old dirty barrel

[wetdog]

I bought a barrel off ebay and the guy had a second KK with one of those swan neck taps you mention. I think they're about £20 or £30 just for the tap

[jamesb]

The only white one I have seen with handles molded into it was a beer sphere I think made by Hambleton Bard but they are so common I am sure you would of seen one before.

I have an old Boots one with handles moulded into it. About 15 years old. It's not the one above however.

And I still use it for beer. Nothing wrong yet.

[Jim]

I have to agree that anything that's had oil in is not going to be good, especially mineral oil.

The surface of this Boots barrel looks odd. It has a shiny glaze-like surface, but it is covered in loads of crazing, like you see on old pottery. I've given it a few thumps with a soft hammer, and the plastic seems sound enough, do you think it will be okay cleaned up?

Also Jim, have you ever seen one of the king kegs with the swan neck chrome tap on the lid? There's no taps on the side at all.

Here's some pics of mine to compare (though it doesn't look the way you describe it). I haven't seen the swan neck ones.

[sparky Paul]

No Jim, mine looks all shiny, like a 'glazed' finish. The barrel is identical though, but strangely it doesn't say Boot's on it anywhere... I guess it must have been a generic one by the same manufacturer. I'll see how it cleans up before commiting any beer to it!

Thanks for the help!