Eco Kegs Soon To Be Available To Hbrs

[jimmylt]

Pity they can't just make the bladders with a flat bottom so they can sit upright in the fridge, although i'm sure it would be easy to create a base or cradle. The outer seems to be just a protective skin to protect the bladder while transporting. If they are to be used by home brewers, they shouldn't need as many outers as they do bladders.
And if thats the case, if someone can come up with an attachment to convert the standard 10lt (roughly?) replacement springwater bottles that get delivered all over the place, into a HB keg, they'll be on a winner??

 

[user 384]

The outer seems to be just a protective skin to protect the bladder while transporting.

Probably also to protect the beer from light strike.

Cheers
MAH

 

[jimmylt]

Do what the rolling stones suggested - paint it black.

 

[frogman]

And if thats the case, if someone can come up with an attachment to convert the standard 10lt (roughly?) replacement springwater bottles that get delivered all over the place, into a HB keg, they'll be on a winner??

Working on just that at the moment.

Cheers FROGMAN

 

[jayse]

Sorry way way off topic post as far as the use of them as brewers goes but....

I don't get the 'Eco' part, just because its made out of plastic that can be recycled? wait SS can be recycled plus it lasts millions of times longer so doesn't use the energy required to recycle it all the time like this product would if the breweries only use them once, therefore SS would be more eco friendly wouldn't it?

Does 'Eco' actually mean 'eco'nomical <_< for the brewery when shipping beer? It certianly seems that 'Eco' is intented to mean ecosystem friendly which unless I'am missing something that doesn't gell with me.
I think it should be called simply dispossible keg, like wort games said the 'eco' part is marketing BS.

Anyway sorry not having a go at the product and use of it as such just the word 'eco' being used.

Good luck with the venture T.C. It seems some people could possibly be interested in buying just the bladders, i'd be interested.


Jayse

 

[bugwan]

Jayse, your post is the basis of one I edited yesterday... As Wortgames mentioned, the use of the prefix "Eco" is marketing BS. I was reading through Sabco's website recently and a stainless steel keg can last more than 30 years. At the end of all that, they are almost 100% recyclable.

I don't understand how this product can be vaguely referred to as Eco-anything, since it is a plastic product designed for one use! It doesn't say anywhere on their site that it is made from recycled plastic either, so I assume virgin plastic has gone into its production?

Its a product designed for international brewers, which doesn't mean it's not for us per se, my qualm rests with the name of the thing.

If a SS 50L brewery keg can be thrown around the world and last 30+ years, then my corny can last 100 if I take care of it

TC, not knocking your product line - good luck with sales, I just question their marketing...

 

[Darren]

Probably also to protect the beer from light strike.

Cheers
MAH

Should be fine so long as it is the fridge (dark).

I suspect the outer plastic layer is so the "punters" at the pub, half smashed, don't see a plastic bladder


Tastes the same so long as it is coming out of a keg

cheers

Darren

 

[Wortgames]

Regarding the 'eco' status, it is conceivable (if not exactly likely) that it is reasonably environmentally competitive with a stainless keg under some circumstances.

If you were to ship a stainless keg over a long distance, and then ship it back empty, and then steam clean it etc, there would be a certain amount of energy and carbon emissions associated with that.

Shipping a plastic keg (which is lighter in the first place) one way - and then allowing it to enter an established plastics cycle at its destination - may end up being better for all we know.

I guess it comes down to infrastructure - if there is a solid local distribution (and return) network that can manage stainless kegs, then they are no doubt a better option - but one-way containers makes it more viable (and perhaps even more sustainable) for smaller producers to get out there and sell their product further afield.

How long before they release the 'Eco-CO2 bottle'? h34r:

 

[Doogiechap]

Regarding the bladder only option. My guess is the outer casing is what gives the bladder the strength/ capacity to hold the pressure req'd to carb in the first place.
Just like a footy. (Except for the carbonation bit ).

