Noob Mini Keg questions

[mrboxpiff]

Hi all
I've been successfully bottling my beer for a few years now but thinking I'll put some beer into mini kegs.
https://www.brewuk.co.uk/mini-keg-starter-kit.html
Firstly, I've seen it quoted that the beer lasts 3 or 4 days. I'm likely to take one of these to large gatherings but also there will be times when I'd like to use one just for myself. In which case has anyone any experience of the beer lasting say a week?
Secondly, at what stage do you insert the tap mechanism?
Thirdly, I read somewhere that in time the kegs rust. Anyone had this happen?
Any other thoughts or advice?
Many thanks

Mrboxpiff

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet K1 using Tapatalk

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

I used Easy Kegs a bit, but they are a pain to clean, and the need to vent them reduces their shelf life once opened.
If you are not sure about it, pick up one of those 5L kegs from your supermarket and try them out with your home brew.


If you really want portable beer, the stainless mini kegs that you get from brew builder are very good, but they are much more expensive. Go with the picnic tap rather than the stainless one, and go with the expensive regulator. If you are convinced that portable beer is what you want, they are the business.

[mrboxpiff]

I used Easy Kegs a bit, but they are a pain to clean, and the need to vent them reduces their shelf life once opened.
If you are not sure about it, pick up one of those 5L kegs from your supermarket and try them out with your home brew.


If you really want portable beer, the stainless mini kegs that you get from brew builder are very good, but they are much more expensive. Go with the picnic tap rather than the stainless one, and go with the expensive regulator. If you are convinced that portable beer is what you want, they are the business.

Thanks for your comments. You're right the BB kit is a lot more expensive. I think I'll give your suggestion a try before investing. With the right kit will the beer last more than 3 or 4 days?

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet K1 using Tapatalk

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Even with the BB mini kegs you have to expose the beer to insert the dispense assembly, so once opened you are still on a time limit. You should get better than 3-4 days though.

I treat the beer I put in these kegs as party/portable stuff, so they are not likely to last the night, never mind 3-4 days.

If you want a home dispense solution with a shelf life you need to look into full kegging setups.

However a cheap alternative is 5L or 10L plastic collapsible bag-in-a-box solutions. They don't require venting or contaminants in, and the beer will keep for an extended period. Some designs will fit on a fridge rack too.

[oz11]

I use mini kegs extensively, got around 25 of them, but I can get hold of them at wholesale prices. I use external taps which take a co2 bulb, which are an extra expense (Leyland Homebrew stock a range of accessories) but means I can have 5 or 6 kegs tapped at a time. There's no ingress of oxygen so will keep much longer. Get a little LED torch so you can inspect inside. I clean with either generic oxy, or PBW for a longer overnight soak. With care they should last for a dozen fills.

[mrboxpiff]

Thanks for the feedback. Not I a position to go to full kegging at the mo so will try the mini kegs for a bit

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet K1 using Tapatalk

[Fil]

when used with a party tap or mini-keg-machine (chiller and tap unit) that uses co2 to replace the beer you draw off lasting a week or two isnt a problem, its only when you vent the keg and allow O2 in with the air that the beer will oxidise rapidly and spoil after a few days. ' a month or 2 after fathers day is a good time to pick up as new minikeg machines for about 20-25% of retail price on ebay