Mini keg vs growler vs cannonball / mini corny

[radpotato]

Hi all,

I've been bottle or cask conditioning all my beers to date and, like many others, want to move to kegging but have space constraints. I brew 30L batches, split with two others (who have both just got mini kegs), and am also planning on doing some 5L stove-top batches. I can't really fit any of the kegs in a fridge for serving on a regular basis, but can store on their side and then remove to serve. My options are:

* Mini keg with CO2 and tap (https://www.brewuk.co.uk/mini-keg-starter-kit.html, £69)
* Easy kegs (£6 - £7 a pop)
* 5L growler + CO2 like either those from darkfarm (https://www.darkfarm.co.uk/home-brew-draft-system-dark-farm-mini-keg/ £125 for full setup) or maltmiller (https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/5-litre-keg-complete-set-up/ £160 with flow control tap)
* Cannonball / mini corny e.g. https://www.beerhawk.co.uk/draft-brewer-cannonball-mini-keg-system, £150 full setup

I have tried to clean easy kegs in the past and I guess I'm just a little concerned about how easy they are to rinse effectively and also to carb to appropriate pressures for American styles that I like. Same goes for the mini kegs.

So I was leaning towards the growler setup, but have concerns about the need to remove the cap before fitting the dispense lid (especially if I want to prime as well as carb); it also seems to be an expensive format if I ever get the space to upgrade to cornies in the future. Meanwhile, each extra cannonball keg would be more expensive than a reconditioned corny.

I was wondering if anyone with experience using the different setups in the title could help sway my decision.

Thanks in advance - I realise there are loads of threads out there like this but still can't make my mind up!

 

[welly3]

Didn't know about the cannonball kegs. They look ideal for my kegging requirements at the moment. Not especially cheap as you say but I've got the rest of the gear so would only need a couple of those
I'd build a lined wooden box that I could attach my one of my Perlick tap onto and fill up with ice to keep it cooled.

Haven't answered your question but you've found a solution for my kegging requirements!

Cheers!

 

[Dutto]

"Flexibility" is one of the hardest things to achieve.

Personally, I still use the following to a greater or lesser degree:

• 500ml bottles
• 650ml bottles
• 2 x 25 litre PB's
• 2 x 10 litre PB's
• 2 x 10 litre Growlers with Tap

I now think that I have the required level of flexibility and have discontinued using my 9 x 5 litre MK's and Flexi Tap.

..............

So I was leaning towards the growler setup, but have concerns about the need to remove the cap before fitting the dispense lid (especially if I want to prime as well as carb); ..............

My last purchase was the 2 x 10 litre Growlers from Dark Farms. As an experiment, I first of all chilled a KK Top-Tap PB and its contents down to 10*C for a couple of days and then transferred the brew (an English Bitter) over to the 2 x 10 litre Growlers. It took 2 x 8g CO2 capsules to maintain pressure in the PB for the transfer.

I fitted the Tap, Regulator and Probe to Growler 1, set the pressure at 10psi and fitted a Pressure Release Cap to Growler 2.

After 24 hours Growler 2 had warmed up sufficiently to create a small "hiss" when the Pressure Release was lifted momentarily.

After about a fortnight, the first Growler was empty so all I had to do was:

• On Growler 1:
  • Close off the Pressure Regulator
  • Release the CO2 pressure
  • Loosen the Tap, Regulator and Probe assembly
• On Growler 2:
  • Release the pressure by lifting up the Pressure Release
  • Unscrew the Pressure Release Cap
  • Install the Tap, Pressure Regulator and Probe from Growler 1
  • Tighten up the installation
  • Increase the Pressure Regulator to 10psi

I waited 24 hours before pulling a pint from Growler 2. It immediately delivered a clear pint.

Washing out Growler 1 was easy and it has been left fully sanitised with an "ordinary" cap in place waiting to be refilled..

