Pressure Barrel Carbonation Question

[alandil]

Hi all, first time brewer here.

I've brewed a mixed berries cider kit (40 pint) from The Range, and after the primary fermentation, bottled some of it in flip top Grolsch style bottles with a tablespoon of sugar for carbonation, but put the rest in a pressure barrel which I bought on the cheap from Gumtree (who knew Boots used to make homebrew equipment, mad!). Thing is, I also added the same proportion of sugar to the pressure barrel, so it's really carbonated.

This is now posing a problem as when I try to use the tap to get a glass, the pressure is so high, it squirts everywhere!

Ideally, I'd like to bottle the rest of it as I've now drunk what I bottled, but I've tried decanting into a large container and pouring in the bottle, but it loses all its carbonation in the process.

Is there a good method of transferring without losing this carbonation?

Would a bottling wand work or would the pressure be too high for this to be successful?

I've thought about unscrewing the lid to release the pressure, so that it can be bottled, but thought I should ask you experienced folk here first.

Many thanks to all 😊


P. S. Since this first brewing experience, I've since read that a pressure barrel meant to be used for lightly carbonated beers etc, not for highly carbonated ciders, is that correct?

 

[terrym]

First its good that your old PB seems to be holding pressure. Many don't.
If you want to dispense your cider from the tap you will just have to be very patient, and just open the tap enough to get a dribble out, leave it until the foam has subsided, and then dispense a bit more, and so on. Each time you take some out of the PB the internal pressure drops a little so sooner or later is becomes manageable.
I am not aware of any safe method of transferring pressurised liquid from your PB to bottles.
So if you want to transfer I suggest you first vent the PB. DO NOT do this by trying to remove the cap, turn the PB on its side and vent through the tap.
Empty the PB into the bottles by using the tap and then prime the bottles. You will have to do this since although some CO2 will be in solution it will still be more or less flat.

 

[WierdFish]

...who knew Boots used to make homebrew equipment, mad!

A lot of my equipment is Boots brand, dusted off when I restarted brewing a couple of years ago. Barrel, hydrometer, thermometer, capper and bottles. I've even got some bottle labels (although I might have binned them recently).

 

[MickDundee]

bottled some of it in flip top Grolsch style bottles with a tablespoon of sugar for carbonation,

Do you actually mean a tablespoon of sugar for each bottle?!?!? Teaspoon surely? Otherwise you’ll end up with bottle bombs!

 

[alandil]

Do you actually mean a tablespoon of sugar for each bottle?!?!? Teaspoon surely? Otherwise you’ll end up with bottle bombs!

Lol, yes. Teaspoon. Just a typo. Thank God.




Thanks for the info terrym, I'll use the tap for de pressurising the barrel as per your suggestion. Next time I'll pay more attention to what I'm doing!

If I transfer this way, can I prime the bottles again, or is that dangerous as I've already primed it once? And will the yeast still be active?