Polypin Management

[WishboneBrewery]

If you prime too much you will make it turn into a bloated balloon, we get various Craft Ciders in them at work and they always swell up and burst the box.
Boxes need to be in a Cool and Dry environment so as not to go soft and split with the bag swelling inside. With care you will probably get away with using the bag in box system multiple times but I don't think they are intended to be used like that, more of a 1-fill and throw.
The beer does keep very well in them, nothing tasted off in my homebrew after 6 months, just a total lack of any condition.

[Dennis King]

If you prime too much you will make it turn into a bloated balloon, we get various Craft Ciders in them at work and they always swell up and burst the box.
Boxes need to be in a Cool and Dry environment so as not to go soft and split with the bag swelling inside. With care you will probably get away with using the bag in box system multiple times but I don't think they are intended to be used like that, more of a 1-fill and throw.
The beer does keep very well in them, nothing tasted off in my homebrew after 6 months, just a total lack of any condition.

Think they are only meant to be used once but being a tight arse I certainly make them last at least a year.

[WishboneBrewery]

[stevetk189]

Well baginabox sell a special tool for tap removal and replacement so the only reason i can see to remove a tap and then re-fit it is if the bags are re-sable. I didn't buy one because I am tight and if removed carefully the taps are still a bast*** to get back in, a very tight fit indeed. We'll see.

They also sell a laser cut polycarbonate square to slide the bag tap receiver into to aid with filling. i made one from some pvc angle, works a treat, cost... about 6p, not 15 quid.

10l Timothy Taylor Landlord bagged primed and 10l bagged unprimed at 1 degree above target FG... again, we'll see. Excuse typos if any, I've been at band practice tonight (I'm a drummer) with sever tendonitis in my right shoulder/arm so i've had to drink lots of beer to numb the pain. Didin't work very well

[WishboneBrewery]

Steve, that special tool is actually your hands if you want to save the money for something better Remember to push them in 2-clicks or they come out a bit easy

[stevetk189]

Steve, that special tool is actually your hands if you want to save the money for something better Remember to push them in 2-clicks or they come out a bit easy

Yeah, no way I'm forking out £35 for some funny shaped pliers. Hands are fine though I've found in my weakened state I have to use to butter knives, one either side of the tap fitting to lever it out. Yes definitely on the 2 clicks thing too! First push goes quite easy and you think it's in.

Primed bag is already swelling, so I vented it this morning and got a lovely waft of nice beery smells with it.

[Dennis King]

Lets Know how it goes, if you get a chance I would be interested to see a photo of your barrels.

[stevetk189]

Lets Know how it goes, if you get a chance I would be interested to see a photo of your barrels.

I got a bit carried away bottling and whacking some into the bags and didn't take any pics. I'd fully intended to blog the whole process but got carried away.

I've vented off the primed bag three times today, each time with a healthy sounding hiss. Whether any of the co2 will find its way into the beer or not I don't know at this stage.

Can't say for sure until road tested but the bags themselves feel a lot heavier duty than those you typically see in wine boxes etc (I know they're not carbonated) but I think they may be good for two or three fills. I predict the weak link will be wear and tear on the tap fitting and receiver gradually weakening it.

I can take some pics of the empty bags and boxes, fittings etc if that's any use Dennis.

[Dennis King]

Cheers

[greenxpaddy]

Very very excited!

I have just had delivered my very own Angram beer engine.....

Now just need to buy a few reusable polypins for home use....


F'ckin brill

[greenxpaddy]

Thought I would repost this here. In essence, I feel provided you get your priming level right at around 18 g per 20l you should not need to vent if the poly can take 5 psi.

I am thinking of rigging one up to a foot pump and pressure gauge to see at what psi you get a leak. 5 psi is not a lot.

Just because the poly is hard does not mean it is about to burst. It means the poly is under pressure. But you can't tell how much just from feeling it I would have thought. The only way to judge I reckon is by accurate priming.


viewtopic.php?f=6&t=51100#p552251

[Dennis King]

In over 30 years of using polypins I've only had a few leaks and I think it's more down to the wear and tear of the pins rather than pressure. I now change them every few years, at around £10 it's not too expensive. Not had a leak for several years now.

[greenxpaddy]

Dennis, I see you don't bother with the boxes. Have you ever suffered from light strike? Do you take any measures to prevent light contamination?

[Dennis King]

Dennis, I see you don't bother with the boxes. Have you ever suffered from light strike? Do you take any measures to prevent light contamination?

It's stored in the garage that is in darkness the majority of the time,and when I am in there it's
with the light on not natural light, although I don't know if that makes a difference.

[greenxpaddy]

You'd be alright then, but worth mentioning to others. I have a window in mine, so will probably tape a black bin liner round it, if I get frustrated with the boxes