Easy Keg 5L

[rodabod]

Mark, I reckon you could use 8g cartridges with a simple adapter. I saw a 3D printed one online.

 

[Labowner]

Mark, I reckon you could use 8g cartridges with a simple adapter. I saw a 3D printed one online.

I've been looking to see if I could get an adapter although I reckon duct tape and a few washers might so the trick

 

[Leon103]

My kit from Leyland came with 4 grey bungs with the punchable stopper for the party tap, plus 3 of the red/black, air intake bungs (like the ones on the kegs in the shops). Plus 3 of the dust stopper plugs for storing the empty kegs.

Extra bungs wouldn't be a bad thing but all the bungs can be recycled. Just starting out with my kit, still waiting for beer to condition before using the tap for the first time - waiting is hard !

Maybe some extra 16g CO2 bulbs would be a useful thing to have in the back of the cupboard - you do get a pack with the kit though.

Thanks. I noticed the wife has ordered. Got a few extra bungs and some Fuggles and EKG.

I drove up to Geterbrewed and got 2 mini kegs but then I spotted 2 x Hobgoblin Gold on Amazon for ��£28 with free delivery. Not a saving over Tesco but you can't buy these anywhere in NI (that I'm aware of). I've now 4 of these kegs to try out. Fortunately I've a brew ready to bottle so I'll try out the 2 that I bought in Geterbrewed.

I'd still love to find a tap that can take 8gm bulbs so I can inject Nitrogen.

I noticed Iceland sell Hob gold for £13.99

 

[GlentoranMark]

I don't think any Iceland stores in NI have an off license attached? I checked all the major supermarkets over here and couldn't find them.

They were £14 on Amazon but you had to buy 2 for free delivery. I don't mind buying 2 every so often to build up a collection, assuming they work. If someone can get a tap with 8g bulbs working then I'll invest in a tap. It seems the easiest and cheapest way to inject Nitrogen rather than going the expense of buying a bottle and regulator.

I notice that Tesco's were selling these hobgoblin gold kegs for £7 last week on the mainland.

 

[Labowner]

I drove up to Geterbrewed and got 2 mini kegs but then I spotted 2 x Hobgoblin Gold on Amazon for ���£28 with free delivery. Not a saving over Tesco but you can't buy these anywhere in NI (that I'm aware of). I've now 4 of these kegs to try out. Fortunately I've a brew ready to bottle so I'll try out the 2 that I bought in Geterbrewed.

I'd still love to find a tap that can take 8gm bulbs so I can inject Nitrogen.

Found 16g Nitrogen but they are out of stock, if they can get them there must be other suppliers too.
16g Nitrogen

 

[clibit]

I've just finished an easy keg of OSH that was given to me as a present. Might try filling the keg. Do I need to replace anything?

While I'm here, does anybody like OSH? From a mini keg? Was bloody hard work getting through it, with the help of several mates! Dull as dish water...

 

[Labowner]

I've just finished an easy keg of OSH that was given to me as a present. Might try filling the keg. Do I need to replace anything?

While I'm here, does anybody like OSH? From a mini keg? Was bloody hard work getting through it, with the help of several mates! Dull as dish water...

I think the original air release bung on the top gets damaged when you remove it so you may want to replace it. Only cost pence and ready available at leyland or other sites. Of course you could go the whole hog and replace it with the grey tapping bungs and get a party star tap :twisted:. Bit more expensive but hopefully worth it as I've bought one and am just waiting on yesterdays brew to fill the barrels and try it :)

I like OSH but I dunno I'd want a keg of it an odd bottle here and there.

 

[Spapro]

I've just finished an easy keg of OSH that was given to me as a present. Might try filling the keg. Do I need to replace anything?

While I'm here, does anybody like OSH? From a mini keg? Was bloody hard work getting through it, with the help of several mates! Dull as dish water...

You can re-use everything - I've just done it with an OSH mini-keg from Morrisons.

To remove the top bung:
1. pull the red twist bit off just by pulling it upwards
2. use the handle end of a spoon to push the red inner piece into the minikeg
3. remove the black rubber bung just by bprizing it up - mine came up and off without the need to use a tool of any kind.
4. pop some water into the mini keg and empty out to retrieve the red piece you pushed into the keg in step 2.

