Polypin beer life

[rpt]

I'm getting a hand pump and I'm going to use these with polypins but I'm not sure what size to buy. How long will the beer last once I start drinking it? I do 23L brews and will still want to bottle so the choice is 3L, 5L or 10L, although I could do a mixture. 3L will last a weekend but if I got a 10L I'd be drinking the same beer for 2 weeks or so. As I like a variety it would have to last somewhat longer than that.

 

[joe1002]

On the basis no air will be getting inside I would imagine the beer lasts a while.

Dennisking has been using polypins for quite a while, hopefully he will see this :thumb:

 

[dennisking]

I put 23lts into a 20lt polypin and after a few weeks conditioning I will normally drink it in 2 weeks. The longest I think it's taken me to finish one is around 3-4 weeks.

 

[rpt]

I put 23lts into a 20lt polypin and after a few weeks conditioning I will normally drink it in 2 weeks. The longest I think it's taken me to finish one is around 3-4 weeks.

So they are at least 15% bigger than their quoted size? That matters as I will want to squeeze out as much air as possible and I imagine that might be tricky if they aren't almost full. I take it the beer is still fine after 4 weeks?

 

[dennisking]

I put 23lts into a 20lt polypin and after a few weeks conditioning I will normally drink it in 2 weeks. The longest I think it's taken me to finish one is around 3-4 weeks.

So they are at least 15% bigger than their quoted size? That matters as I will want to squeeze out as much air as possible and I imagine that might be tricky if they aren't almost full. I take it the beer is still fine after 4 weeks?

Putting 23lts into a 20lt pin still leaves some air space, I squeeze any air out with no problem.

 

[rpt]

Is the beer still ok after 4 weeks or is it going off?

 

[dennisking]

Is the beer still ok after 4 weeks or is it going off?

None of mine have lasted past 4 weeks but sometimes after 2 weeks the last 2 pints can be a bit flat but that's not a problem for me. Priming will always help with the shelve life but I don't both these days as I find the action of the hand pump gives my beer all the life it needs.

 

[rpt]

Do you connect the beer engine direct to the polypin tap and just leave for 2 weeks? Do you close the tap overnight? Does the beer in the line and cylinder go off between sessions?

 

[dennisking]

Connect direct. I leave it connected with the tap open. The only time a vary from that is in very hot weather. My garage is normally reasonably cool in summer but in very hot weather I can cool the polypin but not the tubing so I drink straight from the polypin.

 

[Underground Joe]

As far as beer life, as in no off flavours goes, I can't comment. What I can comment on is my disappointment with polypins loosing hop flavour in a big way. I've bottled and pinned the same beer and the difference in flavour and aroma is staggering after only two to three weeks.

 

[dennisking]

As far as beer life, as in no off flavours goes, I can't comment. What I can comment on is my disappointment with polypins loosing hop flavour in a big way. I've bottled and pinned the same beer and the difference in flavour and aroma is staggering after only two to three weeks.

Never noticed that. I have normally found the last few couple of pints the best.

 

[Underground Joe]

As far as beer life, as in no off flavours goes, I can't comment. What I can comment on is my disappointment with polypins loosing hop flavour in a big way. I've bottled and pinned the same beer and the difference in flavour and aroma is staggering after only two to three weeks.

Never noticed that. I have normally found the last few couple of pints the best.

What style beers do you usually brew?

 

[robsan77]

Do you connect the beer engine direct to the polypin tap and just leave for 2 weeks? Do you close the tap overnight? Does the beer in the line and cylinder go off between sessions?

A check valve will help with that.

I use 10 litre polypins. I think there are great, especially as you can fit a little bottler straight on the tap. As you can get all the air out, you can fill them and do your bottling later if you wish.

10 litres is easy enough to lift and big enough to be lazy.

 

[dennisking]

[quote="Underground Joe":2gbgf82i]As far as beer life, as in no off flavours goes, I can't comment. What I can comment on is my disappointment with polypins loosing hop flavour in a big way. I've bottled and pinned the same beer and the difference in flavour and aroma is staggering after only two to three weeks.

Never noticed that. I have normally found the last few couple of pints the best.

What style beers do you usually brew?[/quote:2gbgf82i]

Majority are pale ale/bitters. Don't tend to go for hop monsters.