It's Kegging Time 2019

[Red devil 44]

20 minutes ago, Dozer71 said:

They can inflate a bike tyre to 100psi, so pushing liquid at 12psi is not an issue. Might need 2 cartridges to empty the 9.5l keg though.

 

Have seen them used on 6l kegs with no probs.

You wouldn’t inflate bike tyres with CO2 ? Only N2 ( Nitrogen )

Liquid ( beer ) is certainly harder to push with CO2, take into account the density of the liquid, I did numerous calculations on pushing normal beers, stout etc in places that rose a few levels from the cellar. 

It’s all relative to pressure and temperature.

cheers RD

[MitchBastard]

4 hours ago, Bearded Burbler said:

That is truly crankin' !

Pitched at lunch time on Sunday, was swirling round like a flushed toilet 6 hrs later 

[Dozer71]

9 hours ago, Red devil 44 said:

You wouldn’t inflate bike tyres with CO2 ? Only N2 ( Nitrogen )

Liquid ( beer ) is certainly harder to push with CO2, take into account the density of the liquid, I did numerous calculations on pushing normal beers, stout etc in places that rose a few levels from the cellar. 

It’s all relative to pressure and temperature.

cheers RD

You can inflate tyres with CO2. Plenty of adaptors around and take up less space than a pump on your ride. Mainly used for emergency situation/mid ride repairs.

Also for the beer - see this mini regulator. They work and have seen them in action on 6l keg and 9.5l keg. 

[Pezzza]

20 hours ago, Red devil 44 said:

Ok, it was around this time last yr I found them in Bunno, maybe not in stock dude 

Yeah must have come and gone... ah well... will keep an eye out.  Probably should sort out the non-mobile version a bit better first ; )

Got another one for you RD resident gas expert ; )

Hey if I get a Refrig Unit - the one I am looking at is a Box Freezer Husky you can dial in the Temp you want... and will happily operate at -20 and through to +10 - you dial up the temp.

That sounds good for kegs say at -1 to 1 or 2.

The big question is - can I stick my CO2 D-bottle and Harris 601 Regulator and lines in there with the kegs - and or possibly a Beer Mix 70/30 nitro D-cylinder as well...

i.e. is that gas gear just fine at -1 or 1 or 2 deg C?

If the freezer thermostat shittttt itself and the unit dived down to -20 would there be any potential safety issue or equipment damage possibility re the gas lines, regulator and cylinders?

[Pezzza]

9 hours ago, Dozer71 said:

Also for the beer - see this mini regulator. They work and have seen them in action on 6l keg and 9.5l keg. 

That's the one... but just in residence with a small cylinder at the moment... not yet tried the festy bulbs...

[Popo the Reprobate]

So, I knew it would be, but kegging sure is easier than bottling. I won't speak too soon about dispensing but packaging was a breeze.

I've never really minded bottling but I doubt I'll do it much anymore unless I have a specific reason to.

[Beerlust]

I can't tell what size the bulbs are in the picture, but the 16gm bulbs + keg charger unit are the ones I'm talking about.

http://shop.beerbelly.com.au/keg-charger-disconnect.html

http://shop.beerbelly.com.au/keg-charger-bulbs-4-pack.html

Cheers,

Lusty.

[Red devil 44]

20 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Yeah must have come and gone... ah well... will keep an eye out.  Probably should sort out the non-mobile version a bit better first ; )

Got another one for you RD resident gas expert ; )

Hey if I get a Refrig Unit - the one I am looking at is a Box Freezer Husky you can dial in the Temp you want... and will happily operate at -20 and through to +10 - you dial up the temp.

That sounds good for kegs say at -1 to 1 or 2.

The big question is - can I stick my CO2 D-bottle and Harris 601 Regulator and lines in there with the kegs - and or possibly a Beer Mix 70/30 nitro D-cylinder as well...

i.e. is that gas gear just fine at -1 or 1 or 2 deg C?

If the freezer thermostat shittttt itself and the unit dived down to -20 would there be any potential safety issue or equipment damage possibility re the gas lines, regulator and cylinders?

