Last Saturday morning I came downstairs to find my plastic barrel leaking. Thought it would be a leaking tap washer, but upon closer inspection turned out to be a split in the actual barrel near to the tap. First time this has ever happened to me. I’d just put 40 pints of Yorkshire bitter into it & it was about 5 days into the secondary fermentation. I guess as a bit of pressure built up, it found the weakest point. I have 2 barrels - 1 is about 20 years old & the other only a year old. I’m not sure which one this is, but if its the 20 year old one then maybe its not too surprising.
Anyway slight panic mode as i tried to work out how to save the beer. Other plastic barrel was already full.
I have about 20 empty bottles so not enough of them. My local homebrew shop in Norwich closed about 2 months ago. I didn’t know of any other local homebrew shops, but a quick google located one 18 miles away in Gorleston. A quick pray & a phone call……and yes we have 1 barrel in stock. 
Keep it for me i’ll be there within an hour. My barrel was still leaking even after I’d released the pressure. So I quickly syphoned it into a sterilised FV & jumped in the car to fetch the new barrel.
Upon returning I transfered the beer into the new barrel without any problems. Only slight concern was do I re-prime with sugar or not. I decided to just add half (50 grams) as opposed to the 100grams that I had originally put in. There was quite a bit of sediment in the old barrel which I didn’t transfer & my only concern is that there’s still enough yeast for the secondary fermentation. Its been in the new barrel for 6 days & I’ve just had a little taste. Its still very sweet so just wondering if i’ve messed up. I’ll leave for at least another week in the warm & hope for the best. Any suggestions or comments appreciated.
Anyway slight panic mode as i tried to work out how to save the beer. Other plastic barrel was already full.
I have about 20 empty bottles so not enough of them. My local homebrew shop in Norwich closed about 2 months ago. I didn’t know of any other local homebrew shops, but a quick google located one 18 miles away in Gorleston. A quick pray & a phone call……and yes we have 1 barrel in stock. Keep it for me i’ll be there within an hour. My barrel was still leaking even after I’d released the pressure. So I quickly syphoned it into a sterilised FV & jumped in the car to fetch the new barrel.Upon returning I transfered the beer into the new barrel without any problems. Only slight concern was do I re-prime with sugar or not. I decided to just add half (50 grams) as opposed to the 100grams that I had originally put in. There was quite a bit of sediment in the old barrel which I didn’t transfer & my only concern is that there’s still enough yeast for the secondary fermentation. Its been in the new barrel for 6 days & I’ve just had a little taste. Its still very sweet so just wondering if i’ve messed up. I’ll leave for at least another week in the warm & hope for the best. Any suggestions or comments appreciated.
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guess i just need to be patient - not one of my best virtues according to my wife! 
