Brewing Master

Question:

I love the mini kegs.  I need to fill some today.  They allow me to keep beer in Her fridge.  Check out our site for info about the "Philtap" and "Phil’s Relieph Bung" which keeps the kegs from ever bluging ( unless you freeze them. . . It was an accident, see!) Dan Listermann Check out our new E-tail site at http://www.listermann.com Take a look at the anti-telemarketer forum. — Dan Listermann Check out our new E-tail site at http://www.listermann.com Take a look at the anti-telemarketer forum.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Are those little minikegs with the CO2 cartridges any good? Are some brands better than others? Thanks Allan Dobler Hi , There are many ways to get into kegging. How large do you wish to start? 5 gal. corneys are readily available, 7.75 gal.,15.5 gal. commercial kegs? Or, how small do you like? 5 liter minikegs, 2 liter, 1 liter, pep bottles? Let us know. Cheers, Tom I was considering buying some kind of kegging system and i wanted some advice. I know that with the cornelius keg i can force carbonate my beer. Is this also true with all other kegs, like the plastic type ones. If not please could someone suggest to me some alternatives or where to find them?

Response:

Hi, For five gallons or so I like the 7.75 Gallon commercial keg. (1/4 BBL common name) The extra space on top can be filled with CO2 if necessary. Cheers, Tom

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi , There are many ways to get into kegging. How large do you wish to start? 5 gal. corneys are readily available, 7.75 gal.,15.5 gal. commercial kegs? Or, how small do you like? 5 liter minikegs, 2 liter, 1 liter, pep bottles? Let us know. Cheers, Tom Im more interested in about 5 gallons or more for the moment.

Response:

I have noticed a keg called a beesphere and one called a King Keg. Is it possible to force carbonate with these kegs? if so what other equipment is needed. I am having a hard time finding much info on them.

I have some of the Beer Sphere beer balls. I use them for parties at friends places where I want to be able to transport the beer, but don’t want to use bottles. These come with rubber seals on the top which are broken when the ball is tapped, to inster the injection  and dip tubes.  Once you break the seal, finish the keg because it can not be resealed. Along the same lines, I don’t believe you can force carbonate them.  They usually come with a hand pump for dispensing, but I was able to special order a CO2 dispenser.  Thsi uses a CO2 tank like you would use for a real kegging system and not the cartridges.  On teh whole I like these better than the mini kegs, but they are still limited in versatility. Chris

Response:

(Christopher) said … I have noticed a keg called a beesphere and one called a King Keg. Is it possible to force carbonate with these kegs? if so what other equipment is needed. I am having a hard time finding much info on them. I have some of the Beer Sphere beer balls. I use them for parties at friends places where I want to be able to transport the beer, but don’t want to use bottles. These come with rubber seals on the top which are broken when the ball is tapped, to inster the injection  and dip tubes.  Once you break the seal, finish the keg because it can not be resealed. Along the same lines, I don’t believe you can force carbonate them.  They usually come with a hand pump for dispensing, but I was able to special order a CO2 dispenser.  Thsi uses a CO2 tank like you would use for a real kegging system and not the cartridges.  On teh whole I like these better than the mini kegs, but they are still limited in versatility.

Is that a 40 pint plastic ball type thing? I ask as you’re in the US and I’m in the UK so perhaps we’re talking about different products. I have a Beersphere which is made by Hambledon Bard who also (I believe) make the King Keg. Neither of these can be used to force carbonate because there’s a pressure relief valve in the lid which keeps internal pressure down to 10PSI. What you can do is add CO2 when the internal pressure gets too low for beer to come out by screwing a little CO2 cannister onto the other valve in the lid and giving a short burst to re-pressure the keg. I tend to use the Beersphere as a sort of secondary before bottling. I don’t really like kegs where the tap is high up and beer comes through it from a tube with a float on the end. It seems a bit over complicated to me. The only real problem I had with the Beersphere was that the rubber ring in the lid was the wrong size (only very slightly too big) and I ruined a batch because it wasn’t sealing properly. If you go to http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/catalog.htm and follow the link to beer kegs I’m sure they have a photo of what I’m talking about. — Andy Davison                      

Response:

Yes you can force carbonate with plastic kegs. Forget beerspheeres, they’re terrible, can’t answer on King Kegs. I use one called a Euro Keg, it might even be the same thing. Have you got a homebrew shop near to you to see what they have in stock? Have a look at http://www.breworld.com/homebrew/supplier/hobrshop.htm to see if there is one nearby Also visit http://members.aol.com/artofbrew/ and view their barrels, they also do mail order — Keith, Living and brewing in Cheltenham, U.K. Take out a *girl* to reply

Response:

Hi , There are many ways to get into kegging. How large do you wish to start? 5 gal. corneys are readily available, 7.75 gal.,15.5 gal. commercial kegs? Or, how small do you like? 5 liter minikegs, 2 liter, 1 liter, pep bottles? Let us know. Cheers, Tom

Im more interested in about 5 gallons or more for the moment.

