What is my best, low cost option to dispense bitter?

[Honk]

Sounds like a good plan, both cheap options and minikeg has advantage that it will keep till your ready to open it so use polypin first.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[private4587]

The Party Star Tap would put a decent head on the pint at those carb levels. My Klarstein dispenser does on my stout anyway.

He’ll be cheaper with the syringe method though

Hi Mick i am interested in getting myself one of those Klarstein beer dispensers and i was wondering if you could give me some answers. What brews do you use in them i.e ales, bitters, larger, stouts and porters. Also if using minikegs what amount of sugar do you use for carbonating and what temp do you have it set on. Hope you don't mind these questions

 

[trueblue]

I use a polypin with handpump and I'm a very happy man.

 

[MickDundee]

Hi Mick i am interested in getting myself one of those Klarstein beer dispensers and i was wondering if you could give me some answers. What brews do you use in them i.e ales, bitters, larger, stouts and porters. Also if using minikegs what amount of sugar do you use for carbonating and what temp do you have it set on. Hope you don't mind these questions

I avoid using minikegs for highly-carbed beers (my Hefeweizen and Dubbel were 100% bottled, although I did do 1 MK of my Citra saison last night because I was too lazy to bottle the lot) but I use them for everything else.

Depending on style I use anywhere between 10g (stout) and 23g (Cali Common and last night’s saison). For the higher carbed ones I set the Klarstein to 2C for 2 days before tapping then up it to serving temp (7-8C for my Common) after I’ve pulled the first pint - I find this helps with giving the beer the fizz I want without having piles and piles of foam.

I hope that helps

 

[MyQul]

I use a polypin with handpump and I'm a very happy man.

But what's the cost of a set up like that? Which is what is of particular interest to the OP

 

[MyQul]

I avoid using minikegs for highly-carbed beers (my Hefeweizen and Dubbel were 100% bottled, although I did do 1 MK of my Citra saison last night because I was too lazy to bottle the lot) but I use them for everything else.

Depending on style I use anywhere between 10g (stout) and 23g (Cali Common and last night’s saison). For the higher carbed ones I set the Klarstein to 2C for 2 days before tapping then up it to serving temp (7-8C for my Common) after I’ve pulled the first pint - I find this helps with giving the beer the fizz I want without having piles and piles of foam.

I hope that helps

@private4587 If you're wondering why, see forumite Honk's latest post in the mini keg thread https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/easy-keg-5l.57568/page-79#post-762221

 

[trueblue]

But what's the cost of a set up like that? Which is what is of particular interest to the OP

The 20lt polypins are about £10 each if I remember correct mine are several years old. A hand pump is hard to say a new one is pricey I bought mine for £25 off someone on Jim's about 10 years ago. E-bay may be the best source.

 

[Honk]

I use a polypin with handpump and I'm a very happy man.

How long does your beer last in the polypin and how long do you think it would keep before spoiling?

 

[peebee]

How long does your beer last in the polypin and how long do you think it would keep before spoiling?

That's a subjective question, for which you'd be lucky to get a straight (reliable) answer.

4-6 weeks is bandied about a bit, but I've read one character who was happy drinking beer stored in polypins for months on end. Beer doesn't only spoil (oxidise) slowly in polypins, but the CO2 condition will eventually fritter away. Beer out of the fermenter will contain 0.9 to 1 volumes of CO2 at 12-15C, stick a weight on the pin (book) and add a bit of priming sugar perhaps (10g in 20L) and you might get that up to 1.1 volumes (about ideal?).

But it doesn't end with the pin. Then hand-pump has a cylinder full of beer (if you're lucky you have a 1/4 pint cylinder) that is open to the air (via nozzle). That will also spoil in a couple of days, and lose condition in a day. I seal my hand-pump nozzles soon after using but even this doesn't have to be the end of it, many (e.g. Angram) connect the cylinder to the nozzle with gas permeable silicone hose, so I had to replace that with much less permeable PVC.

 

[Honk]

That's a subjective question, for which you'd be lucky to get a straight (reliable) answer."

That's why I asked, I've seen such conflicting answers from a few days to several weeks, guess I will need to try it for myself to see what I would be happy with, but only if a bargain hand pump becomes available.

 

[private4587]

I avoid using minikegs for highly-carbed beers (my Hefeweizen and Dubbel were 100% bottled, although I did do 1 MK of my Citra saison last night because I was too lazy to bottle the lot) but I use them for everything else.

Depending on style I use anywhere between 10g (stout) and 23g (Cali Common and last night’s saison). For the higher carbed ones I set the Klarstein to 2C for 2 days before tapping then up it to serving temp (7-8C for my Common) after I’ve pulled the first pint - I find this helps with giving the beer the fizz I want without having piles and piles of foam.

I hope that helps

Hi Mick If i am right in my understanding of your reply you use approx 10g for stout, would porters come under the same style. I am not sure what a Cali Common or saison are(will have to google) are these similar to larger or is larger a no no in minikegs I have read the other post about the keg nearly blowing. What about bitters and milds? at the moment i charge the kegs with 15g for everything but i am getting a lot of foam maybe have to lessen the amount. One more thing Mick is your Klarsteing the one with the water assisted cooling? sorry for all the questions.

 

[MickDundee]

Hi Mick If i am right in my understanding of your reply you use approx 10g for stout, would porters come under the same style. I am not sure what a Cali Common or saison are(will have to google) are these similar to larger or is larger a no no in minikegs I have read the other post about the keg nearly blowing. What about bitters and milds? at the moment i charge the kegs with 15g for everything but i am getting a lot of foam maybe have to lessen the amount. One more thing Mick is your Klarsteing the one with the water assisted cooling? sorry for all the questions.

I don’t usually do dark beers but I thought porters were more highly carbonated than stouts?

I would usually carbonate a Cali Common to just above what I’d do for an American IPA or APA.

You’ll get foam for the first glass then it should settle, I’ve found since I’ve been able to control the temperature properly I’ve not had as much of a foam problem as when I was using ice packs in a cool bag.

Yes I have the Skal which you can add water added for cooling.

 

[private4587]

I don’t usually do dark beers but I thought porters were more highly carbonated than stouts?

I would usually carbonate a Cali Common to just above what I’d do for an American IPA or APA.

You’ll get foam for the first glass then it should settle, I’ve found since I’ve been able to control the temperature properly I’ve not had as much of a foam problem as when I was using ice packs in a cool bag.

Yes I have the Skal which you can add water added for cooling.

Thanks i am now convinced and will get one ordered, I suppose it will a while to get used to it like all other things with this hobby