Hey BB,

             I would just leave the cylinder outside the unit drill a hole and pipe it in. There is no advantage of having a cylinder inside your Kegerator or Keezer etc, makes no difference to the final product that comes out of your tap.

If the thermostat crapped  itself  could see the gas lines going brittle and possible cracking at a low temp.

The cylinder would probably be ok as they are made quite robust.

The regulator would be a problem at that temp ( -20 ) possible freezing up the diaphragm inside the regulator and causing it to fail meaning possibly dumping all remaining gas in the cyl.

Also the gauges wouldn’t handle that cold temp either causing possible cracking and push way out of calibration 

Cheers RD 

[Beerlust]

On 1/21/2020 at 10:49 AM, MitchBastard said:

Another 40psi for 12 hrs and let sit with the gas off for another 2 seems to have done it.

She’s a yeasty bitch. That kveik don’t give a heck when it comes to clarity although it went into the keg warm with no finings at all. Tastes good, smells great too . Just looks like soup at the moment. 
 

 

What was the recipe for this beer Mitch? What style is it? Just not sure what I'm looking at.

The Kveik yeast might ferment fast but why would I use it in preference to other types on this unknown beer style? (Soz I missed the link to your original recipe)

I'm interested in the yeast, but need to know more first hand info from brewers before it is more than just hype to me.

Lusty.

[MitchBastard]

26 minutes ago, Beerlust said:

What was the recipe for this beer Mitch? What style is it? Just not sure what I'm looking at.

The Kveik yeast might ferment fast but why would I use it in preference to other types on this unknown beer style? (Soz I missed the link to your original recipe)

I'm interested in the yeast, but need to know more first hand info from brewers before it is more than just hype to me.

Lusty.

Hey Lusty,

the recipe would potentially fall into an American pale ale maybe?

4kg American ale malt

1kg Munich malt

.5kg medium crystal. 
 

columbus, chinook and cascade on the hop side of things. 
 

only reason i used kveik was to get something in the keg before the weekend. 
It was a bit of an experiment as id never used it.....the strain I used is apparently good for pales and IPAs as it lets the hops shine rather than provide to much “yeasty” influence. 
 

would I use it again? Only if I needed something done quick.....I will probably brew this again but will use US-05 in its place.  

[MitchBastard]

Hey Keglords......

what’s going on here....this morning I disconnected the gas from keg 1, to force carbonate keg 2.

 

this afternoon, I re connected keg 1 to pour my self a beer. The keg I was force carbing was no longer connected momentarily..... I set keg 1 back to serving pressure yet still got a decent amount of foam Come from the pour......it’s manageable just not how it was yesterday. Keg 1  did get a quick blast of 40psi while I was swapping over....surely that couldn’t have done much? Or could it?

[Pezzza]

1 hour ago, Red devil 44 said:

Also the gauges wouldn’t handle that cold temp either causing possible cracking and push way out of calibration

Beautiful thank you Sir - that is my Risk Assessment now complete and I have noted the experienced personnel participation on the register ha ha ; )

Yeah mate I would run at 1-2 degC so think would avoid all the terrible things at -20.  I was just looking at worse-case-scenario and really appreciate your knowledgeable help mate! Thanks.

 

It really is a practicality thing - if the box freezer fits the kegs plus cylinder or two - why not stick them all in there for safe-keeping and out of the way and not having to run a gas line in and keep the lid open...  ok yeah I could cut a hole and pipe the line in - but like the idea of this refrigeration unit without holes for the time being ; )

To begin with I would like to think that the relatively new refrigeration unit will sit at 1 deg C quite happily... so my gas team (cylinder/lines/regs) should be safe and all ok.  And they won't get inadvertently knocked over...

Sound feasible?

 

[Red devil 44]

8 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Beautiful thank you Sir - that is my Risk Assessment now complete and I have noted the experienced personnel participation on the register ha ha ; )

Yeah mate I would run at 1-2 degC so think would avoid all the terrible things at -20.  I was just looking at worse-case-scenario and really appreciate your knowledgeable help mate! Thanks.