I would think they could last a fair while in non commercial applications (at least as far as I am concerned if I was to purchase one of these I would take a fair amount of care if that meant a longer service life being the tight a$#e that I am). That said I have dished out my sheckles on SS and have no regrets .
TC I think you will be on a winner once the corny stocks dry up a bit more too. I can't wait to see some user reviews on how robust the fittings are etc.

Who's going to be the first to 'take one for the team' .
Cheers
Doug

 

[Darren]

Regarding the bladder only option. My guess is the outer casing is what gives the bladder the strength/ capacity to hold the pressure req'd to carb in the first place.
Cheers
Doug

Doug,
You may be onto something there. Maybe it is just in case it explodes. Sorta like a safety barrier.

Would love to hear more on these things. What happens if you over carbonate and shake?

What are the pressure limits? (shielded and unshielded). Do they have safety valves like cornies?

cheers

Darren

 

[bigholty]

I think the end result will be that in 5 years time, home-brewers will be nicking plastic kegs instead of stainless ones from behind their local pub!!

This product seems to be a continuing shift away from re-fillable packaging and towards low-cost, disposable containers (Remember the old 'pickaxe' bottles that would go back to the brewery and be washed and refilled? Of course you do, there's crates full of them in your shed!) To manufacturers, it would represent a fixed packaging cost per keg, which could easily be incorporated into their price, without the need to worry about returning and repairing kegs. If they are taken up by the brewing industry, then I imagine the price would come right down. You may even get a 5c deposit at container collection depots in SA for them!

 

[jimmylt]

Regarding the bladder only option. My guess is the outer casing is what gives the bladder the strength/ capacity to hold the pressure req'd to carb in the first place.

Surely the PET bladder would be strong enough not to expand under pressure and then contract when de-pressurised. Products like the tap-a-draft and party pig kegs don't seem to have this problem.
I can see no practical use for the outer except for transporting a full bladder safely, and helping to keep it upright.


"And if thats the case, if someone can come up with an attachment to convert the standard 10lt (roughly?) replacement springwater bottles that get delivered all over the place, into a HB keg, they'll be on a winner??

Working on just that at the moment.
Cheers FROGMAN"

Look forward to hearing more about that FROGMAN.

 

[tommy cooper]

well some great feed back and arguments on this product and that is what the hole thing was about .as for the knocking a product was concerned .only a few had knocked it without any addid critisisum but that said most of you lads gave some good clear arguements . and some just picked out coments i made and replied with things like .oh and this one is my favourite. and then quoted me . as i said yes i resell them but anyone can. i am not investing in them that has been done its not even my venture as that also has been done i was wanting some feed back as to and if they would be a good alternative to a cornie .
also there was a bit off quaffing done when i said that cornie are old technology .well they have been around for a long long time and that was only in reference to the new product.

i have asked myself all the questions i can think of about these and came to the conclusion about the word used eco .i was told that it was due to them being more economically viable as the losses in s/s kegs is costing commercial breweries millions in lost equipment in return shipping , damage and theft and that has been a concern . we all know s/s kegs have been around for many years and will be for mny more but i do beleive that this is great way of economically saving the commercials money.

there also seems to be a pricing scale on them as well .wholes sale ,trade, retail now whole sale has many levels which depends on quantity purchased so i am guessing that the breweries ,commercial and a such would be able to purchase them alot cheaper than a HBS .

ok on to other questions the size is about the same as a cub 50ltr squat . max pressure says 350 kpa on the lid , they come in any commercial fittings you require as descibed buy the manufacturer c.u.b, or coopers type disconnects .
i asked about the outer skin and its there for all the reasons you think light strike, protection of the bladder, stackability, and as a standard to what is all ready out there to the s/s cousins so there is no need for special equipment.

yes i am praising this concept and yes i also have my doubts and questions. so to see what they are like for a home brewing situation i got a sample to try .you can to just give ampi plastics a call and they will post one to you just tell them what you want to do and they are very helpfull indeed .
for around 50 odd bucks you can try one out if you dont like it sell it on.

