter around and cut it off.(heh ,heh, he said Rigid)Actually here's the general purpose one I've gotThat will leave you with a burr on the inside and outside. My cutter has the built in ream.They make reams to remove these burrs if your cutter doesn't have one. That and remove any cutting oil that might have gotten on the tube.Putting it in a cup of PBW will do that. The area we're talking about is so small that even if there was a problem, in 5 gallons it won't be significant.

[Howie]

I've been scanning back over this and the only thing the OP did was ignite a flame war over to cut or not to cut.Terribly sorry that happened guy. FWIW I cut down excessively long gas tubes, so it should be the same thing.Just get a tubing cutter and after marking the location, twist the cutter around and cut it off.(heh ,heh, he said Rigid)Actually here's the general purpose one I've gotThat will leave you with a burr on the inside and outside. My cutter has the built in ream.They make reams to remove these burrs if your cutter doesn't have one. That and remove any cutting oil that might have gotten on the tube.Putting it in a cup of PBW will do that. The area we're talking about is so small that even if there was a problem, in 5 gallons it won't be significant.

Good point there Stout_fan.I cut mine with a cutting blade on a Dremel. Doesn't make the cleanest cut ever, but it works. You could probably do a much cleaner job if you have a bench vise to hold the tube - I don't. I use a sanding bit on the Dremel to clean up the edges.

[passlaku]

I had not realized that folks had were so passionate about cutting dip tubes. It was fascinating to read all the comments and they are all truly appreciated. Thanks. I think I might go out and buy one of those cutters.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I had not realized that folks had were so passionate about cutting dip tubes. It was fascinating to read all the comments and they are all truly appreciated. Thanks. I think I might go out and buy one of those cutters.

ZOMG DON'T DO IT!!!j/k