Brewing Master

Question:

IMO, the big O-ring, the O-rings on the tops of the posts, the O-rings inside the posts below the dip tubes, the bottom of the pressure relief valve, and the perimeter of the poppets inside the posts. As an aside… I’m not arguing that keg lube isn’t necessary… but personally I’ve never used it (mostly out of laziness) and don’t seem to have any liquid or gas leaks.  Am I just lucky, or is there something else I’m missing?

Probably just a little lucky..;) I lube them all, but probably only have a few that really "need" it, but better safe than sorry.  I have 24 cornies, I think…;) Cheers, Mike

Response:

If I lowered the pressure, I wonder if I would start to see bad seals.

One of my 10 gallon will not seal until you hit 15 psi.  I can then drop the pressure and be fine, but I have to boost it to get the lid to seal correctly. Cheers, Mike

Response:

As an aside… I’m not arguing that keg lube isn’t necessary… but personally I’ve never used it (mostly out of laziness) and don’t seem to have any liquid or gas leaks.  Am I just lucky, or is there something else I’m missing? Probably just a little lucky..;) I lube them all, but probably only have a few that really "need" it, but better safe than sorry.  I have 24 cornies, I think…;) Cheers, Mike

I’ve got about the same number (might be 21, been a while since I counted).  I’ve got one that has a rather nasty ding along the edge of the opening where the lid fits in, but even it will seal well with about 10 PSI on it.  Hmmm… maybe it has to do with me storing my beer at cellar temp in the cornies, and serving with about 12 – 15 PSI of CO2?   If I lowered the pressure, I wonder if I would start to see bad seals. John. —                            *** John P. Kolesar ***                          *** Valley Mead Brewery ***

Response:

I have about 15 Cornies. Most don’t need anything. One or two need some keg lube to seal without having to pump the pressure way up before sealing. I figure for the price I paid for them, it’s no big deal to use a little. Burp, -Dan — Replace nospam with msn to email me. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As an aside… I’m not arguing that keg lube isn’t necessary… but personally I’ve never used it (mostly out of laziness) and don’t seem to have any liquid or gas leaks.  Am I just lucky, or is there something else I’m missing? John. —                            *** John P. Kolesar ***                          *** Valley Mead Brewery ***

Response:

I’m gonna have to disagree.  It can certainly affect head retention, and the odor of vaseline could ruin a lager that had a very delicate character. In a stronger and darker beer, it might not be noticed.  Remember there are 5 rings and a pressure relief that need lube, not just a lid O-ring…

All I can guess is that the Vaseline in the US is not the same as the stuff here in Canada (kinda like Ovaltine and Mountain Dew), because mine has no odour.  And the "Melkfett" i have from Germany (which is basically the same thing, and what I’ve been using before I bought the silicone keg lube) has none, either. In fact, i was confused by the piece on your site, Mike, because you say that "Petrol Gel" is OK to use, but as far as I’ve ever known Vaseline is "Petroleum Jelly" and those two terms are strikingly similar to me   Is there some difference between the two? cheers, -Alan

Response:

Is vaseline a safe alternative to keg lube? I mostly use it for making mini keg bungs easier to remove and insert. (no jokes please) I ran out of keg lube so i am looking for something else as none of my LHBS’s carry it. What about some silicon lubricant? John

Response:

Is vaseline a safe alternative to keg lube?

No, it is neither tasteless, nor odorless.  In a pinch, just do without….  I mostly use it for making mini keg bungs easier to remove and insert. (no jokes please) I ran out of keg lube so i am looking for something else as none of my LHBS’s carry it. What about some silicon lubricant?

That is fine.  I have an article linked off my site…. Cheers, Mike www.ipass.net/~mpdixon/homebrew.htm

Response:

Here’s what Mike Dixon has to say: http://www.ipass.net/~mpdixon/Homebrew/Lubricants.htm Ed – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Is vaseline a safe alternative to keg lube? I mostly use it for making mini keg bungs easier to remove and insert. (no jokes please) I ran out of keg lube so i am looking for something else as none of my LHBS’s carry it. What about some silicon lubricant? John

Response:

Is vaseline a safe alternative to keg lube? No, it is neither tasteless, nor odorless.  In a pinch, just do without….

