Anyone got any good methods for keeping pressure barrels cool for summer driking? Maybe not ice cold but at least not 20+ degrees :blink:
I've been thinking and all I came up with was putting a wet tshirt on it, which probably wouldn't do very much. King kegs tend to be a bit fat for any kind of bucket of ice water aswell. Another bizarre idea I had was to draw a pint then stick it in the freezer with a plate over it for 15 minutes...
Ingenious barrel cooling methods?
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Horden Hillbilly
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The person or company that invents a barrel cooler will be very popular indeed! One option of cooling your brews is to chill your glass or tankard, pop it in the fridge for a good few hours before you intend to have a drink.
This is not perfect by any means, but does lower the temp by a few degrees, I used to do this myself before I gave up and started collecting bottles which I use for my summer brews.
This is not perfect by any means, but does lower the temp by a few degrees, I used to do this myself before I gave up and started collecting bottles which I use for my summer brews.
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Road Runner
I've been toying with the idea of getting an old fridge. People chuck them out for nothing, most of the time still working.
I'd remove the shelves, but have to make a strong base to cover the motor etc & hopefully get a couple of Cornies in. Or maybe a small chest freezer from the same source. Apparently you can change the thermostats to make them work around the required temps.
An interesting little project. I may even plumb the taps onto the outside.
I'd remove the shelves, but have to make a strong base to cover the motor etc & hopefully get a couple of Cornies in. Or maybe a small chest freezer from the same source. Apparently you can change the thermostats to make them work around the required temps.
An interesting little project. I may even plumb the taps onto the outside.
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mysterio
Hmm. It's something to think about. Those glasses fill me with horror for some reason, I don't see myself using one.
Maybe I'll fill a plastic bottle with what I plan to drink and chill that... I'll try the t-shirt/hessian sack idea aswell but I don't imagine it will drop it more than a couple of degrees. Maybe If I spray the t-shirt with meths...
As for a dedicated brewing fridge -- that's the dream. I'd probably use it for lagering, though.
Maybe I'll fill a plastic bottle with what I plan to drink and chill that... I'll try the t-shirt/hessian sack idea aswell but I don't imagine it will drop it more than a couple of degrees. Maybe If I spray the t-shirt with meths...
As for a dedicated brewing fridge -- that's the dream. I'd probably use it for lagering, though.
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deadlydes
options:
-wet t shirt method
-those plastic frosty glasses you put in the freezer (in morrisons picnic section at the moment for £1, somethimes this can get too cold)
-those plastic ice cubes you get (you know its water surrounded by plastic you whack them in the freezer, then in the drink, wash and reuse. i use these. you put as many in as you want for the desired temp)
-put your glass in the freezer and pour your beer into this (lowers by a degree or two)
-pull off a pint or two put in the fridge or freezer (bad side to this is that your pint goes dead)
-drink warm
-get an inline flash cooler
-use a converted fridge /freezer as a beer fridge
-wet t shirt method
-those plastic frosty glasses you put in the freezer (in morrisons picnic section at the moment for £1, somethimes this can get too cold)
-those plastic ice cubes you get (you know its water surrounded by plastic you whack them in the freezer, then in the drink, wash and reuse. i use these. you put as many in as you want for the desired temp)
-put your glass in the freezer and pour your beer into this (lowers by a degree or two)
-pull off a pint or two put in the fridge or freezer (bad side to this is that your pint goes dead)
-drink warm
-get an inline flash cooler
-use a converted fridge /freezer as a beer fridge
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bod
just a thought for you mysterio, i used to have the same problem, but i found if you put a smaller diameter tap on you barrel, and add a piece of tubing, you can fill a few glass 'bru bottles and stick em in the fridge. two bottles = 3 pints! as these are returnable bottles, they'll hold the presure well if you decide to prime them as well, just screw the caps on real tight!!
other than that, Daabs idea of the storage box and some icewater works a treat. check out ikea's range or even B&Q. they'll have something big enough for a few quid.
other than that, Daabs idea of the storage box and some icewater works a treat. check out ikea's range or even B&Q. they'll have something big enough for a few quid.
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TELEDU
I had this trouble before but soon resolved it. I had the idea of putting it in a bucket full of cold water in my garage but as you say, there's nothing to fit it. Well i found an old, wot looks like a plastic dogs bed but isn't ( not sure what it is ). It will take one king keg or about three cornies. try looking around for something like that, maybe get one of them big blue water containers you see on building sites and cut that down to size for the tap.
Many years ago I bought a Boots homebrew barrel cooler. It was basically and insulating jacket and some picnic-cooler type bottles that you put in the freezer, then loaded into the cooler by means of a Heath-Robinson collar fitter round the top of the barrel. It didn't work very well, and you had to load the ice bottles up about 2 hours before drinking.
I still have the insulating jacket - I use it to insulate my boiler/mash tun!
Now I just stick my glasses in the freezer for an hour or so.
I still have the insulating jacket - I use it to insulate my boiler/mash tun!
Now I just stick my glasses in the freezer for an hour or so.
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mysterio
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bod
brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "gees a swallie a yer bru big man eh?" i think we may have lost our english counterparts on this one though. :huh:
a quick lesson in scottishness....
bru: irn bru, a ginger coloured soft drink (yes there is such a thing as a soft drink up here....). scotlands second national drink next to whiskey. a fine hangover cure, but has more caffine than coke, but a wee bit less sugar. also its the only drink in the world to outsell coke in its home country.
it comes in returnable 750ml glass bottles, on which you get a deposit back worth 20p for each bottle, but being returnable, you can use em for homebrew.
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mysterio