5L Re-usable kegs?

[Grant McNab]

Hi folks, I'm still bottling my beer, but quite like the idea of being able to take a 5L keg out when got to friends to let them sample some. There are very few supermarkets (if any ) that do the 5L kegs (last one I had was a Shipyard a few years ago). Where can I purchase these kegs - the ones with the vent cap on top, and slide out tap at the bottom?
Or are there better alternatives at a decent price?

Cheers n Beers!

 

[fluketamer]

so if i lived in the UK.

i would get this:

or this:

plus these:

carb caps, tee piece and dip tube

and be off to the races.

other alternative is:

the oxebar 4 liter

reusing the 5 liter kegs might take a little engineering but it can be done.

good luck

 

[Grant McNab]

Just had a look and can get one of these 4L Oxebar type things from China for under £20 - might be a better option than re-using a supposedly SS party keg from Shipyard / Doombar etc... ?

 

[Rwilts]

Would be a little concerned about the state of it when it arrives from china, prob either if budget is a consideration do as suggested above and re use bottle and see if it suites or pay just. Little bit more Nd get from one of the suppliers in uk

For example

4L Keg Oxebar Monolayer Keg With Cap and Handle (PCO38) https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/4l-keg-oxebar-monolayer-keg-with-cap-and-handle-pco38/

Or with head

4L Keg Oxebar Monolayer Keg With Tapping Head Kit https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/4l-keg-oxebar-monolayer-keg-with-tapping-head-kit/

 

[stubrewworx]

Gas would be required for those options though wouldn't it?

Do you mean these mini kegs?

 

[MashBag]

@fluketamer gave you my answer. Absolutely spot on and free beer.

The carb cap fittings are £4. Why are you is such a rush to waste an extra £16 on an oxebar... With no beer in it?

What's the difference? PET is still plastic and still disposable.

Look at it another way if you spend the £20 on caps you could keg your whole brew! (and imo 4l is only 3l once you leave room for some gas, so it really is a bit small)

Just a thought.

 

[MickDundee]

@fluketamer gave you my answer. Absolutely spot on and free beer.

“Free beer” is a it of a stretch, £4.59 for 3L of tramp juice.

 

[Ben034]

@fluketamer gave you my answer. Absolutely spot on and free beer.

The carb cap fittings are £4. Why are you is such a rush to waste an extra £16 on an oxebar... With no beer in it?

What's the difference? PET is still plastic and still disposable.

Look at it another way if you spend the £20 on caps you could keg your whole brew! (and imo 4l is only 3l once you leave room for some gas, so it really is a bit small)

Just a thought.

One downside of the carb caps compared to the oxebar set up is the lack of a prv. Unlikely to be an issue in regular use but if one of the mini regulators malfunctioned, seems like it could be a problem.

If you want cheap 3l bottles and don't want to drink 3l of nasty cider, Iceland do 3l bottles of soft drinks for less than £3 that you could dispose of (or drink if you really want to).

https://www.iceland.co.uk/p/pepsi-max-no-sugar-cola-bottle-3l/65372.html

 

[jof]

I would also go for reused 2l pop bottles.

My question would be How are you transporting them?
Are you driving & so the bottles will remain upright & relatively stable?

In which case what size jug do you have? Pick pop bottles based on the jug size & just bottle some of your beer into them as you are already bottling your produce.

Then when you get to your friends, open pop bottle & decant into the jug & then pour into their glasses.

Obviously this won't work if your on a hiking trip or such where bottles would get shaken about, but you'd have the same issue with oxbars if you were priming rather than force carbonating

 

[AnimatedGIF]

If you're "keg conditioning", which I assume you are due to asking about the minikegs from breweries, then that suggests you're not worried about oxygen ingress, thus I would get the line cleaning (kegland) kit from MM and add it to the top of a bottle someone has already linked to.
At work atm so will find a link to what I mean. No gas required.

 

[MashBag]

I would also go for reused 2l pop bottles.

My question would be How are you transporting them?
Are you driving & so the bottles will remain upright & relatively stable?

In which case what size jug do you have? Pick pop bottles based on the jug size & just bottle some of your beer into them as you are already bottling your produce.

Then when you get to your friends, open pop bottle & decant into the jug & then pour into their glasses.

