# Cheap And Nasty Party Kegs?



## Tanga (20/1/11)

http://www.bottlemart.com.au/Promotions







That's pretty damn awesome (the keg and cooler, not the beer), and according to this
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...amp;hl=heiniken
you can just prime them with dextrose (rather than having to buy CO2, etc). I might put up a couple of signs around the town to see if people want to sell them (and the keg insulation) to me after they're finished with them.

Has anyone done this before? Can I slightly overprime to compensate for the fact that they lose more air than the bottles, or would that lead to big-bada-boom?


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## MarkBastard (20/1/11)

The insulation looks interesting. I wonder if it could be used on a pressure sprayer party keg for example?


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## Fourstar (20/1/11)

you cannot refill the heineken kegs


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## outbreak (20/1/11)

Fourstar said:


> you cannot refill the heineken kegs




I remember seeing a picture where someone had done this.... I could be wrong though.


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## Bribie G (20/1/11)

There have been a number of threads over the years and as 4* says the general concensus of opinion is that you can't refill them to use as a pressure keg. However I reckon if you were handy at shopB you could maybe turn one into a mini-real ale cask to serve under gravity at a party. However a real ale party would probably be a geekish affair  





hang on, looks like a BABBs meeting


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## outbreak (20/1/11)

I want to hang out with those guys.


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## Innes (20/1/11)

Mark^Bastard said:


> The insulation looks interesting. I wonder if it could be used on a pressure sprayer party keg for example?


 I use one of these Heineken cool packs to insulate my 9L cornies. I just ditched the gel pack that comes with them and just use it like a big stubby cooler.

They are a single piece of neoprene that wraps around the keg and secures using three Velcro straps. It fits nicely between the rubber top and bottom of the keg (covers exposed metal) and keeps them cool for hours.


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## barls (20/1/11)

Fourstar said:


> you cannot refill the heineken kegs


http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/forum/vie...neken+mini+kegs


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## Tanga (20/1/11)

Hah! Wicked! If I had the kegs already I'd think about doing that - It's a little American oriented though. If only we had this stuff here:
http://www.thegrape.net/browse.cfm/2,1232.html


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## outbreak (20/1/11)

barls said:


> http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/forum/vie...neken+mini+kegs



Ahhh thats where I saw it!


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## Fourstar (20/1/11)

barls said:


> http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/forum/vie...neken+mini+kegs




i stand corrected. 

filling it would be a royal pain in the arse.


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## bignath (20/1/11)

hmmmmmm,

how does one actually refill it? Can you take the original dispensing assembly apart, or does he refill it through the hole he has drilled to fit the bung?

It's the only thing i don't understand from that article.

Just took a keg away on a holiday with my keg charger. Went through a shitload of ice in my bucket trying to keep it chilled. Thinking if this works, i can take away half a dozen of these and recycle them through the holiday venue's fridge.....


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## barls (20/1/11)

im assuming through the bung, you could always post and ask him.


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## keifer33 (21/1/11)

That looks like an awesome idea. Only thing we cant get here would be that bung. Would be interested if anyone knew of a local supplier cause im guessing shipping a few of those from the US would be that feasible.


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## matr (21/1/11)

You would probably get the bung & valve from a bike shop. He called it a Presta valve. Google brings up a lot of bike stuff & even showed something similar.


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## keifer33 (21/1/11)

Yeh the vavle isnt a problem that bung seems quite special mainly for those mini kegs. I have emailed the shop listed in the thread so might work out cheap with out super exchange rate.


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## matr (21/1/11)

Right Gotcha.. Thought it was all one piece.

You could maybe try this mob. They have a rep in NSW.

Click this Link for Keg Porn!!!


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## Rotgut (21/1/11)

A few local micro breweries are starting to use these for their product. They come complete with CO2 canister installed - wonder if they're available to the general public new? (Locally that is...)

http://craftypint.com/news/post/bright-s-b...-idea-minikegs/


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## RobW (21/1/11)

I wonder if you could mod it to take a corny beer post where the bung goes, then you could gas it from a CO2 bottle.

Those CO2 cartridges are $6 over here.


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## barls (21/1/11)

why not have a gas line with a tire inflater on the end.


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## bignath (21/1/11)

RobW said:


> I wonder if you could mod it to take a corny beer post where the bung goes, then you could gas it from a CO2 bottle.
> 
> Those CO2 cartridges are $6 over here.




I'd thought about soldering/brazing/welding keg post to one, but then i realised you would need to be able to remove it to refill it. That's where the bung idea would be a good one.

I like the idea of a bike pump. If it's going to be drunk pretty quick, i wouldn't mind if it wasn't CO2....


