Wilkos tapped keg

[Rivvo]

I see these are on sale at about £9 at the moment, I have only bottled my beer before but I have a Czech Pilsner ready for condtioning and no bottles.
I was wondering, how good are these?
Are they suitable to keep the lager in for 3-4 months until Summer?
Should I get the CO2 capsules to top it up or is that only required once you start drinking it?
Am I right in thinking that once you've poured some out you should really drink it all within a couple of weeks?
Any help appreciated, thanks.

 

[marksa222]

I wouldn't use one with a lager. I don't think you could get it carbed as highly as you'd want for lager... Ales would be fine.

I kept a wherry in a barrel for over 6 months and it was fine. I had to move it though, after which it lost pressure and soon went off. Defo the right time of year to use a barrel if you can't chill it in a fridge... let nature do it for free!

The co2 capsules shouldn't be needed until you start drinking. I don't think they carbonate the beer to much, just enough to force it out of the tap when it starts going flat. I wouldn't have thought you'd need it until maybe 2/3's of the way down the barrel, unless you get through it really slowly.

£9 is a right bargain.

 

[desmosteve]

I'd love to be proven wrong, but not sure you'll get a tapped keg for £9??

They are doing a pressure barrel for £16, and a separate C02 injector cap for approx £15, which aren't bad deals

 

[Rivvo]

The one I saw had a tap at the bottom and a screw top lid, the lid had a hole, I guessed for co2 injection?, though I could well be wrong, perhaps I've misdescribed it?

 

[OnlyFerment]

The one I saw had a tap at the bottom and a screw top lid, the lid had a hole, I guessed for co2 injection?, though I could well be wrong, perhaps I've misdescribed it?

The £9 one doesn't have a tap as standard but can have one fitted for racking to another vessel. These are Vermonters and the hole in the top is for a bung and airlock. These things are NOT for pressurising and storage but fermentation. The Wilko pressure barrel is £16 for the basic version without CO2 injection. This one can be recognised by looking barrel shaped (moulded in hoops and staves) whilst the fermenter is straight sided. Still good value at £9 but only for fermenting or bulk storage of wine or flat cider.

Dave

 

[Rivvo]

Nope, definitely the barrel shaped one with fitted tap in my local wilco, I'll double check the price tomorrow, but it was either £9 or £11, perhaps they've mispriced it.

 

[OnlyFerment]

Nope, definitely the barrel shaped one with fitted tap in my local wilco, I'll double check the price tomorrow, but it was either £9 or £11, perhaps they've mispriced it.

Just checked priced on the web and the PB is definitely £16 and the FV is £11.20 - no gear at £9 so sounds like a real misprice if it was £9. Good luck.

Dave

 

[miiikeee101]

I bought my second one the other day for 16 quid reduced from 24