5ltr growler kegs

[hoppyscotty]

There are 4 of us in our home brew 'gang' and looking at getting some 5ltr growler kegs for our 20ltr batch brews so we can pressure transfer to the kegs, force carbonate and service from the kegs to prevent oxidation. Anyone using these? Are they any good? The kind I'm looking at are the ones rated to 40psi and not the 5ltr cask type which I don't think are pressure rated.

Thanks.

 

[uDicko]

There are 4 of us in our home brew 'gang' and looking at getting some 5ltr growler kegs for our 20ltr batch brews so we can pressure transfer to the kegs, force carbonate and service from the kegs to prevent oxidation. Anyone using these? Are they any good? The kind I'm looking at are the ones rated to 40psi and not the 5ltr cask type which I don't think are pressure rated.

Thanks.

Got a link?

 

[hoppyscotty]

Ah, a link would have been useful. I'm looking like something like this which, I'm hoping, will effectively be a mini-corny keg:-

https://brew2bottle.co.uk/products/...ha2UeaI1E594hk35Fb2VBXjR2azYabFRoCCjMQAvD_BwE
It has a Flexi-dip tube that goes to the bottom of the keg to draw beer out from even when its on its side, can connect a CO2 bottle - I think something like a soda stream bottle for force carbonation and one of those small canisters for serving if you're wanting portability. It fits in a normal fridge.

A full size corny keg is a bit big for our usual 20 - 25 ltr batches so these 5ltr sizes are nice and convenient to split between us.

 

[Horners]

Ah, a link would have been useful. I'm looking like something like this which, I'm hoping, will effectively be a mini-corny keg:-

https://brew2bottle.co.uk/products/...ha2UeaI1E594hk35Fb2VBXjR2azYabFRoCCjMQAvD_BwE
It has a Flexi-dip tube that goes to the bottom of the keg to draw beer out from even when its on its side, can connect a CO2 bottle - I think something like a soda stream bottle for force carbonation and one of those small canisters for serving if you're wanting portability. It fits in a normal fridge.

A full size corny keg is a bit big for our usual 20 - 25 ltr batches so these 5ltr sizes are nice and convenient to split between us.

Worth checking out the Dark Farm ones. Occasionally Gareth offers generous discount to forum members. I have a couple and they seem great quality.

 

[xozzx]

Ye, these would work fine. You will need a regulator and tap for each one.

If you are brewing regularly then worth getting a large CO2 cylinder and a sodastream refill adapter as refills are expensive for sodastream. The sodastream regulator I have can convert to take the mini bulbs which would save having to buy additional regulators.

One issue that could arise is if you are making a new brew and someone in the group hasnt finished their keg, but I suppose you could just bottle their portion.

Also another recommendation for Dark farm. They are expensive compared to a lot of the other options available but the quality is great and should last a long time.

 

[hoppyscotty]

Awsome. Looks like just the ticket then. The Dark Farm ones are expensive on the face of it but they say they are double skinned and insulated whereas alot of the cheaper ones are not which is handy when we are able to resume large gatherings and BBQ's etc. We can tune our batch sizes but tend to brew 20ltr or 25 litre batch sizes anyway so should work well for us. the additional few litres can be bottled and be the 'brewers share'!

The plan is to pressure transfer from our Grainfather conical fermentor (can pressurise to 1psi with their pressure transfer kit) and then force carbonate in the keg and that should go a long way to keeping out the oxygen which we've struggled with when bottling highly hopped and dry hopped beers and bottling.

Good shout on the management of the CO2 bottles too to keep costs down. thanks.

 

[Pavros]

I may be wrong but I think Dark Farm said about a month ago that they are looking at getting some more single walled kegs in soon as a cheaper option. I have 4 of the 5l kegs (single walled) and they are excellent quality.

 

[Sandimas]

I've got one of the 10L Dark Farm kegs, typically use 1.5 bulbs of CO2 per brew so not bad at all. I really like them and am thinking of getting another.

 

[hoppyscotty]

Darrelim, when you say you use 1.5 bulbs of CO2 per brew is that just to dispense the beer or are you also using it for pressure carbonation? My understanding is for the carbonation part you're better off with a bigger CO2 vessel like a Sodastream bottle, and use the bulb for dispensing. Thanks.

 

[Pavros]

I batch prime my brews and keg part and bottle the rest. I then leave the 5l keg for a couple of weeks or so before drinking. I use the Co2 bulbs to dispense so only use 1 bulb per 5l keg. I think it would start to get expensive if you used the bulbs for force carbing.

 

[IanBrew]

Darrelim, when you say you use 1.5 bulbs of CO2 per brew is that just to dispense the beer or are you also using it for pressure carbonation? My understanding is for the carbonation part you're better off with a bigger CO2 vessel like a Sodastream bottle, and use the bulb for dispensing. Thanks.

Hi Hoppyscotty - looks as if you're on the same journey as me! I got a load of good advice in this thread.....

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/5l-mini-kegs-can-i-fill-and-keep-them-like-bottles.93754/
I've ordered mine from the same place - but just with the Mango Jack keg. Probably the same thing rebadged.....