Easy Keg 5L

[JapanBrew]

Porters and stouts need a lot of time to condition. The tastes really meld together over time and taste great. Give it time. If you look forward to those for the holidays, set your calendar app to warn you about mid September. That's when you brew and by the holidays, it's ready. I think I made last years batch some time in April.

 

[DoctorMick]

Opened a keg on Christmas Day and didn't get thru much of it, didn't have any Boxing Day then went away for a few days. Went to pour it out today and clean the keg but sampled it first. I'm glad I did, it's still absolutely perfect! Wasn't expecting it to be up to much after 5 days.

 

[Fictional]

I'd filled 3 before with a Coopers Canadian Blonde but hadn't filled them to near the top, pints of foam most of the way. Just opened a Wherry filled keg last night. First couple of pints there was a lot of head but perfect after that

 

[DoctorMick]

I'd filled 3 before with a Coopers Canadian Blonde but hadn't filled them to near the top, pints of foam most of the way. Just opened a Wherry filled keg last night. First couple of pints there was a lot of head but perfect after that

Did you open the vent prior to pouring?

 

[Fictional]

Did you open the vent prior to pouring?

No just put a party star tap through the top and poured from it. Was successful this time so I'd put it down to not filling the kegs enough the first time.

 

[nicowk]

Santa brought me a Klarstein: http://www.hifi-tower.co.uk/Klarstein-Draft-Beer-Tap-Dispenser-/-Pump-System-5L-Silver_i10481.htm

Everything works good, except one thing. When using a keg ive refilled with homebrew the beer came out really murky. So I guess the sediment in the keg is being disturbed a lot. This must be either because the tube the pops down into the keg goes right to the bottom where the sediment is - disturbing it as beer is sucked out, or that the building in pressure regulator is disturbing it?

Anyone got any ideas? I feel like if its the tube reaching the bottom then the party star would do the same, but thats clearly not a problem going by this thread! I've only gone through 1 keg in it so I need to try another and see if it happens again.

 

[MickDundee]

Santa brought me a Klarstein: http://www.hifi-tower.co.uk/Klarstein-Draft-Beer-Tap-Dispenser-/-Pump-System-5L-Silver_i10481.htm

Everything works good, except one thing. When using a keg ive refilled with homebrew the beer came out really murky. So I guess the sediment in the keg is being disturbed a lot. This must be either because the tube the pops down into the keg goes right to the bottom where the sediment is - disturbing it as beer is sucked out, or that the building in pressure regulator is disturbing it?

Anyone got any ideas? I feel like if its the tube reaching the bottom then the party star would do the same, but thats clearly not a problem going by this thread! I've only gone through 1 keg in it so I need to try another and see if it happens again.

Is it the CO2 cartridge one or the air pump? Once you get it properly sorted out, can you let us know how well it works - how long the beer lasts in it etc? I've discovered recently that the beer turns out much better and more nicely carved when the kegs have been chilled first. That's fine at this time of year (stored in the shed, then once they have been tapped they sit outside the back door in a cool bag until a couple of hours before I have a drink) , but come the summer I will need to start thinking about how to chill my kegs!

 

[JapanBrew]

Santa brought me a Klarstein: http://www.hifi-tower.co.uk/Klarstein-Draft-Beer-Tap-Dispenser-/-Pump-System-5L-Silver_i10481.htm

Everything works good, except one thing. When using a keg ive refilled with homebrew the beer came out really murky. So I guess the sediment in the keg is being disturbed a lot. This must be either because the tube the pops down into the keg goes right to the bottom where the sediment is - disturbing it as beer is sucked out, or that the building in pressure regulator is disturbing it?

Anyone got any ideas? I feel like if its the tube reaching the bottom then the party star would do the same, but thats clearly not a problem going by this thread! I've only gone through 1 keg in it so I need to try another and see if it happens again.

Couple things with kegs. Yes, with homebrew you'll always get the first pour with sediment. Just make sure you really cold crash the keg for a week or so. That'll get all the sediment to really settle out.
Another, never move your keg. Even the slightest bump kicks up sediment. That seems hard because those small kegs are for carrying around. To cure this, you really got to transfer to a secondary FV during fermentation to really clear as much as you can. Because of this, I'm rethinking how I condition my beer. I will keg mine but I'll use the keg to settle and carb. Once that's done, I'll transfer all the contents into a new clean keg. I mostly use 10 liter sanke kegs so size is not an issue. I'll just get a 19 liter one that'll hold all sizes of brews. Think of it as a brite tank.
Gelatin is another way to go. I don't use it but I'm considering it. There are tons of YouTube vids showing how. Looks good.

 

[MickDundee]

Couple things with kegs. Yes, with homebrew you'll always get the first pour with sediment. Just make sure you really cold crash the keg for a week or so. That'll get all the sediment to really settle out.
Another, never move your keg. Even the slightest bump kicks up sediment. That seems hard because those small kegs are for carrying around. To cure this, you really got to transfer to a secondary FV during fermentation to really clear as much as you can. Because of this, I'm rethinking how I condition my beer. I will keg mine but I'll use the keg to settle and carb. Once that's done, I'll transfer all the contents into a new clean keg. I mostly use 10 liter sanke kegs so size is not an issue. I'll just get a 19 liter one that'll hold all sizes of brews. Think of it as a brite tank.
Gelatin is another way to go. I don't use it but I'm considering it. There are tons of YouTube vids showing how. Looks good.

I've never had this problem.

I don't get much sediment in my first pour, although it is mainly foam and tends to get dumped due to my impatience in letting it settle so there might be sediment in there.

