The Jerry Keg is Born! - Cheap Pressure Keg Option

[floydmeddler]

Yep, I reckon it's a leak too. New 25L one is holding the pressure nicely. Beer's been in there for over 2 weeks now and tastes delicious and fresh.

In case you missed the link above : viewtopic.php?f=6&t=58098

[lindsay]

Hi

Any updates on your 10 ltr and 25 ltr jerrycan barrells? I think I will give it a try asap.
Thought this might interest you.
http://www.orionhomebrewing.com/2013/01 ... r-cap.html
I was thinking about doing the same thing with some 1 ltr pep bottles just to see what would happen.
I will have to get a tyre inflator and some 16g bulbs first. what do you think? any suggestions?
i presume they dont prime with sugar.

cheers

Lindsay

[Fil]

if thinking of applying high pressure to a bottle to force condition i wouldnt use glass.... PET bottles will take way more pressure than that needed to condition.
added bonus - less work with lid drilling the tops are re-useable

Only other thing i can think of to watch for is over conditioning, but as long as you follow a carbonation chart and check the pressure is not to high with a gauge you shouldnt loose the beer to foam on opening

[floydmeddler]

Completely agree agree with Fil here. PET is defs a more sensible option.

[lindsay]

Hi

sorry my bad typing. I meant to write PET bottles.
just found this on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZSax1boZR8
Its more or less what i was thinking of except he has a CO2 bottle adapted with a connector instead of a tyre inflater.

cheers

Lindsay

[lindsay]

hi


just a question.

do you think i would be better of using these bolt on style valves http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BOLT-ON-TYRE- ... 4ac33c9937
or are the push in type ok to use because they are a lot cheaper. it's just all these guys on youtube etc seem to be using the bolt on type.
any thoughts?

cheers

lindsay

[jmc]

hi


just a question.

do you think i would be better of using these bolt on style valves http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BOLT-ON-TYRE- ... 4ac33c9937
or are the push in type ok to use because they are a lot cheaper. it's just all these guys on youtube etc seem to be using the bolt on type.
any thoughts?

cheers

lindsay

Use the bolt-on ones.

I got some of the push-in ones and they reeked of rubber. Really strong.
I even tried submerging them in oxy-powder for 3 months to soak up smell - didn't work.

Bolt-on ones have much less rubber in them and you have more control over seal.
I use the ones below as they are stainless and quite forgiving on hole size.
Make sure the ones you get are easy to fix. These are.
PAIR MOTORCYCLE MOTORBIKE BIKE QUAD BOLT CLAMP IN METAL TYRE VALVE- £3.99

see also
Topic: Mini Cask with Tyre Valve Experiment

Topic: Thin Bags in Boxes - how long?

[lindsay]

Hi

Thanks for that info jcm. Bolt on valves it is then.

Cheers

Lindsay

[lindsay]

Hi Floydmeddler

Could I ask you a couple of questions about your 10 ltr jerrycans please.

I have bought a couple of the same jerrycans and I was wondering. You put the tap on the lid and the valve through the body of the can. The lid that comes with the can doesn't have a rubber type seal it has a white seal that looks like its either some kind of soft plastic or foam or something like that, or maybe I'm wrong and it is rubber. Does your can have this and does it give an airtight seal? Or will I need to find an o ring that size.
Also did you put in your beer without priming it and just give it a gas up from the tyre inflator thingy?
How much headroom did you leave when filling it before you gassed it?
Did you shake the can and gas it and shake it again and gas it like they do with the pet bottles or did you just give it a blast and leave it?
I don't have a gauge to measure the psi but I was thinking of gassing it a bit and using my digital tyre pressure checker that I use on my car, do you think this will be ok?
Sorry to ask so many questions but I think it is a great idea and I want to do it right and not blow up the fridge or anything else.

Cheers

Lindsay

[Fil]

Ive had pressure barrels develop micro leaks in the past which is a pita when above the beerline, and a catastrophe when below as it can atomise the beer into a fine mist which penetrates anything absorbent like wallpaper or books/carpet/sofa/.... leaving a permenant very stale beer aroma a few weeks later,,

SO be careful adding co2 to a vessel not designed to take pressure, as those that are can fail!!. I would not try to add condition with co2 in one of these but only use co2 to maintain a minimal positive pressure in the can to serve keeping air out..

the lid seals will last 1,2,3 perhaps more uses, i use these for fermenting and have cut my own replacements from silicone baking sheet, tho a correct sized oring is an easier solution, if u usd the same ebay seller as me they also sell spare lids....

a tyre gauge is ideal btw..

[lindsay]

Hi Fil

Thanks for the info.

Do you mean it would be better to treat this like a normal pressure barrel and prime with sugar first and then just give it a squirt of co2 from the tyre inflator to keep the beer flowing when the pressure from the priming sugar falls away.
I'm just sort of finding my way in brewing at the moment doing kits and planning to go BIAB with no chill cubes like the Aussies do in the near future. My next step will be corny kegs and co2 bottles but I'm just experimenting at the moment with ideas I have found on this and other forums.
There are some great ideas that people come up with for all kinds of brewing equipment and diy solutions.
You would think that some manufacturer would catch on and design a new corny type barrel system for home brewers as the plastic barrels are not without their problems.
It seems to me the biggest problem with home brewing is not making the beer it is the dispensing side of it that is the most complicated to perfect or obtain and use.
Cornys are getting more expensive and hard to come by, they are probably the best solution but seem to have a hundred different ways of using them (its your fault youtube), getting co2 bottles, plastic barrels that leak and won't fit in your fridge, bottles the hassle and the sediment.
Rant over.
So don't give up on the diy guys somebody might just discover or invent something we can afford and works without any hassle, but where would the fun be in that.

Cheers

Lindsay

[floydmeddler]

I usually prime with 25g of white table sugar then just top up with co2 from the inflator to keep the beer flowing. I use this method to create a head if need be: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=39661&hilit=+foamy

Plastic seal does the job nicely. Info on rubber replacements here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=52098&hilit=o+rings&start=105

Hope that helps!

[lindsay]

Thanks Floydmeddler

I will give that a try.

Just been checking all your links it's great what you can learn. The beer engine connected to the bag in a box thing looks interesting. I'll be honest I didn't really know much about beer engines until I started following links here, went straight on to YouTube (the fountain of knowledge) and checked out a few vids, now it's got me wanting to get one and follow that route of diy, any good links I should be looking at?
This is like looking for the holy grail.
Never a dull moment in homebrewing knowledge.

Cheers

Lindsay

[floydmeddler]

The beer engine is good for parties but not for steady use at home. It really needs to be used steadily so that beer isn't laying in the pipe. I don't use mine much to be honest because of this. Jerry Kegs are much better in my opinion.