cornie kegs
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AT
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eskimobob
Probably a good idea to dismantle the Cornies - unscrew the gas inlet and beer outlet connectors and then remove the two dip tubes (one long one and one short one). You can then just about get your arm inside the keg and give it a good scrub out.
Apparently bleach based cleaners can pit stainless steel if left in contact for a long time so be careful with that. Apparently soda crystals are a good cleaner and should not harm the keg.
I have found the rubber parts the most difficult to clean - the smell of cola or sprite tends to get into the rubber and no matter how much you soak and scrub them it tends to linger. I've left the rubber parts to soak in a strong bleach based solution overnight and they seem to survive fine.
As for the 40 pint kits; good point. I have only used my Cornies for all grain brewing therefore adjusted the brew to suit. I guess you could simply reduce the water content when making your kit; you should find it has more body - not sure if it will make it more hoppy though.
Remember to reassemble your Cornies and check that they are gas tight before starting your next brew...
Apparently bleach based cleaners can pit stainless steel if left in contact for a long time so be careful with that. Apparently soda crystals are a good cleaner and should not harm the keg.
I have found the rubber parts the most difficult to clean - the smell of cola or sprite tends to get into the rubber and no matter how much you soak and scrub them it tends to linger. I've left the rubber parts to soak in a strong bleach based solution overnight and they seem to survive fine.
As for the 40 pint kits; good point. I have only used my Cornies for all grain brewing therefore adjusted the brew to suit. I guess you could simply reduce the water content when making your kit; you should find it has more body - not sure if it will make it more hoppy though.
Remember to reassemble your Cornies and check that they are gas tight before starting your next brew...
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AT
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AT
one last question (i hope) my main aim is to have a kegerator up and running by the time i make my first batch cause nobody likes warm beer. I was looking now on the net for a suitable tap can anybody (DAAB the all knowing) point me in the right direction. I'm looking for a double tap probably chrome, is the beer line a standard size or do i have to get a tap to suit the line or maybe fittings? and thanks everybody for all your help i don't think i'd ever have done this without all the knowledge you guys share
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jasonaustin
The tap on mine is a Celli Cobra Plus 2 Chrome purchased from the UK distributors http://www.brewfitt.com
Other places I looked at:-
http://www.dawnvale.com/beerfonts.html
http://www.classicfonts.co.uk/index.php
Candirect (novanorm) as suggested by DaaB.
Regarding beer line/fittings: 3/8" JG seems to be a standard size for beer taps so go for this size if you can (but see below). Depends on your corny disconnects as to whether you will need further fittings - mine have barbed fittings which the 3/8" (actually it's 9.5mm OD) fit onto nicely.
However, the diameter of the tube has to be selected really to ensure the system is 'balanced'. Pressure drops along a length of tube, that (amongst other things) is dependant on the diameter of the tube - bigger diameter, smaller drop per length. If the pressure is too high at the tap you'll just get a glass of foam. Too low and it will take an age to fill a glass. Larger diameter tubes will require much longer lengths to achieve this balancing. There are some formulae to calculate this (check out http://www.northernbrewer.com/docs/html/corny-keg.html) but I did mine through trial and error - starting with a longer length of tube and cutting it down until I was happy.
Other places I looked at:-
http://www.dawnvale.com/beerfonts.html
http://www.classicfonts.co.uk/index.php
Candirect (novanorm) as suggested by DaaB.
Regarding beer line/fittings: 3/8" JG seems to be a standard size for beer taps so go for this size if you can (but see below). Depends on your corny disconnects as to whether you will need further fittings - mine have barbed fittings which the 3/8" (actually it's 9.5mm OD) fit onto nicely.
However, the diameter of the tube has to be selected really to ensure the system is 'balanced'. Pressure drops along a length of tube, that (amongst other things) is dependant on the diameter of the tube - bigger diameter, smaller drop per length. If the pressure is too high at the tap you'll just get a glass of foam. Too low and it will take an age to fill a glass. Larger diameter tubes will require much longer lengths to achieve this balancing. There are some formulae to calculate this (check out http://www.northernbrewer.com/docs/html/corny-keg.html) but I did mine through trial and error - starting with a longer length of tube and cutting it down until I was happy.
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AT
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niall
Hi guys,
I'm in the process of buying a Cornie Keg from your old friend Norm. It's got the tap fitted to it so I need to get the regulator, which he'll supply and also I need to get the gas. Norm is looking into sending over an empty bottle but I need to make sure I can get it refilled.
Alexander - did you have any luck sourcing gas? I'm not too sure where to look for willing suppliers. I'm in Dublin but I don't mind looking elsewhere to get set up.
The cornie comes with a meter of 3/8" tubing and I'm hoping I will get away with this - from reading earlier posts I have visions of hundreds of feet of tubing winding its way around my garage to achieve carbonation!! My first brew to sit in the cornie will be an American style Pale Ale. I assume the carbonation for this will be somewhere between an ale and a lager so I'll have to check these carbonation charts. No doubt I'll have fun trying to get the pressure high enough without foaming all over the place.
I have an under counter fridge in the garage which should hold the keg (it doesn't have a freezer box so that gives me extra space). Dunno if I'll fit a gas bottle in as well as I'm not sure what its dimesions will be.
I'm in the process of buying a Cornie Keg from your old friend Norm. It's got the tap fitted to it so I need to get the regulator, which he'll supply and also I need to get the gas. Norm is looking into sending over an empty bottle but I need to make sure I can get it refilled.
Alexander - did you have any luck sourcing gas? I'm not too sure where to look for willing suppliers. I'm in Dublin but I don't mind looking elsewhere to get set up.
The cornie comes with a meter of 3/8" tubing and I'm hoping I will get away with this - from reading earlier posts I have visions of hundreds of feet of tubing winding its way around my garage to achieve carbonation!! My first brew to sit in the cornie will be an American style Pale Ale. I assume the carbonation for this will be somewhere between an ale and a lager so I'll have to check these carbonation charts. No doubt I'll have fun trying to get the pressure high enough without foaming all over the place.
I have an under counter fridge in the garage which should hold the keg (it doesn't have a freezer box so that gives me extra space). Dunno if I'll fit a gas bottle in as well as I'm not sure what its dimesions will be.
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mysterio
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mysterio
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niall