What's your view on Plastic Pressure Barrels (PBs)?

[Buffers brewery]

Take a look at all the threads where people say they're sick of corny kegs and are going back to pressure barrels or bottling. Wehh, wehh - I had to buy an entire new set of O-rings and they only made the keg reliable again for about three years and I got so sick of that I sold my kegs for more than I bought them for. Wehh!

Do I detect a little bit of sarcasm?

 

[Buffers brewery]

On the subject of taps, has anybody fitted/is it possible to fit a beer tap as used by corny users to a King Keg?

 

[rolando]

On the subject of taps, has anybody fitted/is it possible to fit a beer tap as used by corny users to a King Keg?

These are usually connected via a ball lock/post right?

 

[Drunkula]

These are usually connected via a ball lock/post right?

Yeah. When I was going to try using a pressure barrel as a keg I was first going to try and jubilee a hose to the tap then look at a better solution. Damn thing developed a hairline crack before I got a chance to try it.

Reckon it would be not that hard to set up something better.

 

[rolando]

When I was going to try using a pressure barrel as a keg

I wonder if you could just attach a couple of posts to the lid of a King Keg (one with a drop tube and float) and pretty much have a cheap version of a fermzillaor something? DIY Kegorator?

 

[Buffers brewery]

I was thinking of something like this...

..but wasn’t sure of the thread size compared to the thread size of a King Keg tap?

 

[kelper]

The hole in a KingKeg is not threaded; it needs the back nut. Hole diameter is just over one inch.

 

[Buffers brewery]

Anybody know the thread size of the tower beer tap shank? Are they all the same?

 

[terrym]

King Keg
The gift that keeps on giving

 

[Ivor DeBeer]

I was thinking of something like this...
View attachment 29249
..but wasn’t sure of the thread size compared to the thread size of a King Keg tap?

I made a table top tap (see picture) before settling on the £2 pvc tap i was really drawn to that tap, i must have viewed it on ebay a hundred times. I like the isolating valve, if the lift tap seal was to break you can isolate it and replace the seal also you can isolate it, unscrew the lever tap part and clean/ flush it out with out disturbing the keg. All of which not relevant for the corny as it can be easily unplugged from the keg.

My second photo has the first taps i bought, they were only a few pounds and the thread was m20x 1.5 (conduit thread) which fits nicely into a old quarter turn tap tapped out, the short stainless bit of pipe came with it. Unfortunately i haven't been able to find those any more and gone onto the white ones which are m19x 1.5, to fit these to the barrel will require an adaptor making. I have only been using the white ones for a month so i cannot say how they will last but the black ones i have been using for pretty constantly for 5 years and still going strong.

If any body finds the black one's for sale it would be very handy.

 

[foxbat]

Does anyone use the "lid spanner" device to tighten the cap down?

An ordinary plumbing strap wrench is just as good and can be used on plumbing jobs around the house as well.

 

[Clint]

Looks handy....I don't fancy those plumbing jobs though...

 

[Buffers brewery]

The challenge for me was not doing it up, as 50lbs of beer holds the keg quite steady, it was undoing the empty keg! Couldn't hold the keg still while undoing the cap with said spanner!

 

[foxbat]

I was thinking of something like this...
View attachment 29249
..but wasn’t sure of the thread size compared to the thread size of a King Keg tap?

It's G5/8"

 

[Ivor DeBeer]

On the subject of taps, has anybody fitted/is it possible to fit a beer tap as used by corny users to a King Keg?

I transfer 19l of beer from plastic keg to corny under pressure (10 - 15 psi), up to now i have just been pushing the pvc pipe over the pb tap which was very nerve racking, expecting to get a beer fountain any moment. I thought about fitting corny keg fittings to the pb so i could have a pipe with the ball lock fittings on each side nice and safe quick and easy.
The problem then is getting the remaining 4l out, my tap that goes directly on the corny would be at an horrible angle and stick out a lot. I have threaded one of the white plastic taps 3/8 bsp so i can screw a 3/8 hose tail on, should be nice and secure, haven't tried it yet but i think it should be ok.

 

[rolando]

I transfer 19l of beer from plastic keg to corny under pressure (10 - 15 psi), up to now i have just been pushing the pvc pipe over the pb tap which was very nerve racking, expecting to get a beer fountain any moment. I thought about fitting corny keg fittings to the pb so i could have a pipe with the ball lock fittings on each side nice and safe quick and easy.
The problem then is getting the remaining 4l out, my tap that goes directly on the corny would be at an horrible angle and stick out a lot. I have threaded one of the white plastic taps 3/8 bsp so i can screw a 3/8 hose tail on, should be nice and secure, haven't tried it yet but i think it should be ok.

Really interesting idea, it could really speed up fermentation if you could brew in the pb, and then pressure transfer off into a corny or similar

 

[Ivor DeBeer]

Really interesting idea, it could really speed up fermentation if you could brew in the pb, and then pressure transfer off into a corny or similar

You still need the time it takes for the beer to clear, I like 3 weeks minimum, so long as you have plenty of barrels - you are using one whilst other are clearing. I only brew 40 pints a week ( i told my gp I drink 28 units a week - as i like a couple of bottles of wine and a few whisky's the missus must be drinking a lot of it, either that or i have some leaks ) but with 5 barrels and 1 corny i am able to maintain a constant supply of 3 different beers all well cleared.

For my lager I still primary ferment in air locked tub, then give it 3 weeks in pressure barrel with 90g sugar, keeping the pressure at 5 psi ( they are old barrels it's plenty) .
I brim fill the corny with water and blow out with co2 so it is pretty free of o2. Then transfer the beer to the corny putting the pressure into the barrel up to 15psi (helps stop the disolved co2 being knocked out during transfer) which when equal in both vessels beer stops flowing. Then i connect the gas connections of both vessels together as my pb is higher than the corny gravity eventually does the rest whist maintaining nice amount of gas in the beer.

I do it because the dip tube of the corny is right at the bottom which i like as it leaves only about a tablespoon full of beer behind (a Yorkshireman through and through) but would be picking up sediment if all the secondary fermentation had been in the corny, plus the corny gets to travel around a bit so its nice to have it sediment free. Also it's nice that the corny is allways available for dispensing, stick it's insulating jacket on with half a dozen icepacks in and it gives lovely cold lager even outside in the sun when Mrs Bucket here is having one of her candle sun lit soiree's.
When i can justify the cost, i will buy another corny they are brilliant and easy to clean take plenty of pressure and last forever, high resale value so when fed up of cleaning out kegs will probably work out no more expensive than plastics.. Saying that, to me the plastic barrels compliment them and will be sticking to both.

 

[Graham Innes]

Sealing the lid seems to be the on going theme..are the square section seals that much better? I seen some on eBay..£6 odd each! Although a Google brings up a 4" automotive square section round gasket for £2...
I'm tempted to buy a KK and see how it goes...if I can find anyone who's got one!
Does anyone use the "lid spanner" device to tighten the cap down?
Also..has anyone tried doubling up the seals and using less torque on the cap?

I only hand tighten mine and use the spanner to get it back off.

 

[Old Geezer]

This morning I ordered another King Keg top tap this time, to go with the 2 bottom tap King Kegs I already have and a brewgas deluxe sparkler tap to change the tap on the keg when it arrives.

The only complaint or problem I have ever had with them is the tap.

 

[kelper]

Pull the tap apart and lube it with vaseline. It stops any drips and stops sugars gumming up the moving part.