Brewing in a Firkin

[Firkin_Great!]

I'm making up some brew ready to go in a Firkin. Its all cleaned/sterilized but I'm wondering whether I need to hammer in a soft wood spile to the tut from day one or do I wait a bit? I mean for the 2nd fermentation. Then when its ready for drinking do I swap the soft wood for a hard wood spile? Are there any benefits brewing in a Firkin as opposed to a pressure barrel?

Thanks

[GrowlingDogBeer]

A Firkin is only any good if you think you can drink 9 gallons of beer in about 5 days, after you have opened it. Any you haven't drunk after 5 days will be oxidised and ruined.

You don't hammer in the spile until about 24 hours before you are going to start drinking it, if you put it in too early you will allow oxygen in, and the pressure will not build up so you will have flat beer.

I don't really see any benefit of keeping beer in a Firkin, but I'm sure some purists may disagree.

[steve5815]

The only advantage I can see of using a firkin is if you are going to use a beer engine, as I do. I have only been brewing for 9 months but in the 10 or so AG brews I have done I have never had one go off. I barrel into the firkin when the OG gets to 1010, usually after 5 days fermenting, secondary fermentation then takes place in the firkin putting a blanket of CO2 over beer to preserve it, got some good information from a local brewery on how they preserve there beer before barreling into firkins. I was worried at first how long the beer would last, but as I type I am drinking a stout that has been barrelled just short of 3 months. My firkins are modified to allow me to inject CO2 into barrel if needed, as I was worried the beer would go off. I have a pressure gauge on the firkin containing the stout and it generated about 20 psi of pressure, which pushes the beer through the beer engine, so the pressure in the barrel is vented to about 5 psi. CO2 is heavier than air so pushes air up out of firkin.

[testtube]

I use casks, they are great, just the job. I use a cask breather then the beer lasts for weeks, well until you've drunk it. I don't use spile's, but the soft spile is if your beer is a bit lively.

[jim williams]

I use casks, they are great, just the job. I use a cask breather then the beer lasts for weeks, well until you've drunk it. I don't use spile's, but the soft spile is if your beer is a bit lively.

Agreed. I tried in cornies, but it was never the same. I have 3 pins and a firkin. I prefer splitting a 10gal batch between two pins. Add a cask widge for cask ale at home bliss! No more splooge all over the chest freezer floor!!

[testtube]

I'm sure beer tastes better in them. Sat in today waiting for my Hereford PIns to arrive, hopefully.

[critch]

I use casks, they are great, just the job. I use a cask breather then the beer lasts for weeks, well until you've drunk it. I don't use spile's, but the soft spile is if your beer is a bit lively.

soft spile is for venting/ serving. hard spiles should only be used for breaching and keeping the condition in after venting and between serving sessions

imo cask breathers work very well too

[testtube]

I use casks, they are great, just the job. I use a cask breather then the beer lasts for weeks, well until you've drunk it. I don't use spile's, but the soft spile is if your beer is a bit lively.

soft spile is for venting/ serving. hard spiles should only be used for breaching and keeping the condition in after venting and between serving sessions

imo cask breathers work very well too

Mine are always ok, not being transported stable temps etc. so just put a breather spile in and away you go. You can use race cask vents as well which do the job for you.

Useful info here:-
http://www.cask-ale.co.uk/realale3.html

[greenxpaddy]

I fancy having a firkin in the armoury in case I decide to throw a party and can brew specifically for it.

If anyone knows of any going for a good price, preferably in North West let me know - I suppose I would be looking for a hand pump too

[greenxpaddy]

I am looking at new firkins (stainless steel) at £80 each . Is that a fair price my I ask?

[Scooby]

I use casks, they are great, just the job. I use a cask breather then the beer lasts for weeks, well until you've drunk it. I don't use spile's, but the soft spile is if your beer is a bit lively.

Agreed. I tried in cornies, but it was never the same. I have 3 pins and a firkin. I prefer splitting a 10gal batch between two pins. Add a cask widge for cask ale at home bliss! No more splooge all over the chest freezer floor!!

Another happy caskwidge user here and I agree that cornies are just not the same. Did the same mod as steve5815 with cask breather and Co2 injection if required.
lasts in excess of a month and still in good condition.

Should have removed the fire extinguisher. Oh and £80 is about the going rate for a single stainless firkin

[greenxpaddy]

V nice set up there. Cool. Was going to order 3.

[stevetk189]

I use casks, they are great, just the job. I use a cask breather then the beer lasts for weeks, well until you've drunk it. I don't use spile's, but the soft spile is if your beer is a bit lively.

Agreed. I tried in cornies, but it was never the same. I have 3 pins and a firkin. I prefer splitting a 10gal batch between two pins. Add a cask widge for cask ale at home bliss! No more splooge all over the chest freezer floor!!

Another happy caskwidge user here and I agree that cornies are just not the same. Did the same mod as steve5815 with cask breather and Co2 injection if required.
lasts in excess of a month and still in good condition.

Should have removed the fire extinguisher. Oh and £80 is about the going rate for a single stainless firkin

Really liking that cask set up... very much so. I'm really keen to get a cask set up here. There are a few UK brewers who've moved to France, set up micro breweries and immediately begun churning out, over carbonated fizzy, sweet pi$$ because that's what they're used to here. Time for a real ale, cask conditioned, hand pulled revolution methinks.

Also interesting to see the Steel Fabricators in your sig cater for the "Diary" industry as well as brewing. I've never been one to keep a diary but if I did, it would be made from stainless steel. Difficult to write on though.

[Scooby]

Kept one as a lad, SS wouldn't have kept it clean though

[greenxpaddy]

I use casks, they are great, just the job. I use a cask breather then the beer lasts for weeks, well until you've drunk it. I don't use spile's, but the soft spile is if your beer is a bit lively.

soft spile is for venting/ serving. hard spiles should only be used for breaching and keeping the condition in after venting and between serving sessions

imo cask breathers work very well too

Critch or anyone, where's a good place to get the cask sundries? Spiles, taps etc? Also what would you recommend for cleaning them? (steel) Is there a specific cask cleaner? Lastly do you use a handful of dry hops when you fill them or is that just a nightmare to clean out? I was not going to bother with finings as I may wish to store to condition for a month or three.

cheers