Kegging while travelling. Comments welcome.

[dicko]

Hi all,
I am currently on the road in a caravan and I am becoming more and more dissapointed with choce of bottled beers unless in major centres or close to micro breweries.

As such I am contemplating brewing while on the road.

At this stage I am considering the partial mash method and probably brew 12 litre batches, or, if storage space permits I may even take my BM with the short malt pipe.
I have 3 x 12 litre cornies and I am considering fermenting in one of these and using the others for serving.

My main concern is fermenting temps and as such I am thinking along the lines of building a collar for my car fridge to raise the lid height to accomodate the height of the 1/2 cornies.
This is the fridge I have....

http://www.evakool.com/evakool-dc60-fridge

Of course my brewing operation would restrict me to a van park so as to use the 240 power if I decide to use the BM but I could use gas and my carfridge off the grid.

Has anyone on this forum done anything similar to what I am planning or know anyone thar may have done this??

Comments welcome.

 

[Mardoo]

Be sure to install a tap in the dash. Other than that I am of no help.

 

[koolkuna]

M8 been down that line and gave up. Way too hard. Coopers Sparkling all the way around Australia is my tip

 

[Grott]

Why not mix up a 24 litre batch and put it in 2 x 12l to ferment. When ready transfer one to the empty keg for carbonation/ drinking and refill the now empty one with a 12l brew. And continue on that way so you'll have one to drink, two fermenting at different times so it should all flow.

 

[wobbly]

Dicko

I tried this a few years ago trying to use a 15lt fermenter and unhopped Bries malts. Boiling the LME to add hop flavor was a bit of a pain cooling it down again after. For temperature control I used a foam box with a hole cut in the top about the size of the lid to allow the air lock to stick out and used 2lt frozen bottles of water changed out every day to try and maintain temperature control. Once fermented I bottled in the Coopers PET bottles with carbonation drops. Using kegs would require some form of CO2 to be carted with you also.
The main issue that came up was the amount of stuff you needed to carry and unless you had something like an F250 with a big tray SWMBO soon became pretty sick of brewing stuff half filling the 20 x 8 container you are basically living in.
If I was to do it again I would opt for something like the Coopers Craft series which while a bit expensive will make up about 9lts and if I could find something that would stand pressure I would ferment under pressure (about 1.5bar) as that way you don't have to be so concerned with temperature control as you could ferment a dry yeast such as US-05 or Nottingham at 23C without issue.
Maybe something like the Olive Oil drums that some use as a fermenter could be used under pressure?? and while expensive this mob actually manufacture a 10lt pressure fermenter and beer kits to go with it https://williamswarn.com/nz/products/brewkeg/.

Cheers

Wobbly

 

[dicko]

Thanks for the rplies guys.
Grott, you idea of rotating ferments so as to maintain supply is basically what I had in mind.
By using the 3 kegs I already have I could do it if I only drink at about the same pace as the beer takes to ferment....hahaha that could be a good thing.

Wobbly, I hadnt thought of fermenting under pressure but I could do it easily if I fermented in one of my baby cornies. I have a guage and an adjustable PRV that I could easily set up when I get home.
We have been on the road now for over 6 months and space could be a problem but I have got it sussed out.
My missus is no different to most others is that we have twice as much crap as we actually need so when I get home I am going to download most of her clothes, shoes, cooking utensils, make up etc and the list goes on and that should give me enough room for my brewing kit.
Wish me luck guys....

 

[Grott]

My missus is no different to most others is that we have twice as much crap as we actually need so when I get home I am going to download most of her clothes, shoes, cooking utensils, make up etc and the list goes on and that should give me enough room for my brewing kit.
Wish me luck guys....

As per the film "The Castle" - Tell 'em they're dreamin'

dicko, your dreaming.

 

[RobW]

Oz & James did it in Drink to Britain