Easy Keg 5L

[houndeye]

hi.i've got one of those party star deluxe taps.i take it they don't need that much sugar to prime keg ?

 

[Spapro]

I added 12g sugar per 5L keg. That will give you 1.5 volumes of CO2 (more like a british cask ale).

I used 10g 'ish' of Tate and Lyle kitchen sugar per 5l minikeg. Primed and filled 3 minikegs but too early to try them - doing my best to leave them alone until Christmas. Used that amount as its just under half what I would normally add for priming 5l of ale for bottles. Hope its about right.

 

[MyQul]

I used 10g 'ish' of Tate and Lyle kitchen sugar per 5l minikeg. Primed and filled 3 minikegs but too early to try them - doing my best to leave them alone until Christmas. Used that amount as its just under half what I would normally add for priming 5l of ale for bottles. Hope its about right.

I keep reading you need to prime about half what you would prime bottles. So I (batch) prime my kegs at 2.5g/L as I usuall prime my bottles at 5g/L. So that works out at 12.5g. I wont know what this will turn out like till the last week of december when I'll be tucking into my first mini keg of mild

 

[Spapro]

I keep reading you need to prime about half what you would prime bottles. So I (batch) prime my kegs at 2.5g/L as I usuall prime my bottles at 5g/L. So that works out at 12.5g. I wont know what this will turn out like till the last week of december when I'll be tucking into my first mini keg of mild

Ive read somewhere to go 1/3rd of bottling sugar for minikegs and then other places read use 1/2 like you mention - I'd normally use 4.5g per litre for bottling and ale so somewhere between 10g-12g sounds about right.

Let me know how your 12.5g per keg works out for carbonation level.

 

[MyQul]

Ive read somewhere to go 1/3rd of bottling sugar for minikegs and then other places read use 1/2 like you mention - I'd normally use 4.5g per litre for bottling and ale so somewhere between 10g-12g sounds about right.

Let me know how your 12.5g per keg works out for carbonation level.

Will do. Although 2.5g/L is certainly quite low for bottles as I've tried on or two of the same batch that was bottled. But I understand it some how carb's up 'more' in a mini keg

 

[Motorhomebrew]

Happy birthday for wednesday!

Would be very interested to see what you think of the party star deluxe kit. Is it worth the extra expense? From my terrible maths you are paying about £40 for the tap dispenser, is it really worth that when the mini kegs already have a tap at the bottom?

It is absolutely worth it. Iv been mini kegging for some time and using a CO2 tap. The pint you get from one using a CO2 TAP is beautiful. Top creamy head. Check out my threads you'll find a few pics

 

[Motorhomebrew]

hi.i've got one of those party star deluxe taps.i take it they don't need that much sugar to prime keg ?

I do brew lagers and prime a keg at 3 to 4 teaspoons.

 

[houndeye]

hi.thanks for the info.next silly question.is that heaped or level teaspoon?

 

[Halfacrem]

hi.thanks for the info.next silly question.is that heaped or level teaspoon?

Probably best to weigh sugar for better accuracy. Looks like around 12 grams or so of sugar, if using a Party Star tap :thumb:

 

[Motorhomebrew]

hi.thanks for the info.next silly question.is that heaped or level teaspoon?

Personally I go for a in the middle tea spoon meaning not heaped but not level. That's from my experience. But it all depends on the beer your going to be drinking. For ales id go for a little less sugar.

 

[Labowner]

Calculated it using beersmith carbonation of 2.0 was 12.5g corn sugar. Three kegs filled with hoppy apa and 10 bottles with around 2.5g each (need more precise scales). Fingers crossed I'll be drinking it Christmas day :)

 

[pms67]

Im picking up a 5l minikeg today from Fallen Brewing at Kippen.
Platform C is an IPA and i hear its vey nice indeed.
Im sure the owner was a homebrewer so i may pick up some advice as well

 

[Leon103]

My mate just picked up a mini keg and will keep it for me once drunk. One if the rammy craft kegs from rams bottom. I may ask him to get me one, their brews look interesting

 

[brumbrew]

I've dropping in and out of this thread as I've been using these recycled mini kegs for quite some time now.

What I will say for those opening them at Christmas dont be surprised if the first pint is foamy.

Getting a good pour out of one of these is a little art in itself but my visitors have never complained at a sample glass (of foam) is served before there lovely pint. :-)

 

[GlentoranMark]

My first pour spat out along with yeast but my next few pints were great. I love these, their just the right size and great for parties and giving them to friends instead of a bottle.

 

[brumbrew]

My first pour spat out along with yeast but my next few pints were great. I love these, their just the right size and great for parties and giving them to friends instead of a bottle.

Strange.

I've never had yeast come out of these until it's almost empty and most likely been moved out the way or knocked over :-(

Don't ask.

I think the greater pressure helps compact the yeast. As I always thought;

The tap is the bottom. With not much dead space. It's going to be full of yeast.

The tap inside drains from the top. (Hole is facing the bung)

I only know this because my friend primed a keg of wheat beer with way to much honey. (Hes New

I've tried to get the pics off him as I said on like page 2! Lol

but there on instragram or something..... I'm confused too. However he blew the bottom clean off!

I'd say priming with any amount within normal tolarance would be fine. The kegs will be safety rated for double the pressure or something like that. So only the risk of foamy sweet beer.

Jut to add. He put a jar of honey in each keg if I remember correctly. Either way it was way way to much!

 

[Motorhomebrew]

I've dropping in and out of this thread as I've been using these recycled mini kegs for quite some time now.

What I will say for those opening them at Christmas dont be surprised if the first pint is foamy.

Getting a good pour out of one of these is a little art in itself but my visitors have never complained at a sample glass (of foam) is served before there lovely pint. :-)

This is just my observation of using these keys for quite a long while now. You Have to treat these little kegs just like the big real ones. If your going to use them you need to allow the beer inside to settle so yes their great to take to friends houses for parties etc but you have to be so gentle with them while getting them their or you will end up with a pint of foam along with a possible cloudy beer depending on how well packed your yeast is at the bottom of the keg. You cant handle these keys roughly. For instance when I want to drink one of my kegs I lay one in the freezer for 4 hours and then put it in the fridge but as iv moved the keg in such a way even though iv done it gently theirs a high chance iv aggravated the yeast at the bottom and so I leave it in the fridge ready to dispense so I don't have to move it again for about 6 hours. This way I end up with a crystal clear pint an no foamy beer. Better still put your keg in the fridge the day before drinking. I only stick one in the freezer to crash chill it. Also to prevent a foamy pint the keg MUST be cold. Colder the better. So to conclude, treat the keg like a real one. If your going to move it be gentle and if you move it allow it time to settle. This could be several hours if not over night.

 

[keat64]

I've been watching this thread, and quite like the idea of the mini keg.
Still i don't like the idea of disturbing the sediment.
Has anyone used one of these to transfer clear settled beer from a pressure barrel, for a short journey to a party etc.

 

[Motorhomebrew]

I've been watching this thread, and quite like the idea of the mini keg.
Still i don't like the idea of disturbing the sediment.
Has anyone used one of these to transfer clear settled beer from a pressure barrel, for a short journey to a party etc.

Yes me. You just have to be careful not to let the keg tip over on the journey or let it get thrashed around.

 

[brumbrew]

Yes me. You just have to be careful not to let the keg tip over on the journey or let it get thrashed around.

Hmmm.

May have to try this.