Stainless Steel Mini Kegs

[yrhendystu]

I looked at these back during lockdown 1.0, I'd just started brewing and had success with a bitter in a pressure barrel and had used 2L bottles for lager kits but wanted to try these, or at least something very similar. They were all sold out but a local brewery (Tomos Watkin) did a special event to fund raise for the NHS. They were giving away mini kegs that you could fill up with their beer in exchange for donations, they suggested £5 minimum. By the time I finished work they'd given all the beer away but I gave them £20 and walked away with 5 mini kegs.

I've had varied success with them. Not noticed the metallic taste but I'm sure now it's been mentioned I will notice it. I bought some rubber bungs and kegged the Wilko copper bitter, come to think of it, maybe that's why I never tasted the metallic taste

After that I did a ginger beer with coconut (Coco Beach) and I currently have a couple with cooper's lager (Frenzy) and three with an orangey ginger beer (Orangutang).

I think if I had paid full price I'd be a bit miffed at the mini kegs. They foam a hell of a lot when you first crack one open. It's a real pain pouring. But with lockdown 1.0 we bought a big fridge freezer and it's so convenient having a mini keg in the fridge. It's also great to be able to have a glass mid week without opening up a whole bottle. (This one only really works if you also use 2L pop bottles).

A couple of times I've primed enough that it's poured from start to finish but mostly I've needed to push the plastic bung inside, remove the rubber outer and then insert the small plastic seal.

My overall advice would be this. If money is no object then get some. If you'd be annoyed at spending £10 on a mini keg that wasn't that great then wait for some mini kegs with beer inside to go on offer and get them and reuse and buy some 85p bungs. Or maybe you know someone that buys them. Personally, I prefer a 2L plastic bottle but a mini keg has its time and place.

 

[terrym]

I might well do that, but seeing as he advertises them as SS then I expect the answer will be that they are SS.
There are various grades of SS but I don't know enough about them to know the right questions.

You don't need to know the grade of SS. It is either SS sold suitable for long term storage of beer or it isn't.
And the bloke in the Homebrew Shop is unlikely to be a metallurgist.
Did you research the grade of SS for your cutlery before you bought it?

 

[user 18729]

You don't need to know the grade of SS. It is either SS sold suitable for long term storage of beer or it isn't.
And the bloke in the Homebrew Shop is unlikely to be a metallurgist.
Did you research the grade of SS for your cutlery before you bought it?

If the grade of SS isn’t known let’s face it, it is likely an alloy or coated steel. The members have experience with metallic flavours being leached from mini kegs because they did not research the properties of the keg (I had the same experience years ago and it ruined a couple batches of beer)

 

[Leon103]

There is a massive thread on mini kegs, I haven't found one on these supposedly stainless steel mini kegs

I think they are covered. Tried them and they are the same. With lining inside that comes away.

 

[An Ankoù]

Regardless 0f whether they're SS or not, they don't come with a tap. How much does the dispense system cost?

 

[foxy]

One of these with a picnic tap would be better value.

This is what we know as a mini keg.

They aren't bad but top heavy and more expensive, a grenade keg would be better.

 

[terrym]

If the grade of SS isn’t known let’s face it, it is likely an alloy or coated steel.

That's not the issue, as far as the item in the OP is concerned, which is what this thread is all about. It's either SS or it isn't. If it is SS whether the grade is known or not is immaterial, as long as its fit for purpose to store beer, given its only a £10 can.

The members have experience with metallic flavours being leached from mini kegs because they did not research the properties of the keg (I had the same experience years ago and it ruined a couple batches of beer)

I think the need to research the properties of a repurposed minikeg before use would be thought to be unnecessary by most given it has already been used to store beer. And the 'research' I did before I tried my repurposed kegs by reading most of the long Easykeg thread was that they were OKish, even for a few uses, and justified me trying them. But sadly I am one of the members who have also come across the metallic taste, just like you. And more to the point it only seems to have become a frequently mentioned issue on here in recent weeks, at least as far as I can see. However my repurposed minikegs came for free, so although I found out the hard way, it hasn't cost me very much. But at least I now do my best to alert people to it when it crops up in threads like this and others.

 

[531Man]

If the grade of SS isn’t known let’s face it, it is likely an alloy or coated steel.

Hi Hopsteep (and in part 2 @terrym), part 1: all SS's are alloys of Cr, Ni, Mb, Mo, Mn, V, Si and others, so by "alloy" do you mean Aluminium alloy?
Part 2: the magnet test will not help decide whether it is SS or not.
Some SS's are Austenitic (non-magnetic),
Other SS's are ferritic (magnetic).
This is why some SS saucepans work on induction hobs, and others will not.
And they are all food grade.
I hope this helps,
Regards,
Robin.

