iBooz2 Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 (edited) Link to last years 2023 Kegging Time is here. I have been having a bad trot with my brewery fridges / Keezer of late. Came home from our big trip and looking forward to a few coldies of HB and bugger me the 300 L Keezer has died at some stage. All I was thinking I had to do when I got home was turn on the gas and wait a day but Keezer was full of mould covering the two part full kegs of lager I had in there. Oh Mr Hart, what a bloody mess. Luckily my HSSH bought me a brand new 300 L Westinghouse freezer and had it sitting under the carport for me on Christmas eve. She is definitely a keeper. Next to die just the other day was my little FV fridge which I use to do my 23 L batches. It was not until I put the latest fresh batch of COPA in it that I noticed the temp was creeping up, did not stay at 17 C and up until it 23 C. Then the big test was when I set it to cold crash and damn it Janet, it was not getting cold at all even when I plugged it direct into GPO and not using temp controller. I can understand the chest freezer being killed by a storm surge or something but the little fridge was not even plugged into power and door wide open whilst we were away. Anyway my COPA brew fermented out a tad quicker due to the above and I had to keg it yesterday without a cold crash. Will see it the higher temp and no cold crash effected this beer. I was lucky the ambient temps here have not been too hot, particularly for this time of year. Today I scored a second hand Westinghouse RP 423 L ALL Fridge in almost brand new condition for $100. In the process of giving a good bleach clean and then I will make two shelves so that I can ferment out two Coopers 23 L FV's at the same time. Winner winner, chicken dinner. Edited January 8 by iBooz2 8 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pale Man Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 My triple Coopers can Vintage Ale going in. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pale Man Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 Oh look @Classic Brewing Co I didn't have to fish the hop bag out for no reason. There's 90 grams of dry hop there. Not one blockage. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pale Man Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 On 1/8/2024 at 5:24 PM, iBooz2 said: Link to last years 2023 Kegging Time is here. I have been having a bad trot with my brewery fridges / Keezer of late. Came home from our big trip and looking forward to a few coldies of HB and bugger me the 300 L Keezer has died at some stage. All I was thinking I had to do when I got home was turn on the gas and wait a day but Keezer was full of mould covering the two part full kegs of lager I had in there. Oh Mr Hart, what a bloody mess. Luckily my HSSH bought me a brand new 300 L Westinghouse freezer and had it sitting under the carport for me on Christmas eve. She is definitely a keeper. Next to die just the other day was my little FV fridge which I use to do my 23 L batches. It was not until I put the latest fresh batch of COPA in it that I noticed the temp was creeping up, did not stay at 17 C and up until it 23 C. Then the big test was when I set it to cold crash and damn it Janet, it was not getting cold at all even when I plugged it direct into GPO and not using temp controller. I can understand the chest freezer being killed by a storm surge or something but the little fridge was not even plugged into power and door wide open whilst we were away. Anyway my COPA brew fermented out a tad quicker due to the above and I had to keg it yesterday without a cold crash. Will see it the higher temp and no cold crash effected this beer. I was lucky the ambient temps here have not been too hot, particularly for this time of year. Today I scored a second hand Westinghouse RP 423 L ALL Fridge in almost brand new condition for $100. In the process of giving a good bleach clean and then I will make two shelves so that I can ferment out two Coopers 23 L FV's at the same time. Winner winner, chicken dinner. Sounds like a roller coaster ride there fella fark me. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus O'Sean Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 43 minutes ago, Pale Man said: Oh look @Classic Brewing Co I didn't have to fish the hop bag out for no reason. There's 90 grams of dry hop there. Not one blockage. I hope you did something constructive with the leftover beer in that fermenter. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pale Man Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 1 minute ago, Shamus O'Sean said: I hope you did something constructive with the leftover beer in that fermenter. Its a bit deceiving Shamus, its only a slither of beer over a very tight trub. I already got a full keg and 4 Kolsh Bottles out of it, and my fermenter was tilted to the hilt getting what i could. Its was at that stage of mixing in with the trub and i just couldn't be arsed getting one more bottle out. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus O'Sean Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 3 minutes ago, Pale Man said: Its a bit deceiving Shamus, its only a slither of beer over a very tight trub. I already got a full keg and 4 Kolsh Bottles out of it, and my fermenter was tilted to the hilt getting what i could. Its was at that stage of mixing in with the trub and i just couldn't be arsed getting one more bottle out. I like your work 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben 10 Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 Collar for the keezer or buy a font? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 12 hours ago, Pale Man said: Oh look @Classic Brewing Co I didn't have to fish the hop bag out for no reason. There's 90 grams of dry hop there. Not one blockage. I have always left mine in too mate, always drops down with the trub. I used to clean, boil, sanitise them but hardly bother these days, I buy lengths of the cloth from the LHBS for $2.50 & get about 4 brews out of it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus O'Sean Posted January 10 Share Posted January 10 14 hours ago, category 5 said: Collar for the keezer or buy a font? I have no experience of either. However, I like the idea of a collar. Beer lines stay still when opening the lid. Font does not hit wall behind when opening the lid. You can drill all the holes you want in the collar without risking hitting refrigerant lines. Con is lifting kegs the extra height to get over the collar. Both look good though. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted January 10 Share Posted January 10 On 1/9/2024 at 8:35 PM, Shamus O'Sean said: I hope you did something constructive with the leftover beer in that fermenter. He probably drank it. