Easy Keg 5L

[MickDundee]

After Wednesday night's bottle bomb, SWMBO has banned glass bottles from the house (unless they are in our, usually packed, fridge).

Rather than waiting until my birthday and getting all the gear in a oner, I've bought an easy keg from Brew Uk on eBay (£7.99 delivered) to see how I like it. My Steam beer that I plan to brew next weekend will be split between this and the Coopers PET bottles that were used for my first ever brew last summer then shoved in a box and forgotten about (I have 39 of them [a friend was given a bottle of Wherry then recycled the bottle rather than giving it back to me] but missing a cap for one)

I'll then ask my parents for a mini keg set up for my birthday (either a Party Star with a mini fridge, or I'll taken one for the team and go for a Klarstein machine because it'll take up less space in the kitchen - they still haven't got back to me) and buy some new PETs then probably abandon glass completely.

When we do our house extension in 2018 I'll try to persuade her to let me switch to corny kegs and a kegerator provided our planned utility room will give me enough space (we'll have a fridge going spare by then so I'm hopeful)

 

[MyQul]

After Wednesday night's bottle bomb, SWMBO has banned glass bottles from the house (unless they are in our, usually packed, fridge).

Rather than waiting until my birthday and getting all the gear in a oner, I've bought an easy keg from Brew Uk on eBay (����£7.99 delivered) to see how I like it. My Steam beer that I plan to brew next weekend will be split between this and the Coopers PET bottles that were used for my first ever brew last summer then shoved in a box and forgotten about (I have 39 of them [a friend was given a bottle of Wherry then recycled the bottle rather than giving it back to me] but missing a cap for one)

I'll then ask my parents for a mini keg set up for my birthday (either a Party Star with a mini fridge, or I'll taken one for the team and go for a Klarstein machine because it'll take up less space in the kitchen - they still haven't got back to me) and buy some new PETs then probably abandon glass completely.

When we do our house extension in 2018 I'll try to persuade her to let me switch to corny kegs and a kegerator provided our planned utility room will give me enough space (we'll have a fridge going spare by then so I'm hopeful)

I think you'll be happy with the MK's. I bought some more recently and am considering buy another 4 to take me up to 12. What I like about them is they're so 'storable'. You can squirrel them away in any corner of the house you have. They're really usefull if you live in a smallish flat like me. I have about 200 bottle but no more spare space for more capacity. But with MK's I can get more brews going/conditioning cuz I can put mini kegs everywhere :party:

I'd advise the party star tap though, even though I don't have/use one

 

[MickDundee]

I think you'll be happy with the MK's. I bought some more recently and am considering buy another 4 to take me up to 12. What I like about them is they're so 'storable'. You can squirrel them away in any corner of the house you have. They're really usefull if you live in a smallish flat like me. I have about 200 bottle but no more spare space for more capacity. But with MK's I can get more brews going/conditioning cuz I can put mini kegs everywhere :party:

I'd advise the party star tap though, even though I don't have/use one

It certainly is most popular on here, but I have very little room in the fridge to chill it, although I could get a jacket for it if I don't want to buy a mini fridge specifically for my keg. I'd rather just get an all in one unit but they are difficult to find, and even more difficult to find ones that have been reviewed anywhere.

 

[MyQul]

It certainly is most popular on here, but I have very little room in the fridge to chill it, although I could get a jacket for it if I don't want to buy a mini fridge specifically for my keg. I'd rather just get an all in one unit but they are difficult to find, and even more difficult to find ones that have been reviewed anywhere.

You could just not chill your keg and use some plastic ice cubes in the glass. I sometimes use these when I've forgotten to chill a bottle I want to drink or Mrs MQ has filled the fridge with useless stuff like food.
I vaguely remember someone saying that you need to chill your MKs or you just get loads of foam. I'm not sure how true this is as I alway chill my MK's for at least 24 hours and have never opened one at room temp

 

[Leon103]

The one I opened was only chilled by leaving it outside the back door. No foam but it did lose pressure after 3 pints and I had to revert to the bottom tap

 

[stephenmanuel]

My advice: forget corny kegs. More trouble than they are worth. I have two and shan't be using them again. Mini kegs are MUCH better value and much better to use in so many ways.

 

[VillageBrew]

Proof that commercial mini-/ easy-kegs can be used with party star tap! Amazed at how easy it was.

 

[Wabby]

Im looking into this method for my new setup (new to HB).

Is there a DIY method that works instead of buying the party star deluxe?

My only issue with the party star deluxe is that I would need one for each keg I wish to tap at a time, and I can buy a proper tap setup for the same price .. So was thinking about exploring the possibility of DIY version that can connect to a proper tap on front of fridge ... either using separate Co2 canisters as the party star deluxe or with a splitter and a small co2 tank ...

Anybody any pointers that has done this / explored this in the past?

 

[MickDundee]

Im looking into this method for my new setup (new to HB).

Is there a DIY method that works instead of buying the party star deluxe?

My only issue with the party star deluxe is that I would need one for each keg I wish to tap at a time, and I can buy a proper tap setup for the same price .. So was thinking about exploring the possibility of DIY version that can connect to a proper tap on front of fridge ... either using separate Co2 canisters as the party star deluxe or with a splitter and a small co2 tank ...

Anybody any pointers that has done this / explored this in the past?

If that's what you want and you have room for the extra fridge, you're better going down the corny keg route.

Mini kegs are only 5litres (just under 9 pints) so there's not really much point in having numerous open at one time.

