Boots pressure barrel questions (also CO2 questions).

[Berk]

I've got a few questions about using barrels to store beer. I've got two barrels to use, the first is a Wilkos barrel that I purchased last week, the second is my father in laws metal Boots barrel, which I have used before.

Last time I used the Boots barrel, I simply transferred the beer in, primed it with some sugar, and left it at that. A bit of reading around suggests that the beer should remain sufficiently pressurised to pour easily and have some life, my previous brewing attempts saw me tipping the barrel forwards to aid the gravity flow and flat beer.

I think that using CO2 canisters can help with the pressure, but I'm not entirely sure how, or when to use them, or if I can use them with the current barrels/lids. I've also learned that leaving the beer in a cool place after it has primed can help the beer absorb the CO2, which is not something I knew about or did last time, whereas this time I plan to move the barrels in to our cellar to cool.

So is using CO2 to pressurise the barrels necessary in the first place? Would it be advised to do it every time, or just say when the barrel loses pressure and no longer ours freely?

The boots barrel has a large handle on the lid with things at each end. There is a sticky out metal bit at one end that I think is a pressure reliever that opens if the pressure in the barrel gets too high. From this, I infer that the other side of the handle, which is an opening flush to the handle with what appears to be a valve inside, is where the gas canister is used. How does this bit work, do I just shove the nozzle in the hole and press, or do I need another piece of kit to make it work?

I also have a standard Wilkos pressure barrel. I'd just like to confirm what I suspect, that this lid is not suitable for using canisters. When I popped back in to Wilkos the other day, I saw they sold different caps with the attachment for using the canisters, so I believe I would need one of these if I wanted to pressurise this barrel. Would this be correct?

 

[Jeltz]

As Berk is a new member so hasn't reached the required post count post links I've offered to do it for them

Afraid I've not use those type of barrels so I can't help with advise though

 

[joe1002]

This makes it easier :thumb:

 

[Berk]

Thank you (again) for your help, Jeltz.

I didn't realise until I saw the photo on a big screen, just how dusty the barrel was! It's shockingly bad. I'll have to make sure to give it a thorough clean in the next few days.

 

[Berk]

I've got a closer look at the hole for the CO2, if that will help.

Would the canister just be put straight into the hole and pressed in, or would it need one of those plastic cage jobbies that I've seen in Wilkos in their lids for the pressure barrel?

 

[hairybiker]

It would be more likely that you have an injector on the other side the SILVER bit.
Could you post a close up of that.

I modified my barrel about 15 years ago to take an S30 bottle and it is in the same place as your silver bit.
The bit you show is the pressure release.

Boots used to do a sparklets injector for these barrels that went on the same side as the silver bit, but it was more of a tublar item.

 

[Berk]

Ah, okay. I had had a poke and found that the silver bit was spring loaded and could be pulled up slightly, so assumed that was the pressure release, as the excess pressure would push it up, then it would spring back down when the pressure dropped.

I've taken a few closer photos of the silver bit:

Side on view.

Lifted and showing holes around the base.

Slightly blurry shot of the top of the silver bit.

I hope those are helpful, and thank you for having a look for me.

 

[mattyhall22]

I have been given a brown plastic boots barrel (from 1982), I think the silver bit might be the co2 injection port, as mine has a small plastic sprung loaded pressure relief valve as well as the big silver one.

will try and upload some pics in a min :thumb:

 

[mattyhall22]

I would be interested to know which CO2 canister will fit as well :)

 

[Berk]

That would be helpful, cheers.

 

[mattyhall22]

The little black plastic lump on the lid is the pressure release valve :thumb:

 

[Berk]

Okay, cheers so it looks like I might be missing that valve cap, can anyone confirm this?

 

[hairybiker]

If you get one of the OLD SS to S30 adaptors then it will probably fit the injector port. (check it is about 9mm dia)
It has a nipple that should fit into the hole on the port.

As I said your pressure release is on the opposite side the one with the slot in it.