It's Kegging Time 2019

[Journeyman]

15 hours ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Aren't yer better off using SS crimped fittings re leakage etc?

I've been using duotights (didn't know they were called that ) for years on my RO system - never had an issue and the convenience is the decider I think. 

Edited April 14, 2020 by Journeyman

[Pezzza]

On 4/14/2020 at 10:30 AM, Journeyman said:

I've been using duotights (didn't know they were called that ) for years on my RO system - never had an issue and the convenience is the decider I think. 

Similar pressures being generated?  Just have bumped into a few failures with gas which is problematic...

[Journeyman]

1 minute ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Similar pressures being generated?  Just have bumped into a few failures with gas which is problematic...

Not sure... what is mains pressure? In SA the supposed max in PSI = 72.5 (it is noted it often goes well above that and in some cases, above 145 PSI) which AFAIK is about 9L per min from the tap. I get something like 2.5 l/min out the production end so the pressure in the system varies between those figures and never had a leak from the duotights. Unless my thinking is wrong, the internals are holding at least 52 PSI without leaks.

[Otto Von Blotto]

I set my kegerator to zero. I usually cycles between 2 and -1. I mucked around with the inkbird when I got it before I had the second brew fridge, sitting it in a keg full of water. It got down to zero and pretty much stayed there so I'm happy to leave it there. 

Lately there's only been a keg of soda water in there with the other beer keg, and the water has been freezing at the bottom. Whenever the compressor runs, cold air is blown out from the back of the unit; normally with three kegs in there the rear one blocks enough of this air so the water doesn't freeze but currently it's copping a fair bit more. I've raised the temperature to 3 degrees to try to prevent it but I will probably have to wait until the water is refilled to see if it works. 

[Pezzza]

2 hours ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

normally with three kegs in there

Obviously yer just gonna hafta get some more kegs back in there Kelsey !?!

[Journeyman]

Just now, Bearded Burbler said:

Obviously yer just gonna hafta get some more kegs back in there Kelsey !?!

He needs a portable brewing system seeing he's driving an empty bus around all day or night.

 

[Otto Von Blotto]

1 hour ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Obviously yer just gonna hafta get some more kegs back in there Kelsey !?!

Yeah that's the plan

[The Captain!!]

Kegged two pale ales today. Looking forward to them both. 

Ones built on my "normal" grist and the other is a paler version using some pilsner malt. Both are going to be delicious going by the samples today.

[Journeyman]

So now I have 3 kegs, they're coca cola ones so pin lock size but converted to ball locks with brand new lids and posts and they arrived pressured so I figure that's a good sign. All 3 have the complete circle tops - not sure what that means but hopefully it's not going to be a hassle with the disconnects.

And I have my 6kg gas bottle - damn that thing is heavy. How much does the empty cylinder weigh? I went to swing it up one-hand and had to stop, set my body and then lift the sucker.

Now I just need all the bits and that's coming from AusPost so the brews I put in yesterday may still need to be bottled in 10 days time.

[Marty_G]

1 hour ago, Journeyman said:

So now I have 3 kegs, they're coca cola ones so pin lock size but converted to ball locks with brand new lids and posts and they arrived pressured so I figure that's a good sign. All 3 have the complete circle tops - not sure what that means but hopefully it's not going to be a hassle with the disconnects.

And I have my 6kg gas bottle - damn that thing is heavy. How much does the empty cylinder weigh? I went to swing it up one-hand and had to stop, set my body and then lift the sucker.

Now I just need all the bits and that's coming from AusPost so the brews I put in yesterday may still need to be bottled in 10 days time.

post a couple of pics of the kegs so i can see what you have got....sounds great... better order some more soon 3 will be no where near enough. will need at least 6... 

[Journeyman]

I need to find a bit of cash to splash before the next buy.  But yes, I plan to get more.

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

2 hours ago, Journeyman said:

And I have my 6kg gas bottle - damn that thing is heavy. How much does the empty cylinder weigh?

Should have a Tare on the cylinder which tells you mate. 

[Journeyman]

19 minutes ago, Greeny1525229549 said:

Should have a Tare on the cylinder which tells you mate. 

That's a bit opaque. 2 figures there say 12.31 and 3.4 with Tare in between. Figured it can't be 3.4 so weighed it and total seems to be 19.6. I was kinda expecting like 12 kg or so when I first went to lift it.  So I figure 12.3 is the weight of the cylinder, plus 6 kg gas plus weight of connector on top makes the extra?

Edited April 17, 2020 by Journeyman

[Marty_G]

@Journeyman those kegs are a good score. Fully reconditioned you should have no problems with those. Nice new lids to, with the current style of PRV.  Bet they have a look to dry hop on the under side of  the lid was well.  How much did they charge you for those and where from? 

Edited April 17, 2020 by MartyG1525230263

[Journeyman]

19 minutes ago, MartyG1525230263 said:

@Journeyman those kegs are a good score. Fully reconditioned you should have no problems with those. Nice new lids to, with the current style of PRV.  Bet they have a look to dry hop on the under side of  the lid was well.  How much did they charge you for those and where from? 