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## keifer33 (21/1/11)

I have emailed the shop listed in the thread and for 5 bungs it was $4.15us shipping so just trying to work out how to order. Am happy to trial a few things and I'm sure you could get it on gas somehow. Only thing im not keen on is leaving the assembly in there but will just be minimal usage maybe once a month and will be used in a session.


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## Pennywise (21/1/11)

RobW said:


> I wonder if you could mod it to take a corny beer post where the bung goes, then you could gas it from a CO2 bottle.
> 
> Those CO2 cartridges are $6 over here.



That is an awesome idea B)


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## bignath (21/1/11)

Awesome, will be watching this thread closely.

as a side note, my dad is doing something remarkably similar at the moment. He has two 11lt fire extinguishers that he has welded a keg gas post assembly and thread into the top of the extinguisher. He plans to naturally carbonate his beer in it and use his keg charger to dispense. Probably been done before but very similar to what is being discussed in this thread with the mini kegs....


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## RobW (21/1/11)

Big Nath said:


> I'd thought about soldering/brazing/welding keg post to one, but then i realised you would need to be able to remove it to refill it. That's where the bung idea would be a good one.
> 
> I like the idea of a bike pump. If it's going to be drunk pretty quick, i wouldn't mind if it wasn't CO2....



I was thinking more like a socket so you could unscrew the post to fill the keg, then refit it to pressurise.


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## bignath (21/1/11)

RobW said:


> I was thinking more like a socket so you could unscrew the post to fill the keg, then refit it to pressurise.




Yep, top idea mate! 

Now, to find me a couple of mini kegs..... :icon_cheers:


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## Amber Fluid (21/1/11)

Going out on a limb here but for a bung..... how about trying a marine supplier?... I am sure they they should have different sizes for boats.

Or maybe just put a thred in the keg and use a tap?... then can put brew in and and the tap as well. 

Just throwing some ideas around to play with


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## bignath (21/1/11)

brewers, as i'm keenly interested in using these mini kegs for cheap party beer dispensers, i went in to Dan Murphys today with the intention of grabbing a heineken keg, but bought two of the bitburger 5lt mini kegs instead.

These have a different setup to the keineken ones. The tap is at the bottom of the keg and there is a rubber bung in the top with a solid plastic piece that you push down to get more air in once the pour decreases. It got me thinking that these kegs would be a better alternative to the heineken ones, as the hole is already in place for refilling, the bung is already there too, all you need to do is attach a valve to the bung somehow, or add a keg post to the top of the keg next to the bung. 

I grabbed two of them, and they were only $48.99 for the pair. The end display said thirty bucks each, but around the corner on the shelf they were $49 for two.

This has to be workable for sure!

Nath


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## keifer33 (24/1/11)

Well I placed my order for the bungs and had good communication from us homebrew shop. Total cost was around $10 for 5 bungs shipped to aus. Will drink a keg on Australia day and get a mate onto another one. The gonna throw a cheap k&k in to test it out incase the bung hits the roof...literally. If it all works out will be a happy camper. Will use a bike pump initially but a gas in would be awesome.


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## Tanga (24/1/11)

keifer33 said:


> Well I placed my order for the bungs and had good communication from us homebrew shop. Total cost was around $10 for 5 bungs shipped to aus. Will drink a keg on Australia day and get a mate onto another one. The gonna throw a cheap k&k in to test it out incase the bung hits the roof...literally. If it all works out will be a happy camper. Will use a bike pump initially but a gas in would be awesome.



There are CO2 bike pumps available - http://www.cellbikes.com.au/CO2-Bike-Pump-...CFQXTbgodBx-Kzg - look good (it was the 2nd I clicked on, so shop around though). They will attach to your in valve. Let me know how it goes.


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## gone_fishing_ (24/1/11)

Big Nath said:


> i went in to Dan Murphys today with the intention of grabbing a heineken keg, but bought two of the bitburger 5lt mini kegs instead.
> 
> These have a different setup to the keineken ones. The tap is at the bottom of the keg and there is a rubber bung in the top with a solid plastic piece that you push down to get more air in once the pour decreases.Nath



Hay Nath,

Did this years ago with Bitburger kegs. Its a piece of piss. Lever the bung out carefully with a teaspoon or something (careful not to scratch or it will rust). Wash/rinse/fill/prime with dextrose 1/3 less than you would normally use for the same volume in bottles. Push bung in. Wait 2 weeks. Presto.

Great for ales where the carb level should be lower.

Word of caution though. The megabreweries who make these kegs will be concerned that you are reusing their property for dispensing your beer  .
GF


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## QldKev (24/1/11)

With some of these refill methods we are talking over $100 per 1kg of CO2. Even at a rip off LHBS you would pay about $10 per kilo, but if you had someone decent locally you would pay $5 a kilo for that same CO2. What happened to the idea of the pressure sprayer modified for a corny keg CO2 inlet, that has heaps of threads on this site? What did I miss here?


