Lion introduces "Tap King" - party keg / growlers

[driftdaddy]

Hi driftdaddy,

Just wondering how much priming sugar you used? And what were the results?

Cheers!

In my most recent batch (Thomas Coopers IPA kit) I used about 18g of dex for each TK bottle or roughly 6g/lt. Carbonation seems fine.

For the first batch, I bulk primed 19l with 100g of dex

 

[barls]

Sorry to side track Barls, but could you point me in the right direction for some info on this? I don't remember reading anything on the subject and am always keen to learn something new.

I guess it's kind of on topic if it's better to retain yeast to avoid oxidisation in the TK bottles.

cant remember where i read it could of been the yeast book but its the reason all the megaswill beers have a used by where as most of the craft beers have a best after date due to them having live yeast.

 

[Diggs]

Just picked up a TK head for $23 ($33 with $10 discount) - BWS Stafford City Brisbane!

 

[pist]

I have been seriously considering the tap a draft system as well as SWMBO wont agree to the purchase of another fridge for a full blown corny setup due to energy costs, which i can unfortunately see her point there, though after seeing the size of the tap king ive decided against the tap a draft as it would be at least twice the size. I have to share the beer fridge to accomodate SWMBO'S cider and rum, so i can see alot of merit in modding a tk unit to run a sodastream bottle for pouring...and carbing as normal in the bottle due to space constraints in the beer fridge (smaller unit). Will cut my bottling more than in half which is a big win...and also get the benefit of a keg system in a small package. Win win if you ask me

 

[Mickcr250]

so i have notice a bit of yeasty left over beer getting left in the valve in the lid, i didn't really want to mess around with little screws so that's why i went for the external reg but it looks like it should probably be cleaned out before bottling into them. I'm thinking about just drilling off the heads of the screws to make it just a screw on lid does anyone see a problem with this? it seems much easier to me

 

[Bats]

Diggs, simplest way is to make a triangular screwdriver and order 12g cartridges online.
Fiddle around swapping new cartridge into old bottles with your beer.
Next, if you get tired of that is to adapt so it can use external gas. The lids are just used as a regular lid and you'll use fewer gas bulbs overall and cheaper ones that are more easily available.
I've already got a couple of sodastream bottles 330g which are cheaper again and available at Woolies etc. but so far finding the fittings to adapt from one size to another has been a pain in the neck.

No need to make the tool, you can buy them for under 5 bucks. I got mine in about a week. Link below.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Black-Yellow-Antislip-Plastic-Grip-Magnetic-T2-Head-Triangle-Screwdriver-/160958222263?pt=AU_Hand_Tools&hash=item2579db8fb7&_uhb=1

I've taken the lid apart but haven't refilled a bottle with HB yet. I have some 12g Mosa Co2 from ezychargers on the way as these seem to be the go as stated on this thread. I know it has not been confirmed if they are food grade or note but the add says 100% co2. People seem to use them and not have any problems.

I will update soon.... Hopefully with a success story.

 

[barls]

Or a cheaper one
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/161026124589?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
Got mine in about the same time frame

 

[Diggs]

Cheers Barls, just ordered the one you posted.

 

[Beerisyummy]

Pretty sure you don't even need the screws in as long as the lid is screwed on.There is a locator pin that keeps the disk aligned.

 

[pist]

Hmmm thats something i never considered. If im going to have to pull the lid apart and clean it i might as well chuck a replacement bulb in and use it as normal? They are only just over a dollar each if you buy a box of 50. How long would i get out of a sodastream bottle?

 

[barls]

Cheers Barls, just ordered the one you posted.

got a 30% discount code as well but it expired 1 day after they posted it. Other than that good service.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Like I said, I've got a spare receipt I can send you if you PM me your details.

Got the receipt in the mail today. THANK YOU! You saved me some money, but more importantly, you stopped me from getting in trouble from SWMBO .

You're a bit naughty leaving your return address off the envelope tho because I was going to send you scratchies as a thank you

:beer:

 

[Diggs]

Bugger! Could have saved $1.60 - no food for the kids this week.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

Just saw on faeces book that Brewbake on the Sunshine Coast are doing tap king refills. I wonder if other micro breweries will and if there could be legal consequences?

 

[mrTbeer]

That might have been my influence. ;-)
It's not illegal to recycle in Qld yet Liam.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Tap-a-draft cost $138 vs. TK $23+ $50 parts. Bottles come free.
12g inside, 16g outside

I've owned 2 tap a draft systems (dont ask) and neither of them performed terribly well. When screwing in the co2 bulbs, it was hit or miss if they'd actually screw in far enought to fire. I bought one for my dad (an avid home brewer and wine maker) , who used it once and didnt bother with again.

I know they've upgraded the system and now use 1 x 16g co2 instead of 2 8g co2's but I dont really see that the tap a draft is worth while financially over the tap king. You pay more for an empy tap a draft bottle than you do for a tap king bottle full of beer...

 

[Bentnose]

I've taken the lid apart but haven't refilled a bottle with HB yet. I have some 12g Mosa Co2 from ezychargers on the way as these seem to be the go as stated on this thread. I know it has not been confirmed if they are food grade or note but the add says 100% co2. People seem to use them and not have any problems.

I will update soon.... Hopefully with a success story.

On the Mosa site they are listed as food grade.

Anyone notice its hard to get the smell of beer out of the bottles? I rinsed my first few thoroughly with hot water and they still have quite a strong odour. I then washed 4 with detergent and hot water, they seem to have less of an odour, though it may be because they were XXX bottles and the others were Chancer?

 

[Beerisyummy]

I've noticed this as well. It's one of the reasons I don't like PET bottles. Someone once described pet bottles to me as lots of tightly packed layers of glad wrap.

