Mini Keg Discussion / Mods / Show Off - Dedicated Thread

[bradsbrew]

I have not noticed this film on the beercat ones, however upon reading this, I have sat my mini kegs on the stove top and boiled them with sod perc for 15 minutes then let soak for 48rs before rinsing.

 

[Zeener]

Does anybody happen to know how much the ball lock spears weigh?

Thanks

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Approximately 500g
I haven't got one to give you a firm weight but I have been looking at them and about to pull the trigger on buying a couple of 4 litre mini keg set ups from China.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

I'll weigh one when I get home tonight, if nobody beats me to it. They are fairly hefty for the size.

 

[BKBrews]

I didn't see this thread and all of the issues before now, but I have a 5L mini keg that never worked from the start and I just decided they were no good and stopped using it. I went through about 5 bulbs without a single pour (yes, I checked for leaks in every possible way). Then I got broken into and they stole the ball lock head, about 30 bulbs, tap and regulator, so I'm just left with a useless 5L keg

 

[Batz]

I didn't see this thread and all of the issues before now, but I have a 5L mini keg that never worked from the start and I just decided they were no good and stopped using it. I went through about 5 bulbs without a single pour (yes, I checked for leaks in every possible way). Then I got broken into and they stole the ball lock head, about 30 bulbs, tap and regulator, so I'm just left with a useless 5L keg

Put it up for sale here if you don't want it, always someone looking for another.

 

[BKBrews]

Put it up for sale here if you don't want it, always someone looking for another.

Might not be a bad idea... Probably going to replace it with a 9.5L ball lock keg when my insurance comes through anyway.

 

[All Things Homebrew]

Does anybody happen to know how much the ball lock spears weigh?

Thanks

just the ball lock spear by itself in its box with spare seals weighs in at 490g on my scales, if you wants plastic disconnects and a bumby tap to go with it then its 800g

 

[Zeener]

just the ball lock spear by itself in its box with spare seals weighs in at 490g on my scales, if you wants plastic disconnects and a bumby tap to go with it then its 800g

fantastic! thanks!!

 

[Jack of all biers]

I got mine from beerkat and haven't noticed the black film.
I also gave them a hot sodium perc soak and rinse before using.

I did the same with my Beerkat 5L mini-kegs and no black film (which has to be metal corrosion of some sort surely). I have two kegs that are currently naturally carbonating at the moment and will be cracked in a week or so, but the posts here about the bulk buy ones makes me hope Beerkat don't have theirs from the same supplier. Time will tell I guess.

 

[mstrelan]

My BK one definitely had black film. When I first got it I cleaned with PBW then Star San the filled with beer. Beer was good that night but tasted metallic 36 hours later. Have cleaned since then with BKF and more Star San, which is when I noticed the black film. Haven't had a chance to use it since then.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

I'll keep an eye on mine. Currently got a crazy peat smoked beer in one so I'm not sure if metallic flavour would show through

 

[Jack of all biers]

My BK one definitely had black film. When I first got it I cleaned with PBW then Star San the filled with beer. Beer was good that night but tasted metallic 36 hours later. Have cleaned since then with BKF and more Star San, which is when I noticed the black film. Haven't had a chance to use it since then.

Shit. :unsure:

 

[peteru]

Well, I can report that I am would not be willing to store beer in my 5L mini-keg for more than about 4-8 hours.

Here's the comparison of the same beer. It has been in a stainless steel Keg King 19L keg for three weeks, then the mini keg was filled two weeks ago from the main keg. I did a comparison pour from the main keg and the mini-keg. Both beers are 5 weeks old, but guess which one spent two out of the five weeks in the mini-keg!

YUCK! All the flavour is gone. My advice for the mini-kegs is either avoid completely or only use to fill and dispense on the same day. I'm glad I only got one 5L keg. I think I'd be better off lugging around a half-filled 19L keg.

