Crusader Queries

A forum to discuss the various ways of getting beer into your glass.
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Coffeeuk
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Re: Crusader Queries

Post by Coffeeuk » Tue Jul 25, 2017 10:27 pm

Yes. I bought them in April. Might be worth asking if there's been any changes to the spear design since then.

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Kev888
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Re: Crusader Queries

Post by Kev888 » Tue Jul 25, 2017 10:49 pm

f00b4r wrote:The Malt Miller sells them.
The malt miller's converted keg isn't what i meant, though it does look good. Rather, some people just use triclamps directly on the standard keg neck, I forget what size but one will apparently fit without alteration.
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Re: Crusader Queries

Post by f00b4r » Tue Jul 25, 2017 11:32 pm

Kev888 wrote:
f00b4r wrote:The Malt Miller sells them.
The malt miller's converted keg isn't what i meant, though it does look good. Rather, some people just use triclamps directly on the standard keg neck, I forget what size but one will apparently fit without alteration.
Ah interesting. I always thought that adding triclamps had involved modifying them.

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Re: Crusader Queries

Post by jaroporter » Wed Jul 26, 2017 7:22 am

2" triclamps are what you want for that (flange diameter ~64mm).
though unless you got one of those US kegmenter fittings it may just be easier to modify a coupler/shorten a diptube.
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Re: Crusader Queries

Post by DaveGillespie » Wed Jul 26, 2017 8:21 am

There's a guide here I'm intending to follow:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=74270&p=774969#p774969

Cheers to swingingpig for that.

He's using a 30L Crusader and connected to a Corny. The spunding valve is on the corny and the excess CO2 generated by fermentation not only carbonates the beer naturally but also purges the Corny, which he then transfers to as his serving keg. He's made a sediment trap that fits over the end of the spear but it's a custom job unfortunately, so, I'll be planning to connect up a party tap and run off until clear beer comes out. Like this guy:

http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/foru ... hy-brewer/
Last edited by DaveGillespie on Wed Jul 26, 2017 10:21 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Crusader Queries

Post by DaveGillespie » Wed Jul 26, 2017 9:10 am

For posterity, there is a video of unscrewing the spear and the 5p trick here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHzXBWz5vSY

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mozza
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Re: Crusader Queries

Post by mozza » Wed Jul 26, 2017 11:49 am

I used the 5p trick for ages but recently got fed up with messing about so removed the safeties. As long as you're sensible and depressurise before unscrewing there's no issue in just removing them. There are a few different types of safety but commonly you just have to bend the three metal ends and pull them off- it's easier if you disassemble the spear though. You can always put them back on if you wanted to sell them one day
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Re: Crusader Queries

Post by Coffeeuk » Wed Oct 25, 2017 4:30 pm

DaveGillespie wrote:There's a guide here I'm intending to follow:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=74270&p=774969#p774969

Cheers to swingingpig for that.

He's using a 30L Crusader and connected to a Corny. The spunding valve is on the corny and the excess CO2 generated by fermentation not only carbonates the beer naturally but also purges the Corny, which he then transfers to as his serving keg. He's made a sediment trap that fits over the end of the spear but it's a custom job unfortunately, so, I'll be planning to connect up a party tap and run off until clear beer comes out. Like this guy:

http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/foru ... hy-brewer/

Pinched your idea, as my kegs were sat empty.

It’s bubbling away nicely at the moment. No good for the summer, as it doesn’t have cooling, but means I can have two fermenters running at this time of year.

Image

I also made a Keg cleaner / Sanitiser. It works brilliantly, kegs come out spotlessly clean.

Image

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Re: Crusader Queries

Post by f00b4r » Wed Oct 25, 2017 5:02 pm

That's awesome, do you have a list of parts that you used for the keg cleaner?

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Re: Crusader Queries

Post by Coffeeuk » Wed Oct 25, 2017 6:09 pm

f00b4r wrote:That's awesome, do you have a list of parts that you used for the keg cleaner?

It’s a Draper 36327 Water Butt Pump

A 3/4 to 1/2 adapter so you can attach the spray ball.

And a 1/2 half inch spray ball.

Stick it in a bucket with 10 litres of hot cleaning solution (PBW) and a trivet to hold the keg upside down. Leave it running for 15 mins and bobs your uncle. Lovely clean kegs.

It’s not a new idea, our friends over the pond have been building them for ages.

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Re: Crusader Queries

Post by f00b4r » Fri Oct 27, 2017 6:59 pm

Cheers, might build one as I hate cleaning out kegs and would prefer them done properly.

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Re: Crusader Queries

Post by DaveGillespie » Wed Dec 06, 2017 4:48 pm

Embarrassingly, I have all the bits for this but haven't had time to hook it all up yet. Spray ball only turned up a week or so ago though - that's my excuse.

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Coffeeuk
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Re: Crusader Queries

Post by Coffeeuk » Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:39 am

DaveGillespie wrote:Embarrassingly, I have all the bits for this but haven't had time to hook it all up yet. Spray ball only turned up a week or so ago though - that's my excuse.

I use mine all the time, makes cleaning kegs so much easier.

The only problems I’m finding with my pressure fermenting setup is the sediment at the bottom of the kegs with yeast that doesn’t compact, I’m torn between cutting the spears or trying to make some kind of sediment trap

DaveGillespie

Re: Crusader Queries

Post by DaveGillespie » Thu Dec 07, 2017 9:00 am

I had my eye on a Threaded Riser to give me the necessary height on the sprayball to effectively get inside the keg but the one I was looking at on Amazon is gone now and they appear quite hard to come by in the UK. Looks like your pump has one built in.

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Coffeeuk
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Re: Crusader Queries

Post by Coffeeuk » Thu Dec 07, 2017 9:38 am

Yes it does. Comes in two parts so I can do different height kegs.

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