Keg To Cask Conversion

[DoctorBob]

Hi ,

anyone converted a 19L keg to use as a real ale cask, with photos & details they would share.?

I want to serve some Yorkshire ales, traditionally hand pulled and forced through a sparkler to give them the creamy head that they have in the North.

I have a beer engine on its way from the UK, and an aspirator (1atms CO2 reg) to pad the headspace with CO2, rather than let air in as happens in the uk pubs.(doesn't matter in the pubs as a cask only will last a few days)

I am told that trying to pull the beer up the dipleg of a 19L keg causes problems i) cos the cask conditioning leaves quite a bit of yeast in the bottom, and ii) because the diameter is small and the post is too restricted (too long & narrow & restricted with the poppet valve.)

Ross is about to start selling a floating pick up for kegs that would help prevent yeast pick up for about $30 so I will be buying one and trying.

I am thinking about drilling a keg lid and having a ss socket welded into the lid with a screw thread on the inner and outersides of the lid. Then to the outside I could use the thread to attach a Female Adapator - Thread 1/2" BSP x OD 5/16" (8mm) ( http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=3910 ) and then go to beer line. On the inside I could use the floating pick up, or possibly a length of 9.5mm ID silicone hose attached to a barb, and leave it 30mm off the base to avoid yeast pick up.

Suggestions, redirects (I did a few searches but couldn't find what I was after) to other links / pics of your cask set ups welcomed.

DrB

 

[pk.sax]

Ross posted something in a thread not that long ago about pouring from a keg getting blocked due to hop debris from dry hopping. Involved taking some spring out. That might be a solution to your problem, on the cheap, i.e. Also, the tube cut shorter...

 

[Jez]

Get a demand valve and you don't need to modify the keg to use your handpump. Here's my post about what I did:

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...=33000&st=0

My hand pump has no probs pulling beer thru the diptube with this setup. If you want to avoid yeast just cut a little off the diptube.

Jez

 

[IainMcLean]

Get a demand valve and you don't need to modify the keg to use your handpump.

Yup that's the ticket - The pub in the UK town I lived in also had a microbrewery and they exchanged their beers in 19L cornies with a few other local brewers and used the same set-up.

 

[DoctorBob]

Get a demand valve and you don't need to modify the keg to use your handpump. Here's my post about what I did:

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...=33000&st=0

My hand pump has no probs pulling beer thru the diptube with this setup. If you want to avoid yeast just cut a little off the diptube.

Jez

Thanks for the link, also reading the show us your beer engines thread...lots of info

DrB

 

[///]

Hi there

As much as I am prepared to jump into a flame suit, cask ale is more than the cask itself. There are a number of ways to skin a cat.

I was taught to brew by an ex-Bass brewer, and there is a whole lot more to the process that aids in the quality of the end product. This starts from grist milling (course), water salts (calcium to aid in yeast floc/ fermentation), good mash handling (floating mash infusion mash with a low grist : water ration), appropriate yeasts, proper cellar and cooperage (finings, beer conditioning) and then dispense and service handling.

If you are using a 19l cornie, you can cut the dip tube off by 10mm to keepdown the yeast, but if you have good process management from milling to conditioning this will minimise carry over. Think about the idea of garbage in, garbage out in the process.

The Illawarra Brewers Union (IBU) have been using the 19l wort pack cubes to great affect for cellaring and serving cask ale, the tap size is particuarly good for hose sizing to the handpull. They also expand showing condition and stack well. I must say, around an IBU a caskis lucky to last more than 2 days ... so disposal is not a problem of the beer.

Happy to help with any process questions ...

Scotty

 

[Kingbrownbrewing]

Seriously hit up Ross at craftbrewer, he showed me a device that he has the rights to import that makes it seriously easy to have real ale from cornies.
I can't really describe it but it looked fancy and involved all sorts of floats and thingamys that looked cool.
No doubt he can fill you in on the particulars, and the. You don't need to busy up any of your cornys.

 

[Shed101]

You could try calling Ashley Huntington at 2 Metre Tall in New Norfolk and ask how he's achieved cask from keg.

... and I'm interested in hearing the answer.

 

[Jez]

Just buy the demand valve and you'll be sweet mate. Plus I would get an aspirator in the same order to replace headspace in the keg with C02

 

[black_labb]

Sorry for the ignorance, but if you are using an aspirator what is the main difference in the beer compared to pressurised keg systems. Is it simply that there is no pressure in the vessel at all? I can't imagine there being any effect on the beer based on the pump system (aside from maybe a sparkler at the output.

If it is only the lack of pressure in the vessel could you not essentially plug a tap into a jerry can/cube and put an aspirator on there or not at all if you were planning on having the beer drank quickly like one would expect in a pub? How close would you be getting by doing something like this? Obviously this isn't a solution for someone who wanted to have a nice handpump in their home, but maybe for someone who wants to give it a try or even have a 20L cube of ready made beer for an evening with a few other home brewers.

 

[Vlad the Pale Aler]

Here's one I prepared earlier......http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=9510&view=findpost&p=235708

 

[brucearnold]

If it is only the lack of pressure in the vessel could you not essentially plug a tap into a jerry can/cube and put an aspirator on there or not at all if you were planning on having the beer drank quickly like one would expect in a pub? How close would you be getting by doing something like this? Obviously this isn't a solution for someone who wanted to have a nice handpump in their home, but maybe for someone who wants to give it a try or even have a 20L cube of ready made beer for an evening with a few other home brewers.

Yep. The wort cubes come with a nice bung that can be removed and replaced with a tap. Just remember to drill out the wall behind the bung before filling so that you don't have to do this when it is full and you want a beer.

I had a cube sitting in the fridge over Christmas of English Bitter and drank it slowly over the week. No aspirator just loosened the lid when serving. Worked rather well.

 

[Batz]

I use an old corny lid that had the old type relief value in it. These screw out leaving a fair size hole, the Silicone Hose Tubing 1/2 inch that Ross and others sell will squeeze through the hole tight enough to seal the outside but not restrict the beer engines flow. I use this hose conected right up to the beer engine, easy as.

I'm sure Ross would have a few of these corny lids available cheap as no one really wants them.

Batz

 

[black_labb]

Yep. The wort cubes come with a nice bung that can be removed and replaced with a tap. Just remember to drill out the wall behind the bung before filling so that you don't have to do this when it is full and you want a beer.

I had a cube sitting in the fridge over Christmas of English Bitter and drank it slowly over the week. No aspirator just loosened the lid when serving. Worked rather well.

I think I'll have to give that a try

 

[Cortez The Killer]

Here's how I plumbed up mine

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...st&p=566566

Cheers

 

[Batz]

I use an old corny lid that had the old type relief value in it. These screw out leaving a fair size hole, the Silicone Hose Tubing 1/2 inch that Ross and others sell will squeeze through the hole tight enough to seal the outside but not restrict the beer engines flow. I use this hose conected right up to the beer engine, easy as.

I'm sure Ross would have a few of these corny lids available cheap as no one really wants them.

Batz

Photos



Use one of these lids with the old style relief value.



Screw out the relief value.



Squeeze the silicone hose throught the hole leaving enough to reach the bottom of the corney and whatever you need to attach to the beer engine. No couplers, connectors, reducers or anything else.