Leaky barrel

[Aaron1977]

Hi all,

I've just kegged some fruit cider after fermentation.
This as gone into one of the usual plastic pressurised barrels but is unfortunately leaky/allowing air to escape from around the black rubber tap seal. I've tried replacing the tap etc twice and the problem still persist.

Obviously I can't keep doing this and infinitum as I'm sure I'll end up with flat cider minus whatever leaks.
Eventually, when I get more into this game (more beer than cider) I'd like to replace with Corny kegs but can't stretch to that yet.
I don't want to waste money on another plastic one.
I do have plenty of amber bottles/lids etc.
Would it be possible for me to transfer now to these bottles?
The cider as been in the keg 2 days and was still pressurised.
I do have CO2 cartridges so could give a blast then bottle them.
Or I could add a bit more sugar to the mix.
Bit fearful of this as the last time I bottled cider I must have put too much sugar in and they started exploding.
Thanks for any help

Aaron

 

[ChilledGecko]

Apply some Vaseline or similar around the leaking seal?

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Really every tip /issue

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/pressure-barrels-more-than-you-wanted-to-know.89344/

 

[Aaron1977]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the suggestion. PTFE tape stopped the leak.
The cider is conditioning well from a flavour point of view but is, as would be expected with the earlier issues, quite flat. I have the small CO2 cylinders available.
Any advice please on how long in seconds I should connect to regas this keg.

Cheers
Aaron

 

[Dazzelknight]

O

 

[Dazzelknight]

Literally a second. All you can do is fill the head space of the barrel. The barrel as a safety pressure release in the brass pin valve, so don’t worry u can’t over pressurise it… You can always re-prime with sugar and seal and restart the priming process

 

[GodfreyTempleton]

Hi all,

I've just kegged some fruit cider after fermentation.
This as gone into one of the usual plastic pressurised barrels but is unfortunately leaky/allowing air to escape from around the black rubber tap seal. I've tried replacing the tap etc twice and the problem still persist.

Obviously I can't keep doing this and infinitum as I'm sure I'll end up with flat cider minus whatever leaks.
Eventually, when I get more into this game (more beer than cider) I'd like to replace with Corny kegs but can't stretch to that yet.
I don't want to waste money on another plastic one.
I do have plenty of amber bottles/lids etc.
Would it be possible for me to transfer now to these bottles?
The cider as been in the keg 2 days and was still pressurised.
I do have CO2 cartridges so could give a blast then bottle them.
Or I could add a bit more sugar to the mix.
Bit fearful of this as the last time I bottled cider I must have put too much sugar in and they started exploding.
Thanks for any help

Aaron

Hi all,

I've just kegged some fruit cider after fermentation.
This as gone into one of the usual plastic pressurised barrels but is unfortunately leaky/allowing air to escape from around the black rubber tap seal. I've tried replacing the tap etc twice and the problem still persist.

Obviously I can't keep doing this and infinitum as I'm sure I'll end up with flat cider minus whatever leaks.
Eventually, when I get more into this game (more beer than cider) I'd like to replace with Corny kegs but can't stretch to that yet.
I don't want to waste money on another plastic one.
I do have plenty of amber bottles/lids etc.
Would it be possible for me to transfer now to these bottles?
The cider as been in the keg 2 days and was still pressurised.
I do have CO2 cartridges so could give a blast then bottle them.
Or I could add a bit more sugar to the mix.
Bit fearful of this as the last time I bottled cider I must have put too much sugar in and they started exploding.
Thanks for any help

Aaron

I'd check that the relief valve is working properly, if it isn't and there is too much pressure from secondary fermentation it can blow off around the tap seal. It has happened with my lower tap King Keg.

 

[Aaron1977]

Literally a second. All you can do is fill the head space of the barrel. The barrel as a safety pressure release in the brass pin valve, so don’t worry u can’t over pressurise it… You can always re-prime with sugar and seal and restart the priming process

Thanks for the advice

I've recharged it with sugar and hopefully that will help.
In terms of the CO2 cartridges am I getting the wrong idea of what they are for.
Can they be used to carbonate a keg or are they just to repressurize the keg?

Cheers

 

[Dazzelknight]

They just pressurise the head space in the keg, which in turn holds the carbonation in your beer from priming.. After you pull a good few pints the pressure will drop and ul get a “glug back” as the tap will draw air back into the barrel,, this is when you recharge with a new cartridge.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Avoid the glug back. That's air ingress and beer deteriorating from then on.
Inject a little co2 after draw off or just before to prevent this.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Thanks for the advice

I've recharged it with sugar and hopefully that will help.
In terms of the CO2 cartridges am I getting the wrong idea of what they are for.
Can they be used to carbonate a keg or are they just to repressurize the keg?

Cheers

You can use bottled CO2 to carbonate, it’s what I used to do with King Kegs and do now with cornie kegs. You will need to recharge the keg with CO2 two or three times though because of course, the beer will absorb the CO2.

 

[Dazzelknight]

You can use bottled CO2 to carbonate, it’s what I used to do with King Kegs and do now with cornie kegs. You will need to recharge the keg with CO2 two or three times though because of course, the beer will absorb the CO2.

Wow I didn’t know that ,, so a pressure barrel, the beer will absorb the the co2 ?