 

[stephenmanuel]

How much beer can you drink? The deluxe taps are about £44. If you drink 5 litres before moving on to the next type, you only need one tap. You can drink several varieties as long as you drink the whole 5 litres. If you want to offer your friends two or three types you'll need two or three taps. With a corny keg you get away with one tap it is true but then there is the expense and hassle of a pub CO2 bottle to deal with and corny kegs are expensive and need much more attention. I have two mini keg deluxe taps and that works for me. If you have a "session" you can get through a few varieties with two taps.

 

[Leon103]

If you are going to drink he while keg in one go you can use the built in tap

 

[Wabby]

Going to make a DIY tap for this and will post my results once completed :)

 

[MickDundee]

Anyone ordered Easykegs from Brew UK before? Mine arrived yesterday and I'm a bit disappointed with the way it was packaged. A very flimsy bit of corrugated paper around it then stuffed into an undersized box which was absolutely bulging at the seams. It was sent Royal Mail too so they are lucky the posties didn't manage to dent it!

I think I'll try Leyland or someone next time I'm ordering kegs. It's a shame because BUKs communication was so good, and the keg went out of stock so they sent it 24hr delivery instead of 2nd class when it came in.

As far as the keg goes, I'm impressed. It's quite sturdy and takes up about the same amount of shelf space as 4 bottles. Depending how my steam beer turns out I think I'm converted (don't know when I'm going to get it brewed though due to my football team being on the telly 3 weekends in a row and we have tickets to Hairy Maclary live next Sunday afternoon, ingredients are all sitting ready - hoping my wife has arranged for my in laws to come around tomorrow rather than us going to them then I can brew in the background)

 

[Leon103]

Similar packaging to leyland but I had a few of them in a box. No issues though, would have taken a serious accident to damage them

 

[MyQul]

Anyone ordered Easykegs from Brew UK before? Mine arrived yesterday and I'm a bit disappointed with the way it was packaged. A very flimsy bit of corrugated paper around it then stuffed into an undersized box which was absolutely bulging at the seams. It was sent Royal Mail too so they are lucky the posties didn't manage to dent it!

I think I'll try Leyland or someone next time I'm ordering kegs. It's a shame because BUKs communication was so good, and the keg went out of stock so they sent it 24hr delivery instead of 2nd class when it came in.

As far as the keg goes, I'm impressed. It's quite sturdy and takes up about the same amount of shelf space as 4 bottles. Depending how my steam beer turns out I think I'm converted (don't know when I'm going to get it brewed though due to my football team being on the telly 3 weekends in a row and we have tickets to Hairy Maclary live next Sunday afternoon, ingredients are all sitting ready - hoping my wife has arranged for my in laws to come around tomorrow rather than us going to them then I can brew in the background)

I've got all my 8 MK's from brew UK and have been happy with the packaging. Like yours their was corregated paper around them but the box they came in was easily big enough to fit the 4 at a time I bought.

There great arent' they? Even though they take up the space of 4 bottles (2L) they contain 5L of beer so you can store more beer in a smaller area. This is why I like them. As I've only got enough bottle space for 3 brews worth, with the my 8 MK's I've got an extra 2 brews worth. I can then just tuck them away in different places around the flat. I can also lager 5L in my fridge which would normally take 15 of my usual 330ml bottles, which I'm sure Mrs MQ wouldn't be too pleased about if I tried to put that many bottles in there

 

[Brew_DD2]

Received mine yesterday and they came packaged well. They seem to re-use boxes they have from things they've ordered in. Bit of a shame they stuffed yours into a small box, but at least there was no harm done.

Will need to re-read this thread for some tips on priming.

 

[MyQul]

Received mine yesterday and they came packaged well. They seem to re-use boxes they have from things they've ordered in. Bit of a shame they stuffed yours into a small box, but at least there was no harm done.

Will need to re-read this thread for some tips on priming.

Others have said prime it at half your normal amout. I normally prime at 5g/L at 2.5g/L the priming was too low (even for me) so the last time I primed my kegs I did it at 4g/L (20g per keg). Even though I haven't opened one yet, they seem fine, no distending of the kegs or anything

 

[Brew_DD2]

Great advice. I think I'd rather over carbonate in the keg anyway. Obviously not to the point of it bursting at the seems but they lose a bit of carbonation with each pour.

Depending on how long it takes you to get through a keg :)

 

[MickDundee]

Others have said prime it at half your normal amout. I normally prime at 5g/L at 2.5g/L the priming was too low (even for me) so the last time I primed my kegs I did it at 4g/L (20g per keg). Even though I haven't opened one yet, they seem fine, no distending of the kegs or anything

The BUK website suggests 20g per keg so you should be fine. That's what I'll go with for my first brew because Anchor Steam Beer is quite fizzy anyway. I might invest in a pressure valve or 2 when I buy more kegs since I'm planning a wheat beer in the summer and they are more highly carbonated.

Next year I'll have a go at some real ale type recipes from the Gaham Wheeler book and will carbonate them a lot less.

 

[MyQul]

The BUK website suggests 20g per keg so you should be fine. That's what I'll go with for my first brew because Anchor Steam Beer is quite fizzy anyway. I might invest in a pressure valve or 2 when I buy more kegs since I'm planning a wheat beer in the summer and they are more highly carbonated.

Next year I'll have a go at some real ale type recipes from the Gaham Wheeler book and will carbonate them a lot less.

20g isn't actually that much it's 4g/L. I don't like my beers carbonated too highly so usually prime at 5g/L (about the recommended amount for British ale styles) . I think if you wanted a really fizzy beer you'd need the party star tap becuase if you tried to prime the keg at lager carb levels you may risk blowing your kegs up