Cask ale setup

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ryan

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I'm looking into setting up a cask and beer engine at a friends house in his kitchen. We're after a 4.5 gallon steel Pin to hopefully cram inside a temperature controlled fridge to make a kind of kegerator setup with a beer engine fitted somewhere outside the fridge. I just wanted to check if it's as simple as it sounds and what I'll need to get it up and running.

At the moment all I have planned is to buy a beer engine, get a fridge off freecycle with enough space inside, buy a Pin, packs of shives, hard, and soft spiles, and to learn as much as I can about cellarmanship as I can in the meantime.

Does anyone know if I'm missing something or if there's anything else I might want to consider?
 
It's quite easy to do really s long as you allow adequet settling time for the cask if the beer hasn't been dropped in bright.

You'll need to make sure you have a tap for the cask and a way of connecting that to the beer engine, the brewery should be able to supply all of that for you though :D
 
I'm the brewery :D :cheers:

Could probably borrow/buy bits from our local though if needs be. I'll have to ask them if I can tap a cask one day!
 
I tapped a cask of water to make sure I had the technique right before I tackled beer. Make sure you release the pressure before you tap it too!

I posted a picture of one of mine on the other forum so I won't do it again here (although I believe the same picure is in the equipment links section here anyway :wha: )

/Phil.
 
Phil I retrieved your post from TBE - here it is :cool:

If you fancy having a go at "Real Ale" the traditional way you're going to need a few bits and pieces.

Brand spanking new stainless casks - Hereford Casks
Shives, keystones, taps and spiles - Filton Brewery Products
A book on how it's done - Cellarmanship

This is what it looks like when it's all set up.

Cask_tapped_small.jpg


/Phil.
 
Phil said:
I tapped a cask of water to make sure I had the technique right before I tackled beer.

Yeah that's a good idea.

How do you go about stillage then? Do you need to rise it up as it gets near the end or can you do it with the cask stood up like that the whole time Phil?
 
I was quoted £68 but I don't know how much delivery would be.
 
Ouch!

May aswell stick with a cornie with the JG poppet fitting on the gas inlet, but with no tube, to let the air in while you pull from the pump ;)
 
I know that Wibblers brewery paid 86 quid delivered for 9 Gallon casks (30 IIRC), the 4 1/2 gallon Pins would have been 83 quid delivered from Hereford Casks . . . but that does include shipping and VAT
 
£15 for delivery is a bit much... that's a 9 though. I think the size probably bumps it up quite a bit. If the delivery cost for a Pin is more than a tenner I'll see if they will let me use my own courier.
 
BrewStew said:
Ouch!

May aswell stick with a cornie with the JG poppet fitting on the gas inlet, but with no tube, to let the air in while you pull from the pump ;)

Consider that these are new and the cornies you can get hold of are either many years old or, if you can find a new one, pretty much the same price.

You can do the same with a corny (and I have) but for the complete "real ale" experience the expense is worth it. You can mature a beer without any external gas and by using the spiles properley you can bring the beer to perfect condition when you're ready. It's very satisfying.

Like anything in this brewing game, it's a choice. If you're happy aplying pressure to seal the corny then bleeding the pressure later to reduce the condition then that's fine. I still do that sometimes but I prefer the results from the cask, although not for all beers. Horses for courses.

/Phil.
 
Incidentally, the difference in price between 4.5 and 9 gallon casks from Hereford casks is only about 2 quid a piece.

I bought pins because I'd struggle to drink 9 gallons in a week on my own....although... :drink:

/Phil.
 
I'm itching to try the cask that I've been given by Batemans, I think the next 50L batch I brew I'll stick half in it :D
 
If you're happy applying pressure to seal the corny then bleeding the pressure later to reduce the condition then that's fine

There is always the alternative of using soft corny o-rings which don't require pressure to seal them, as available from can direct.

Having said that why mess about...get the right gear for the job in the first place :cool:
 
Not tried those soft seals. They any good?

Very good. They will even seal a corny lid with a whopping dent in the sealing/mating area :whistle:
As lid seals they can't be beaten IMO and all my kegs sport em.

They're not so good as post seals if regularly taking the in and out of, and they also fray if used as the dip tube or gas in seals. Basically for frequent shearing and compressive use they're no good, but as lid seals they're great :cool:
 
Have a look at this.

9 gallon casks direct from the brewery for 33.50 but you have to pick them up from Devon.

/Phil.
 
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