Lion introduces "Tap King" - party keg / growlers

[jyo]

.but , I hope common sense prevails and they keep them in the cold fridge..

Yet we all know they probably won't.

 

[driftdaddy]

Hi Guys,

Long time lurker, first time poster here.

I'm happy to report that the tap king bottles look totally home brew friendly. I just got done ripping mine apart, and other than the triangle screws (PITA - have been replaced with socket head equivalents) it's all pretty easy.

Basically, it's a 12g Co2 canister inside. When the bottle is loaded into the dispenser and the lever is "clicked" into position, a little pin (pictured next to the yellow cap) is driven into the Co2 canister releasing the gas.

So I'm off to find some Co2 canisters today, and will be re-bottling tomorrow. Will post results.

Anyone have any thoughts on priming these? Would the Co2 canister have enough pressure to force carbonate, or would i prime as if I was bottling normally? The Tap King bottles are very firm when new so I'm guessing they are carbonated prior so I'm thinking of just priming as normal......

 

[EvilTwin]

Nice work DriftDaddy - looks like a pretty simple system.

 

[Ross]

Nice work driftdaddy... :super:

 

[tricache]

Great work!! Would think you could get these from any kitchen shop ect...soda bulbs?

 

[driftdaddy]

Great work!! Would think you could get these from any kitchen shop ect...soda bulbs?

I'm positive they are sold at cycling shops for emergency tyre inflating. That's going to be my first port of call.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

At what point will the canister be cracked when you reassemble?

 

[tricache]

I'm positive they are sold at cycling shops for emergency tyre inflating. That's going to be my first port of call.

Had a quick look and sizing might be the issue with them as they are usually a bit bigger so pressure might be an issue, they usually inflate there tyres to 120PSI!

 

[brente1982]

Or, or just look out for these
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQBruQc9jho&feature=share&list=UUS_kY-wmFiHEz-GIfqCsWJg
you'll see liquor craft's soon to be released Tappa Draught system at the 0:24 mark

 

[Florian]

They'd definitely be only for dispensing, not carbonating.
easy to fill if you're kegging already, otherwise either live with the yeast from a natural carb or carefully fill from carbonated bottles.

 

[driftdaddy]

At what point will the canister be cracked when you reassemble?

When you crank down the lever to load the bottle into the dispenser. Hard to explain if you haven't had a muck around with the tap king unit.

 

[driftdaddy]

Had a quick look and sizing might be the issue with them as they are usually a bit bigger so pressure might be an issue, they usually inflate there tyres to 120PSI!

Yeah, I've had a quick look and it seems that I'll need 12g unthreaded bulbs. 120psi does sound scary!!

 

[Liam_snorkel]

When you crank down the lever to load the bottle into the dispenser. Hard to explain if you haven't had a muck around with the tap king unit.

makes perfect sense. I was worried they had somehow tried to make it hack proof

 

[DU99]

!st choice also stocks them,walked past the display..with holgate in hand

 

[tricache]

I saw these on the weekend...they look smaller in person :huh:

 

[Bentnose]

I've got a bloke at work who just bought the James Squire Chancer ale, he's going to give them to me along with the next lot he's going to buy. I'll certainly be keeping an eye on this post, these are just the thing I'm looking for, a bit fed up with loads of bottles. The best price I could find, with a quick look, on CO2 unthreaded 12 oz cartridges was 85c each for 50, from a gun shop. Just need one of those triangular screwdrivers and I'm away.

Anyone think Lion Nathan will be pushing to have the law changed so we can refill at the pub, as opposed to them selling their beer through the supermarkets (with all the discounting selling through supermarkets entails)?

 

[Liam_snorkel]

Anyone think Lion Nathan will be pushing to have the law changed so we can refill at the pub, as opposed to them selling their beer through the supermarkets (with all the discounting selling through supermarkets entails)?

I don't think so. It's something coles & woolies might be interested in, but much simpler for Lion to just send them out on trucks.

