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

[Clint]

I like kegging....quick and easy. I just don't like the bother of is it leaking etc..plus unless you have a spare fridge,chilling in the summer is hit and miss,and in the winter they can get too cold you lose carb as it absorbs into the beer more...so you add more gas!
Then if you do have a fridge they're not the right shape to get a few in..
Just wondering,those with cornies...how many do you have,how many dispensing at a time etc?
I brew a variety of beers and can have five or six different ones on the go,all bottled,at the same time. I suppose I'd have to limit this with a kegerator..as I think a two tap system would probably be the best option for me.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I like kegging....quick and easy. I just don't like the bother of is it leaking etc..plus unless you have a spare fridge,chilling in the summer is hit and miss,and in the winter they can get too cold you lose carb as it absorbs into the beer more...so you add more gas!
Then if you do have a fridge they're not the right shape to get a few in..
Just wondering,those with cornies...how many do you have,how many dispensing at a time etc?
I brew a variety of beers and can have five or six different ones on the go,all bottled,at the same time. I suppose I'd have to limit this with a kegerator..as I think a two tap system would probably be the best option for me.

I've got two 19L cornies which are both in use for English beer, I've recently bought a 10L mini-keg but not used yet. All my other brews go into bottles. I've got 4 plastic PB not in use. I've probably got 10-12 different beers live at any one time.

 

[Matt_W]

I started with the Wilko PB and a wherry kit, then a second hand king keg before moving to corny kegs
a year ago.

getting a good seal on the PBs was always a bit of an issue a lot of Vaseline was required.

I found a lot of people over tighten them and deform the O-ring. Once I stopped doing that they sealed perfect.

Getting the lids off could be problematic too.

I rigged one of the lids with a pressure gauge and it would sit happily around 6psi. Enough for ales but any thing that needs fizz is hit and miss.

I’ve now got 2 x 19L kegs, 4 x 12L and 2 x 5L mini kegs for taking to friends.
luckily I have a spare fridge from when we refitted the kitchen.

 

[kelper]

I found a lot of people over tighten them and deform the O-ring.

Square section o-rings don't deform. Perhaps this is their secret?

 

[foxy]

I use these never a problem, insulated, will take a 'D' coupler so can be used as a keg or cask, can gravity serve through the tap, or I can serve through a picnic tap using a picnic pump if at a 'Party'.
I have a 5 litre, 2 X 10 litres, and a 20 litre (the green and white one at the bottom)
If you want a cheap ghetto one just use a cube.

 

[Garmostripel]

I’ve got 4 Youngs pressure barrels, 2 of which I’ve had for about 15/16 years and never had a problem.

How often do you replace the lid and tap seals?

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I have 9 bottom-tap King Kegs in constant use and have no issues with them - apart from capacity so I am about to buy 3 more.

 

[TonyT]

How often do you replace the lid and tap seals?

I don’t recall ever having a problem with the tap seals, but the lid seals I have replaced. Even that was so infrequently, I couldn’t tell you. I have taken one of the valves to bits to replace the little washers and rubbers, but again so infrequently it’s not worth worrying about. As someone else said, I do use a little Vaseline on the big ring inside the caps.

 

[terrym]

How often do you replace the lid and tap seals?

I have some new and s/h stuff here if you are interested
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/...lastic-pressure-barrel-spares-on-offer.87661/

 

[Spratt]

I have 9 bottom-tap King Kegs in constant use and have no issues with them - apart from capacity so I am about to buy 3 more.

Do you have any problems with them during hot spells like we had last week, or do you keep them all in fridges?

 

[kelper]

Do you have any problems with them during hot spells like we had last week, or do you keep them all in fridges?

I keep mine on a stone floor and it seems fine, even for serving temp, but I prefer beer not too cold.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Do you have any problems with them during hot spells like we had last week, or do you keep them all in fridges?

I keep them in a cool shed that’s well shaded. If the weather gets too hot even in the shade I stand them on ice and wrap lagging jackets round them.

I have been toying with the idea of air conditioning or various designs of pumped cold water system but for the few days a year where the weather is that hot I’m not sure it’s worth it.

Like @kelper I don’t like chilled beer. I tend to serve mine between 12C and 18C depending on the ale. Lager and cider is stored in bottles (for carbonation) and kept in the fridge.

 

[Banbeer]

those with cornies...how many do you have,how many dispensing at a time etc?

I have 4 cornies and 2 in the kegerator, I've nearly finished building a shelf for it so I can have 3 in at one time. When I built it I purposely had the taps quite far apart and the wife commented on it but I just said I made a mistake, little did she know a third tap will be ordered soon which will fit in the middle of the other 2

 

[AnimatedGIF]

When I built it I purposely had the taps quite far apart and the wife commented on it but I just said I made a mistake, little did she know a third tap will be ordered soon which will fit in the middle of the other 2

Sounds like the sort of thing I do - love it

 

[Sandozer]

Do you have any problems with them during hot spells like we had last week, or do you keep them all in fridges?

I have posted this before, put your barrel on a round tray, pull a cotton t-shirt over the barrel feeding tap through arm hole :)
Saturate with water till tray is full, t-shirt will wick up the water to stay wet.
This will drop the keg temperature by ~ 2C, quite a difference. Add a fan , I have a 5v usb one and that will give you another degree.

 

[Spratt]

I have posted this before, put your barrel on a round tray, pull a cotton t-shirt over the barrel feeding tap through arm hole :)
Saturate with water till tray is full, t-shirt will wick up the water to stay wet.
This will drop the keg temperature by ~ 2C, quite a difference. Add a fan , I have a 5v usb one and that will give you another degree.

Thanks for that tip, it sounds a good way of dealing with it. And thanks also to Kelper and Hazelwood for their replies. I had built myself an insulated wooden box out of ply and 2" Kingspan, which I had knocking around, but was loath to spend more money for my second one. 12C sounds a good temperature, but 18C does sound a tad high. I've never actually measured the temp on the beer in my box, but next time we get a heat wave and I have one in there I'll take a look.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Thanks for that tip, it sounds a good way of dealing with it. And thanks also to Kelper and Hazelwood for their replies. I had built myself an insulated wooden box out of ply and 2" Kingspan, which I had knocking around, but was loath to spend more money for my second one. 12C sounds a good temperature, but 18C does sound a tad high. I've never actually measured the temp on the beer in my box, but next time we get a heat wave and I have one in there I'll take a look.

It does sound high but 18C is probably lower than the temperature of your mains cold water supply at this time of year.

 

[Doive]

I have two King Kegs, one with the CO2 bulb fitting, one with an S30 to take a Soda Stream CO2 bottle. Never really had problems retaining pressure. Have just ordered two complete seal kits for them, as they are a good 6-7 years old now. Would like to get into cornys in the future, but these will do me for now. Used to bottle at the start, but that was very tedious. Still have all the kit, so might do half bottle, half 10L corny, with the odd brew into the King Kegs for session drinking.

 

[Loonytoone]

I have two top tap KKs, one bottom tap KK, one 19l corny, two two gallon PBs and a cupboard full of 750ml bottles.
I always use the KKs first and only normally use the others when the KKs are already holding beer or I need to take some beer somewhere else. But I have put decent taps on the KKs, it makes all the difference.
The bottom tap KKs are also good if you're having a party as you can just crack the cap and pour the beer under gravity - as long as you make an effort to drink it all!

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

...as long as you make an effort to drink it all!

I always put in the effort