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## bignath (24/1/11)

If anyone is interested, my dad (who also brews) is working hard on manufacturing some equipment to make carbing and dispensing from one of these mini kegs super easy and consistent. I tried the method that is linked to in the first couple of threads but had dissappointing results as the keg charger can't fit properly on to a presta valve. It kind of works, but kind or doesn't all at the same time. 
My dad's solution will utilise a brass adaptor and a slightly different setup that he makes himself (he is a metal fabricator) that will simply fit into a small hole in the top of your existing mini keg. 

I will keep anyone interested in this posted. It's probably a couple of weeks away from fruition, but it will happen.

Stay tuned if you are interested.

Cheers,
BigNath


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## Tanga (24/1/11)

Big Nath said:


> If anyone is interested, my dad (who also brews) is working hard on manufacturing some equipment to make carbing and dispensing from one of these mini kegs super easy and consistent. I tried the method that is linked to in the first couple of threads but had dissappointing results as the keg charger can't fit properly on to a presta valve. It kind of works, but kind or doesn't all at the same time.
> My dad's solution will utilise a brass adaptor and a slightly different setup that he makes himself (he is a metal fabricator) that will simply fit into a small hole in the top of your existing mini keg.
> 
> I will keep anyone interested in this posted. It's probably a couple of weeks away from fruition, but it will happen.
> ...



I would be interested in seeing what he comes up with. I imagine there'd be a good market for it if he can mass produce the things.


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## bignath (24/1/11)

Tanga said:


> I would be interested in seeing what he comes up with. I imagine there'd be a good market for it if he can mass produce the things.



Hey Tanga,

my thoughts exactly. I have been talking to him over the last few weeks about having something a bit more portable than my corny kegs to take on a camping holiday or fishing trip with the boys. He's the sort of bloke that if you mention something to him, he will move heaven and high water to make a solution to my problem. I have quite a few of these mini kegs lying aroung, and the solution he has come up with seems to be an absolute cracker. It needs to have a little bit of a test run, but i am sure it will prove to be a good idea. 

Will inform of how it turns out. If all goes to plan, he MAY be interested in putting it into production as he is a metal fabricator.

Cheers,

Nath


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## Tanga (24/1/11)

Inventors on the ABC?

Though to do that there'd probably need to be some kind of safety valve. Homebrew folks probably should know better.


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## keifer33 (25/1/11)

Sounds interest Big Nath, keep us posted. Thanks for the link Tanga will look into a few cheap bits and pieces. I'm happy for it to be a simple system as I will only be using these around once a month so overall cost isn't a factor its more for the convenience of a small 5lt keg which will be gone in a day.

EDIT- and actual inflator made to fit those valves I'm thinking will work better as from the bike shops.


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## joshuahardie (25/1/11)

Mark^Bastard said:


> The insulation looks interesting. I wonder if it could be used on a pressure sprayer party keg for example?



I have one of those and they are a series of gel blocks that have a removable neoprene wrap, that secures around the keg with velcro tabs.
It would almost certainly fit around a pressure sprayer.

On a side note, it is not a bad thing to have in the freezer anyway as a ice pack that will velcro around your leg / arm / whatever, for the sports people among us.


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## Tanga (25/1/11)

Ha!

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/HEINEKEN-LAGER-BEER...=item4aa7d41085

It's not really worth it (unless you can pickup I guess), but this funny bugger's selling them on ebay.


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## [email protected] (25/1/11)

I will be interested to see what Big Naths old man comes up with also.
I have access to a few empty Heini kegs and it would be cool to have one filled with HB every now and then.


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## srcossens (25/1/11)

Tanga said:


> If only we had this stuff here:
> http://www.thegrape.net/browse.cfm/2,1232.html



Damn, I just got rid of about 10 of these type of kegs when I was living in the UK. They were great for parties as you would only have to take one 5lt keg and not a bunch of bottles. I would just prime them with sugar and away you go!! Once opened at the top, to let a bit of carb out, it would have to be drunk within about 3 days..... but that's not too hard.


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## furby83 (27/9/11)

sorry to dredge.
Mini-Keg Tap

would be an ideal solution & what i'm considering doing


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## winkle (25/4/12)

Currently rebuilding my old 'dalek' party keg setup using 300mm drainage pipe.







No thin pastic to break this time Nick, and it'll have wheels.


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## furby83 (25/4/12)

winkle said:


> Currently rebuilding my old 'dalek' party keg setup using 300mm drainage pipe.





EXTERMINATE, EXTERMINATE





(sorry had to do it)


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