My 10th Anniversary Brew
Re: My 10th Anniversary Brew
Dave, yes normal pressure barrel with modified cap. There's a thread on it somewhere but I'll post some more pics when I get home.
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Re: My 10th Anniversary Brew
Great thanks, Jim. I've looked for that thread but haven't as yet found it. If anyone knows where it is I'd appreciate a link.
Best wishes
Dave
Dave
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Re: My 10th Anniversary Brew
Jim, when you pour the priming solution into the barrel, do you never get any oxidation?
Re: My 10th Anniversary Brew
Not sure what you mean. I prime with granulated sugar - 2oz to the 5 gallon barrel; oxidation isn't a problem as anything that does get in is cleaned out by the yeast.sladeywadey wrote:Jim, when you pour the priming solution into the barrel, do you never get any oxidation?
If you mean is there a chance of oxidation when transferring a beer which has already been primed and carbonated to another barrel (as I did for this one due to the leak) the answer is yes there's a danger, but it didn't happen this time (I was careful to use closed tubing for the transfer though).
Re: My 10th Anniversary Brew
As promised, here are some photos of the serving set up with the cask breather.
Gas connection shown with the direct gas line from the secondary reg connected; this is the position to recharge the keg with CO2 following a session - when serving, the clear gas line from the cask breather (top left) will be connected instead. Ignore the fact there's a tee junction used - I just ran out of straight connectors and had to use that and blank off the other end).

Here is the beer line connection....

...and finally the beer engine itself.

EDIT: and here's a link to the thread detailing the mods to the barrel cap to take a cornie disconnect - viewtopic.php?f=6&t=56224
Gas connection shown with the direct gas line from the secondary reg connected; this is the position to recharge the keg with CO2 following a session - when serving, the clear gas line from the cask breather (top left) will be connected instead. Ignore the fact there's a tee junction used - I just ran out of straight connectors and had to use that and blank off the other end).

Here is the beer line connection....

...and finally the beer engine itself.

EDIT: and here's a link to the thread detailing the mods to the barrel cap to take a cornie disconnect - viewtopic.php?f=6&t=56224
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Re: My 10th Anniversary Brew
Hi Jim - in your photo above it shows you pouring in the priming solution into the barrel whilst stirring. I just wondered if this causes any oxidation due to splashing etc?Jim wrote:Not sure what you mean. I prime with granulated sugar - 2oz to the 5 gallon barrel; oxidation isn't a problem as anything that does get in is cleaned out by the yeast.sladeywadey wrote:Jim, when you pour the priming solution into the barrel, do you never get any oxidation?
If you mean is there a chance of oxidation when transferring a beer which has already been primed and carbonated to another barrel (as I did for this one due to the leak) the answer is yes there's a danger, but it didn't happen this time (I was careful to use closed tubing for the transfer though).
Re: My 10th Anniversary Brew
Never had a problem yet. The priming sugar is dissolved in boiling water, which tends to drive off any oxygen in any case.sladeywadey wrote:Hi Jim - in your photo above it shows you pouring in the priming solution into the barrel whilst stirring. I just wondered if this causes any oxidation due to splashing etc?Jim wrote:Not sure what you mean. I prime with granulated sugar - 2oz to the 5 gallon barrel; oxidation isn't a problem as anything that does get in is cleaned out by the yeast.sladeywadey wrote:Jim, when you pour the priming solution into the barrel, do you never get any oxidation?
If you mean is there a chance of oxidation when transferring a beer which has already been primed and carbonated to another barrel (as I did for this one due to the leak) the answer is yes there's a danger, but it didn't happen this time (I was careful to use closed tubing for the transfer though).
Re: My 10th Anniversary Brew
Incidentally, I've just realised that in the photos above it looks as though the second grey disconnect is plugged into the side of the barrel - just in case that misleads anyone, it isn't; it's just resting against the side.
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Re: My 10th Anniversary Brew
Will you look at that?! Fresh brew drawn from a beer engine, just a quick reach through that door there. Jealous!Jim wrote:...and finally the beer engine itself.
Looks like someone knows how to enjoy his retirement.