 

[driftdaddy]

I've got a bloke at work who just bought the James Squire Chancer ale, he's going to give them to me along with the next lot he's going to buy. I'll certainly be keeping an eye on this post, these are just the thing I'm looking for, a bit fed up with loads of bottles. The best price I could find, with a quick look, on CO2 unthreaded 12 oz cartridges was 85c each for 50, from a gun shop. Just need one of those triangular screwdrivers and I'm away.

Anyone think Lion Nathan will be pushing to have the law changed so we can refill at the pub, as opposed to them selling their beer through the supermarkets (with all the discounting selling through supermarkets entails)?

Make sure your getting 12g not 12oz cartridges. I've ordered 20 from a paintball supply place @ $0.95 each. I managed to get the triangle screws undone with a small flat blade and a small torx bit shoved in there at the same time - bit of mucking about but got there in the end. Once I got them out, I promptly threw them in bin and replaced with socket head versions.

 

[Josho]

if these can be adapted for tap beer at home straight from ferment to drink i mean wow awesome.

imagine no keg no paying for gas bottle rental or refills, no need for a bar

great just great.

but the proof is in the test.

 

[Crispydude]

Hey Guys

Has anyone actually completed this, if so how has it turned out. I brought one yesterday and looking forward to adding my brew to it

Cheers

Chris

 

[fcmcg]

if these can be adapted for tap beer at home straight from ferment to drink i mean wow awesome.

imagine no keg no paying for gas bottle rental or refills, no need for a bar

great just great.

but the proof is in the test.

You'd need a truck load of them to "keg" a standard batch...and then how are you going to carb them ?

 

[Josho]

cant you use the co2 bottles - bulb thingies replacable part? obvioulsy you would need a few to start off with to bottle the brew but atleast you buy them full,

and it gives you something to drink between batches. win win

 

[driftdaddy]

Hey Guys

Has anyone actually completed this, if so how has it turned out. I brought one yesterday and looking forward to adding my brew to it

Cheers

Chris

I bottled 3 Tap King bottles yesterday - put the rest of the batch in tallies as usual.

I primed as usual, so will leave for a week or so and then let one rip. Wish me luck.

 

[professional_drunk]

wow! I'm so looking forward to the results of this. this would be ideal for giving some beer to friends and family

 

[slcmorro]

I have 'friends' who have purchased these, and their pics and stories are all over my FB feed. I literally facepalm every time a new one pops up.

 

[Bentnose]

Yeah I'm just waiting for driftdaddy's verdict. How did you prime them driftdaddy? I'm thinking maybe a 15ml tablespoon of sugar per Tap King bottle. For me it would be 7 of them for a standard batch, a bit better than around 60+ bottles to wash sanitise and prime.

 

[MetalRooster]

cant you use the co2 bottles - bulb thingies replacable part? obvioulsy you would need a few to start off with to bottle the brew but atleast you buy them full,

and it gives you something to drink between batches. win win

you wouldn't be able to use these to carb, they are only for pouring pressure/maintaining carbonation. The system appears as though it acts as a controlled released of co2 from the bulb to maintain pressure.

Really keen to hear how driftdaddy goes - well mainly if the co2 bulbs from the paintball place are the right size etc.

For me i'm thinking keg and carb as per normal, then fill the tap king bottles with my blichmann gun. ready made micro party kegs.

 

[brente1982]

I havent looked at them up close myself, but judging from the pictures someone puts up, i would say the bulb is just to maintain pressure inside the thing itself rather than carbonation. Especially if you compare it to LiquorCrafts soon to be released version, they use 2 co2 bulbs to carbonate the bottle

 

[givemeamash]

there is no chance it is for carbonation otherwise you would need to wait to drink it until the co2 has absorbed ino the beer

 

[driftdaddy]

Yeah I'm just waiting for driftdaddy's verdict. How did you prime them driftdaddy? I'm thinking maybe a 15ml tablespoon of sugar per Tap King bottle. For me it would be 7 of them for a standard batch, a bit better than around 60+ bottles to wash sanitise and prime.

I just primed as usual - about 110g of dextrose to my 19l batch. Filled the 3 tap king bottles and the rest went in the tallies/pint bottles.

In other news, it was my birthday today and just about everyone bought me a tap king refill. I'm up to about 8 bottles now.... I've got some drinking to do to empty them for my next batch.