Split in Pressure Barrel

[proost]

Hi Chaps,
I managed to get hold of a load of second hand brewing stuff including two PBs, both the old Boots type with the wide neck. Before I used the barrels I checked for leaks and they were both ok.
Well you can guess what happened next, one of them developed a small split about 6 inches down from the cap, above the level of the beer, and so no pressure and flat beer.

Anyone any advice on sealing it? My first thought is to use some car filler or maybe a soldering iron. It only needs to last until I have drunk the beer and then I will dump the barrel.

Any thoughts on taking the beer out of the barrel and carefully trying to bottle it.

I can't face the thought of just dumping the beer!

:cry:

 

[Featherhat]

On the bright side, at least it's not below the level of the beer. Both your ideas might work my only worry would be that car filler, being an epoxy resin product might weaken the barrel and cause more problems. If you just need a quick fix while you empty the barrel why not just slap some gaffer tape across it, maybe use some silicone sealant or both. To bottle it you'll just need a tube that you can fix to the tap, that reaches the bottom of your bottles. You might need to add more priming sugar as well.

 

[proost]

On the bright side, at least it's not below the level of the beer. Both your ideas might work my only worry would be that car filler, being an epoxy resin product might weaken the barrel and cause more problems. If you just need a quick fix while you empty the barrel why not just slap some gaffer tape across it, maybe use some silicone sealant or both. To bottle it you'll just need a tube that you can fix to the tap, that reaches the bottom of your bottles. You might need to add more priming sugar as well.

Cheers for that.
Forgot to add that the split is in the panel that says " Boots Beer Barrel" so its not flat.
Also although it spent 12 days in my brew box at 20c, it did taste quite sweet.

:hmm:

 

[Dads_Ale]

Dump it and get a new one,

 

[proost]

Dump it and get a new one,

What about my 40 pints of beer?

 

[baggybill]

Some of that stuff has mighty powerful odours... epoxy resin, mastic/sealer etc. Don't risk it on the beer...

+1 Dads_Ale

Time + effort + risk to beer = get a new barrel :grin:

Could always decant it to some 2L pets (Asda water bottles) for a bit.

 

[Dads_Ale]

What about my 40 pints of beer?

If you can get one quickly then just syphon the beer into it with some extra priming sugar.

Or drink it quickly :-D

 

[proost]

Smothered it with some car filler and so far so good

:-D