keeping it fresh.

[modofodo]

Hi'Ya

Been absent from brewing Ale for quite some time. Decided I better get and do my kits before they go past their best. I'd normally bottle it, but as my last foray into bottling left me with 40 glass bombs I think I better use a barrel this time.

I have one of the big plastic pressure barrels that Wilko's sell however, I don't have a C02 injector. Will I need one to keep a wherry kit in good shape? I will probably only drink 8 pints a week (max - probably less). I guess it will get a bit insipid if I just rely on the standard barrel?

Thanks

[Turts]

I just finished a keg of Wherry in one of the basic plastic pressure barrels. I didn't need to use any CO2 for the whole barrel, but I rarely had more than 3 pints out of it at a time. To be honest, the Wherry is nice enough that if you have to loosen the lid and let it pour using gravity alone it still comes out as a nice pint and at 8 pints a week it won't last long anyway.

[modofodo]

Thanks for the reply. I'll get it started this afternoon when the lad has his nap

[Stomach]

The trouble is once you start to open the lid to allow beer to flow through the tap is that you start allowing the beer to oxidise and it will go off quick!

Once you save some pennies, get yourself an injector system. If you look around the online guys you may well get another barrel with an injector system at a good rate!

You will need another barrel soon anyway!

[IanF78]

My local Wilkos is useless for HB, but I noticed yesterday that my local Tesco had Young's typical replacement pressure barrel lid with the pin valve and one of those red C02 holders, i forget if it came with one bulb of CO2 or not, think it was about 15 quid. standard pressure barrels are about £22 in there, and £4.99 for ten CO2 bulbs, IIRC. As has been discussed on another recent thread, whether Tescos stock HB gear seems to be quite hit and miss across the country, so maybe mine is an exception.

[Turts]

My understanding is that the only time there is a danger of oxidisation is if you DON'T open the lid and so draw oxygen through the CO2 covering the beer. If you open the top then the air fills the top of the barrel, but the CO2 is heavier and so stays as a protective covering thus preventing oxidisation (I sound like prof Cox there!)

It worked for me and I know that from Ditch's posts he does this regularly with his mighty stout with no ill effects!

[Stomach]

My understanding is that the only time there is a danger of oxidisation is if you DON'T open the lid and so draw oxygen through the CO2 covering the beer. If you open the top then the air fills the top of the barrel, but the CO2 is heavier and so stays as a protective covering thus preventing oxidisation (I sound like prof Cox there!)

It worked for me and I know that from Ditch's posts he does this regularly with his mighty stout with no ill effects!

I know what you mean. But there is a risk of losing your C02 when you open the lid, even though it is heavier than air. I have injector systems on all my kegs though so I dont need to open my lids.

I also dont like flat beer either so I am an injector system whore!