Another bloomin keg thread

[Harbey]

Sorry. I know there are plenty of keg threads out there already but I didn't want to muscle in on someone else's with my own questions.

So far... 2 kegs, gas, taps etc all ready (well bought but not yet assembled). Brew done and in the fermenting fridge (although not started fermenting after 48hrs which is a bit of a concern). It's all fine I'm sure and I think I know what and how I'm doing.

A couple of questions for now though:
1. After serving a few beers, how long can you then leave the beer in the line? Is it ok to have a pint then not have another for a week without cleaning the line?
2. There is a lot of talk about how kegs tend to breed. If I found myself in the situation of having say 4 kegs but only gas and taps for 2, once the beer has carbed in the keg is it ok to switch the beer and gas lines to which ever keg I'm wanting to drink from or do you need gas and taps for each keg?

I'm sure I'll have plenty more questions as things move on.

 

[xozzx]

1. After serving a few beers, how long can you then leave the beer in the line? Is it ok to have a pint then not have another for a week without cleaning the line?

Not sure how long... 1 week definitely no problem, you could probably have it over a month without issue. If you were worried about it you can just pour 100ml or so and pour it down the sink.

2. There is a lot of talk about how kegs tend to breed. If I found myself in the situation of having say 4 kegs but only gas and taps for 2, once the beer has carbed in the keg is it ok to switch the beer and gas lines to which ever keg I'm wanting to drink from or do you need gas and taps for each keg?

I have 12 kegs and 4 taps. I have a sodastream regulator (and sodastream refill adapter for the cylinders) so when I fill a new keg I attach the sodastream reg to carbonate it in a separate fridge. I swap the kegs from the fridge to my keezer whenever I fancy a change of beer.

 

[samale]

Not sure how long... 1 week definitely no problem, you could probably have it over a month without issue. If you were worried about it you can just pour 100ml or so and pour it down the sink.


I have 12 kegs and 4 taps. I have a sodastream regulator (and sodastream refill adapter for the cylinders) so when I fill a new keg I attach the sodastream reg to carbonate it in a separate fridge. I swap the kegs from the fridge to my keezer whenever I fancy a change of beer.

When you say a soda stream refill adapter, do you refill from your main co2 bottle. I am interested in this

 

[Gerryjo]

When you say a soda stream refill adapter, do you refill from your main co2 bottle. I am interested in this

I have refilled my own soda stream cannister using an adapter from Amazon and it's not to bad though must get the mini regulator for it.My keezer is set for three but can store 5 kegs and when in use I just keep the kegs on gas but can swap over kegs if I want to change to another without issue.If I leave it for a few days I would normally discard the first 100ml from the line pour then continue as normal but do disassemble after a while to thoroughly clean the taps and lines.

 

[Harbey]

Thanks for the replies. So I'm correct in thinking that once the keg has carbed, I can serve some beer then remove it from the gas if needed?

 

[Stewart Brewing]

Thanks for the replies. So I'm correct in thinking that once the keg has carbed, I can serve some beer then remove it from the gas if needed?

Hi Harbey,
I have been kegging for a few months. once carbonated you can remove the gas / regulator if required. You will probably have to reattach the gas after you have dispensed some beer. After may be 4 pints you will notice the beer flow will slow down.
Also remember that the gas pressure inside the keg pushes the lid closed compressing the o ring so you want to keep some pressure in the keg at all times while dispensing.
Cheers.

 

[Harbey]

Brilliant. Thanks for that. Looking forward to getting started and no doubt have more questions before long.

 

[AnimatedGIF]

Sorry. I know there are plenty of keg threads out there already but I didn't want to muscle in on someone else's with my own questions.

So far... 2 kegs, gas, taps etc all ready (well bought but not yet assembled). Brew done and in the fermenting fridge (although not started fermenting after 48hrs which is a bit of a concern). It's all fine I'm sure and I think I know what and how I'm doing.

A couple of questions for now though:
1. After serving a few beers, how long can you then leave the beer in the line? Is it ok to have a pint then not have another for a week without cleaning the line?
2. There is a lot of talk about how kegs tend to breed. If I found myself in the situation of having say 4 kegs but only gas and taps for 2, once the beer has carbed in the keg is it ok to switch the beer and gas lines to which ever keg I'm wanting to drink from or do you need gas and taps for each keg?

I'm sure I'll have plenty more questions as things move on.

1. I leave mine for over a week at a time as, as far as I am concerned, it is a "sealed system" from the keg to the tap, so provided the lines were sanitary before using, they should still be ok when full of beer, in the same way a keg would be.
2. I often have a couple of kegs knocking around the garage that have been purged thencarbed up. Once I need/want one of them, I just hook it up to gas and tap, no problem.
I have bought a couple of deluxe party taps and they work great. I got them for ease of use and price.

