Camping.

[pipsyboy]

I'm going camping for two nights soon and just wondered what would be the best way to go regarding taking a keg with me.

 

[surly]

some ideas here: http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/75335-portable-single-keg-set-up/

 

[Florian]

 

[MastersBrewery]

I have a mobile sngle keg set up, which I use for parties and so forth, I find for camping Tap king (refilled obviously) the best way to go lasts a night or two if it's just me or new one each night if there's a couple of us.
MB

 

[woodwormm]

If you're not set up with a miracle box... then the best option is a container to keep the keg cold, lots of insulation and lots of ice...

If space isn't an issue - ie you're towing a trailer.. then the cheapest option i can think of is a wheelie bin and a few cheap yoga mats.

I've got a 120L wheelie bin purpose built with expanda foam insulation and it'll keep a keg cold for 2 days, I reckon a full size bin and a few yoga mats would do the trick quite cheaply. Or you can just sit the keg in an esky and keep the bottom cold, as the pickup is at the bottom, or another option if you have a big long esky... you can quite successfully re-jig the beer pickup tube so that you can happily pour from a lying down keg...

As far as taps etc go, a cheap plastic picnic tap is awsome, nothing to go wrong and the plastic doesn't heat up like a metal tap does.. a soda stream bottle and adaptor is a good gas supply but bulbs will work too, or you can drag your full size bottle along if you want to...

My mates and I have been through a few systems, now we just use miracle boxes, although we're usually within 1/2 hour drive of an ice supply. I'd imagine if we go real remote we'll be bottling and cranking the Engels, or even better, talking to the nice folk at U-brew-It and canning some brews...

nothing better than you're own beer in the wilderness.

 

[brewologist]

Here is a jockey box I rigged up for camping, parties, HB comps etc.

22L Waeco esky with the keg king chiller coil kit. Just add a bag of ice and a couple of litres of water. Works a treat. I crash chill in the fermenter, transfer to a keg and cold crash a second time and finally transfer to another keg before carbing. The double crash helps to keep the beer clear on 4wd tracks as there is less yeast to get stired up.

 

[Moad]

I was using garden sprayer kegs but I can't get them to seal so if drinking over 2 nights it is flat on the second day/night. I have picked up a few 6L kegs and that will last 2 nights when supplemented with a few bottles

 

[pipsyboy]

Cheers guys.

Some good rigs there. Not sure which I'll go with yet.

 

[_HOME_BREW_WALLACE_]

do you have enough time to knock up a ghetto CPBF?

 

[pipsyboy]

do you have enough time to knock up a ghetto CPBF?

CPBF?


EDIT
[SIZE=10.5pt]No worries. Just googled it.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Was really wanting to take a keg so I can show off the fact that I can have beer on tap even when I'm camping. (yes, I really am that shallow, lol).[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Florians idea is winking at me. Just need to source the polystyrene now. [/SIZE]

 

[TheWiggman]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Florians idea is winking at me. [/SIZE]

"Hey there muscly arms"

 

[leighaus]

i love that setup Florian... ******* awesome.

 

[PaleRider]

What I use. Yep, it only fits a 9.5l keg but it suits me. Currently in use in Pambula....

 

[slcmorro]

That looks awesome!

 

[Jase]

Here is a jockey box I rigged up for camping, parties, HB comps etc.

22L Waeco esky with the keg king chiller coil kit. Just add a bag of ice and a couple of litres of water. Works a treat. I crash chill in the fermenter, transfer to a keg and cold crash a second time and finally transfer to another keg before carbing. The double crash helps to keep the beer clear on 4wd tracks as there is less yeast to get stired up.

Jockey Box.jpg

Jockey Box1.jpg

Brewologist,

What do you use to push out the beer? A soda stream setup?

Any chance of a pic?

Cheers,
Jase

 

[Lincoln2]

If it starts to get stressful/hard work, just surrender and take an eski with a carton or two of cans from your local bottle shop (I don't know where Thornlands is but I take Tooheys New, XXXX heavy or whatever is half decent and on special). I've got kids and when I go camping I'm too busy doing other stuff to worry about kegs, CO2, lines, glasses etc etc etc. Brewing is a great part of my life but sometimes you have to let go.

 

[BrosysBrews]

If it starts to get stressful/hard work, just surrender and take an eski with a carton or two of cans from your local bottle shop (I don't know where Thornlands is but I take Tooheys New, XXXX heavy or whatever is half decent and on special). I've got kids and when I go camping I'm too busy doing other stuff to worry about kegs, CO2, lines, glasses etc etc etc. Brewing is a great part of my life but sometimes you have to let go.

Must make your beer taste better on your return as well drinking XXXX?

 

[wombil]

I copied florian's idea and it is the best.
1 bag of ice will keep a 19 ltr keg cold for 2 days.if it's put in cold..
Costs about nothing to make too.