 

It really is a practicality thing - if the box freezer fits the kegs plus cylinder or two - why not stick them all in there for safe-keeping and out of the way and not having to run a gas line in and keep the lid open...  ok yeah I could cut a hole and pipe the line in - but like the idea of this refrigeration unit without holes for the time being ; )

To begin with I would like to think that the relatively new refrigeration unit will sit at 1 deg C quite happily... so my gas team (cylinder/lines/regs) should be safe and all ok.  And they won't get inadvertently knocked over...

Sound feasible?

 

The chances of the refrigeration system pushing it to low temps are minimal, I’m sure the system would have a temp controller fitted to it anyway.

More chance of a leak over time in the refrigeration and dumping its refrigerant gas, meaning the temp inside would rise, same as a fridge shitting itself.

How big is this thing, do you have a pic ?

I would just install some hooks & chain around any cylinders.

cheers RD 

[Beerlust]

23 minutes ago, MitchBastard said:

Hey Keglords......

what’s going on here....this morning I disconnected the gas from keg 1, to force carbonate keg 2.

 

this afternoon, I re connected keg 1 to pour my self a beer. The keg I was force carbing was no longer connected momentarily..... I set keg 1 back to serving pressure yet still got a decent amount of foam Come from the pour......it’s manageable just not how it was yesterday. Keg 1  did get a quick blast of 40psi while I was swapping over....surely that couldn’t have done much? Or could it?

Once a keg is carbonated sufficiently don't expose it to differences in pressure to pour (for the most part).

If your "Keg 1" was pouring fine before you detached the connection & gassed up keg 2, there is no need to "blast 40 psi" into the headspace as it is already pressurized to your desired level. Where could pressure possibly leak from while you're separately gassing up the other keg?

Cheers,

Lusty.

[Pezzza]

7 minutes ago, Red devil 44 said:

How big is this thing, do you have a pic ?

Beaut. Thanks mate.

Yeah is 200L so around a metre long 550560 deep and 850/900 high...  with that step-up on one side to fit the compressor in...

Am thinking probably around 5 Cornies with two D-gas bottles and maybe two baby kegs on the jump up?

And then just a few pluto guns and lines and hey presto I have a beer conditioning refrigeration unit - just pop the lid and serve when you need a beer?  Plenty of insulation to efficiently condition the kegs when they are sitting around... and I don't really have a place to have a 'bar' and a kegerator and nice tap pour as there is not the room/config in this old place which is not mine...  so probably is a bit make-shift but am thinking it might be eminently practical though hey.

[So the back story is that currently there is a nasty war going on between me brew-fridge and the kegs - as the brew-fridge gets an identity crisis every time the kegs turn up and infest it till they're empty having a great time being gassed up and poured ; )   Then the brew fridge celebrates because his best mates the FVs comes back in to keep him company and he is giving the kegs an earful as they get dragged out of there screaming to get washed, hit with boiling water and perc and all sorts of nasty fluids and sterilised... there is definitely something going on between the two of 'em mate... yet to find out the whole story.... ]

[Red devil 44]

3 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Beaut. Thanks mate.

Yeah is 200L so around a metre long 550560 deep and 850/900 high...  with that step-up on one side to fit the compressor in...

Am thinking probably around 5 Cornies with two D-gas bottles and maybe two baby kegs on the jump up?

And then just a few pluto guns and lines and hey presto I have a beer conditioning refrigeration unit - just pop the lid and serve when you need a beer?  Plenty of insulation to efficiently condition the kegs when they are sitting around... and I don't really have a place to have a 'bar' and a kegerator and nice tap pour as there is not the room/config in this old place which is not mine...  so probably is a bit make-shift but am thinking it might be eminently practical though hey.

[So the back story is that currently there is a nasty war going on between me brew-fridge and the kegs - as the brew-fridge gets an identity crisis every time the kegs turn up and infest it till they're empty having a great time being gassed up and poured ; )   Then the brew fridge celebrates because his best mates the FVs comes back in to keep him company and he is giving the kegs an earful as they get dragged out of there screaming to get washed, hit with boiling water and perc and all sorts of nasty fluids and sterilised... there is definitely something going on between the two of 'em mate... yet to find out the whole story.... ]

You could fit some taps into front of it ( ala keezer style ), just eliminates the need for opening the lid all the time ( depends on how quickly you neck a schooner ) 

Just another option

RB 

[Red devil 44]

58 minutes ago, MitchBastard said:

Hey Keglords......

what’s going on here....this morning I disconnected the gas from keg 1, to force carbonate keg 2.