Obviously this won't work if your on a hiking trip or such where bottles would get shaken about, but you'd have the same issue with oxbars if you were priming rather than force carbonating

Well done. An even better solution.

You could cut down on the transport issues by bottling bright & force carb.with a couple of gas post carb caps. Careful shopping would get you 6 for £20

 

[AnimatedGIF]

If you're "keg conditioning", which I assume you are due to asking about the minikegs from breweries, then that suggests you're not worried about oxygen ingress, thus I would get the line cleaning (kegland) kit from MM and add it to the top of a bottle someone has already linked to.
At work atm so will find a link to what I mean. No gas required.

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/gas-free-ball-lock-line-cleaning-kit/
This is the one.

 

[fluketamer]

One downside of the carb caps compared to the oxebar set up is the lack of a prv. Unlikely to be an issue in regular use but if one of the mini regulators malfunctioned, seems like it could be a problem.

If you want cheap 3l bottles and don't want to drink 3l of nasty cider, Iceland do 3l bottles of soft drinks for less than £3 that you could dispose of (or drink if you really want to).

https://www.iceland.co.uk/p/pepsi-max-no-sugar-cola-bottle-3l/65372.html

if prv is an aboslute must you can just add another tee piece and a 1881 prv

i chose those ciders cause they are 3 liter size AND BROWN PET. which i would assume has some oxygen and light protection over clear soda pop bottles.

If you're "keg conditioning", which I assume you are due to asking about the minikegs from breweries, then that suggests you're not worried about oxygen ingress, thus I would get the line cleaning (kegland) kit from MM and add it to the top of a bottle someone has already linked to.
At work atm so will find a link to what I mean. No gas required.

where i come from o2 BAD

Well done. An even better solution.

You could cut down on the transport issues by bottling bright & force carb.with a couple of gas post carb caps. Careful shopping would get you 6 for £20

force carbing with those little carts i have found is not ideal (*****).

grant , do yourself a favor and get some sort of minikeg. either 3 liter PET or 4 liter oxebar or even SS mini keg and you will not look back.

once you have the ability to "bottle" in larger vessels it changes everything. you will find yourself obtaining more and more of those large size "bottles" until you are mostly if not all kegging. mini or otherwise. it just cuts down so much on cleaning sterilizing packaging etc. you could always bottle a few anyway.

six of those 3 liter brown PET bottles is 30 dollars( you could pour out the tramp juice) and then thats 21 liters to package a whole brew.
imagine packaging a whole batch in the time it takes to do one 6 pack essentially.
in the past no one wanted to pakage in 3 liter bottles cause it would go flat and or get oxidized in the time it took you to drink it in the fridge. with a carb cap the beer really does stay gassed and fresh as long as you need it to.

the oxebar and other PET options are now a great excuse to get into alternate packaging. notice i never said kegging. (maybe once i did).

and btw welcome to the forum.

 

[MashBag]

force carbing with those little carts

What? Little? Carts?

The suggestion of stainless mini kegs I have to agree with. PET Is disposable however much you pay for it. Stainless is forever.

 

[fluketamer]

What? Little? Carts?

The suggestion of stainless mini kegs I have to agree with. PET Is disposable however much you pay for it. Stainless is forever.

sorry mash i read your post too quick and thought you meant these things:

which are a PIA except for smal jobs like line cleaning or pressurizing a growler or something. or dispensing primed beer.

 

[AnimatedGIF]

where i come from o2 BAD

Like I said, that was based off the original question being about the types of kegs that let air (and thus oxygen) in. If being consumed in a session, then for most styles, oxygen ingress is not an issue.

 

[Grantfk]

Thank you for all your replies.
Some really useful information.
I do already have one 5L SS minikeg, but think the prices are a bit steep.
I'm thinking a couple of 4L Oxebars with the caps for carbing/dispensing would be helpful.
From what I've read, these are not just normal PET material, but are better quality - and a lot cheaper, lighter and easier to transport.

Any other comments welcome.

G.

 

[MashBag]

Have anyone on the forum got one? Wonder if they are better quality or "they would say that"

 

[Laner]

I have a 4ltr Oxebar which I use in the Campervan or down the Allotment..

Perfect in my opinion. I use the 16gm cart for dispensing and soda stream for carbing.