I move the keg about loads, mainly from outside the back door to the kitchen, with no issues. I usually leave an hour between bringing the keg back in from outside and pouring my first pint though.

I don't have the facilities to cold crash or properly chill. In the summer I don't even have the facility to cool the keg properly before drinking apart from my makeshift cool bag and ice pack set up because I have a small fridge.

 

[MyQul]

I've just cracked open a keg as a I fancied a pint and didnt have any bottles. It was a wherry that I used liberty bell yeast which is quite flocculant plus I racked to a secondary, after it had finished fermenting, for a week. I didn't vent it or chill it or anything, just opened it at room temp. Normally doing this would kick up loads of ast in the keg and make for a cloudy pint plus yeast bite. But it was clear as a bell, no hazyness from yeast or any yeast bite.

I think the combination of flocculant yeast and racking to a secondary and leaving it for a week left a tiny amount of yeast in the keg. Just enough to carb it up, but not enough to cause yeast haze/yeast bite. The combo of racking to a secondary plus flocculant yeast is definately something to consider if you want crystal clear beer.

 

[nicowk]

Cheers for the replies, I will have a go at the different ideas and report back (albeit it will be a couple of months probably) Unfortunately the Klarstein has developed a new problem where the regulator doesn't stop pressuring, it's gonna blow up!

 

[Simonh82]

I've just finished my first easy keg and I'm really pleased with the result. What I'm particularly pleased about is that I was able to dispense the entire 5L under the pressure of the CO2 from priming. I didn't need to break the seal to allow air in at all.

This meant that I've been able to drink it over 9 says without any loss of quality and with a 200 mile car journey in the middle of it.

I slightly over primed, I think it worked out at about 22g for the keg but it held pressure without deforming the keg. It was certainly very foamy to begin with but that doesn't bother me. It was still coming out with some good pressure right to the last pint.

The image is of the penultimate pint.

 

[MyQul]

I've just finished my first easy keg and I'm really pleased with the result. What I'm particularly pleased about is that I was able to dispense the entire 5L under the pressure of the CO2 from priming. I didn't need to break the seal to allow air in at all.

This meant that I've been able to drink it over 9 says without any loss of quality and with a 200 mile car journey in the middle of it.

I slightly over primed, I think it worked out at about 22g for the keg but it held pressure without deforming the keg. It was certainly very foamy to begin with but that doesn't bother me. It was still coming out with some good pressure right to the last pint.

The image is of the penultimate pint.

Are you saying to used the gravity tap but didnt open the vent? If so how did to manage that? Whenever I forget to open the vent the beer will only trickles out of the tap due to the vacuum caused

 

[Simonh82]

Are you saying to used the gravity tap but didnt open the vent? If so how did to manage that? Whenever I forget to open the vent the beer will only trickles out of the tap due to the vacuum caused

Yes, the entire 5L came out of the gravity tap without opening the vent. This certainly didn't happen when it was originally full of Hob Goblin. I think I got 3 or 4 pints out of it before it needed to be vented to allow it to flow again.

I just cleaned it out and when I took the bung out there was a little pop, so there was still pressure in there even when it was empty.

I'm sure that I over primed by not by a lot. I think I used something like 90g for 23L in to the bottling bucket.

I don't know if the fact that I moved it around a few times that lead to CO2 coming out of solution and maintaining pressure in the head space.

I plan on trying to repeat it on my next brew.

 

[MyQul]

Yes, the entire 5L came out of the gravity tap without opening the vent. This certainly didn't happen when it was originally full of Hob Goblin. I think I got 3 or 4 pints out of it before it needed to be vented to allow it to flow again.

I just cleaned it out and when I took the bung out there was a little pop, so there was still pressure in there even when it was empty.

I'm sure that I over primed by not by a lot. I think I used something like 90g for 23L in to the bottling bucket.

I don't know if the fact that I moved it around a few times that lead to CO2 coming out of solution and maintaining pressure in the head space.

I plan on trying to repeat it on my next brew.

Definately interesting. I've been doing a lot of experimentation with my mini kegs as I dont want to spring for the fifty quid for a party start tap. I'lll have a go at not opening the vent next time and see how things go

 

[Leon103]

I have tried a keg without venting (thought I had) but every pint was pure foam and a complete nightmare to pour.

 

[Simonh82]

I have tried a keg without venting (thought I had) but every pint was pure foam and a complete nightmare to pour.

There was definitely a lot of foam, I'm not going to give the impression that there wasn't but if you don't mind leaving it to settle and slurping up bits of foam so you can top up the glass then it is fine.

I'm not fussy!:grin:

 

[Brewshed]

I am planning on moving over to easy/minikegs but plan to buy empty ones (probably Leyland Home Brew). I am not sure whether to buy ones with the vent bung or the pressure release bung or the two piece bung. I have seen some discussion that the vent bungs are difficult to get in and out but am not sure how I would allow air in if using either of the other two. Any thought please?

 

[MickDundee]

I am planning on moving over to easy/minikegs but plan to buy empty ones (probably Leyland Home Brew). I am not sure whether to buy ones with the vent bung or the pressure release bung or the two piece bung. I have seen some discussion that the vent bungs are difficult to get in and out but am not sure how I would allow air in if using either of the other two. Any thought please?

If you don't plan on buying a Party Star tap, you need to get one with an integrated tap and vent bung. I have one and the bung is easy enough to pull out once finished if you take the vent out and push the middle bit into the keg.

 

[Manxnorton]

Sorry I fell asleep trying to read the thread...
I only want to know could re use this and how?
You may thinking I'm becoming a drinker! (A long with others words you can use!!)
In the freezer for a bit and try it

Any help would be appreciated.