Hope this helps. :thumb:

 

[Sadfield]

Corny keg setup is hands down the most flexible in my opinion. Pricey though, especially if you need 9L kegs. It's the most flexible option, as you can get carbonation caps that fit any fizzy drinks bottles such as 2.5L Cola bottles or 5L growlers with the correct fittings. Adding a beer gun or counter-pressure filler to you setup will give a superior method of bottling. And the ability to package beer in glass bottles, plastic bottles or stainless kegs over a range from 330ml to 19L. Once you have a gas bottle, regulator and the relevant tubes and fittings, you can pretty much add any of the listed vessels to your setup.

Carbonation cap.




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[radpotato]

Didn't know about the cannonball kegs. They look ideal for my kegging requirements at the moment. Not especially cheap as you say but I've got the rest of the gear so would only need a couple of those
I'd build a lined wooden box that I could attach my one of my Perlick tap onto and fill up with ice to keep it cooled.

Haven't answered your question but you've found a solution for my kegging requirements!

Cheers!

No worries, a colleague of mine has one and is very happy with it. If you have the rest of the gear already then the 9L cornies are pretty much the same price (I was considering the smaller cannonball because of batch sizes and my fridge).

 

[radpotato]

Thanks for the help, I'm still leaning towards the growler setup - it looks like there're a few different dispense lid configurations, some of which would still be compatible with the dream of a full corny setup....

 

[MyQul]

Thanks for the help, I'm still leaning towards the growler setup - it looks like there're a few different dispense lid configurations, some of which would still be compatible with the dream of a full corny setup....

If you're going for the growler set up go for the Dark Farm one, as it's cheaper plus you can get the 15% forum discount to make it even more cheap

 

[welly3]

No worries, a colleague of mine has one and is very happy with it. If you have the rest of the gear already then the 9L cornies are pretty much the same price (I was considering the smaller cannonball because of batch sizes and my fridge).

Yeah, the 9L cornies would be ideal if they'd fit in my fridge - a 12v boat fridge - alas not a chance.

 

[F00b4r]

Corny keg setup is hands down the most flexible in my opinion. Pricey though, especially if you need 9L kegs. It's the most flexible option, as you can get carbonation caps that fit any fizzy drinks bottles such as 2.5L Cola bottles or 5L growlers with the correct fittings. Adding a beer gun or counter-pressure filler to you setup will give a superior method of bottling. And the ability to package beer in glass bottles, plastic bottles or stainless kegs over a range from 330ml to 19L. Once you have a gas bottle, regulator and the relevant tubes and fittings, you can pretty much add any of the listed vessels to your setup.

Carbonation cap.
View attachment 14597



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I would agree with this, although those 6L corny compatible ones could be useful at as better price.
Oh and don't forget the 11L corny kegs

 

[radpotato]

If you're going for the growler set up go for the Dark Farm one, as it's cheaper plus you can get the 15% forum discount to make it even more cheap

Is the tap on the full £125 setup integrated into to cap? I'm guessing this is why it's cheaper - the malt miller version has ball lock connects that might make it more adaptable in the future.

Does anyone have experience with this tap? It doesn't have flow control so am wondering if it's difficult to get a decent pour without lots of trial and error on the pressure.

 

[MyQul]

No idea. I have almost no experience with kegs (apart from mini kegs, and even then I just used the gravity tap - no C02)

 

[radpotato]

FWIW, the colleague who has the cannonball corny keg got his from ebay (https://bit.ly/2uNlruy), he hasn't had any issues with his and it's under £60. 27cm tall means it won't quite fit in my fridge without removal of some shelves .

... but, if I were to get one, I've read that you need some length of line to serve from a corny. Is that true if you have a tap with flow control or is it possible to connect direct to the keg?

 

[Druncan]

My 25l corny's have been used commercially for over two years nearly 2,500 pints made and sold. If you can afford it and have space you will not be disappointed. My 5l mini-keg brewing was abandoned after I cut some up for an art project and found loads of sediment around the tap on a cleaned keg,,,,

 

[braziliain]

FWIW, the colleague who has the cannonball corny keg got his from ebay (https://bit.ly/2uNlruy), he hasn't had any issues with his and it's under £60. 27cm tall means it won't quite fit in my fridge without removal of some shelves .

