Are Pressure Barrels a pathway or alternative to Corny kegs?

[Buffers brewery]

After @Hazelwood Brewery excellent thread on Pressure Barrels and reading many posts about how some have been frustrated by their experiences, it was a long overdue. Well done!

It’s interesting to read how some have been SO frustrated with their PB that they’ve moved on to Corny kegs as they’re considered to be more reliable.

I, too have been frustrated by my experiences with PBs, in particular King Kegs, and after giving the subject a lot of thought (and having plenty of time on my hands) I decided that all the ills I had experienced centred on the closure, including the S30 (rubber band driven) valve. So, I set about redesigning and building replacement caps for my 2 (now 3) KKs. I wrote a thread about it.

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/buffers-brewery-pressure-barrel-“bung”.86949/
During the lockdown, I couldn’t get S30 refill cylinders so considered my options. I decided to employ a Corny gas post instead of the Schrader valve that I was using at the time (in conjunction with a gadget to connect the S30 cylinder). This let me get a larger cylinder and provided me with a larger gas supply that could be delivered and a better engineered non-return valve than the original S30 rubber band.

I’ve been using this arrangement for a month or so and recently developed “tap envy” when reading posts on Kegerators.

You guessed it! My cap is now modified to take a Corny beer out post using the original KK float arrangement. It’s been leak and water tested but not beer tested.....yet. I’ve got a pale ale half way through fermentation which should give me time to get some proper beer line and a suitable mount for the tap.

What do I call my beer fridge now? Not a Kegerator. A K-Kegerator?

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

After @Hazelwood Brewery excellent thread on Pressure Barrels and reading many posts about how some have been frustrated by their experiences, it was a long overdue. Well done!

It’s interesting to read how some have been SO frustrated with their PB that they’ve moved on to Corny kegs as they’re considered to be more reliable.

I, too have been frustrated by my experiences with PBs, in particular King Kegs, and after giving the subject a lot of thought (and having plenty of time on my hands) I decided that all the ills I had experienced centred on the closure, including the S30 (rubber band driven) valve. So, I set about redesigning and building replacement caps for my 2 (now 3) KKs. I wrote a thread about it.

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/buffers-brewery-pressure-barrel-“bung”.86949/
During the lockdown, I couldn’t get S30 refill cylinders so considered my options. I decided to employ a Corny gas post instead of the Schrader valve that I was using at the time (in conjunction with a gadget to connect the S30 cylinder). This let me get a larger cylinder and provided me with a larger gas supply that could be delivered and a better engineered non-return valve than the original S30 rubber band.

I’ve been using this arrangement for a month or so and recently developed “tap envy” when reading posts on Kegerators.

You guessed it! My cap is now modified to take a Corny beer out post using the original KK float arrangement. It’s been leak and water tested but not beer tested.....yet. I’ve got a pale ale half way through fermentation which should give me time to get some proper beer line and a suitable mount for the tap.

What do I call my beer fridge now? Not a Kegerator. A K-Kegerator?

View attachment 31370

From the cap on your keg I’m going to suggest “Steam punkegerator”.

 

[Buffers brewery]

Steam punkegerator

That could catch on

 

[Buffers brewery]

Keg + refrigerator = Kegerator

Barrel + refrigerator = Barrelator

 

[Spratt]

So, I set about redesigning and building replacement caps for my 2 (now 3) KKs

I was sufficiently fed up with the performance of my existing King Kegs and sufficiently intrigued by @Buffers brewery idea to see whether he would make a couple for my KKs.

He kindly obliged and I've been using and testing them over the past few weeks. I have to say they are absolutely excellent. I've never had problems with leaking taps on my kegs, the source of problems has always been with the caps and for the first time I can now confidently put a brew in my keg and know that there is not going to be a gas leak.

I just have the one hole in my new lids, into which I've put quick disconnect posts, which I use to top up the gas if required and check the pressure with my Blow Tie spunding valve. I also have two corny kegs, which are fine and have their place for lagers and hoppy beers where I want to do closed transfers from my Fermzilla, but for me the way forward with English style beers is the adapted King Kegs from now on.

 

[Buffers brewery]

I was sufficiently fed up with the performance of my existing King Kegs and sufficiently intrigued by @Buffers brewery idea to see whether he would make a couple for my KKs.

He kindly obliged and I've been using and testing them over the past few weeks. I have to say they are absolutely excellent. I've never had problems with leaking taps on my kegs, the source of problems has always been with the caps and for the first time I can now confidently put a brew in my keg and know that there is not going to be a gas leak.

I just have the one hole in my new lids, into which I've put quick disconnect posts, which I use to top up the gas if required and check the pressure with my Blow Tie spunding valve. I also have two corny kegs, which are fine and have their place for lagers and hoppy beers where I want to do closed transfers from my Fermzilla, but for me the way forward with English style beers is the adapted King Kegs from now on.

Thanks @Spratt , and I didn’t pay you to say that!

 

[Ashman]

I was thinking of posting a thread about pressure fermenting in a setup like the opening poster. However, I think would need to add a spunding valve? It would be very attractive Well apart from the trub.

 

[Buffers brewery]

I was thinking of posting a thread about pressure fermenting in a setup like the opening poster. However, I think would need to add a spunding valve? It would be very attractive Well apart from the trub.

Just for clarity, a “better” picture of the top arrangement...

Gas in/beer out posts...

Beer out post is connected to the King Keg float tubing...

Pressure gauge is mounted on an equal Tee with a radiator vent valve at the other end to vent any excess pressure manually.

 

[Spratt]

I was thinking of posting a thread about pressure fermenting in a setup like the opening poster. However, I think would need to add a spunding valve? It would be very attractive Well apart from the trub.

I'm only using the spunding valve as I already have one for the Fermzilla, and then I'm really only using it as a way of checking pressure. It will of course work as a pressure relief valve, and control the pressure if I want it to, but so far that hasn't been necessary, as I carb my ales with a fairly small amount of sugars (60 to 80 gm for a 23 litre brew). I haven't tried using the KK as a pressurised fermenting vessel, as I can already do that in the Fermzilla, but it looks as though it should work well.