Got 3 for $199 from an ebay store. They went up in price by $10 a few days later. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/3-x-19-litre-Ball-Lock-Reconditioned-Used-Keg-New-Lid-Posts-Home-Brew-Beer/292503032257?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

[Marty_G]

26 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

Got 3 for $199 from an ebay store. They went up in price by $10 a few days later. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/3-x-19-litre-Ball-Lock-Reconditioned-Used-Keg-New-Lid-Posts-Home-Brew-Beer/292503032257?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Great price, tad over $65 each excellent.   With free postage is even better

Edited April 17, 2020 by MartyG1525230263

[Journeyman]

18 hours ago, MartyG1525230263 said:

Great price, tad over $65 each excellent.   With free postage is even better

I be happy. If I had the readies I'd be getting another lot. Hopefully the prices will not go to high or maybe even drop once the panic buyers realise there's a bit of work in brewing a decent beer.

Often on ebay these days the prices are comparable to actual shops or even more expensive - you have to know your market. Gone are the days (mostly) when ebay was wildly less expensive than local or even normal online. But these come in at the price KL charges for 2nd hand kegs that they tell you in the advert will need to be serviced, (new o-rings at the least, recommend new lids) and the new lids price takes them to about the same price KL sell brand new ones for.

Edited April 18, 2020 by Journeyman

[Marty_G]

11 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

Hopefully the prices will not go to high or maybe even drop once the panic buyers realise there's a bit of work in brewing a decent beer.

Often on ebay these days the prices are comparable to actual shops or even more expensive - you have to know your market.

I don't think the prices will drop. That is pretty much the best rate for recon kegs. The mob you bought from I have dealt with before they are reputable and have more than the on-line presence.  I don't know if this is true however, I was told by a fella who has set up a new brew store in my region that a lot of suppliers do not deal with people who want to only sell on-line. The reason I know this is there is a fella who sells grain on line and he was trying to get supplies from several commercial suppliers and I was told they would not deal with him as he did not have a shop front.  

 

[Otto Von Blotto]

Kegging my pale ale today, just gotta clean the empty keg first. I'm gonna keg hop this one since I didn't do a dry hop, but unlike last time I'll let it sit at ambient for a few days before removing the hops and putting the keg in to chill and carbonate. Obviously making sure to purge both today and after removing the hops. I would leave them in until it runs out but it's not gonna be tapped for a couple of weeks so I don't want too much contact time. 

Then gotta boil up some wort for a yeast starter to pitch into the batch I brewed yesterday, so that'll probably be pitched around Thursday or Friday. 

[Journeyman]

1 minute ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

unlike last time I'll let it sit at ambient for a few days before removing the hops and putting the keg in to chill and carbonate

When you do this, I presume you purge the headspace then let it sit at slight positive pressure?

[Otto Von Blotto]

16 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

When you do this, I presume you purge the headspace then let it sit at slight positive pressure?

It will be purged and then put on serving pressure in the kegerator so yeah definitely positive pressure today it will just be purged and left on gas for an hour or so, then stored until I take the hops out. 

I could only find one of the little tea strainer balls I use for this process so there will only be 10-15g of hops in it. Think I'll use Vic Secret. Just boiling the strainer in water now, while I get to cleaning and filling the keg. 

Also on today's list is cleaning the hop spider and urn from yesterday. Brew bag was cleaned yesterday and being new it was pretty easy. 

[Norris!]

Just kegged the house XPA version 1.3. It smelled like a XPA going into the fermenter. It was brewed with Voss Kveik yeast, which on sampling my 1st batch with it after 3 days on tap, I felt like it was too estery, but after 2 weeks on tap it became a lovely clean and crisp brew popping with tropical fruit aromas, so I did this batch with it. Glad I did.

The samples tasted clean, tropical and with good citrus and floral aromas and flavours. It reminded me of a Kaiju Krush, which I just sampled the other night.  I went with a ratio close to 3:2:1 with centennial, Amarillo and citra. I cannot wait for this to carb up.

[Journeyman]

According to AusPost tracking I should be getting the rest of my kegging gear tomorrow!!! 

I realise I didn't get lube - how essential is it and would it matter if I set up without it for this time while I wait for some to arrive? Not sure if the LHBS is open these days or not.

[Otto Von Blotto]

It's a good idea to use it but you should be ok without it while it arrives. Just spray some starsan or something on the posts, better than nothing. 

[Otto Von Blotto]

Just about to take that keg off the gas (spare line outside the fridge). I did pour a sample glass before I kegged it and it tasted fine, no infection or anything weird. Nice fruity flavour but not that funky crap of the infected one, definitely from the hops so basically what I intended. A dry hop probably would have been good, but maybe I'll get something out of the 15g or whatever it was of Vic Secret I put in the keg. When it does go in to chill and gas up I'll probably pour a sample glass or two after a week or so to see how it is. 

Clarity wasn't fantastic although a reasonable amount of that would be yeast, which should largely settle out before I try it properly. Only used isinglass in this batch. The next one going in I'll make sure I use polyclar as well. Sure it's mainly a visual thing but I do get a bit of a kick out of making clear beer at home.