How good are Cornelius kegs?

[Bodysurfer]

How good are Cornelius kegs?

I’ve never used a Cornelius keg. Like everyone I find bottling a PITA. However, everyone has their likes. I like a well carbonated lager and sometimes beer. I also like a to be drink very cold. Lastly, I sometimes go a fairly long time without a beer (not out of choice, sometimes down working and sometimes being away from home) So, I’m sort of resigned to having to fill bottles because they suit.

Back in the day I used plastic Rotokegs. I found I couldn’t drink the contents quick enough. On the rare occasion of a party or Christmas where the contents went quickly no problem. But a pint here and there always seemed to result in the last 1/4 or 1/3 of the keg going down the drain. I tried using C02 over the top of whatever came out, scrupulous sanitization, and everything else I could think of, without luck. I’m guessing that the beer sitting on top of its sediment from the cask conditioning didn’t help.

So, for those who use Cornelius kegs. Can you have a pint now and again and get the beer to last? And can you force carbonate the beer well?

The refrigeration bit I can get around. The bit I can’t get around is breaking it to her that I’m going to buy another fridge.


Cheers

 

[IainM]

I love 'em. You can force carbonate and it lasts at least as long as a bottle does. It's completely sealed off so nothing is getting in except the CO2 from the cannister. Set up is easy, and once you've got everything securely tightened and checked for leaks, it is as simple as connecting the quick disconnects, adjusting the pressure and cleaning the beer line from time to time. The hardest part is sourcing a cannister of CO2.

 

[BarnBrian]

I agree with Ian. In addition, I work away for five weeks at a time so often leave a Cornie that is well below half full while away, still in top condition when I get back. The only thing you need to be careful of is they're like rabbits, they breed fast, I started with 2 and I've now got 12. I've not found sourcing CO2 an issue but I suppose it depends where you're located.

 

[Sadfield]

Love them. And I rarely use them for directly serving beer from them. The benefit for me is that you can move beer in and out of them under co2. Force carbonation is so much better, both for control and retaining hop aroma. For a couple of reasons I bottle from mine with a beer gun.

I use them for a whole range of things.

Fermenting under pressure.
Bright tanks/lagering.
Dry hopping.
Force carbonation.
Long term aging of beer with Oak in them.

They are so versatile.


Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

 

[Godsdog]

Short answer bloody great and yes to all your queries, just treat it like a big bottle that with a gas supply will keep your beer fresh for an indefinite period

 

[BeerCat]

I am new to kegging and i am loving it. I have a lager on tap a week after kegging it and imho lots better than out of the bottle. Would take months to be drinkable instead of a week. Cant believe it took me so long to get started. Make sure you leak test before use though.

 

[Druncan]

Wonderful, best decision I made, but I agree, they breed. Now trying 30l Ecokegs and will probably be getting Eco Fass 30l to compare. But my cornies will remain my best ever purchase. I would also advise to use the Caustic/Nitric/paracetic acid cleaning/sensitisation process.

 

[simon12]

All the mentions advantages to cornies are true but I just find once you get one that doesn't leak pressure barrels are much simpler and quicker. I would advise extreme caution when using caustic or nitric, you can use that stuff to totally dissolve bodies but they do work very well.

 

[Simonh82]

I'm a new convert but I'm never looking back. The initial set up cost is high but if you are sick of bottling then they are a god send.

Also, the ability to force or burst carbonate the beer is fantastic. I kegged my English golden ale this evening and tried force carbonating (rocking the keg whilst attached to the gas). Now, less than 2 hours later I'm drinking a (slightly over) carbonated sample. It's pretty cloudy but it's carbonated and tastes great.

 

[Bigcol49]

you can use that stuff to totally dissolve bodies

Ooooh! How do you know? :shock:

 

[BarnBrian]

Love them. And I rarely use them for directly serving beer from them. The benefit for me is that you can move beer in and out of them under co2. Force carbonation is so much better, both for control and retaining hop aroma. For a couple of reasons I bottle from mine with a beer gun.

I use them for a whole range of things.

Fermenting under pressure.
Bright tanks/lagering.
Dry hopping.
Force carbonation.
Long term aging of beer with Oak in them.

They are so versatile.


Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

What's your process for under pressure fermenting? I'd be interested to give it a try.

 

[Sadfield]

What's your process for under pressure fermenting? I'd be interested to give it a try.

The setup is basic. I have a keg with a dip tube that has been shortened by an inch, to allow more space for trub at the bottom of the keg. I fit a spunding (Pressure relief valve) to the gas post on the keg. This can be set to a specific PSI so that, as CO2 is produced during fermentation, the valve maintains a set pressure in the keg.

