9 gallon cask - how to make this work?

[Mardoo]

Hi there,

I've come into possession of a 9 gallon SS cask that's been set up with gas in and beer out posts. I'd like to use it as a serving cask for my newly acquired hand pump. I understand that I don't need to use the gas posts, but could if I wanted. Trouble is I have SFA idea what goes in the big hole, so feel like I'm 10 again and trying to figure out how that boy/girl thing works. Here it is:





I have the posts and have just removed them to clean and recondition. But, please, help a guy out. What goes in the big hole?

 

[verysupple]

I'm not very knowledgeablbe when it comes to casks, but if there's no hole for a shive on the side then the big hole could be for that - assuming this cask is designed for an upright configuration. Also, the cask has fittings for posts, and the hole is centred, so I'm guessing it's not for the keystone.

 

[Mardoo]

Yep, no hole on the side for a shive.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

That hole is for a keg/Sankey coupler.

 

[verysupple]

Good to know. So it's designed to use both Sankey couplers and Corny posts? I guess that works for keg systems, but how do you use it as a cask, then?

 

[S.E]

I’m not 100% sure but think that may have been a wine cask.

If I was going to use it with an engine I’d probably try making something similar to a CaskWidge. You could just buy a Cask Widge but they fit in the key stone rather than the shive hole.

[SIZE=11pt]You will probably find that the big hole is not standard shive size so could make your own wooden shives to fit it and drill a keystone hole in your homemade shive to take a Cask Widge. [/SIZE]

 

[Mardoo]

Very likely a wine cask. Guy I got it from owned his own wine shop for quite a few years. He also had some awesome 100L cigare style barrels, but he wanted way more than I, or anyone here, would pay. This was pretty cheap so no issue if I can't make it work.

 

[Mardoo]

That hole is for a keg/Sankey coupler.

How would that work in terms of a spear then? There's zero threading for a spear mount. It's just a nice, smooth hole. Erm...

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I have 3 or 4 different size kegs, I got my coupler from keg king, looks like the valve that the coupler attaches to is missing, have a google and find out about a replacement Mardoo. I will have a look at mine tomorrow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aZsqPsJrIc

 

[booargy]

a plastic bung is driven in after filling and the spear attachment is screwed in and the spear shoved through the plastic bung. I think

 

[Tahoose]

To be honest Mardoo id use the gas post and get either a cask breather or top up the headspace occasionally with co2 (same same but different).

This is working on the assumption that it won't be every 3 days that you'll power though 9gallons.

I would then look at installing a ball lock liquid post lower than the ones previously installed, the weldless ball lock posts from keg King at roughly $15 I think. You want it lower otherwise your going to miss out on a lot of beer. I'd consider putting this on the side opposite the one shown. You might refer to this as the bottom if it's still standing up.

As for the big hole, is it threaded? Could you screw in an existing keg spear?? Other option is those big silicone bungs used in demijohns.

Food for thought.

 

[booargy]

Like has been said silicon bung with a stainless bolt and 2 large washers to tighten it. More than likely the spear assembly looked like this.

 

[Mardoo]

Yep, OK. Do you know what those are called, booargy? Anyone? I actually saw an 18 gallon keg with one of those attached sell about 50k from here recently for $30 on eBay, but I really didn't need another old keg.

The bung is sounding good. I'll need to cut down a dip tube to the correct size, but that's no issue. Or I can just grab a new one from SSPV.

I'll never get through 9 gallons in a week, unless I finally have that brewer's birthday next year. A light CO2 charge, just to keep some positive pressure, is the notion I've read about that makes the most sense, given my case. Therefore I thought this would suit my needs better than going for a purebred cask system.

 

[booargy]

the bit that they screwed into was a plastic bung that was hammered in when it was filled. i don't think you can get them anymore.

 

[sstacey]

If it doesn't have a hole on the side you can be sure it is a conventional keg and not a cask. The early kegs often retained the cask shape. As others have said, you can find retailers that sell shives - just need to find one that fits, or use a silicon bung. An aspirator could fit into this or one of the other holes. As you are using a beer engine you may not need a spear. You can get a hose that floats on the top of the beer (craftbrewer sell them from memory). Might be possible to have this going through the shive or the other hole.

 

[Mardoo]

Looks like Grain and Grape sell keystones, shives and spiles. I'll have to have a look. If anyone else is looking just search their Shop on "beer engine", and you'll get what looks like all the beer engine and cask supplies.

 

[S.E]

Looks like Grain and Grape sell keystones, shives and spiles. I'll have to have a look. If anyone else is looking just search their Shop on "beer engine", and you'll get what looks like all the beer engine and cask supplies.

[SIZE=11pt]Mardoo, those shives are 2 1/8’’ tapering to about 2’’ so probably won’t fit the hole in your cask. From memory they are wider than that in those old wine barrels, have you measured it? [/SIZE]

 

[Mardoo]

Good point. Out to the garage.…nope, same size as my actual 18 gallon cask (way too big to use) and other old style kegs.

 

[Tahoose]

It's not too big use just needs to be cared for, you know the vey best of that cask will be the last 10 pints.

Go on, fill it hahaha

 

[S.E]

Good point. Out to the garage.…nope, same size as my actual 18 gallon cask (way too big to use) and other old style kegs.

So what size was it?

Just a thought would it be possible for you to weld or have a Try Clover ferrule welded over the bung hole? Then you could easily make and attach a float or dip tube that would be reusable and easy to clean.