 

this afternoon, I re connected keg 1 to pour my self a beer. The keg I was force carbing was no longer connected momentarily..... I set keg 1 back to serving pressure yet still got a decent amount of foam Come from the pour......it’s manageable just not how it was yesterday. Keg 1  did get a quick blast of 40psi while I was swapping over....surely that couldn’t have done much? Or could it?

The line would of had a small volume of 40PSI in it, so upon changeover even though you dropped the pressure it would of still got a slight blast, it will eventually dissolve into the beer and settle down.

RD 

[Pezzza]

1 minute ago, Red devil 44 said:

You could fit some taps into front of it ( ala keezer style ), just eliminates the need for opening the lid all the time ( depends on how quickly you neck a schooner ) 

Just another option

RB 

I reckon that is a really good option for the future... yep - keep it cold not having to open all the time....  which unfortunately would be quite regular when I am on

reckon maybe get the boxie first... get it all going with temp being right and kegs n gas fitting in and being happy and just do the pluto gun thing... and then keep my options open for taps out the front.

Where does the coolant run around in those boxies tho mate - wouldna wanna drill through the coolant retic while putting a tap in drilling through the front wall?  : |

Here is the Big Rig   (well... a photo of the advertising placard on the top ha ha)

[MitchBastard]

31 minutes ago, Beerlust said:

Once a keg is carbonated sufficiently don't expose it to differences in pressure to pour (for the most part).

If your "Keg 1" was pouring fine before you detached the connection & gassed up keg 2, there is no need to "blast 40 psi" into the headspace as it is already pressurized to your desired level. Where could pressure possibly leak from while you're separately gassing up the other keg?

Cheers,

Lusty.

Thanks Lusty, the quick blast was accidental as I just whacked the gas back on keg 1 with out thinking. 

[Red devil 44]

1 hour ago, Bearded Burbler said:

I reckon that is a really good option for the future... yep - keep it cold not having to open all the time....  which unfortunately would be quite regular when I am on

reckon maybe get the boxie first... get it all going with temp being right and kegs n gas fitting in and being happy and just do the pluto gun thing... and then keep my options open for taps out the front.

Where does the coolant run around in those boxies tho mate - wouldna wanna drill through the coolant retic while putting a tap in drilling through the front wall?  : |

Here is the Big Rig   (well... a photo of the advertising placard on the top ha ha)

I think the new fridge/ freezers don’t have coils running through the front, but if you eventually go down the track of taps then just build a timber collar & put the taps in that.

I can give you more advice on that later, might have to make a house call, not sure you live in my state though, have planes will fly for beer

[Otto Von Blotto]

14 hours ago, MitchBastard said:

Hey Keglords......

what’s going on here....this morning I disconnected the gas from keg 1, to force carbonate keg 2.

 

this afternoon, I re connected keg 1 to pour my self a beer. The keg I was force carbing was no longer connected momentarily..... I set keg 1 back to serving pressure yet still got a decent amount of foam Come from the pour......it’s manageable just not how it was yesterday. Keg 1  did get a quick blast of 40psi while I was swapping over....surely that couldn’t have done much? Or could it?

It could have, but also what temperature was the second keg when it went in there? I have put warm kegs in with existing chilled and carbonated ones that were on tap, and the temperature change caused by this warm keg completely fecked up the pour for a while until it all equalised again. 

That's why recently when the soda water ran out and I refilled it, I didn't put the keg in until I went to bed, so by the time I'd want another beer the following day it had had time to chill and it wouldn't be causing the beer kegs to pour foam. 

Even when I put a keg that had been filled from the cold crash straight in it messed up the keg already there, I understand it would have been a little warmer but only by a few degrees. Wouldn't think that would affect it. 

