Easy Keg 5L

[hacksaw065]

https://www.ampulla.co.uk/Shop-For-Aluminium/Beer-Kegs/c-1-168-310/
this is who i use

 

[Noodles]

Thought I'd share what happened to one of my better brews, warm weather is not a friend to this easy keg . 5l's of black sticky goo being mopped up from the loft. May have to consider a safer place to store the rest

 

[entertheflagon]

You could have a rat problem. They'll gnaw through anything.

 

[Noodles]

You could have a rat problem. They'll gnaw through anything.

If we have then they certainly have a drink problem..... The problem is they are drinking mine

 

[entertheflagon]

Twas a joke of course.
But poignant when I think of the nightmare infestation I had last year. They ate through the electric cables, the internet cables etc, got to the point where I'd stay on the stairs with a gun one night waiting! Apparently they can eat through steel plate!
The bastards ate a sack of malt and I eventually found the hole about the waste pipe they came in on and got them with a 50/50 mix of flour and plaster of Paris, tried everything else!

 

[Noodles]

Twas a joke of course.
But poignant when I think of the nightmare infestation I had last year. They ate through the electric cables, the internet cables etc, got to the point where I'd stay on the stairs with a gun one night waiting! Apparently they can eat through steel plate!
The bastards ate a sack of malt and I eventually found the hole about the waste pipe they came in on and got them with a 50/50 mix of flour and plaster of Paris, tried everything else!

Can't say I've ever had rats, but have chased after a mouse, polyfillering any hole I could see, and randomly bashing where I thought it may be with a mallet (still not sure if I wanted to hit it). Ended up just hoping it would just go away of its own accord

 

[entertheflagon]

Rats are a total nightmare. Neighbors keep chickens so plenty of them but they can give you a nervous breakdown.
I've lived in a place with wolves taking cats at night but these bastards are worse!
Took me over 2 months to be sure they'd gone and they caused hundreds in damage. Ended up with a re-wire job, threw out enough food to feed a continent, still get shivers thinking about it.
They actually took a raven in a chimney pot by going up the cavity wall!
Monsters that you even need to wear masks to clean up about, hunters virus etc,.
People have moved house because of them.
A burst keg is nothing!

 

[MrRock]

warm weather is not a friend to this easy keg

I had the same thing happen during the summer last year, fortunately it managed to flip itself onto the top, so the damage was limited, it must have been quite an explosion!

I checked the others at the same time and a few were bulging around the bottom, so they went in the fridge and were consumed hastily.

Rats are a total nightmare. Neighbors keep chickens

I also have rats & chickens, but they're all pets so are lovely and cute. Haven't seen any wild rats around fortunately.

 

[entertheflagon]

I had the same thing happen during the summer last year, fortunately it managed to flip itself onto the top, so the damage was limited, it must have been quite an explosion!

I checked the others at the same time and a few were bulging around the bottom, so they went in the fridge and were consumed hastily.



I also have rats & chickens, but they're all pets so are lovely and cute. Haven't seen any wild rats around fortunately.

Maybe they all migrated South to Me!

 

[Pinter]

I'm completely surprised that the minikegs would blow like that - would expect the bung to blow off first!

 

[Pearlfisher]

Anyone know if these would fit/work on a 5L Minikeg? https://www.brewsmarter.co.uk/hb-safety-cork-1546-p.asp

 

[MickDundee]

Anyone know if these would fit/work on a 5L Minikeg? https://www.brewsmarter.co.uk/hb-safety-cork-1546-p.asp

I don’t think so, but you can get these which do the same thing:
https://www.brewstore.co.uk/minikeg-two-way-bung-with-pressure-safety-release-valve?___SID=U

 

[Pearlfisher]

Thanks ,I have some of these but I've just ordered some more minikegs and wondered if the HB stoppers would work as they're considerably cheaper?

 

[Pearlfisher]

I'm completely surprised that the minikegs would blow like that - would expect the bung to blow off first!

I've found that this type of bung https://www.brewsmarter.co.uk/rubber-plug-for-mini-keg-5-litre-1527-p.asp
is almost impossible to remove without destroying it unless you push the plastic middle part out first , I was thinking if the middle part was put in upside down then it would probably just pop out if there became too much pressure in the keg , also it could be removed rather than pushed into the keg when it was time to dispense the beer.

 

[Pinter]

@Pearlfisher these are useful with the party star deluxe style taps - you push the centre into the keg with the feed tube - they aren't designed to work with the built-in tap but as you say you could pull the centre out out & push it back in when not dispensing. There is a risk that carbonation pressure would push the centre out & the beer would go flat.

 

[Oneflewover]

@Pearlfisher these are useful with the party star deluxe style taps - you push the centre into the keg with the feed tube - they aren't designed to work with the built-in tap but as you say you could pull the centre out out & push it back in when not dispensing. There is a risk that carbonation pressure would push the centre out & the beer would go flat.

Exactly what I do. And I have had the centre push (fire out quite spectacularly) under pressure therefore prime very conservatively

 

[Pearlfisher]

Exactly what I do. And I have had the centre push (fire out quite spectacularly) under pressure therefore prime very conservatively

Thanks Ofo , how much sugar to do use to prime please?

 

[private4587]

Very interested in this last comment as currently I am using 12g/keg and i get a lot of foam when coming to use. This happens with all my types of brew. I am reluctant to lower amount incase i am under carbonated but maybe i am being over cautious

 

[Dutto]

Very interested in this last comment as currently I am using 12g/keg and i get a lot of foam when coming to use. This happens with all my types of brew. I am reluctant to lower amount incase i am under carbonated but maybe i am being over cautious

Over cautious? I think that's about spot-on!

Anyone who has had a seal blow out knows that overcarbing a keg is a sure-fire way to watch a lot of your good work disappear.

 

[Hoptimus Prime]

Talking of over carbing ........
I have been using easy kegs for the best part of a year now with no drama, however, the last two kegs I’ve opened have been a nightmare. Masses of foam and the sediment is all churned up so a very soupy pint.. The beer tastes okay but looks horrid.
The two kegs were from different brews : one from December and one from March 19.
I know with the December brew I wasn’t planning to use kegs but changed my mind at the last minute and had already batch primed at 100g sugar for 23l ( so approx 4.4g/l). The March brew ( a golden ale) I primed at 15g per keg. I’ve used 15g previously without the excess foaming and churned up sediment.
The sediment didn’t settle over the week or so I had the keg open for ( party star delux)
Is this an over carb issue ( the kegs didn’t distort) or am I missing something here??
Thanks all