Pressure Barrel Insulation

[NegFerret]

Anyone insulating their barrel in the garage through this rough weather?

I poured a pint of Wherry last night and it's farrrr too cold. I was thinking about getting the kind of insulation you used to get for hot water tanks...anyone got any other ideas?

 

[31bb3]

why not get some foam camping mat and wrap it around then tape it what type of keg is it ???

 

[the shadow]

ive got a brew belt and a sleeping bag round mine to prime it

 

[NegFerret]

why not get some foam camping mat and wrap it around then tape it what type of keg is it ???

It's a 25 litre pressure barrel, it's already primed and is just conditioning now. Doesn't appear to be freezing, but I think it could do with being a little warmer.

 

[31bb3]

is there anywhere cool in the house failing that old sleeping bag or overcoat shoukd help

 

[NegFerret]

I've had a thought! I could put a sleeping bag around it like you said, and wrap a brewbelt around that! Don't want to put the brewbelt straight against it as it's conditioning, but outside the sleeping bag it might just help to bring it up to about 8 degrees from this ridiculous -12 we've been having.

Although, it may just bring it too high. Maybe I'm best to leave it till Christmas and see if the temp goes up a little.

Gah, only have the Wherry to keep me going for Christmas...was hping the other brew might be a go-er but it looks like it's taking it's time to prime :?

 

[bigdave]

Insulation keeps cold stuff cold and hot stuff hot so insulating a barrel that's -2ºc will do nothing but help keep it at -2ºc! If its too cold you need to add a heat source to slowly raise the core temp (bringing it indoors will do the job). Once its warmed up a bit an insulation jacket from a hot water cylinder will work a treat! You can pick one up for about £7-8 from Wickes.

 

[bigdave]

Where abouts in the country are you? I have about 7ft of boiler insulation jacket sat in the garage doing nothing if you'd like it?

 

[NegFerret]

Hi Dave. I'm in the midlands, so would be cheaper to pop down wickes and get one - sounds like a good idea! I'll bare in mind that I need to get it up to temp first!

 

[NegFerret]

To be totally clear, the week of prmiing had finished and I had moved the keg into a cool environment to "condition" and mature for a few weeks.

I didn't realise condition was the wrong term, so what is the correct term?

 

[bigdave]

I didn't realise condition was the wrong term, so what is the correct term?

Everyone else seems to have grasped the fact that you've naturally primed your barrel and it is now conditioning. The time spent in the warm isn't really creating the 'the light prickle of bubbles on the tongue', its creating CO2, the cooler temperatures are needed to help absorb the co2 to create the sparkle in your beer and 'the light prickle of bubbles on the tongue'.