Kegging

Tefral

Been brewing beer for awhile now and my biggest hatred is bottling. Recently i got a chiller and a gas tank and tap for a keg as I threw a party. The ease of this thing was brilliant.

I am wondering if there is a "Homebrew" version of this keg that I could attach the chiller and gas to and use away?

I spoke to Brian in Homebrew west and this is what I got back.

Hi Jonathan

We have single kegs that hold up to 23 liters or we have the mini keg system that hold 5 liters each. We have beer and cider in kegs at home at the moment and we just add additional gas now and again and they're working well.

Bianca


Brian, Bianca,

Customer of yours for some time now and I am wondering if you would offer me some advice.

I am basically trying to cut down on the time that i am washing, sterilizing and bottling the kits that i am buying from you.

I suspect the answer to this is essentially a keg based system, however based on this; that's where my questions lie. I am wondering what products that you sell might be useful for kegging say 20 litres. (any bigger than this and id need something other than my fridge at home)

If i keg the beer or cider, will i have enough gas from secondary fermentation to actually pour my beer out? Is there a keg that litterally allows me to drink from the keg over a period of time without all the gas escaping etc?

Any help in this matter would be most appreciated.

Jonathan

Since I got the above reply I got the cooler excetra so want to use that and just keg my beer

BeerNut

Sounds like cornies are what you're after. HBW has them for sale I see, and they crop up from time to time in places where second-hand homebrew equipment is sold.

Tefral

BeerNut wrote: »

Sounds like cornies are what you're after. HBW has them for sale I see, and they crop up from time to time in places where second-hand homebrew equipment is sold.

This one of them?http://www.homebrewwest.ie/soda-keg-new-19-l-2073-p.asp

Does a keg tap fit one of these?

BeerNut

Yes, that's a corny keg. Somebody else here will have to fill you in on the technicals.

Tefral

BeerNut wrote: »

Yes, that's a corny keg. Somebody else here will have to fill you in on the technicals.

Thanks Ill have to look at these. Wondering if there is merit in actually trying to by a proper 20 litre keg from a bar or something?

BeerNut

Bars don't own kegs to sell you.

sharingan

Crusader Kegs http://www.crusaderkegsandcasks.com are relatively cheap stainless kegs that come with standard pub fittings.

However you cannot open them up like a cornelius keg, which means they are a challenge to wash and sterilise unless you are using some interesting chemicals (caustic soda/paracetic acid). They are cheaper than cornelius kegs, but the shipping is pricey.

As for a general guide to kegging, checkout the NHC beginner kegging guide: http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/wiki/doku.php?id=beginner_kegging_guide

There is a steep initial cost to kegging, you need gas, lines, corny kegs, disconnects (for each keg), regulators and dispense taps. You will also need a way of cooling the beer. Most people convert a fridge for this reason, but there are some interesting products out there with a lower footprint: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=jockey+box+cooler&safe=off&espv=2&biw=1440&bih=779&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=0KA_VICFLuKu7Ab0u4A4&ved=0CCwQsAQ 'Jockey Box'

In the US you might be able to get commercial products that can hold a cornelius keg. But it is typical here that people will convert a large camping cooler. Advantages are that they are very portable, and that they can be cooled with just ice (they cool the beer lines, not all the beer). Disadvatages are that the beer cooling can be inconsistent in temperature, and there may be a delay before your beer temperature is correct.

calnand

It's a pity you didn't join the national homebrew club a few weeks back, there was a keeping system group buy done. All the bits and pieces needed. Join the forums and people might decide that they don't need all the parts they ordered. Keep an eye out on adverts.ie as you can buy a second hand freezer or fridge and turn it into a keezer or kegerator very easily.

Tefral

So ive got a Corny keg and from a friend I managed to get a tall cylinder of gas.

Only issue I have now is: The cylinder appears to be Nitrogen. Will this carbonate my homebrew sufficiently? The BOC label says its Nitrogen, however it was got from a bar, so im curious!

oblivious

cronin_j wrote: »

So ive got a Corny keg and from a friend I managed to get a tall cylinder of gas.

Only issue I have now is: The cylinder appears to be Nitrogen. Will this carbonate my homebrew sufficiently? The BOC label says its Nitrogen, however it was got from a bar, so im curious!

Nitrogen doesn't carbonate, the fizz is from the dissolving of CO2 in the liquid to to form carbonic acid.

Guinness uses a mix gas 75 nitrogen/25 Co2, I supposed you could try all nitrogen. But i suspect the mixed gas is to get some carbonation into the beer.

n97 mini

You can use nitrogen for serving, but you'll need to get a CO2 tank and reg for carbonating.

Also, that cylinder is probably property of BOC and you might have trouble getting it refilled.

Tefral

n97 mini wrote: »

You can use nitrogen for serving, but you'll need to get a CO2 tank and reg for carbonating.

Can you let me know exactly what I need so?
Am i better off emptying the can of nitrogen and getting it refilled with Co2?

If I do that do I then just connect it to the Keg and leave the gas to the on position for awhile? In a 19l Corny, how long will it take to carb the beer or cider?

actually found this :

calnand

Co2 and nitrogen tanks have different outputs on them and need different regulators, so you can't fill a nitrogen tanks with co2 and vice versa. What you'll need to get is a co2 tank with the proper regulator and then all the beer/gas lines and fittings.

Here's a good post on where to get co2 tanks,http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,306.0.html

oblivious

cronin_j wrote: »

Can you let me know exactly what I need so?
Am i better off emptying the can of nitrogen and getting it refilled with Co2?

They usual have different regulator fittings. But don't vent the cylinder indoors due to the risk of asphyxiation, it maybe be best to contact BOC to see if you can trade in the cylinder for CO2.

You could do a work around, prime the keg with sugar (Just like bottling conditioning) and let it naturally carbonate. You can then dispense the beer with nitrogen.

cronin_j wrote: »

If I do that do I then just connect it to the Keg and leave the gas to the on position for awhile? In a 19l Corny, how long will it take to carb the beer or cider?

But 100% percent Nitrogen will dispence the beer, but it wont carbonate it.

Tefral

oblivious wrote: »

You could do a work around, prime the keg with sugar (Just like bottling conditioning) and let it naturally carbonate. You can then dispense the beer with nitrogen.

Would this not leave a load of the yeasty crap at the bottom of the keg?

n97 mini

cronin_j wrote: »

Can you let me know exactly what I need so?
Am i better off emptying the can of nitrogen and getting it refilled with Co2?

You can't as the fittings are different. You need a CO2 tank and a CO2 reg (try adverts.ie, you'll probably be able to get everything from one place)

cronin_j wrote: »

If I do that do I then just connect it to the Keg and leave the gas to the on position for awhile? In a 19l Corny, how long will it take to carb the beer or cider?

You can carb the sodastream way a lot quicker. Put the gas on at about 40 psi and shake the keg for 60 seconds. Disconnect gas and leave the beer to settle for a few hours and bleed off the excess pressure (i.e. down to about 3 psi) and hey presto.

oblivious

cronin_j wrote: »

Would this not leave a load of the yeasty crap at the bottom of the keg?

Only a little bit more that normal. If have a fridge for fermenting in you can cold crash the beer before kegging to reduce yeast