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben 10 Posted January 10 Share Posted January 10 8 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said: You can drill all the holes you want in the collar without risking hitting refrigerant lines. Con is lifting kegs the extra height to get over the collar. No coolant lines in the lid - so that's no worry.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus O'Sean Posted January 10 Share Posted January 10 20 minutes ago, category 5 said: No coolant lines in the lid - so that's no worry.... You still have to get at least one gas line and a temperature probe cable into the freezer and maybe a cable to power a fan. Although, they might sneak in under the rubber lid seal. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted January 10 Share Posted January 10 9 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said: I have no experience of either. However, I like the idea of a collar. Beer lines stay still when opening the lid. Font does not hit wall behind when opening the lid. You can drill all the holes you want in the collar without risking hitting refrigerant lines. Con is lifting kegs the extra height to get over the collar. Both look good though. I have posted this before, but this is my nephew's set-up, he bought the chest freezer from Aldi & did the rest himself, quite the little handyman! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben 10 Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 4 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said: You still have to Ahh yes, cheers 2 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said: I have posted this before Looks good. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDT2 Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 4 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said: I have posted this before, but this is my nephew's set-up, he bought the chest freezer from Aldi & did the rest himself, quite the little handyman! I like how he’s set the gas bottle up in the box! Easy to get to and looks neat 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 21 minutes ago, RDT2 said: I like how he’s set the gas bottle up in the box! Easy to get to and looks neat He is a fussy bugger like his Uncle. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uhtred Of Beddanburg Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 I knew I had a little bit more than a keg and could not be bothered pulling out the capper for a few bottles. Sacrificed a 10 cent return to make it nice and easy. Just had to let the kids know it's not a different kind of lemonade in the bottom of the cupboard. Might have added too much sugar so will quickly twist the top on and off in 3 or 4 days time to release a bit of pressure. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus O'Sean Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 Kegged the Wychwood Hobgoblin - Ruby Ale today. Also got a couple of stubbies because I may not get to the keg for a while. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kegory Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 8 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said: Kegged the Wychwood Hobgoblin - Ruby Ale today. Also got a couple of stubbies because I may not get to the keg for a while. What ABV did you end up with Shamus? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus O'Sean Posted January 13 Share Posted January 13 3 hours ago, Kegory said: What ABV did you end up with Shamus? The Wychwood Hobgoblin - Ruby Ale finished up at 5% in kegs and the couple of bottles I filled and primed with sugar will finish around 5.4%. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBooz2 Posted January 14 Author Share Posted January 14 Kegged up my Carlton Draught clone 50 L batch today, got two and 1/3 x 19 L kegs. Did not cold crash this one as long as I usually do but it got a few days at 2 C. I will top up the 1/3 keg when the next one is fermented out it a couple of weeks or so. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 (edited) Here's a first, I have been having trouble dispensing beer from the taps, I thought it was a gas cylinder/psi/pressure issue, but I noticed that the temperature control inside the keg fridge was turned down too far, yep, the beer is frozen, it must have got bumped over the XMAS/New year period. I am aware that thawing the keg out & hoping that the beer will be OK when I reconnect is not desirable, but I am going to try anyway. Why waste it - if I can get away with it. Edited January 24 by Classic Brewing Co 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple B Brewing Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 5 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said: Here's a first, I have been having trouble dispensing beer from the taps, I thought it was a gas cylinder/psi/pressure issue, but I noticed that the temperature control inside the keg fridge was turned down too far, yep, the beer is frozen, it must have got bumped over the XMAS/New year period. I am aware that thawing the keg out & hoping that the beer will be OK when I reconnect is not desirable, but I am going to try anyway. Why waste it - if I can get away with it. Oh no Phil, have you just missed listing the first Fail for 2024, or are you waiting on the outcome first I had this happen to me in the very early dayz while I was trying to find the ideal location for my temperature probe and temp setting in my newly built keezer - so ya not the first mate, nor I suspect will be the last. I was able to resurrect my brew (time, patience and a re-gas), so I'm fingers crossed and hoping it will be all good for ya @Classic Brewing Co, coz that keg looks almost full. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 7 minutes ago, Triple B Brewing said: Oh no Phil, have you just missed listing the first Fail for 2024, or are you waiting on the outcome first I had this happen to me in the very early dayz while I was trying to find the ideal location for my temperature probe and temp setting in my newly built keezer - so ya not the first mate, nor I suspect will be the last. I was able to resurrect my brew (time, patience and a re-gas), so I'm fingers crossed and hoping it will be all good for ya @Classic Brewing Co, coz that keg looks almost full. Cheers, it does but maybe some of it is froth, but we will find out, I froze a 23l Coopers fermenter of Czeck Pilsner once while it was cold crashing, I ended up bottling it & at first it was a bit flattish but a re-carb & storing for a month & it was like nothing had happened to it, it was nice. However, this is the first keg & 1/2 I have ever frozen (the 9.5l Corny still has some in it too) so I will re-group in the morning & see. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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