Pressure barrel

[terrysunderland]

Hi All. I am new to brewing and have already bottled a couple of batches.

I have been given a Ritchies Kingkeg 6 1/2 gallon pressure barrel for my birthday. I racked a brew into it last Friday, with 4 ozs of dissolved priming sugar. I note the unfi9lled volume, and wondered if the secondary fermentation would be sufficient to fill all that space and also provide enough pressure to discharge through the tap when ready? After I filled it, I gave it a short burst of Co2 just to cover the new brew.

I also note that the white plastic tap is VERY stiff and difficult to operate.

I have emailed Ritchies vis-a-vis these points but without reply yet.

[crafty john]

I have a rotokeg which is about the same volume and I prime it with 100 grams of brewing sugar to allow for the extra head space, there should be no need to use co2 until you have drawn off a few pints as you can have problems with too much co2 if the pressure release valve isn't working properly which is usually the case, they only seem to work for the first couple of brews and then they stop working. I would keep an eye on your keg and if it starts to look like there is too much pressure building up just release some by lifting the little rubber sleve on the inlet valve.

[terrysunderland]

Hi John...

Thanks for the advice..I will keep an eye on it!

[Swiller]

Hi Terry
The white tap on the barrel can be made easier to turn by levering off the top of the tap with a blunt knife and carefully lubricating the inside with vaseline.

[terrysunderland]

Hi Terry
The white tap on the barrel can be made easier to turn by levering off the top of the tap with a blunt knife and carefully lubricating the inside with vaseline.

That's great, thanks for the advice! Of course, the barrel is now full and the brew is (hopefully) conditioning in the garage, so I will now wait until is empty.
I am going to buy a second one today (for a planned Old Speckled Hen clone) and will make it a priority.

Cheers and Beers!
Terry

[AlexCricket]

I have had a Rotokeg for a while now. As you say they have a lot of headspace and I have often found that the beer either comes gusshing out or stops and I have to top up with CO2. I probably get through around 10 caplets a brew - I'm looking at changing my valves to HB cylinders - so I think that's a lot.

Anyway like you I have been given a keg for my B'day but this time it is a Budget type and I notice that there is much less headspace. I will be interested to see how the delivery of beer differs from my Rotokeg. Perhaps you could let me know your experiences.

[Swiller]

Is your Roto Keg a top or bottom tap Alex?

[AlexCricket]

Top Tap - it seemed like a good idea at the time - the beer never seems to flow; it either gushes in an over-frothy way or stops.

[Ditch]

My own experience to a tee, Alex. I'm talking about c. twenty five years ago now, 'mind. And you got yours for a recent (?) birthday?

Never got any better then, have they?

I stick with my cheap and cheerful BK's now.

[crafty john]

I have had a Rotokeg for a while now. As you say they have a lot of headspace and I have often found that the beer either comes gusshing out or stops and I have to top up with CO2. I probably get through around 10 caplets a brew - I'm looking at changing my valves to HB cylinders - so I think that's a lot.

Anyway like you I have been given a keg for my B'day but this time it is a Budget type and I notice that there is much less headspace. I will be interested to see how the delivery of beer differs from my Rotokeg. Perhaps you could let me know your experiences.

I find the budget kegs dispence at least half of the beer without having to top up with CO2, if you only draw 1 pint a day you can get away with not having to top up at all until the last few pints. Be careful not to over prime though as the pressure release valves aren't that good. And yes HB cylinders are definately the way to go.

[AlexCricket]

Ditch

Worst thing is that I've got some of your famous Stout in the keg at the moment. I have also just done a Coopers BM IPA which has gone in a budget keg so should be an interesting comparison. I think that the problem is that the float on the TT keg sits too high on the surface of the beer meaning that it is constantly sucking C02 out of the headspace above. I shall see how I get on with the budget keg but one thing is for sure - no more TTs for me.

[terrysunderland]

Ditch

Worst thing is that I've got some of your famous Stout in the keg at the moment. I have also just done a Coopers BM IPA which has gone in a budget keg so should be an interesting comparison. I think that the problem is that the float on the TT keg sits too high on the surface of the beer meaning that it is constantly sucking C02 out of the headspace above. I shall see how I get on with the budget keg but one thing is for sure - no more TTs for me.

Well, I have my first brew in the Top Tap now. I must say, I had misgivings about the supplied float arrangement before I filled it.

The polythene tube seemed stiff and inflexible. The float look undersized and lacked bouyancy. The tube, clamped beneath the float, took conserable fiddling to pursuade it to remain immersed in a water filled King Keg as it emptied.

The Milestone Crusader ale has now been conditioning for just 5 days. A moment ago, I drew off a test 1/2 pint. It hissed out and filled the glass with a good head. No off aroma, very clean and pleasant taste, but rather hazy despite the finings added. I hope it does clear properly,and keep pressure!

[chris_reboot]

Big fan of the floats here.
When laying the float into the keg, ensure it lays so that it'll be side-on to the beer so the inlet doesn't go above the water line.
I do this by plugging the tubing in at 90 degrees to the tap fitting so as it draws down it is not trying to reach for the sky.

+1 for the vaselining of the tap thread. makes a major difference to controlling what comes out. no more 90% froth!
open it really slowly, and take 20-30 seconds to fill your glass. we are not trying to go for a speed record here! lubricated tap=better poured pint.

[AlexCricket]

chris_reboot

Sounds great in theory - but other than getting new couplings I do not see how you can get the standard Roto Keg setup to work properly.

I shall try the vaseline on the tap thread but can't really see how it stops the pipe sucking through all the air in the headspace. Shall also prime up a bit - currently only priming with 85g.

[Lillywhite]

Personally can't see the point in the float system or the top tap keg, despite me retro fitting latstock floats to bottom tap kegs in the mid 80's.

When the beer is clear from a bottom tap keg then it's ready to drink, when it's not clear then, in my opinion, it's still green.