These gadgets look so cool. Thanks for the tips guys!

One last silly question: Can the keg filling device be used to check for leaks in the system? Once the keg is fully carbonated, attach the device and see if the pressure drops over time. I have found that soapy water doesn't work well for small leaks.

Thanks.

Yes, I suppose so but there are probably better ways such as pressurizing the keg and pushing it under water (bathtub, swimming pool...). Doing that not only do you see that there is a leak but where it is coming from.

Bathtubs are full of fermenters.. My wife said yes to a conical. Maybe I can get her to ok a swimming pool.

just don't over do the counter pressure.
the results of a couple PSI too much could be some what exciting.

Don't know what the concern is. If the counter pressure in the keg is a couple psi high when you open the beer valve gas flows into the fermenter rather than beer flowing out of it. Annoying, perhaps, but hardly exciting.

If the concern is for the fermentor I'll note that the fermetor should be equipped with a pressure relief valve in order to prevent damage from over pressure and its instruction sheet or spec sheet should also list its maxium operating pressure. It should also be equipped with a vacuum breaker. Nothing sadder than a cylindoconical that looks like a crushed beer can lying on the side of the road. Exciting but it happens when someone sprays caustic in through the CIP ball without purging the CO2.

Should be.

As an aside: Those without the CO2 rig can just use a clean hand pump and a HEPA filter.

Honest to god though I don't see a compelling reason to worry about anythign in the air wrecking the beer.
There's only a small handful of organisms that can live in beer and fewer still that can cause issues

This is a joke, right? A joke is fine but some less experienced readers might take it seriously.

For their benefit: The main reason for counterpressure filling of kegs or bottles is exclusion of air - in particular the oxygen in it. Having it displace CO2 in the target container and pushing it with CO2 not only insures that no oxygen can enter the beer but gives any in the beer an opportunity to escape.

If you are filling a growler to be consumed at a party you are going to that night you don't need to worry about air exposure but if any kind of shelf life is desired then oxygen is the main concern.

One of the main reasons for buying a CC fermentor is so that you can do CO2 CP transfer to keg (or bottle but usually by way of a keg) and have kegs that are good for 12 months or more.