Dispensing from a pb.

Clint · Mar 28, 2019

Hello all,
I've got two plastic PB's on the go..one a Wilko one a homebrew online. Both have been fettled as per Terrym and both hold pressure.
Now...they carbonate and hold pressure for weeks until I start drinking from them,then it seems,if I'm over enthusiastic with the tap they run out of gas quite quickly and need a top up.
At the moment I'm trying my latest available brew which I had to regass and having no spare gas bulbs I've been just cracking the tap to fill the glass. All good so far...
Is there a sure way to retain as much pressure with these barrels or a better pouring method?
Where's that Terrym?

Cheers

Clint

foxy · Mar 29, 2019

How long does it take you to go through a barrel? If you can go through a barrel in a week or less get a picnic pump and see if you can rig that up to the barrel just use air.

Graz · Mar 29, 2019

I often found it to be luck of the draw with these even when they're holding a good pressure initially. I had some brews where I manged to get best part of 3/4 of the beer out before adding gas, others I'm lucky to get to halfway. I suspect the pressure relief on these is pretty random too, the barrels themselves can cope with around 15 psi but the pressure relief seems to give about 10 psi. If you have a particularly tight rubber ashock1

then the initial pressure could be higher, hence more beer before adding further gas.

Clint · Mar 29, 2019

The barrel lasts a few weeks at least as I have other stuff on the go. Got three and a half out if it last night before the pressure dropped...

aamcle · Mar 29, 2019

Your going to have to add gas at some point so it's really just a matter of how your going to do it.

Fit a S30 and add gas the easy way.
Fit Stainless car tyre valve and add gas via a tyre inflater.
Fit a Corny keg gas post get a cylinder and add gas, this is cheapest in the long term.

Atb. Aamcle

Graz · Mar 29, 2019

If you already have S30 valves then this isn't a bad option for adding gas from a pub style cylinder: https://brewingathome.co.uk/product/midget-widget-world-universal-barrel-hose/

CD · Mar 30, 2019

I modified a HB brass injector by silver soldering an 1/8” BSP fitting over the blow-off hole and screwing a pressure gauge in it so I can tell what pressure is in the PB at all times. This is very revealing as it tells me how the secondary fermentation is progressing, which ideally will have built up to around 5psi the day after racking. If it reaches over 10psi I briefly slacken the cap as there is now no pressure relief valve.

I try to leave the beer a week before sampling, though in an emergency I find it’s not bad after a couple of days, then as the volume of gas is so small when the cask is full, a single pint drawn off brings the pressure down rapidly, but knowing the pressure enables me to add CO2 before air starts bubbling back through the tap. As the PB empties and volume of gas increases, I find it only needs a squirt of CO2 maybe every 6 pints. Hope this helps.

An Ankoù · Mar 30, 2019

Graz said:
I often found it to be luck of the draw with these even when they're holding a good pressure initially. I had some brews where I manged to get best part of 3/4 of the beer out before adding gas, others I'm lucky to get to halfway. I suspect the pressure relief on these is pretty random too, the barrels themselves can cope with around 15 psi but the pressure relief seems to give about 10 psi. If you have a particularly tight rubber then the initial pressure could be higher, hence more beer before adding further gas.

I always fit a particularly tight rubber before tackling a virgin barrel. Better safe than sorry. Of course, if you drink standing up, there's no need.

Dispensing from a pb.

Help Support The Homebrew Forum:

Clint

Forum jester...🏅🏆

foxy

Landlord.

Graz

Landlord.

Clint

Forum jester...🏅🏆

aamcle

Landlord.

Graz

Landlord.

CD

Retired Brewer

An Ankoù

Landlord.

Similar threads

Latest posts

Dispensing from a pb.

Help Support The Homebrew Forum:

Forum jester...🏅🏆

Landlord.

Landlord.

Forum jester...🏅🏆

Landlord.

Landlord.

Retired Brewer

Landlord.

Similar threads

Join the conversation!

Join today and get all the highlights of this community direct to your inbox. It's FREE!