The last two I bought had a thin layer peel off when I pulled the labels back.

Then again, I can never quite get the smell out of my fermenters either.

 

[Khellendros13]

I've owned 2 tap a draft systems (dont ask) and neither of them performed terribly well. When screwing in the co2 bulbs, it was hit or miss if they'd actually screw in far enought to fire. I bought one for my dad (an avid home brewer and wine maker) , who used it once and didnt bother with again.

I know they've upgraded the system and now use 1 x 16g co2 instead of 2 8g co2's but I dont really see that the tap a draft is worth while financially over the tap king. You pay more for an empy tap a draft bottle than you do for a tap king bottle full of beer...

Fair enough, that's the sort of answer I was looking for.

 

[Kudzu]

Got myself a Tap king last night, think this will be a good interim setup until we do the kitchen renos and I can do a proper keg setup. Will be good for taking to parties/camping once I have the kegs too.

I want to mod it using a mini reg as mrTbeer has. mrTbeer can you (or anyone else) confirm there are no mods to the bottle lid required for this?

 

[Hwkdog]

Got myself a Tap king last night, think this will be a good interim setup until we do the kitchen renos and I can do a proper keg setup. Will be good for taking to parties/camping once I have the kegs too.

I want to mod it using a mini reg as mrTbeer has. mrTbeer can you (or anyone else) confirm there are no mods to the bottle lid required for this?

Is thru head unit, no need to fix bottles

 

[mrTbeer]

No need to mod bottle lids, the spent bulb can just rattle around inside.

 

[Kudzu]

That's what I wanted to hear. What happens if you insert a new bottle with an untapped lid? Have you removed the needle that punctures the bulb?

Do you reckon you can clean the beer lines adequately without pulling the lid apart?

Didn't manage to get through the first bottle last night, so haven't had a chance to look at the insides in person yet.

EDIT: Just found the post where you said you removed the pin that punctures the bulb. Still interest in the cleaning aspect though.

 

[mrTbeer]

What happens if you insert a new bottle with an untapped lid?

Do you reckon you can clean the beer lines adequately without pulling the lid apart?

New bottle with untapped lid works as per normal, the upside is when done you can simply take lid off, rinse bottle and fill from a real keg and then use it in a mate's TapKing at a party.
The tap extension gets cleaned, the diptube gets removed and cleaned the lid which is 1" long only gets a rinse. Probably best practice to fill a TK bottle with sanitiser and force it through that 1" so it stays clean.

 

[Kudzu]

Finished my first bottle last night.

Would like to re-iterate whoever said don't rinse the bottles with water that's too hot. I rinsed with water straight from the hot tap and the bottle started to deform. Noticed the outside layer of plastic starting to peel as well. Probably not a big deal, but not sure how these bottles will go long term, they certainly don't seem as well constructed as a Coopers PET bottle. Not surprising since they are built for single use.

 

[pist]

Finished my first bottle last night.

Would like to re-iterate whoever said don't rinse the bottles with water that's too hot. I rinsed with water straight from the hot tap and the bottle started to deform. Noticed the outside layer of plastic starting to peel as well. Probably not a big deal, but not sure how these bottles will go long term, they certainly don't seem as well constructed as a Coopers PET bottle. Not surprising since they are built for single use.

This must be common with these bottles. I've only rinsed mine under cold water so far when finished and have noticed the same thing happening.

 

[JustAdam]

I just 'tapped' a pilsner that I bottle conditioned in some TK bottles. It's worked out well. I primed the bottles with 21gms of dex, and replaced the CO2 charg with box bought from ezychargers. All seems to be going well.

Also, I plan to use a mini reg (kegking) for an external gas bottle. I bought a MFL to 6mm barb from ebay, but it didn't fit the reg. Apparently there is a difference in co2/o2 1/4in MFL fittings. Sunbury Homebrew Supplies set me up with a 6mm barb that screwed directly into the reg. As I only plan to use that reg for TK, that setup should be fine.

Now it is time for me to go buy another TK tap and start working on the conversion.

 

[mrTbeer]

I've seen 1 bottle delaminate and distort with hot tap water. But I've also put 2 bottles through dishwasher and they came out fine.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I have been following this topic with much interest and have seen the various solutions for modifying a TK for home brew use. I purchased mine the other day due to the marketing. "Fits into fridge" PIGS ARSE it does! I had to move two shelves and even then does not fit into my fridge depth wise as well! Oh well, is helping me make my case to the "Minister of Love and War" for a beer fridge! After all, I just built her a house with no man cave!

Any ways, back on topic, I am happy to report that I have been successful in getting the TK to work with 8g unthreaded soda charges! Want these to work as I can source from local hospitality store and they do not stock the 12's.

I tried inserting the 8g straight into machine, with same result as others: leaking gas in one hit as soon as canister is pierced.

I then hunted in the shed for O rings etc and best I could come up with was an O ring off a roofing screw. Tried to remove O ring from yellow coupler and insert new O ring but is too big to fit inside the housing. Refitted original O ring and then slid the O ring (tight fit) around neck of cartridge. Next had to determine the hight of the canister as 12g are longer, hence the variety of nuts and washers.

Fit all back together and test run. No gas leak and could feel the charge pressurising the bottle. Dispensed approximately 3.1l of soapy water with a little charge left without missing a beat!

I think that the screws on top of the bottle are important as they seal the top of the bottle and stop contents from leaking. I will investigate more, was a little too happy from 8g results!

Am yet to try with HB in there. Will bulk prime as normal and try out in the next month or so.

 

[greg52]

hi guys
tried to use 8g bulbs with packing in my tk but was unsuccessful. the pin that pierces the bulb would not pierce
not sure but the bulb may be thicker as i could'nt get it to work so i have decided to use the 12g easychargers and see if i can get that to work.