Response:

Are those little minikegs with the CO2 cartridges any good? Are some brands better than others? Thanks Allan Dobler – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi , There are many ways to get into kegging. How large do you wish to start? 5 gal. corneys are readily available, 7.75 gal.,15.5 gal. commercial kegs? Or, how small do you like? 5 liter minikegs, 2 liter, 1 liter, pep bottles? Let us know. Cheers, Tom I was considering buying some kind of kegging system and i wanted some advice. I know that with the cornelius keg i can force carbonate my beer. Is this also true with all other kegs, like the plastic type ones. If not please could someone suggest to me some alternatives or where to find them?

Response:

Hi Allan, The opinions on minikegs varies from "They are great"  to "I hate them, take mine for free." I  personally think they are good in the right place. If you typically make 5 gallons or less and hate to bottle then minis are a pretty good choice. If you like to make test batches of 5 liters or so then the minis will serve here also. If you plan to use the minis a lot I would look for a brand that coats the inside much more than the commercial kegs from Germany. If you keg once in a while I would drink some German beer from the minis and get the keg for free but the coating is not meant for multiple use. This means treat the keg carefully and don’t dent the side. The tap should be of good quality; Party Star is my favorite but there are many good ones. You can force carbonate with CO2 cartridges also. You probably should get some silicone bung lube to make life easier. Cheers, Tom

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Are those little minikegs with the CO2 cartridges any good? Are some brands better than others? Thanks Allan Dobler Hi , There are many ways to get into kegging. How large do you wish to start? 5 gal. corneys are readily available, 7.75 gal.,15.5 gal. commercial kegs? Or, how small do you like? 5 liter minikegs, 2 liter, 1 liter, pep bottles? Let us know. Cheers, Tom I was considering buying some kind of kegging system and i wanted some advice. I know that with the cornelius keg i can force carbonate my beer. Is this also true with all other kegs, like the plastic type ones. If not please could someone suggest to me some alternatives or where to find them?

Response:

I was considering buying some kind of kegging system and i wanted some advice. I know that with the cornelius keg i can force carbonate my beer. Is this also true with all other kegs, like the plastic type ones. If not please could someone suggest to me some alternatives or where to find them?

I have noticed a keg called a beesphere and one called a King Keg. Is it possible to force carbonate with these kegs? if so what other equipment is needed. I am having a hard time finding much info on them.

Response:

Thanks Tom… Allan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Allan, The opinions on minikegs varies from "They are great"  to "I hate them, take mine for free." I  personally think they are good in the right place. If you typically make 5 gallons or less and hate to bottle then minis are a pretty good choice. If you like to make test batches of 5 liters or so then the minis will serve here also. If you plan to use the minis a lot I would look for a brand that coats the inside much more than the commercial kegs from Germany. If you keg once in a while I would drink some German beer from the minis and get the keg for free but the coating is not meant for multiple use. This means treat the keg carefully and don’t dent the side. The tap should be of good quality; Party Star is my favorite but there are many good ones. You can force carbonate with CO2 cartridges also. You probably should get some silicone bung lube to make life easier. Cheers, Tom Are those little minikegs with the CO2 cartridges any good? Are some brands better than others? Thanks Allan Dobler

Response:

I was considering buying some kind of kegging system and i wanted some advice. I know that with the cornelius keg i can force carbonate my beer. Is this also true with all other kegs, like the plastic type ones. If not please could someone suggest to me some alternatives or where to find them?

Response:

Hi , There are many ways to get into kegging. How large do you wish to start? 5 gal. corneys are readily available, 7.75 gal.,15.5 gal. commercial kegs? Or, how small do you like? 5 liter minikegs, 2 liter, 1 liter, pep bottles? Let us know. Cheers, Tom

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was considering buying some kind of kegging system and i wanted some advice. I know that with the cornelius keg i can force carbonate my beer. Is this also true with all other kegs, like the plastic type ones. If not please could someone suggest to me some alternatives or where to find them?

Response: