Lion introduces "Tap King" - party keg / growlers

[tazman1967]

Just tapped mine... pours a nice creamy head. Beer seems "fresher" IMHO. Pretty happy with it.
Takes all but 2 minutes to attach the bottle, put back in fridge pour..
Love the retractable drip tray.. and it comes off easy for cleaning.

 

[winkle]

Just tapped mine... pours a nice creamy head. Beer seems "fresher" IMHO. Pretty happy with it.
Takes all but 2 minutes to attach the bottle, put back in fridge pour..
Love the retractable drip tray.. and it comes off easy for cleaning.

Fine,
now dismantle it and work out how we can fill it up with something decent.

 

[tazman1967]

Just knock this little keg back first..

 

[tazman1967]

IMHO.. I think that it runs off a "Widget".. similar to the Guinnness Cans..

 

[nicktron]

I don't see these things lasting long on the market.

 

[bum]

You mean they'll sell out?

 

[mrTbeer]

Had a good look just now.
It can be hacked it looks like a 16g cartridge fitted under plastic sleeve inside plastic cap. All the screws are triangular though (not hex, not torx) which probably means it has to be drilled? I reckon I'd wreck a few bits of plastic (@$23ea) before figuring out but I'm hoping there is someone out there that's more surgeon and less butcher than me.
It easily fits on a fridge shelf without changing heights, my 9L kegs can't do that and the picnic tap leaks a bit too where this has a drip tray.
Having said all that I wasn't sold tonight, $75 to get started was a bit high and it's sold hot so can't drink till next morning?
Beer choices are not exciting but it's cheap at less than $9/L for refills. I filled a growler at Archive last week and it cost 2.5x that per Litre. Was better/stronger and cold beer (Holgate Temptress) at Archive but much dearer by the Litre.

 

[bum]

There's a bunch of mutli-head, cheapy triangle screwdrivers all over eBay.

 

[lukiferj]

There's also a bunch of faux kegs with **** beer all over Dan Murphys.

 

[tazman1967]

I just stand corrected...
I agree with mrTbeer.
.but , I hope common sense prevails and they keep them in the cold fridge..

 

[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.