Keg question

chesters-mild · Mar 9, 2017

I'm going to try a Corny Keg in the next few weeks, it will be a simple set up using a flexi tap & 16grm. charger. I don't have a spare fridge so it will be stored in the coldest room in my flat - not ideal but the best I can do at the moment.
So the question is, for future use, is there an adaptor for using the Hambleton bard Co2 bottles or Sparklets Co2 bottles. I realise I'd have to get a regulator of some sort.
Cheers

grmski · Mar 9, 2017

Coincidentally, I've just got one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262802669271?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT which takes a threaded 16g co2 bulb and has a little regulator in it. Came from China and arrived in about a week it seems reasonably well made, mixture of plastic and metal but for Ã¯Â¿Â½ÃÂ£15 I thought its worth a try. I'll be kegging my Fat Angel clone next weekend and hooking up this little regulator then so can feedback how that goes and how it looks then if you're interested.

chesters-mild · Mar 9, 2017

Thanks Grmski!
Cheers

grmski · Mar 9, 2017

No worries, I've had my corny kegs and nice big German ceramic taps put away in the shed for a few years and fancied getting back out but don't want the annoyance of the big co2 cylinder in the utility room so this looked like a potential solution. I guess it'll eat up the little 16g co2 bulbs in no time but if it works and doesn't use a crazy amount of them then I'll be satisfied.

Graz · Mar 9, 2017

chesters-mild said:
I'm going to try a Corny Keg in the next few weeks, it will be a simple set up using a flexi tap & 16grm. charger. I don't have a spare fridge so it will be stored in the coldest room in my flat - not ideal but the best I can do at the moment.
So the question is, for future use, is there an adaptor for using the Hambleton bard Co2 bottles or Sparklets Co2 bottles. I realise I'd have to get a regulator of some sort.
Cheers

You can buy lids fitted with an S30 valve (for Hambleton Bard) e.g. https://www.home-brew-hopshop.co.uk...ornelius-plate-lid-with-s30-valve-p-2537.html

Presumably you could also just drill a hole in your lid and fit an S30 valve yourself.

No regulator required, you'd just squirt in the gas from the cylinder as and when required much the same as you'd do with a pressure barrel.

However....

I heard it said many times that Cornelious kegs are much better suited to pub sized cylinder of CO2 with a regulator etc. As I understand it you can have issues sealing them sometimes and you need positive CO2 pressure to do this. Few squirts from a 6.5kg cylinder and it won't really make a dent in the contents but you could easily end up using a large part of an S30 cylinder if it's being problematic. As for the bulbs I wouldn't go there. The bulbs can be handy if you want to take the keg round to a mates / away with you though. Pressurise of your big gas cylinder initially and then use the bulbs to keep it topped up. The other big upside of having a large CO2 cylinder is that you can force carbonate.

grmski · Mar 9, 2017

I think it's a misnomer that the bulbs aren't worth it on corny kegs, I reckon a lot of people just like the idea of getting a big co2 cylinder and big ol' reg and making a kegarator and don't like the thought that there's actually a simpler and still cost effective solution to using corny kegs . After all 2 8g bulbs will give more than enough pressure to use a standard pressure barrel and most home brewers use these without a second thought and that will cost about 1 to 1.50 per barrel so even if you used 2 16g bulbs to keep a corny under serving pressure you've still only spent about 1.50 on gas per keg. Take the point about force carbing but for me I prefer my ales without too much gas in them anyway. I stopped using corny kegs for years because the whole set up with big cylinders, regs and everything is actually just a bit of pain in the ****.

Godsdog · Mar 9, 2017

Graz said:
You can buy lids fitted with an S30 valve (for Hambleton Bard) e.g. https://www.home-brew-hopshop.co.uk...ornelius-plate-lid-with-s30-valve-p-2537.html

Presumably you could also just drill a hole in your lid and fit an S30 valve yourself.

No regulator required, you'd just squirt in the gas from the cylinder as and when required much the same as you'd do with a pressure barrel.

However....

I heard it said many times that Cornelious kegs are much better suited to pub sized cylinder of CO2 with a regulator etc. As I understand it you can have issues sealing them sometimes and you need positive CO2 pressure to do this. Few squirts from a 6.5kg cylinder and it won't really make a dent in the contents but you could easily end up using a large part of an S30 cylinder if it's being problematic. As for the bulbs I wouldn't go there. The bulbs can be handy if you want to take the keg round to a mates / away with you though. Pressurise of your big gas cylinder initially and then use the bulbs to keep it topped up. The other big upside of having a large CO2 cylinder is that you can force carbonate.

Plus one on this post with the S30 cylinders being problematic on cornie kegs as they tend to stick open and waste lots of gas out of the cylinder I gave up on them after them costing me a refill very quickly very frequently, no matter how many precautions you take when using them,hot water dips etc to try and unfreeze the stuck in nipple,I do have a spare cornie keg lid with a spare S 30 valve( they are different from a king keg one) if you want it for postage costs.no use to me any more
Pm me if you want it

Fil · Mar 9, 2017

aquarium shops supply and sell 1 kg and 2kg co2 bottles which have standard regulator valve attachments, Not cheap circa ÃÂ£70-80 iirc (spotted when taking advantage of upto 50l free RO water).. Much less intrusive than a 6.5kg bottle and probably a lot cheaper than 16g bulbs...

Rogermort · Mar 9, 2017

I've got one of these http://www.co2supermarket.co.uk/sodastream-cylinder-valve-adapter-co2-regulators-p1.html that I use on a Sodastream bottle with a splitter and regulator for force carbing two Cornies at the same time in one of my brew fridges.

I've also, in the past, force carbed cornies using one of these https://www.brewbuilder.co.uk/co2-mini-regulator.html from Brewbuilder. This option works but the guage is so small as to be very inaccurate and the method eats through bulbs.

grmski · Mar 13, 2017

chesters-mild said:
I'm going to try a Corny Keg in the next few weeks, it will be a simple set up using a flexi tap & 16grm. charger. I don't have a spare fridge so it will be stored in the coldest room in my flat - not ideal but the best I can do at the moment.
So the question is, for future use, is there an adaptor for using the Hambleton bard Co2 bottles or Sparklets Co2 bottles. I realise I'd have to get a regulator of some sort.
Cheers

As promised here is a picure of the mini regulator with a 16g co2 bulb connected up to one of my kegs and fitted into brew bench.

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Keg question

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