 

[The Baron]

I leave beer in my lines over a week sometimes, I know the purists say no and are correct but I have 4 taps and virtually only me that drinks it and at that only 2 or 3 times a weeks so it gets left in the lines. If I am in doubt I just pull and throw the first bit the proceed to pull as normal, not good practice but I have never had a bad pint through it yet.
I also swap taps from barrel to barrel and the same with the gas lines which I turn off in between pulling just in case I get a leak( I have left the gas on and lost it before).
All cornies have obviously a co2 blanket over the beer so it will last indefinitely

 

[Mush59]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and just ready to try my first keg of Pils, I started to carbonate at 10 psi and got some advise on here to up it to 20 psi. I will be away on Sunday for 2 weeks and just wanted to try it before I go. What do I do when leaving it for 2 weeks, reading other posts I think I would have to remove the beer line and do I just leave the co2 bottle connected at the delivery pressure of 8 psi. The keg is in a fridge and the beer was kegged on the 30th Dec, or should I sit on my hands and leave it carbonating at a reduced psi till I'm home . I have also got a Muntons old English bitter that will be ready to keg tomorrow which I will just seal the lid, purge and leave in the fridge till I get home, I started home brewing March last year and been bottling and I must say, everything I've brewed has been very drinkable.
Sorry for the long post but worried I may ruin what I've been looking so much to trying.

 

[Harbey]

So I managed to assemble all the parts (there seemed a lot of bits) and got kegs, gas and taps connected up yesterday. I need to check connections and do a bit of fettling still but I'm happy that I'm well on the way. I also have 20L of pale cold crashing so should be good to transfer by the weekend. As predicted, I've stumbled across a few more questions for those of you with a lot more experience...
1. As the keg pulls beer from the bottom of the keg, how does it avoid pulling up any sediment? I'm assuming the beer pipe is slightly off the bottom?
2. When connecting any screw on fittings do you use anything to help seal? I'm thinking PTFE? I also saw a video with someone using food grade vasoline on the push fits - is that common practice?
3. I see lots of pics of co2 in the fridge - is that necessary? How does co2 temp affect anything?
4. I've been tentatively looking at beer line length which seems more complicated than I expected. Am I correct in thinking longer line = less foam?
Many thanks for any help and input on these.

 

[jayk34]

So I managed to assemble all the parts (there seemed a lot of bits) and got kegs, gas and taps connected up yesterday. I need to check connections and do a bit of fettling still but I'm happy that I'm well on the way. I also have 20L of pale cold crashing so should be good to transfer by the weekend. As predicted, I've stumbled across a few more questions for those of you with a lot more experience...
1. As the keg pulls beer from the bottom of the keg, how does it avoid pulling up any sediment? I'm assuming the beer pipe is slightly off the bottom?
2. When connecting any screw on fittings do you use anything to help seal? I'm thinking PTFE? I also saw a video with someone using food grade vasoline on the push fits - is that common practice?
3. I see lots of pics of co2 in the fridge - is that necessary? How does co2 temp affect anything?
4. I've been tentatively looking at beer line length which seems more complicated than I expected. Am I correct in thinking longer line = less foam?
Many thanks for any help and input on these.

I can only answer no.2 as I asked that very recently and the answer is no your don't require PTFE on the screw fittings ( if you are talking about the John guest screw fittings attached to the ball lock disconnect and the fittings in the taps).

Good luck

 

[Rodcx500z]

No2 no ptfe or vasoline, no4 it took me 2 days to sort out my line lenth, don't forget to check all connections with soapy water when it is up and running, touch wood i have had no leaks in nearly a year

 

[Cheshire Cat]

No 4
3/16” ID tubing less than a metre long should do the trick.

 

[Harbey]

Thanks all. @Cheshire Cat , so would you say start at about a metre and then reduce? And am I correct in thinking longer = less foam?

 

[jayk34]

Thanks all. @Cheshire Cat , so would you say start at about a metre and then reduce? And am I correct in thinking longer = less foam?

Might be safer to start longer than a metre as you can cut bits off but harder to add bits on if the metre is too short. I am attempting this at the weekend.

 

[Rodcx500z]

I started with 2m and still have slightly more than a metre but i now have a good pour, as above you can take but cant add

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Thanks all. @Cheshire Cat , so would you say start at about a metre and then reduce? And am I correct in thinking longer = less foam?

If a metre works then stick with it, but ID is the critical factor.

 

[Harbey]

Well, I have 6m of 3/16 line for two kegs/taps. I am planning that eventually I'll have a pale on one and the other will be for a variety of other beer types (though generally higher carbed than the pale). I have looked at beer line calculators but there are such a lot of variables to consider I'm reaching the conclusion that a bit of trial and error is inevitable?

 

[jayk34]

Well, I have 6m of 3/16 line for two kegs/taps. I am planning that eventually I'll have a pale on one and the other will be for a variety of other beer types (though generally higher carbed than the pale). I have looked at beer line calculators but there are such a lot of variables to consider I'm reaching the conclusion that a bit of trial and error is inevitable?

It does sound like trial and error. There is a formula to work out line length based on the diameter of beer line and I will be starting with that and adding on a margin of error before reducing the line to suit. The line that came with my keg starter kit is 3m 3/16" beer line and when i tried to get a beer from that, it came out as a trickle. Would have taken quite a while to fill a glass art that rate.