Though with the amount used it is highly unlikely to affect your beer, unless you shake the keg to force carb I guess.  I use just enough to barely coat the ring. My only worry has every been whether it would affect the rubber. I know vaseline will eat through latex in a matter of seconds, but it seems not to affect vulcanized rubber. That having been said I recently bought real keg lube and have switched to it. cheers, -Alan

Response:

I was just going to ask the same question.  I use silicone compound at work, we buy it by the case, and i have PLENTY at any given time.  Saves me from ordering keg lube from the hbs ,,, thanks!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Is vaseline a safe alternative to keg lube? I mostly use it for making mini keg bungs easier to remove and insert. (no jokes please) I ran out of keg lube so i am looking for something else as none of my LHBS’s carry it. What about some silicon lubricant? John

Response:

I have used olive oil in the past. Worked for me. Cheers Ian – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Is vaseline a safe alternative to keg lube? I mostly use it for making mini keg bungs easier to remove and insert. (no jokes please) I ran out of keg lube so i am looking for something else as none of my LHBS’s carry it. What about some silicon lubricant? John

Response:

Is vaseline a safe alternative to keg lube? No, it is neither tasteless, nor odorless.  In a pinch, just do without…. Though with the amount used it is highly unlikely to affect your beer, unless you shake the keg to force carb I guess.  I use just enough to barely coat the ring.

I’m gonna have to disagree.  It can certainly affect head retention, and the odor of vaseline could ruin a lager that had a very delicate character. In a stronger and darker beer, it might not be noticed.  Remember there are 5 rings and a pressure relief that need lube, not just a lid O-ring… My only worry has every been whether it would affect the rubber. I know vaseline will eat through latex in a matter of seconds, but it seems not to affect vulcanized rubber.

It all depends upon the rubber.  There are a couple of kinds of rubber used in keg O-rings.  It depends upon where you get them as to what you actually get.  I forget the rubber formulations, but I looked it up at one time… Cheers, Mike

Response:

I have used olive oil in the past. Worked for me.

I think that is a bad idea.  Olive oil can have a subtle flavor at times, or it can be very strong.  Better to skip it.  It will certainly affect head retention if it contacts the beer, and it will if you lubed everything you should have, and depending upon the makeup of the rubber rings, it could cause them to break down… Cheers, Mike

Response:

Silicone stopcock grease or silicone vacuum grease or any food-grade silcone-based grease. Domenick Venezia Venezia & Company, LLC Maker of PrimeTab Seattle, WA (206) 782-1152  phone (206) 782-6766  fax demonick at zgi dot com http://www.primetab.com

Response:

Don’t forget that besides this, olive oil (as most natural oils) will go rancid over time. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have used olive oil in the past. Worked for me. I think that is a bad idea.  Olive oil can have a subtle flavor at times, or it can be very strong.  Better to skip it.  It will certainly affect head retention if it contacts the beer, and it will if you lubed everything you should have, and depending upon the makeup of the rubber rings, it could cause them to break down… Cheers, Mike

Response:

| | I have used olive oil in the past. Worked for me. | | I think that is a bad idea.  Olive oil can have a subtle flavor at times, or | it can be very strong.  Better to skip it.  It will certainly affect head | retention if it contacts the beer, and it will if you lubed everything you | should have, and depending upon the makeup of the rubber rings, it could | cause them to break down… | | Cheers, | Mike | |

Response:

IMO, the big O-ring, the O-rings on the tops of the posts, the O-rings inside the posts below the dip tubes, the bottom of the pressure relief valve, and the perimeter of the poppets inside the posts. I used to not take the keg completely apart each time, and just clean with the poppets in place.  Then I realized I took 5-7 hours to make the batch of brew, ferment it, and I was risking contamination by not disassembling it, cleaning, lubing and sanitizing. So now I take it apart for each brew…. Cheers, Mike

Response:

IMO, the big O-ring, the O-rings on the tops of the posts, the O-rings inside the posts below the dip tubes, the bottom of the pressure relief valve, and the perimeter of the poppets inside the posts.

As an aside… I’m not arguing that keg lube isn’t necessary… but personally I’ve never used it (mostly out of laziness) and don’t seem to have any liquid or gas leaks.  Am I just lucky, or is there something else I’m missing? John. —                            *** John P. Kolesar ***                          *** Valley Mead Brewery ***

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m gonna have to disagree.  It can certainly affect head retention, and the odor of vaseline could ruin a lager that had a very delicate character. In a stronger and darker beer, it might not be noticed.  Remember there are 5 rings and a pressure relief that need lube, not just a lid O-ring… All I can guess is that the Vaseline in the US is not the same as the stuff here in Canada (kinda like Ovaltine and Mountain Dew), because mine has no odour.  And the "Melkfett" i have from Germany (which is basically the same thing, and what I’ve been using before I bought the silicone keg lube) has none, either. In fact, i was confused by the piece on your site, Mike, because you say that "Petrol Gel" is OK to use, but as far as I’ve ever known Vaseline is "Petroleum Jelly" and those two terms are strikingly similar to me   Is there some difference between the two?

I am gonna guess tha Petrol Gel is most likely what you guys get for Vaseline.  Vaseline in the US has a oily, petroleum smell, and I am not willing to taste it. Petrol Gel is a Food Grade lubricant. Is is a tasteless, odorless, high viscosity index paraffinic base oil. Basically a stable mineral oil.  As I stated in my article, it can affect head retention. Of course it is not a given that it will. Cheers, Mike www.ipass.net/~mpdixon/homebrew.htm

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