Pressure Barrels

[Hullbrewer]

Hi, i was given some beginners advice yesterday which i am very grateful for, mayi ask another re pressure barrels please?

I have decided that i am going to purchase a pressure barrel for the bitter which i am making, it has been in my fermentation bucket fo 5 days now so over the weekend i will use the hydrometer to see if it is suitable for transferring, but pressure barrels are new to me.
May iask if it is as simple as siphoning from the ferm container to the barrel?, and if there is anything else you may need to do.
There may be instructions that come with it, but i have scoured the net and the local yellow pages and cannot believe there is not a dedicated homebrew retailer in Hull, so may have to rely on the goodwill of you folks a while longer until i get on my feet....
Thanks in advance

 

[jamesb]

Most people will leave the beer in the fermentation vessel for 10 days before transferring, which gives the yeast a bit of time to clear up after itself.

It is as simple as just syphoning it into the barrel - make sure the barrel is clean and sanitised first.

Some people recommend vaseline on the o-ring to help seal the barrel, I used to use PTFE tape on the threads.

EDIT: Forgot about priming. Add 2oz of sugar to the barrel to allow yeast to create some CO2 to help condition the beer.

 

[Ned Lud]

It's been a while since I used a keg system but the key points are: maintain sterility during the transfer process; try not to introduce too much oxygen in the beer during transfer; decide whether you are going to use secondary fermentation to produce the gas to expel the beer from the barrel (which means adding sugar after transfer) or use a CO2 cylinder. You may have to top up the CO2 using a cylinder to get all your precious beer out anyway. There are more experienced members of this forum who will, I'm sure, give further advice, but the home brew shop will be a good place to start.

Ned

 

[tubby_shaw]

Further to the excellent advice from James, if you find that you are going to drink more than a couple of pints per night you will need a supply of CO2 to keep pressure in the barrel and stop air from entering through the tap

As for a local supplier I found this

E.K Gardiner & Sons Wine Making & Brewing Supplies

Tel: 01482 228154| 46, Rosmead St, Hull, North Humberside HU9 2TG

I don't know if they ar still there but it's worth a phone call :thumb:

Beat to the CO2 advice by Ned :thumb:

 

[Hullbrewer]

Once again many thanks for the prompt responses, my wife managed to obtain the last one in a branch of Wilkinsons in Hull (think anyone homebrewing in my city must have to purchase stuff online!)
Your info is invaluable as the barrel was not in a box and had no instructions, i will use the 2oz sugar idea for priming, am not expecting the perfect brew first time anyway, will be the first step on a voyage of discovery
Appreciate the advice

 

[commsbiff]

Did you try calling the number that Tubby Shaw gave. It's in the Yellow Pages as a Local Home Brew Store in Hull.