 

[Florian]

Florians idea is winking at me. Just need to source the polystyrene now.

Those boxes are generally used for broccoli or other veggies. I have access to hundreds of them if anyone in Brisbane wants one, but otherwise you should be able to get one from the grocer or markets.

I just tape the lid to the box, sit a keg on one of the sides and sketch a circle around it, then cut it with a fishing knife or whatever else I have on hand. I then cut out four triangles at a slight angle so they can be taken out easily.



Sit your cold keg in the box, then fill ice cubes through the triangle holes. Once full, insert the cut outs.


(this one was for the FIL's 60th)

The standard 19L tall kegs fit perfectly into the box with just the rubber top coming out the top, all stainless is inside the box. Just be sure to never lift the whole contraption by the keg or else it will lift out and ice cubes will get under the keg, which means it won't fit perfectly anymore. Always lift the whole box, never the rubber handles.

 

[pipsyboy]

If it starts to get stressful/hard work, just surrender and take an eski with a carton or two of cans from your local bottle shop (I don't know where Thornlands is but I take Tooheys New, XXXX heavy or whatever is half decent and on special). I've got kids and when I go camping I'm too busy doing other stuff to worry about kegs, CO2, lines, glasses etc etc etc. Brewing is a great part of my life but sometimes you have to let go.

I've not bought beer from the bottlo since I drank my first Home brew. If all else fails (or I'm too much of a slack arse to do anything about it) I will bottle from the keg.

I copied florian's idea and it is the best.
1 bag of ice will keep a 19 ltr keg cold for 2 days.if it's put in cold..
Costs about nothing to make too.

Where's the best place to get the box from?

 

[Florian]

Where's the best place to get the box from?

Mate, if you PM me your address tonight I should be able to courier a brand new box over to you, delivered to your door by tomorrow afternoon. Has to happen tonight though as Fastway is picking up early tomorrow morning.

If you ever meet me in person shout me a beer, but no worries if it never actually happens.

 

[Mr B]

I've picked them up from Woolies etc before, just go and ask at the vege section and you might get lucky.

Of course, where there's a chance you might get lucky, always try to ask someone attractive.

 

[brewologist]

Brewologist,

What do you use to push out the beer? A soda stream setup?

Any chance of a pic?

Cheers,
Jase

Hey Jase,

I have a 2.6kg co2 bottle that I use for dispensing. I have used the tiny co2/soda bulbs before but, in my experience, they are a pain to use.

Its not much trouble lugging round the small bottle.

Cheers,

 

[pipsyboy]

Mate, if you PM me your address tonight I should be able to courier a brand new box over to you, delivered to your door by tomorrow afternoon. Has to happen tonight though as Fastway is picking up early tomorrow morning.

If you ever meet me in person shout me a beer, but no worries if it never actually happens.

Mate, thanks so much. Thinking I missed the boat so I called into Coles and got a couple.

I've picked them up from Woolies etc before, just go and ask at the vege section and you might get lucky.

Of course, where there's a chance you might get lucky, always try to ask someone attractive.

It was a short fat bloke..............

 

[Kingy]

Is the idea of a stainless coil in an esky like this.
Chill your beer to say 3 degrees and carb up to desired level say for me 80kpa.
Once carbed take beer out of fridge and it can then sit warm out of the esky. As you pour a beer the lines cool the beer down so the co2 goes back into the beer.
That sounds to easy?

 

[Eagleburger]

fill a few bottles with a counter-flow filler works for me. Do it for all kegs now and just store in keezer for a quick grab if going to dinner or after work.

 

[mckenry]

Is the idea of a stainless coil in an esky like this.
Chill your beer to say 3 degrees and carb up to desired level say for me 80kpa.
Once carbed take beer out of fridge and it can then sit warm out of the esky. As you pour a beer the lines cool the beer down so the co2 goes back into the beer.
That sounds to easy?

Thats pretty much it Kingy, but you really dont want the kegs getting too warm. Dont leave them in the sun. There is a point where you cant chill the beer enough.
Just note that when they do get warmer, they will pour frothy. This is where youll need to turn the pressure UP, not down. Most people think they need to ease off the gas when things get foamy. This also means you need enough beer line, but the entire coil is usually enough.
Ive done this type of thing heaps of times and its great. I just like to keep the kegs as cool as possible. Sometimes in the middles of summer, I sit the kegs in a bin of ice with a towell over it. Works perfectly.

 

[rossbaker]

My setup is about as simple as you can get. Keg goes in an esky with the lid off. Fill esky with ice. Cover ice with a towel. This setup relies on the reasoning that you only need to keep the bottom half of the keg cold which is true. I kept a keg cold over Easter weekend doing this without needing to change the ice. Probably wouldn't be much chop in Summer though.