Cornie kegs

Post by **Andy** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 11:10 pm

I get a slight leak from the lid with some tap water in the keg when I invert it. Googling would reveal that some positive C02 pressure is required internally to seal fully, is that your experience ? The lid seal looks in good condition.

Post by **Andy** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 11:31 pm

It's a plastic lid.

Post by **Andy** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 11:40 pm

indeed, wasn't planning on adding a S30 valve directly to the keg. Where did you get your Widget system from ?

Post by **Andy** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 11:56 pm

Cheers! Do they have to send empty cylinders by post ? If so what type of places can fill 'em up ?

Post by **Andy** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:39 am

Post by **Andy** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:08 pm

After a conversation with a very helpful chap at Youngs it appears that the local homebrew shop in Farnborough is
a Widget stockist (despite the Farnborough shop warehouse telling me that they didn't stock the Widget system when I enquired a couple of weeks ago).

Ho hum.

Anyway, good news as I work about a mile from the shop B)

BlightyBrewer · Post by **BlightyBrewer** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 1:12 pm

QUOTE (Daft as a Brush @ Jan 16 2006, 12:37 PM) The idea is that you rack bright beer into them and force carbonate it, ......
By "Bright Beer" I assume you mean fresh out of the primary fv? Would you still use a secondary fv, or is this not necessary?

So, no priming sugar? Just rack it, pressurise, leave to mature, drink..

Road Runner · Post by **Road Runner** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 5:45 pm

I'm just about to add a bitter to my new Corny for the first time. But I forgot to add any finings to the secondary fv, DOH!!!

The beer obviously hasn't cleared too well, so I was going to add the finings as I keg it.

Obviously this will throw a sediment now which hopefully will be drawn off with the first samplings.

I was going to pressurise at about 20-25 psi for 2 or 3 days to carbonate in a cool area, then reduce to around 10 psi. I guess the finings will need a week or so to clear the beer too. After this time, is it still advised to leave the beer to mature for a month or 2, or will it be ready sooner by carbonating this way?

Also, do you guys leave the gas permenantly connected to your Corny's, or just give them a top up after beer is drawn off?

I ask this, as I've been experimenting with the Corny & CO2 supply, with just water in the keg. I found that after the CO2 is disconnected, having been connected for a couple of days, the keg seems to loose pressure after 2 or 3 days. I'm not sure if the keg is leaking slightly, or if this is just as the water is absorbing the CO2. I have dismantled the kegs, cleaned all seals & lubricated them before re-assembling. This pressure loss has been the same on 2 kegs. I'm hoping it's just CO2 absorbtion.

Post by **Andy** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 6:23 pm

Funnily enough I picked up a CO2 cylinder this morning and hooked it up to a cornie which I added a conditioned brew to.

I asked DaaB about leaving the CO2 connected or not and he leaves it connected but varies the supply pressure:-

QUOTE They are permenantly connected. I leave the pressure at 12 psi during the week, then drop it to 3-4 psi during the weekend for drinking.

I'll monitor mine and see if I get a pressure drop.

Road Runner · Post by **Road Runner** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 7:10 pm

Thanks for the help Andy & DaaB.

I think I'm presuming right that it was CO2 absorbtion. I did strip the posts & cleaned a bit of gunky stuff off the seal faces, so I know they're clean. The seals & poppets all looked in good order, so for now I've used the originals & lubed with vaseline. It looks like Norm supplied me with new Black disconnects & used Grey ones. I haven't checked them though, I didn't realise you could dismantle them.

On pressurising the keg fairly high with just water, I couldn't hear any hissing sounds at all of CO2 escaping. Also the reg was quiet with now hissing sounds of CO2 going through it. I did put drops of soapy water around the posts, lid & relief valve when checking & had no signs of any leaks.

I'm thinking of leaving the keg pressurised to about 10-12 psi when serving, as I have taps with flow control on them, see my tap pic in the

http://www.forumforfree.com/forums/inde ... ost&p=5058.

I'm asuming with these I won't get excessive foam when serving... I hope :rolleyes:

Oh what a shame... I've just filled my Corny & I find I have several pints left over in the secondary fv. Your all welcome to a party here for free (not quite conditioned) beer. :beer

QUOTE Hope you dont mind RR...I altered the post to include a link to your tap in the tap room DaaB

Road Runner · Post by **Road Runner** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 7:31 pm

QUOTE (Road Runner @ Mar 25 2006, 06:10 PM)QUOTE Hope you dont mind RR...I altered the post to include a link to your tap in the tap room DaaB
No, that's great thanks. I was going to put the link in, but I forgot to copy the link to post before writing it all out & then my poxy dial up was about to disconnect.

So I just wrote the instruction instead

Post by **Andy** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 7:34 pm

QUOTE (Road Runner @ Mar 25 2006, 06:10 PM) Oh what a shame... I've just filled my Corny & I find I have several pints left over in the secondary fv. Your all welcome to a party here for free (not quite conditioned) beer. :beer

Quality control is a very important aspect of the process RR, sampling is part of that B)

Post by **Andy** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 7:57 pm

Apparently some brewers keep a "swamp keg" to which they add any spare pints from each brew!

I've heard good reports about the resulting beer also

Road Runner · Post by **Road Runner** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 7:59 pm

QUOTE (Daft as a Brush @ Mar 25 2006, 06:39 PM) If that is 3/8 tubing you have on your system, I have loads going spare if you want to do a bit of experimenting. Just give us a shout.

BTW...just a thought but I reckon its nice to bottle the remaining few pints and leave for a year to see how they turn out,either that or keep them for emergency spares when guests arrive and the kegs are empty.
It is 3/8 tubing, but thanks, I have tons now.

Norm gave me a big roll for nothing when I met him the other week. Not sure how much is there, I think he must have thought I was going to plumb my house in with beer taps in every room...

Now there's a thought B)

Also when I bought the flow control taps from my HBS, the guy gave me a couple of metres of 3/8 also.

I must look desperate for tubing or something

I thought about bottling the remaining beer in the secondary, but there's just 3 or 4 pints left & I'm thirsty. It was supposed to have been a 23 litre recipe, but I didn't get a fantastic extraction from the mash & only ended up with about 21 litres.

Hoping for better when I use my new Cool Box mash tun on the next brew.

Road Runner · Post by **Road Runner** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 8:03 pm

QUOTE (andy @ Mar 25 2006, 06:57 PM) Apparently some brewers keep a "swamp keg" to which they add any spare pints from each brew!

I've heard good reports about the resulting beer also

I like the sound of a "Swamp Keg"

Sounds more fun than bottling the remaining brew...

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Cornie kegs