Polypin Management

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greenxpaddy

Re: Polypin Management

Post by greenxpaddy » Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:33 pm

It's funny, I haven't let air in to the bags but at ten weeks they really have lost their hop flavour. Gone past their best now.

I shall run just one 20litres at a time now.

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Dennis King
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Re: Polypin Management

Post by Dennis King » Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:53 pm

never kept one as long as 10 weeks.

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stevetk189
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Re: Polypin Management

Post by stevetk189 » Sat Oct 13, 2012 8:52 am

Yeah, 10 weeks.... good going.
My Craft Brewery in France - Brasserie Artisanale en Limousin
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greenxpaddy

Re: Polypin Management

Post by greenxpaddy » Sat Oct 13, 2012 11:57 am

To stress, the beer was not off, not oxidised so you could say it was wet cardboard. Just so little flavour no enjoyment in drinking it.

jonnyt

Re: Polypin Management

Post by jonnyt » Sun Oct 14, 2012 2:11 pm

Perhaps that was just the brew as if it's airtight what,s the difference to any other container?

darkonnis

Re: Polypin Management

Post by darkonnis » Sun Oct 14, 2012 2:44 pm

paddy, you could try using several smaller pins, instead of one larger one. That way you should be able to crack them open as you intend to drink them (to the finish) within a few weeks. Instead of one dragging on.
Thats the strategy I've gone for. Whilst I get the theory of not letting air in, every time i've opened a bottle of pop and squeezed it out as i pour it and resealed, it still doesnt last as long as a bottle that has never been opened. A poly is easier to stop the air going in sure but unless its your brew, there must be something which causes this.

tibbs1cat

Re: Polypin Management

Post by tibbs1cat » Tue Oct 16, 2012 2:11 pm

Wow, this is a very interesting thread! I have a question or two if anybody would be kind enough to help me out (please be nice im new here! I’ll introduce myself first!)
When I was about 24 I discovered Real Ale and unfortunately fell in love with it, so much so (and the fact the village pubs ale was lousy!) that I bought all the equipment (cooler/warmer, Beer engine etc etc) and would regularly buy a 36 pint cask of Black sheep or whatever was on offer and enjoy it over the week, only now at 38, unemployed and many stone heavier I can no longer afford (financially or for health reasons!) to continue buying and consuming like I was (even cooling to 10c and with air filter things I only manage 10 day before the casks off) so about a year ago my dad got me into home brewing instead, I've made many nice beers, wines (for the wife!) the odd Cider etc which don't get me wrong are all nice, but I've been starting to crave that ‘Smooth Cask Ale’ pint that I thought was impossible to get with homebrewing (without a lot more equipment and knowledge!) until I stumbled across this thread whilst looking on the web for Pollypins to store the wife's Wine in!

So, question time, I've read through all 14 pages and have now confused myself (easily done, been sampling some Larger!) so thought i had better ask the experts on here for clarification!

Currently I have 2x Festival ales brewing (Landlord's finest, Summer something) so am I reading right that when they are ready to bottle (about 5 days-6 to go) I should be able to put the Brew into pollypins, (10 ltr ones) connect up to my Beer engine and have a pint a bit nearer to a pub pint?! If so you wont believe how excited I am! (sad I know!) anyway

1, when transferring to the Pollypin how much if any of the yeast/sediment do i transfer? (the real casks have LOADS in!)

2, Included in the kits is the correct measured amount of priming sugar/dextrose for bottling , how much should I put in, or as im using a hand pull should I put any in?

3, how do you get it to clear? you tap & vent a cask, wait 24hrs then its clear, what about polypins?

4, most importantly, how soon till I can drink it! or is it a case of when its clear its ready!

Thanks in advance to anybody who replys. any help & advice, Hints n tips would be hugely appreciated! Sorry for the long message but I am genuinely a little over excited on finding this thread!lol

Ben

darkonnis

Re: Polypin Management

Post by darkonnis » Tue Oct 16, 2012 7:00 pm

Hello ben and welcome!

