Want a new keg

[PieOPah]

I have been umming and ahhing about buying myself a new keg. Currently I have a Budget Barrel..

I was thinking about getting a King Keg top tap with a sparkler tap as I believe that the sparkler would help produce a better pint. The one thing I hate about my BB is that it takes forever to pour a pint unless you want a glass full of froth.

Not really sure whether I want to spend the money on a Corny set up just yet.

Any advice on what I should do?

[jasonaustin]

I used King Kegs for many years without (too many) problems. A few thoughts:-
1. If you can raise the keg off the ground a bit, then I would stick with a bottom tap. The floats are a real pain sometimes, coming off, flipping over. One of the advertised benefits of top taps are that you can start drinking earlier as the beer clears from the top. True, but if you are patient and wait for the beer to not only clear, but come into condition also, then the bottom tap is fine (and cheaper).
2. I'd certainly recommend a 'sparkler' tap (such as http://www.leylandhomebrew.com/item806.htm) but mainly because the flip lever is better. The sparkler attachment (it can be removed) is designed to knock some of the carbonation out of the beer, supposedly to give a better head. In real-ale circles they are frowned upon. In my opinion they do have their uses - I used to use one when dispensing stouts that I had 'carbonated' using mixed gas. However, they're not as good as creamer discs for this purpose that many proper taps have.
3. If you are happy to naturally carbonate your beers then KKs are great. However, I would still recommend a corny. You can still start out with just a keg and a tap (such as http://www.leylandhomebrew.com/item781.htm) and continue to naturally carbonate. You can get the full gas system later if required.
HTH

[Western Brewer]

I got a top tap King-Keg and think it's c**p . It may be a case of a workman blaming his tools but I cannot get mine to hold pressure for a long period of time. Yes i've smeared the thread with Vasiline. This time I have smoothed the mold lines with wet and dry. Never sure how hard to tighten the cap though. Must admit I have done it quite hard (hand pressure). Not impressed with it at all. Save the money towards a cornie set up methinks.
Mark

[Andy]

I now only use my top tap KK's for conditioning and cornies for storage/dispense.

Never got on with the KK's really for dispense, either pint of foam or CO2 topups required every few pints or so.

Going cornie is quite an initial £££ investment though so be warned

[PieOPah]

Might save the money and just get myself another budget barrel then.

I might in the furture go down the cornie route, but I think I have spent enough on beer recently and should probably wait it out for a couple of months

Hey, I might even wait till Christmas and convince the wife to buy it for me

[shaunmarrison]

I had a leak in my KK on the first brew, but a double-handed hard tightening of the top fixed that.

My second brew is in there now and yes, you do get a pint of foam for the first pint or so, but it settles down after that.

I lack the experience of others on here, but I'm quite happy with the King Keg (It's a top tap, but no probs with it yet!).

If you do want to get one, I'd recommend http://www.burghley-homebrew.com/ They do the starter kit with Woodforde's Wherry for only £41.99 and Delivery on any items over £15 is free!!!)

You'll have to wait for delivery until next week if you order one - they are at the Peterborough Beer Festival this week. I only know all this because I've chatted with Les (the owner) a couple of times on the phone and he said if I went to the beer festival, i could pitch my tent in their space!

A nice chap for sure!

[Horden Hillbilly]

Having brewed for 25-ish years now, I have used a variety of pressure barrels over the years, ie rotokeg, ritchies, king keg, budget etc I can honestly say that the king keg top tap has been the best value for money, others have only lasted about 5 years before developing a small split, usually under the threads for the cap. I have 4 in total & have had 3 of them about 10 years, I had one develop a small split just under the threads after 9 years use, I replaced it with another one without hesitation. I fitted flip tops on all of them, this gives a tight, guiness type head as opposed to a bubbly, frothy head using the standard tap. As I prefer beers that are not over carbonated the king kegs are ideal for me personally.

Definitly a good idea about putting one on your Christmas list, must think of something for Mrs H!

[mysterio]

I too find the top tap king keg a bit of a faff. Something always goes wrong with it, whether it be the float seperating or the lid (or tap) not making a proper seal.

Budget barrels are the best pressure barrels IMO. Although, the lid on mine burst

[shish]

thought i'd offer my thoughts on kegging...

i used to brew kits for bottling ages ago, but only recently started again with bottles, normal plastic (low) pressure kegs and now cornys.

what i like about the cornys is they are simple and work, they are designed and used for commercial use so have to. They are a POP to clean and service and are much more compact than plastic kegs.

I homebrew to enjoy the beer, i'm not masochistic enough to enjoy the cleaning and messing about in between.

true, cornys are more expensive to buy (but not by much) and get all the bits you need, and you need lots of CO2 if your force carbonating but the benefits outweigh the expense... well for me at least.

[eskimobob]

I have used bottles, Budget Barrel, Boots Aluminium (lined ) bottom tap and a King Keg top tap.


Hated using bottles (far too much work involved). Didn't like the budget barrel (can't remember why). Always liked the Aluminium barrel but couldn't see how much was left. The King Keg was perfectly fine, never had a problem with getting a seal on the cap and the float never misbehaved for me.

Having said all that, since getting my three Cornie kegs, I'd probably give up brewing rather than go back to any of the earlier methods B)

[PieOPah]

http://www.hopandgrape.co.uk/admin/cata ... e=0&page=1

Is there anything else I would need other than the CO2??

[eskimobob]

Well that one has the S30 valve fitted to the lid therefore you could get away without a large gas bottle. The price seems high to me althought I guess you are paying for the pressure gauge and the S30 valve - you might get a better deal by emailing or phoning Norm to see what he has on offer. Remember to mention JHBF.

normansplace@hotmail.com

He has one for sale at the moment on http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/S-STEEL-CORNELIUS ... dZViewItem but I'd still contact him as he will often put a good deal together for you

[Vossy1]

Pop, that's not a bad price really. Norman can do the kegs for £45 inc p+P but then you'll still have to buy a pressure gauge like the one in the corny tip thread.
Similar gauges can be bought for £13 or cheaper on e-bay so that would give a total cost of £58. The only thing you'd have to check is if Norm can supply the s30 valve

This is cheaper than the hop and grape and I assume postage is on top of the £60.

Norman's service is excellent as a few of us can vouch for B)

[PieOPah]

Will wait until after my birthday (expecting some money from my parents) so will speak to Norm about this.

Thanks

[mysterio]

I considered the same one on hop&grape but really you don't want to be relying on a crap S30 bulb especially if you're force carbonating.

Many of us on here managed to find a massive pub cylinder for around the same price as you pay for those hambleton bard cylinders.

Norm might be able to get you a regulator (necessary for the pub cylinder) aswell.