now the tc question that keeps getting asked here is the answer to this one .
i had buggered my system and then logged back in and went to change a few ofmy details i do not know what i did but some how buggered the whole thing up after putting in a temp email .i must have left something off and could not confirm it with the forum sytem so had to start a fresh id .not the best thing to do as it seems that people dont know who you are .
so i asked the admin boys to help and we went down this trail . ok for the record so you know i was on as DELBOY . i have been around here for 2 years plus and i am a retailer in port pirie .

so only the id was reset nothing else .so a am no newbie trying to push ideas just an oldie suggesting new ideas.

wow this post has turned out like one of pp's we will have to get together and write some memours down me and the ol' PP.

any way thats the sich

tc :beer:

 

[tommy cooper]

How much to you pay for cornie overhaul kits?
and my favourite so far:

goathearder !as to this post of yours, if you want you can allways include some critisiums i wont bite but your post is more of a piss take at my expence rather than anything else .because you have just taken snippets of what i said and tried to make a joke of it .
now i have a good sense of humour but this is not humour this is piss taking. the forum is about discussions and constructive critisisium about brewing and or related topics .where is your discussion, critisisum just quoting some one else and adding a one line load of conk it not savvy well i am not even going to waste my time hear your still a newbie but learn some manners and you will gain some respect.

but to answer your questions
i pay alot less for a cornie overhaul kits than you would
and i am glad you have a favourite quote so far


tc

 

[user 384]

Hey TC

Get back in touch with the manufacturer and hound them to make a 20 litre and a 10 litre version for the HB market. Tell them there is a sizeable niche market in the US for HB gear. I'll gladly hand over $'s for a cheap 20 litre or 10 litre purpose made PET keg. Even if it's just a 10 litre bladder, people would be able to mount these in a esky/cooler of their choice. Imagine a $15 10 litre PET bottle that would take a CUB/Coopers coupler that you could place in a 36 litre KeepCold.

Cheers
MAH

 

[tommy cooper]

hey there MAH

yes i am going to ask the question about that .a the moment i have asked them to look at the pressure barrel in england to see if they can do that as well spoke with ampi last week and they are just waiting for a sample to see what and how they made them and if it would be worth while doing them here so us HBR's dont have to pay all the shipping cost of importing one to aust.

i was talking with kenny GMK last week here and he said about the flooded 5 way you were trying to get?
how did you go? i asked around and even i cant get one ,the price on them would be ott i recon .

did you read the bit about the id and how i stuffed it up. i tell ya it was a cock up i don,t want to do again. it was all my doing so only me to blame .

tc (delboy)

 

[DarkFaerytale]

tc i'd hate for that to happen to me (loose my handle) perhaps change your name to something like del_boy so people recocnise who you are if your worried about it

-Phill

 

[tommy cooper]

i thought of that
but hey its only a handle after all i dont mind ppl soon realize who you are i posted some things i didn ,t like so a fresh start is best as well .

the only thing is you loose your real star date thats why ppl get a bit reved if they think your a newbie .
telling them how to or not to do it. or come up with a new idea.

oh well

tc

 

[kenworthy]

Just finished reading this thread now I was wondering would it be possible to have an inflatable bladder something like a wine cask so if you were into real ale the bladder shrinks with the diminishing beer so no oxidising occurs am I making sense?I usually dont

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Just a little more info - The eco kegs have an outside plastic layer that looks like a normal keg because (presumably among other reasons) then they can be run through normal brewery racking (keg filling) plant without alterations to the infrastructure. They can then be stacked, stored, moved etc all without the need to modify standing equipment.

And of course TC is correct, ECO is for economy rather than ecology. Kegs that get sent overseas frequently don't come back and its a lot cheaper to send a $30 (or whatever) plastic keg than a $110 stainless one. If it does come back, then you can refill it with a new bladder, if it doesn't, you have lost considerably less.

I seriously doubt that they will find a market with the big breweries as a replacement for their everyday kegging. But if metal prices keep going up... who knows. There is a pretty good argument for using them in the export market though.

Thirsty