[MitchBastard]

@Otto Von Blotto keg was in the fridge 2 days so both the same temp. I think it’s sorted it’s set out now. Cheers!

[Pezzza]

On 1/23/2020 at 10:09 PM, Red devil 44 said:

I think the new fridge/ freezers don’t have coils running through the front, but if you eventually go down the track of taps then just build a timber collar & put the taps in that.

I can give you more advice on that later, might have to make a house call, not sure you live in my state though, have planes will fly for beer

Yeah in the deep South mate in Mexico (NSW)... whoops better watch what I say as I have pretty much taken up res here now ; )

So how do you actually know where the coils run?   Do I have to get a dial-before-you-dig man to bring his scanner out and see if there are any services located in the front panel?

Or would Mr and Mrs Husky have a plan somewhere that might be able to be dug out from the Manufacturer?

Wooden collar sounds very sensible... it's just the worry about drilling holes through the front wall...

Had some boating mates a while back... bit like people wanting to drill holes in your boat... hmmm their vessel was steel so could be fixed... dunno if I cut the coils whether it would be easily fixed?  Or should I not be so gun-shy ?  ; )

 

[Red devil 44]

14 hours ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Yeah in the deep South mate in Mexico (NSW)... whoops better watch what I say as I have pretty much taken up res here now ; )

So how do you actually know where the coils run?   Do I have to get a dial-before-you-dig man to bring his scanner out and see if there are any services located in the front panel?

Or would Mr and Mrs Husky have a plan somewhere that might be able to be dug out from the Manufacturer?

Wooden collar sounds very sensible... it's just the worry about drilling holes through the front wall...

Had some boating mates a while back... bit like people wanting to drill holes in your boat... hmmm their vessel was steel so could be fixed... dunno if I cut the coils whether it would be easily fixed?  Or should I not be so gun-shy ?  ; )

 

Hey BB,

             You could probably try to get some info on coils from their website ?

But I didn’t bother messing around and hoping I didn’t burst a coil, because essentially the fridge is ratsh#t after that.

Why are you worried about drilling holes through a timber collar ?

I just purchased all my taps, layed them out, allowing enough distance between the taps for serving and handling.

Mark out your collar, measure the shaft size on your inlet to the tap, I allowed 0.5mm oversized, use a nice sharp hole saw and got a nice snug fit.

I did a trial run drilling a hole through a scrap piece of timber first to check all my sizings etc, and check the snugness of the fit.

Keep your taps down one end of the collar, this allows for easy removal and re-loading of kegs when in operation.

Easy peasy dude,

                            RD 

[Pezzza]

7 hours ago, Red devil 44 said:

Hey BB,

             You could probably try to get some info on coils from their website ?

But I didn’t bother messing around and hoping I didn’t burst a coil, because essentially the fridge is ratsh#t after that.

Why are you worried about drilling holes through a timber collar ?

I just purchased all my taps, layed them out, allowing enough distance between the taps for serving and handling.

Mark out your collar, measure the shaft size on your inlet to the tap, I allowed 0.5mm oversized, use a nice sharp hole saw and got a nice snug fit.

I did a trial run drilling a hole through a scrap piece of timber first to check all my sizings etc, and check the snugness of the fit.

Keep your taps down one end of the collar, this allows for easy removal and re-loading of kegs when in operation.

Easy peasy dude,

                            RD 

This is all pure Gold Red.  And mate... all I can say is thanks... and festive to have an experienced Beer Gas Man on this site... great stuff!

So back to the whole point about drilling holes in the front wall of the unit...  so yeah - that is where I was coming from - if i drill through a coolant line - I have destroyed a beautiful brewing option. Bad.  But you seem to think the timber collar will avoid that?

So how do you get your fluid-out lines from the kegs inside the refrig unit- to the taps on the outside.... if we keep the lid on.... don't we need to drill through the walls to have the serve lines coming through to the taps - assuming we want to keep the lid/fridge seal intact?

And as they say in german - im voraus - in advance - sorry mate if my questions sound fkknnn daft - cos not really got knowledge in this area of kegging-brewing ; )