The bung pieces can be re-assembled for re-use as long as you haven't damaged anything getting it out !

rinse out well with warm water, including the tap at the bottom, then store with some starsan solution in until you ready to refil.

 

[Bevvied]

I found the OSH from the kegs to be as flat as a super models belly after a couple of pints. I would have liked a little bit more, guess it isn't possible. I thought the carb level was to a Stout level. Or how I like Stout carbed anyway. I know what you mean about lacking flavour too clibit, I was expecting more.

I do wonder if supermarket kegs will become the new grolsch flip top. Purchased primarily just to reuse the container that the beer comes in.

Gotta say, thanks everyone for contributing to this thread. I've gone from asking if anyone has ever used one of the easy kegs to having bought a tap-a-draft system, some mini kegs, some supermarket kegs. And for Christmas am getting a party star deluxe tap and more kegs and four more tap a draft bottles.
Ridiculous really as I didn't originally want to be messing about with CO2!

 

[clibit]

You can re-use everything - I've just done it with an OSH mini-keg from Morrisons.

To remove the top bung:
1. pull the red twist bit off just by pulling it upwards
2. use the handle end of a spoon to push the red inner piece into the minikeg
3. remove the black rubber bung just by bprizing it up - mine came up and off without the need to use a tool of any kind.
4. pop some water into the mini keg and empty out to retrieve the red piece you pushed into the keg in step 2.

The bung pieces can be re-assembled for re-use as long as you haven't damaged anything getting it out !

rinse out well with warm water, including the tap at the bottom, then store with some starsan solution in until you ready to refil.

Brilliant Spapro, cheers. :thumb:

 

[rodabod]

bought a tap-a-draft system

How is the tap a draft going?

 

[Leon103]

What is OSH?

 

[GlentoranMark]

What is OSH?

Old Speckled Hen, I think

 

[Leon103]

Ah right. Never been a fan of it.

 

[Leon103]

My kegs have arrived and the wife has hidden them. I did notice that the box was rather light. I have chemipro oxi santizer is this any good for when used legs aren't in use?

 

[Spapro]

My kegs have arrived and the wife has hidden them. I did notice that the box was rather light. I have chemipro oxi santizer is this any good for when used legs aren't in use?

Not sure Leon, I would add some starsan no rinse to your christmas list - once used, never go back !

 

[MyQul]

Not sure Leon, I would add some starsan no rinse to your christmas list - once used, never go back !

+1

For three years in my case and the bottle is still half empty/full

 

[Bevvied]

How is the tap a draft going?

It's not seen any action as of yet.
Three of the four bottles are filled with a Coopers Stout and conditioning at the moment. I'll give that a hammering come Christmas time.
I'll report back then.
It's already clear that there are some advantages to it over mini-kegs, likewise some disadvantages too.
In it's favour are ease of cleaning/sterilizing the bottles. Unlike a keg, you can see what's what with the bottles. Also the bottles have four feet like dimples on their side so that the bottles can sit easily on a fridge shelf or side somewhere, without rolling around. The bottles are also (apparently) capable of taking a hefty priming dose if making a brew that suits a lot of carbonation.

At the moment, without actually using it, the disadvantages I've seen are thus. It cannot stand upright of its own accord. The bottom of the bottles are slightly rounded you see. The problem I see with that is that if the brew is left to carb up/condition with the bottles standing 'correctly' on its' feet, then any gunk will collect along the bottom in the exact place that the tap draws the beer from via a plastic tubing. I've obviously not tried it yet, but it may be a problem, I don't know. I was thinking of conditioning the Stout with the bottles upright, in their box. I decided not to in the end as when the bottles then went horizontal, unless the crap was tightly compacted, as the Stout level dropped, I thought there'd be a possibility that the gunk would collapse
into the Stout. That's all purely theory of course. I'd appreciate opinions on that...
Two obvious disadvantages are that the instructions say to use the CO2 canister well in advance of drinking, day before type of thing. Not ideal if a sudden session springs to mind. Secondly, once a canister is used, it's used. The party star doo dar allows partial use I believe and the tap can be moved from empty keg to full one without loss of CO2.
I've not actually used either yet, an ale is conditioning in mini-kegs and a stout in the tap-a-draft bottles, but will defo report back once I've used both with my opinions of each.

 

[Leon103]

I will add some star San to my HBC order now.

 

[Leon103]

+1

For three years in my case and the bottle is still half empty/full

What size bottle do you have?