... but, if I were to get one, I've read that you need some length of line to serve from a corny. Is that true if you have a tap with flow control or is it possible to connect direct to the keg?

That looks a decent price!

 

[Dutto]

Is the tap on the full £125 setup integrated into to cap? I'm guessing this is why it's cheaper - the malt miller version has ball lock connects that might make it more adaptable in the future.

Does anyone have experience with this tap? It doesn't have flow control so am wondering if it's difficult to get a decent pour without lots of trial and error on the pressure.

The cap comes with:

• Tap.
• Pressure Regulator. (For a screwed 16g CO2 capsule.)
• Pressure Relief Valve.

The Tap is supplied with a small "gizmo" to be fitted at the back of the tap to limit the amount of foam generated.

The PR regulates the pressure and can be used for force carbonation if required.

Personally, I have set the PR at 10psi and have yet to fit the "gizmo" and the Tap produces quite a "head" (about 30%). I'm happy to wait a few minutes for the head to settle out before drinking but I will fit the "gizmo" next time and see how that works.

Hope this helps. :thumb:

BTW if you look at the + on the photograph you can see the set up.

https://www.darkfarm.co.uk/product/5l-mini-beer-growler-keg-with-co2-dispenser/

 

[radpotato]

The cap comes with:

• Tap.
• Pressure Regulator. (For a screwed 16g CO2 capsule.)
• Pressure Relief Valve.

The Tap is supplied with a small "gizmo" to be fitted at the back of the tap to limit the amount of foam generated.

The PR regulates the pressure and can be used for force carbonation if required.

Personally, I have set the PR at 10psi and have yet to fit the "gizmo" and the Tap produces quite a "head" (about 30%). I'm happy to wait a few minutes for the head to settle out before drinking but I will fit the "gizmo" next time and see how that works.

Hope this helps. :thumb:

BTW if you look at the + on the photograph you can see the set up.

https://www.darkfarm.co.uk/product/5l-mini-beer-growler-keg-with-co2-dispenser/

Yeah, that's what I looked at - it seemed like the regulator would be removable (at least, there's some kind of connector between the cap and the CO2) but the tap appeared integrated. Whereas other models have a ball valve connector for the tap.

 

[braziliain]

Yeah, that's what I looked at - it seemed like the regulator would be removable (at least, there's some kind of connector between the cap and the CO2) but the tap appeared integrated. Whereas other models have a ball valve connector for the tap.

If you went for the ball lock lid, you could use a Sodastream bottle with standard regulator and disconnects to hook up several of these small kegs.

I use a Sodastream bottle to dispense my 19L corny, so it gives you a route to upgrade on the future if you use the ball lock lids?

 

[welly3]

If you went for the ball lock lid, you could use a Sodastream bottle with standard regulator and disconnects to hook up several of these small kegs.

I use a Sodastream bottle to dispense my 19L corny, so it gives you a route to upgrade on the future if you use the ball lock lids?

How long do you find your sodastream lasts? Do you carb with the sodastream bottle as well or just dispense? If so, what do you use for carbing?

 

[braziliain]

How long do you find your sodastream lasts? Do you carb with the sodastream bottle as well or just dispense? If so, what do you use for carbing?

You get 60L of CO2 in a Sodastream bottle, so it dispenses 2 and a half 19L cornies. I'm not using it for force carbonating, just for purging and dispensing. I prime with sugar for natural carbonation in the keg .

You could force carb and dispense a few of those 5L kegs with ball lock lids though...

 

[F00b4r]

FWIW, the colleague who has the cannonball corny keg got his from ebay (https://bit.ly/2uNlruy), he hasn't had any issues with his and it's under £60. 27cm tall means it won't quite fit in my fridge without removal of some shelves .

... but, if I were to get one, I've read that you need some length of line to serve from a corny. Is that true if you have a tap with flow control or is it possible to connect direct to the keg?

The Intertap flow control taps as designed to dial down up to 12.3 PSI of pressure in their mechanism, anything beyond that and you will get turbulence.