For me the novelty has worn off and I'll be sticking to tried and tested methods - the mini-kegs are basically reserved for a fill and take to the park at then end of the street occasions (if I can get the effing mini-reg to work properly [another fail tonight, but I'll come back to that another day[)

Not a happy camper! I feel sorry for those who dropped a lot more money on these mini-kegs than I did, because at the end of the day it's just Chinese rubbish.

 

[Jack of all biers]

That's fu*ked. Where did you get your 5L mini's from?

 

[peteru]

That's fu*ked. Where did you get your 5L mini's from?

ATHB, mini-keg bulk buy MK II.

However, I doubt that it makes any difference. From what I can see, all of these mini-kegs come from the same stable. The variations seem to mainly be confined to the accessories.

 

[peteru]

I should probably mention that I was very anal about filling the minikeg. It was filled to the top with filtered water, then all water was pushed out using CO2. Then the minikeg was filled from the main keg via beer-to-beer line and periodic pressure releases on the PRV until the condensation line reached the top of the vertical sides. The minikeg beer is definitely not oxidised and it has no sediment, since the main keg was pouring clear at the fill stage.

I was going to go out a couple of weeks ago and filled the keg. Then the event was cancelled. I kept the minikeg in the fridge and took it out with me to a different event tonight. It was a fail both in terms of the contents and in terms of dispensing. When I got home, I did a sanity check on the beer and as you can see from the above picture, storing the beer in the minikeg for just two weeks has ruined it in a very unsubtle way.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Thanks for the review peteru, I was going to buy, then I wasn't, I was being put off by the negative comments, looked into the cleaning of the kegs acid wash if done, no more than a couple of minutes then rinse and not keeping beer long term in them, I expect it's across the board. I was going for the 4 litres something that could be used fairly quickly, but now I will either consider the plastic 4 litres mini kegs or continue with my build of the ghetto beer engine which I have already finished but,I fitted the picnic tap and lost the pressure because of the wider opening of the tap.
So I will be fitting the Bunnings sparkler to the sprayer and use that while I look into the plastic mini's.

Alex from Tassie's photo

 

[Coalminer]

Seems to be caused by low pH
If I clean and dry they stay OK
If I clean and starsan and allow to dry they develop a black film - all from ATHB
Got another one coming from Beerkat (that makes 7 problems) h34r:
add the 3 poorly performing regulators and I'm not a happy camper
At least the head units and caps are good quality :lol:

 

[earle]

Well, I can report that I am would not be willing to store beer in my 5L mini-keg for more than about 4-8 hours.

Here's the comparison of the same beer. It has been in a stainless steel Keg King 19L keg for three weeks, then the mini keg was filled two weeks ago from the main keg. I did a comparison pour from the main keg and the mini-keg. Both beers are 5 weeks old, but guess which one spent two out of the five weeks in the mini-keg!

YUCK! All the flavour is gone. My advice for the mini-kegs is either avoid completely or only use to fill and dispense on the same day. I'm glad I only got one 5L keg. I think I'd be better off lugging around a half-filled 19L keg.

For me the novelty has worn off and I'll be sticking to tried and tested methods - the mini-kegs are basically reserved for a fill and take to the park at then end of the street occasions (if I can get the effing mini-reg to work properly [another fail tonight, but I'll come back to that another day[)

Not a happy camper! I feel sorry for those who dropped a lot more money on these mini-kegs than I did, because at the end of the day it's just Chinese rubbish.

One_beer_two_kegs.jpg

That's a very noticeable difference. I can understand why your pissed at it.

Couple of questions:
Is that your first beer in the mini-keg?
How did you clean it before use?

Reason for my questions is the earlier comments about a black residue inside some mini-kegs. Wondering if your beer removed the black residue over time.

I have an iKegger 4L mini keg which I just cleaned with hot water when I first received. (Before I read this thread about better ways to clean them). As I only have the picnic tap head I followed the suggestion of using some cheap beer to practice with. Bought a 6-pack of Uberbrau stubbies and poured them in - probably oxidised as I did (another story). Anyway, that was quite a few weeks ago and I only had the last glass of it on Friday night with no visible difference to the beer. Have checked just now and my keg does not appear to have the black residue.