I use this in two ways.

1) For lagers or very clean beers, I can do the whole fermentation in the keg under pressure. Fermenting under pressure reduces esters.

2) For other Ales where esters are desired, I use the corny like a secondary. I sometimes rack to the corny after three days of fermentation in a standard fv, when most of the flavour compounds have been created. Moving to the corny removes the trub. The advantage of fermenting under pressure at this point is that, as the beer ferments out it carbonates itself. I sometimes dry hop here, as most of the aroma is retained and not gased off.

View attachment 12738

 

[BarnBrian]

T

The setup is basic. I have a keg with a dip tube that has been shortened by an inch, to allow more space for trub at the bottom of the keg. I fit a spunding (Pressure relief valve) to the gas post on the keg. This can be set to a specific PSI so that, as CO2 is produced during fermentation, the valve maintains a set pressure in the keg.

I use this in two ways.

1) For lagers or very clean beers, I can do the whole fermentation in the keg under pressure. Fermenting under pressure reduces esters.

2) For other Ales where esters are desired, I use the corny like a secondary. I sometimes rack to the corny after three days of fermentation in a standard fv, when most of the flavour compounds have been created. Moving to the corny removes the trub. The advantage of fermenting under pressure at this point is that, as the beer ferments out it carbonates itself. I sometimes dry hop here, as most of the aroma is retained and not gased off.

View attachment 12738

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

 

[Bodysurfer]

Thanks for the replies all. And here was me thinking they were just for putting beer in! looks like they are far more versatile than I thought. Think I'll save up for a few.

 

[chesters-mild]

I have 2 kegs and use these to gas up as it's easy for me to gat sodastream gas - not as cheap I know but it works.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Sodastream...-Ball-Lock/15003561812?_trksid=p2047675.l2644
It's the £55 one (with the pressure gauge) that I use - 1 for each keg

 

[JonBrew]

I've never used cornie kegs but the only real disadvantage I can see (and the main reason I don't do it) is the space they, along with the CO2 tank, take up. I've love to be able to keg but, the way I see it, you need to have space for a kegerator/keezer and I don't. I have an outside boiler cupboard that could fit a fridge/freezer but then I'd going outside every time I wanted to pour a pint. One way around this would be to use growlers I guess to limit the number of trips but it would only reduce the inconvenience slightly.

 

[BarnBrian]

I've never used cornie kegs but the only real disadvantage I can see (and the main reason I don't do it) is the space they, along with the CO2 tank, take up. I've love to be able to keg but, the way I see it, you need to have space for a kegerator/keezer and I don't. I have an outside boiler cupboard that could fit a fridge/freezer but then I'd going outside every time I wanted to pour a pint. One way around this would be to use growlers I guess to limit the number of trips but it would only reduce the inconvenience slightly.

Not really a disadvantage, 19 litres = 25 x 750 ml bottles worth, that would be the cornie taking up less space. I've been using cornies for the past two years and not used a fridge for them, admittedly I don't do lager. I keep them in my brewshed, it's no real problem to step outside and pull a pint.

 

[-Bezza-]

I've never used cornie kegs but the only real disadvantage I can see (and the main reason I don't do it) is the space they, along with the CO2 tank, take up. I've love to be able to keg but, the way I see it, you need to have space for a kegerator/keezer and I don't. I have an outside boiler cupboard that could fit a fridge/freezer but then I'd going outside every time I wanted to pour a pint. One way around this would be to use growlers I guess to limit the number of trips but it would only reduce the inconvenience slightly.

Run a beer line through the wall into the house for less inconvenience.

 

[JonBrew]

@BarnBrian - fair point, albeit I keep my bottled beers in an outdoor store so not taking up any space indoors. I had always thought kegging would only work for me if the serving system was in my house. however, you may have given my the inclination to pursue an outdoor option. hmmm.



@-Bezza- I wish but unfortunately not an option.

 

[BarnBrian]

@BarnBrian - fair point, albeit I keep my bottled beers in an outdoor store so not taking up any space indoors. I had always thought kegging would only work for me if the serving system was in my house. however, you may have given my the inclination to pursue an outdoor option. hmmm.



@-Bezza- I wish but unfortunately not an option.

Going outside to pour a pint has several distinct advantages:
1. It gets you away from the Soaps on telly.
2. It gives you a break from her indoors.
3. You can skull the first pint while your out there and do a refill, her indoors will think you're only having the one pint.