Pressure Barrel Advice

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GraemeTheGremlin

GraemeTheGremlin

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Hi All, a little helpful advice needed. I have a Wilkos Newkie Brown on the go and had it fermenting for 5 weeks, . I know I've had a problem with the valve and seal so I tightened it as much as I could and softened the seal in boiling water to refresh it prior to closing the cap but the barrel would not reach pressure after a week in the warmth.

I therefore decided to cut my losses and bought a brand new cap, re-primed with 75g of sugar and left it in the warmth. Still no pressure build up evidence. I can't have a split in the barrel as the beer would come out presumably! I'm wondering if there is no active yeast left in the barrel to kick in secondary fermentation? Is it worth trying a gas cylinder in a full barrel? Any advice welcomed!
 
You don't need pressure if you prime the keg with sugar. If you don't prime then the gas is leaking somewhere. Put some vase line on the seals and try again. When the kegs empty immerse in the bath or similar and gas it up. You'll see where it's leaking. If you prime you only need pressure when the tap slows
 
Thanks for the reply, it's vaselined up all ok, primed twice so I guess I must have a leak somewhere. I don't really want to waste my beer though.
 
Bottle it. I've just started a thread about the fun I've experienced with my Youngs pressure barrel. Do it now while the beers still drinkable.
 
Which type of pressure barrel is it? Worth persevering with barrels as some beers do taste better from them.

But it does take a bit of time to get used to them: how tight to tighten the cap etc. The fact you're losing gas but have no beer suggests it's coming from the top seal: this can happen due to both under and over tightening. The usual cuplrit is the rubber ring seal: take it out and flip it, so you have a new surface on the lid, and try again.

Even that is a bit of trial and error, so here's what I do. I bought a lid with an S30 valve and a HB CO2 cylinder, I still prime with sugar as normal but give it a quick squirt of gas after sealing the lid, just to check for pressure leaks. You'll hear the gas escaping if you have one. Also, the barrel will deform and go more egg-shaped as it gasses up, lifting the feet off the surface, which give you a good feel for progress.

If it's one of the barrels with a 4" cap, you can fit a pressure gauge (available off eBay).
 
Just to let you know that i had your problem with a brand new barrel i bought from wilko's.I have now bought a new cap with brass nipple thingy and it has now worked fine so my problem was with the cap leaking air.
 
The budget barrels have a few issues with sealing, you need to make sure that a small amount of Vaseline is applied to the cap and tap threads. Also do not over tighten them, as this will cause leaks. When you have placed the fermented beer into it make sure you leave the filled barrel in a warm place for two weeks to allow pressure to build up.. I take a sample every week during this period to check to make sure there is pressure and to have a look how the beer is coming a long. After two weeks move to a cool place to condition. I still use two of the Wilko barrels, and I seem to have sorted the problems out, fingers crossed.
 
My problem used to be overtightening. Turn it till it's on, then nip up just an 1/8 or 1/4 turn.
Also worth checking the rubber on the pressure release valve, make sure it's covering the hole.
 
without co2 bulbs or s30 bottles it is possible to pressure test a pb, fill almost to the brim with warm water and drop in a scoop or 2 of unscented generic laundry oxi and screw on the cap, as it cleans the pb the o2 released will build up pressure in the cm or so of headroom in the pb and test the lid seal for you..

if a sod, wrapp a load of ptfe round the top of the barrel thread, and perhaps a light smear of vasaline on the oring too..

good luck..
 
Hi, mix some washing up liquid in a squeezy bottle and soak over the top welds of the barrel, Ive had the welds leak before (at the top), you will soon see if they are leaking (bubbles). Wouldn't hurt to splash it around the cap seal either.
 
I did my second brew in a Youngs pressure barrel. My first was in bottles which Ive just about finished so this weekend will be my first proper taste. I've only had a small taste as I wanted to check the gravity and its got a far better head then the bottled beer. I thought it had an infection as well as after I tasted it first time I had dodgy guts for a couple of days, but had caught a bug off the kids :sick: so think its ok. I'll be having a pint at the weekend to test it properly and will be checking what the head is like, if it has any fizz etc. Its an Brupaks Old Ale. Not sure I would do one of them again but the barrel seems to be far better than bottles on these two brews even though there are no visible signs of the barrel distorting under the pressure. I've bought a CO2 valve cap and might have a peek after my taster and blast it with a bulb of CO2 after.
 
Hello All, thanks very much for your replies. I've discovered that I have a very minor leak around the tap screw, however it seems to have partially sealed itself by sugary beer drips! I have enough pressure to pull beer from it as it stands and is thoroughly delicious. I'll persevere with the pb for the time being and test the barrel once empty as recommended above. I am tempted to purchase a King Keg at some stage, any views on these?
 
GraemeTheGremlin said:
Hello All, thanks very much for your replies. I've discovered that I have a very minor leak around the tap screw, however it seems to have partially sealed itself by sugary beer drips! I have enough pressure to pull beer from it as it stands and is thoroughly delicious. I'll persevere with the pb for the time being and test the barrel once empty as recommended above. I am tempted to purchase a King Keg at some stage, any views on these?
Click to expand...

Hi Graham, if you are looking at king keg,,, for a couple of quid more you could get a cornie, stainless and last for ever, just a thought.
 
I've had many more problems with gas leaks from my King Keg than I've had with my cheaper Wilko barrel, I still use the King Keg and have fitted a pressure gauge to re-assure me of it gassing up and staying there, but knowing what I know now I would have just stuck with the cheaper Wilko barrels.
 

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