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Re: My 10th Anniversary Brew
Yes, I see how that works - except I was envisaging having the breather directly after the secondary CO2 reg to give a constant blanket of of CO2 at 37 mBars of pressure over the beer. Have you done it that way in order to force carb during conditioning? Also, I'm guessing there is a non-return valve in the keg top to allow the interchange.Jim wrote:Incidentally, I've just realised that in the photos above it looks as though the second grey disconnect is plugged into the side of the barrel - just in case that misleads anyone, it isn't; it's just resting against the side.
Best wishes
Dave
Dave
Re: My 10th Anniversary Brew
Dave, the cask breather vents the cask to near enough atmospheric pressure as soon as it's connected. As there is no one-way valve of any sort, if left like that between sessions the beer would go completely flat - recharging from the regulator just allows the keg to be back at normal pressure (6 or 7 psi) without requiring CO2 to come out of the beer to provide it.Dave S wrote:Yes, I see how that works - except I was envisaging having the breather directly after the secondary CO2 reg to give a constant blanket of of CO2 at 37 mBars of pressure over the beer. Have you done it that way in order to force carb during conditioning? Also, I'm guessing there is a non-return valve in the keg top to allow the interchange.Jim wrote:Incidentally, I've just realised that in the photos above it looks as though the second grey disconnect is plugged into the side of the barrel - just in case that misleads anyone, it isn't; it's just resting against the side.
My theory is that it will help maintain the condition for longer. I doubt if there's much (if any) force carbing happening at those sort of pressures.
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Re: My 10th Anniversary Brew
So the beer is open to the air, albeit it a very brief period during the swap over to the breather? Sorry for the what must seem like dumb questions - a completely new area of consideration to me.Jim wrote:Dave, the cask breather vents the cask to near enough atmospheric pressure as soon as it's connected. As there is no one-way valve of any sort, if left like that between sessions the beer would go completely flat - recharging from the regulator just allows the keg to be back at normal pressure (6 or 7 psi) without requiring CO2 to come out of the beer to provide it.Dave S wrote:Yes, I see how that works - except I was envisaging having the breather directly after the secondary CO2 reg to give a constant blanket of of CO2 at 37 mBars of pressure over the beer. Have you done it that way in order to force carb during conditioning? Also, I'm guessing there is a non-return valve in the keg top to allow the interchange.Jim wrote:Incidentally, I've just realised that in the photos above it looks as though the second grey disconnect is plugged into the side of the barrel - just in case that misleads anyone, it isn't; it's just resting against the side.
My theory is that it will help maintain the condition for longer. I doubt if there's much (if any) force carbing happening at those sort of pressures.
Best wishes
Dave
Dave
Re: My 10th Anniversary Brew
No, the quick disconnects maintain a seal during the change-over. Air never enters the cask, but CO2 leaves during venting and is replenished during charging.Dave S wrote:..........So the beer is open to the air, albeit it a very brief period during the swap over to the breather? Sorry for the what must seem like dumb questions - a completely new area of consideration to me.
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Re: My 10th Anniversary Brew
Right, got it! Am I right in thinking though that some folk have the breather in series with the main gas line, so there is only ever 37 mBars, (or whatever) applied to the beer, just enough pressure to serve.Jim wrote:No, the quick disconnects maintain a seal during the change-over. Air never enters the cask, but CO2 leaves during venting and is replenished during charging.Dave S wrote:..........So the beer is open to the air, albeit it a very brief period during the swap over to the breather? Sorry for the what must seem like dumb questions - a completely new area of consideration to me.
Best wishes
Dave
Dave
Re: My 10th Anniversary Brew
seymour wrote:........Looks like someone knows how to enjoy his retirement.

