Priming in a Barrel - air gap

Discuss making up beer kits - the simplest way to brew.
techtone

Re: Priming in a Barrel - air gap

Post by techtone » Wed Dec 14, 2016 9:09 pm

duncan37uk wrote:I've ordered a 2" barrel cap with full 8 gram C02 injection system (with 20 CO2 bulbs). I also ordered some barrel seal grease. Probably no different to vaseline but then it doesn't seem any more expensive either! How many bulbs am I likely to need to use (after sealing and tightening the cap) to get the carbination levels of the barrel up? Should I add some more sugar too?

Sorry, lot of questions!
I have never even heard of anyone using anything other than vaseline and only ever on the main rubber seal and not the rubber parts of the valve. I probably use about 2 or 3 bulbs on a keg but it depends on temperature and how quickly you drink. You could stock up on them when either Wilko or Tesco Direct have offers or buy in bulk (300/400 bulbs) from Amazon or other suppliers, if you think you will use them.

You will only need one bulb to rescue your current brew. It will be problematic though as they are designed to fill the vacuum, when you have drunk a good part of the keg. With about 36 pint of beer in there, there is not much room for the co2 to expand. Most of it will vent off through the pressure release rubber valve but as you might have guessed, it is not a precision mechanism!! As long as you get enough pressure in there, the beer will carbonate nicely in a couple of days.

You might be able just to put in more priming sugar and not use a bulb. I have never tried that so someone else will have to comment if that will work??? I wouldn't do both though - too much pressure.

If you get on with the bulbs you might find you want a better bulb "holder". If you got the red plastic one, you might find the threads strip before long and they become useless. Fortunately there are part/all metal alternatives. I also find a little bit of vaseline around the narrow neck and barrel of the bulb helps avoid losses.

adamzworld
Hollow Legs
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Re: Priming in a Barrel - air gap

Post by adamzworld » Wed Dec 14, 2016 11:27 pm

I had a similar problem a couple of years back when I brewed a Wilko Golden Ale kit. I ended up taking the cap off the barrel, adding some Vaseline to the seal (not the thread!), bunged in some more brewing sugar (about 60 or 70g), tightened the lid and left it. It did carb up and the beer turned out very good in the end, which was probably a bit of a fluke! The best advice I was give is not to overtighten the lid when you replace it as this can cause the seal to distort.

Good luck and hope it turns out well once you've re-primed.

duncan37uk

Re: Priming in a Barrel - air gap

Post by duncan37uk » Wed Dec 21, 2016 11:22 am

Yesterday was 4 weeks since I put the beer in the keg. I poured a small amount yesterday and it gushed out. It was better - tasted like a beer which is always a good place to be.

The room has been warmer recently - 18 degrees as opposed to 16 so I expect the priming sugar/yeast has done a bit more work. I reckon I took it from warmed to cold a bit too early (48 hours, should've left it a week I reckon before cooling based on advice here) and since then it's been able to prime a touch more.

Anyhow, I have beer!!! Pretty good too, I won't have any problems drinking the 35.6 or so pints that remain especially with Christmas just around the corner :-)

Thanks for all your help. I've got the CO2 bulbs that I can use should I lose pressure as I drink it, or I feel it needs a little more fizz. I've a bottle of "real" St Peters Brewery Golden Ale so I'm going to do a taste comparison with this kit version but from what I've tried before, it's pretty damn close. A very pleasing first effort.

I should be able to collect plenty of bottles over Christmas/New Year for my next batch to make before the keg is empty. I have a alcoholic ginger beer kit as a gift and also hope to try some and find an American IPA and/or a Brooklyn/Boston lager style.

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