Keith also suggest that it is "helpful to lean the keg a bit in the fridge while the yeast is settling so that the dip tube is on the elevated side of the keg bottom. This helps most of the yeast to settle farther away from the pickup tube where it is less likely to get sucked up."
Source: HBD #2331
I thought I'd share a kegging trick I've been using for several batches. I use 3 liter PET soda bottles, and tap them with a homemade tap cap. I take a cap and drill a hole large enough to accommodate a length of racking tube. I then insert the tube though the cap into the bottle, leaving about an inch between the end of the racking tube and the bottom of the bottle. I seal around both sides of the hole in the cap with silicon seal, or rubber cement. Then I attach a length of rubber tubing, with a tube clamp, to the other end of the racking tube.
After the beer has carbonated in the 3 liter bottle and I'm ready to tap it, I just replace the normal cap with the tap cap. The carbonation is enough to draw the beer through the tubing. If the carbonation falls to the point that it will no longer force the beer through the tubing, I just un-screw the cap to let air into the bottle and let it siphon out.
_(========\
_|__|_ ||
3 Liter soda / || \ || Plastic
bottle------> / || \ ||<---tubing
/ || \ ||
| || | ||
| || | ||
Racking | || | ||
Cane--------|--> || | ||
| || | ||
| || | \/ <---Tube
| || | /\ clamp
Siphon | || | ||
cap-------|--> ~~ | ||
\__________/
The siphon cap at the end of the racking tube helps prevent sediment from being drawn up with the beer.
This little keg works great at parties where it will be consumed within an evening. I've tapped off of one in my refrigerator for several days with only a minor loss of carbonation.
Source: Rec.crafts.brewing - 17 Aug 1996