1, when transferring to the Pollypin how much if any of the yeast/sediment do i transfer? (the real casks have LOADS in!)
The more you have (to a point) the faster it will secondary ferment, until recently I have only bottled or minikeg'd. That said, I used to wait 1 week from when i thought it had finished and then bottle from there.
2, Included in the kits is the correct measured amount of priming sugar/dextrose for bottling , how much should I put in, or as im using a hand pull should I put any in?
Transfer to a bottling bucket on the day and leave most of the yeast behind, then mix in your primer. I wait a half hour after mixing to ensure its had chance to get everywhere
3, how do you get it to clear? you tap & vent a cask, wait 24hrs then its clear, what about polypins?
My bottles are pretty much clear after an extra week in the FV, make sure you move it to where you want it, leave it a day to settle and it'll be there or there abouts. You could "fine" it but it isn't for everyone
4, most importantly, how soon till I can drink it! or is it a case of when its clear its ready!
I crash cool, when it comes out the FV it is ready to drink as my mild ales come out lightly carbonated and that is enough for me. Typically though, a week.

Just my 2 cents mate, dennis or one of tothers will be around I'm sure and they'll kepe you right.
Cooky

tibbs1cat

Re: Polypin Management

Post by tibbs1cat » Tue Oct 16, 2012 7:38 pm

Hi Cooky
Thanks for your reply, it almost sounds too easy! If it's ready to drink in as little as a week I may have to use these two as testers and get some more for Christmas! Just added the hop pellets today, boy do they smell! The wife's not impressed... I'm brewing in the lounge as it's the only constantly heated room, I bought her a Beverdale Chardonnay as a sweetener, worked like a treat!lol
Thanks again and I'll keep my eyes pealed for any more tips from the others!
Cheers
Ben

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Dennis King
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Re: Polypin Management

Post by Dennis King » Tue Oct 16, 2012 8:17 pm

The beauty of polypins is there is no right or wrong way to do it, it's a case of making the beer to suit yourself. Since I started this thread 4 years ago I have changed a few things myself, and I now use a hand pump which I didn't 4 years ago. Also I've never brewed a kit so I don't know how they behave in comparison. I tend to put into the pin after 7-10 days in the FV leaving behind as much yeast as possible, more yeast will settle as it clears. I let it condition with the tap upper most for the first week and vent as there is still a small build up of gas. Before the hand pump I would then prime with around 60-80 gms of sugar but I now find the action of the pump gives me the life I need in the beer. I have drank after just a week in the pins but find 3 weeks from filling is just right for me. It's the nearest thing to a pub "real ale" IMO. The thread is a bit dis-jointed now as a former member left and took his post with him.

tibbs1cat

Re: Polypin Management

Post by tibbs1cat » Wed Oct 17, 2012 12:53 am

Thanks for the advice, I cant wait to try them out! I suppose at least with pins I can rig everything up, try then leave for longer if needed, cant do that with a cask! to start I'm going to do half and half (half pin half bottle) probably doing around next wed, then away for 10 days so no chance of trying to early! I'll let you know how I get on.
Thanks again
Ben

Cazamodo

Re: Polypin Management

Post by Cazamodo » Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:54 pm

Just a quick question, skimmed the thread but didnt see, and a quick google search came up with nothing. Whats the smallest polipins you can buy? I've started to split batches into 1gallon demijons to experiment with hops/fruit and plan to do the same for yeast, but I would rather not bottle these.
Do they make 4-5L polipins? Or even the single use bag in box types?

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oz11
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Re: Polypin Management

Post by oz11 » Wed Oct 17, 2012 10:17 pm


darkonnis

Re: Polypin Management

Post by darkonnis » Wed Oct 17, 2012 10:42 pm

you can buy 3L and 5L ones, they're the smallest. the 3L really are diddly though. I'd get 5L even for demijohns as you can always squeeze them down and seal em. For priming this would even be a good thing as you could leave em a bit longer before having to deflate them. I have some 3L ones and they're fine for just me on a weekend if I fancy having a few slurps but dont want to crack 6 bottles or a bigger keg/pin.

Cazamodo

Re: Polypin Management

Post by Cazamodo » Thu Oct 18, 2012 2:52 am

Thanks guys! Never thought to look on Murphy and Sons, Just remembered thats where I'd seen them before.

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