 

[user 18729]

Hi Hopsteep (and in part 2 @terrym), part 1: all SS's are alloys of Cr, Ni, Mb, Mo, Mb, V, Si and others, so by "alloy" do you mean Aluminium alloy?
Part 2: the magnet test will not help decide whether it is SS or not.
Some SS's are Austenitic (non-magnetic),
Other SS's are ferritic (magnetic).
This is why some SS saucepans work on induction hobs, and others will not.
And they are all food grade.
I hope this helps,
Regards,
Robin.

I should have worded that to say ‘it is likely a different alloy to stainless, or cheap coated steel’. There is a difference between food grade and being safe for use in the beverage industry. Certain metals are perfectly safe to store water for drinking but are not suitable for storing beer.

I think the need to research the properties of a repurposed minikeg before use would be thought to be unnecessary by most given it has already been used to store beer.

The difference is that the kegs in question are to be used repeatedly. They aren’t being bought to be used as a disposable keg and so the properties of the keg need to be known for long term use.

 

[kudos1uk]

Though, I would update here as I contacted the company for more information on this product, this is the reply I got:

Unfortunately the only type we can get is the plastic lined ones, so you would have to replace them after 2+ years.
I have experience with them and have never found a change in beer taste.
These are a budget option though, perhaps a cornie keg is closer to what you would be after?

 

[MattGuk]

Fwiw I have 3 of these, and although they are still relatively new ( 4 brews in them so far ) they have not developed this metallic taste people say about, maybe they will in time but so far so good.
Easy enough to clean, I use chemclean and fill with hot water and let sit for an hour or so, use a bent bottle brush to clean and then rinse thoroughly with cold water.
I have put stout, IPA, cream ale, and a blonde in them so far and no flavours from the previous batch has ever come through.
I say go for it, once you get a metallic taste ( if you do ) then just buy another. @ £8 per keg, it's not going to break the bank plus if you use the party star tap and CO² bulbs there is no chance of oxygen getting to the beer.
Saves me a lot of time as compared to bottling and also if you have space issues that mean you can't use a corny + gas CO² cylinder, these are ideal to put in the fridge.

 

[kudos1uk]

Fwiw I have 3 of these, and although they are still relatively new ( 4 brews in them so far ) they have not developed this metallic taste people say about, maybe they will in time but so far so good.
Easy enough to clean, I use chemclean and fill with hot water and let sit for an hour or so, use a bent bottle brush to clean and then rinse thoroughly with cold water.
I have put stout, IPA, cream ale, and a blonde in them so far and no flavours from the previous batch has ever come through.
I say go for it, once you get a metallic taste ( if you do ) then just buy another. @ £8 per keg, it's not going to break the bank plus if you use the party star tap and CO² bulbs there is no chance of oxygen getting to the beer.
Saves me a lot of time as compared to bottling and also if you have space issues that mean you can't use a corny + gas CO² cylinder, these are ideal to put in the fridge.

That's great information I really want to move from my 20L PB to 4 of these, simply because I have treated myself to one of these:
https://www.klarstein.co.uk/Home-ap...-Dispenser-5l-Kegs-Compressor-120W-Black.html

 

[MattGuk]

That's a nice looking bit of kit, wife has asked me what I want for Christmas this year...... Think I now know lol.
Seriously though I would recommend these little kegs, granted they won't last as long as a corny but they will last long enough to save up enough to buy more, I got the kit from Brew UK which is 3 kegs, party star tap and 10 16gram bulbs for £78, the majority of that cost is the tap though.

 

[terrym]

Fwiw I have 3 of these, and although they are still relatively new ( 4 brews in them so far ) they have not developed this metallic taste people say about, maybe they will in time but so far so good.
Easy enough to clean, I use chemclean and fill with hot water and let sit for an hour or so, use a bent bottle brush to clean and then rinse thoroughly with cold water.
I have put stout, IPA, cream ale, and a blonde in them so far and no flavours from the previous batch has ever come through.
I say go for it, once you get a metallic taste ( if you do ) then just buy another. @ £8 per keg, it's not going to break the bank plus if you use the party star tap and CO² bulbs there is no chance of oxygen getting to the beer.
Saves me a lot of time as compared to bottling and also if you have space issues that mean you can't use a corny + gas CO² cylinder, these are ideal to put in the fridge.

I would agree with you but... the first time you open up a new batch of 5 litres of beer in one of these kegs and you find its tainted the sense of disappointment kicks in. And you then wonder 'Do I drink it, or does it go down the sink' and 'Will the next one be like it'.
That's why I'm phasing out my minikegs, whether they produce tainted beer or not.
That said I wish you well with yours.