Pouring A Keg On Its Side

[squirt in the turns]

I'm going on a Christmas trip and hoping to take a full 19 L keg along. I'm going to try to keep it cold for the full 3 days in a cooler with copious amounts of ice. The cooler is wide and low, so fits a keg comfortably lying on its side, with plenty of room for ice.

I'll use a keg with a straight dip tube. If I lay the keg in the cooler, oriented so that the liquid out post (and thus the pick up) is at the bottom, I should have no trouble pouring, at least until the last few litres, right? When the keg's full, the gas dip tube may be submerged, but I wouldn't have thought that would be an issue (I use an NRV).

If this is viable, I'll put holes in the lid for the gas in and (picnic) tap out. I'm hoping I can minimise the frequency with which the cooler has to be opened, to prevent heat transfer into the cooler, and avoid having to stand the keg up to pour, then trying to get it back under the ice.

Is there some law of fluid dynamics that I've overlooked that make this a really bad idea?

 

[kenlock]

Sounds a lot like this

You'll have a great set-up.

:icon_cheers:

 

[Damien13]

Mate, if you wanted to borrow my rubbermaid (yeah... that sounds dirty but it isn't) it fits a keg plus ice and a neoprene jacket perfectly...

Buzz me if you want to.. worked awesome for a recent boys weekend.. I got the idea of someone on here who used a pool noodle to seal the top.

 

[Nick JD]

Take the dip tube out.

 

[squirt in the turns]

Sounds a lot like this

You'll have a great set-up.

:icon_cheers:

There are a lot of fully sick set ups on display in that thread. Hoyt's takes the cake, obviously. I drooled over that the first time he posted it. No info that I could see on serving a keg on its side, though. Also, to contrast, I'm really aiming at the ghetto end of the spectrum.

 

[squirt in the turns]

Take the dip tube out.

Genius!
Thanks Nick.

Although... could lead to pouring too fast, due to the flow being almost completely unrestricted? Could probably be solved by clamping the line halfway between the bronco and the keg.

 

[pk.sax]

I've a 100l esky that will fit a keg perfectly lying down. If I ever make it a mobile keg cooler, I'd be treating it as an upright esky. Tap in the door.

 

[squirt in the turns]

Mate, if you wanted to borrow my rubbermaid (yeah... that sounds dirty but it isn't) it fits a keg plus ice and a neoprene jacket perfectly...

Buzz me if you want to.. worked awesome for a recent boys weekend.. I got the idea of someone on here who used a pool noodle to seal the top.

After last Friday's meeting, everything you say is going to sound like cheap innuendo.

I saw the cooler and noodle combo on here and thought about trying it. I've got a Keep Cold cylindrical cooler as my mash tun, which I think is basically the same as the Rubbermaid, except I've carved bits out of it to fit balls vales and my wort return system and generally made it unusable as a cooler of any kind any more. I might have to take you up on that offer, cheers! :beer:

I've a 100l esky that will fit a keg perfectly lying down. If I ever make it a mobile keg cooler, I'd be treating it as an upright esky. Tap in the door.

I haven't actually got the esky yet, I was merely perusing BCF's offerings today and found a Frostbite 73 L for $79 that will fit a keg and decided that was my best bet if the idea of keeping the keg on its side looked like it'd work out. Even the larger, tougher and more expensive (like, $400+) coolers don't seem to have decent seals on the lid (or "door" when upright). Turning one on its side while full of meting ice would surely just make a mess. Would your plans to turn this esky into a mobile cooler include a watertight seal for the door/lid? I would guess that a keg in a cooler with no ice would be good for a day at most in summer. Either that or fill it with ice and just don't worry about it leaking as it melts.

 

[stux]

Genius!
Thanks Nick.

Although... could lead to pouring too fast, due to the flow being almost completely unrestricted? Could probably be solved by clamping the line halfway between the bronco and the keg.

Not sure if a keg post will seal properly without a post in it. You could always put a gas post in if that's the case

 

[Maheel]

Not sure if a keg post will seal properly without a post in it. You could always put a gas post in if that's the case

what if you reversed the dip tubes (swapped the posts / tubes or even just the disconnects on your beer / gas lines)'

that NRV will be needed but...

 

[sponge]

Could you bend the dip tube slightly to the side of the keg that will be on the bottom whilst laying down?

 

[Nick JD]

Not sure if a keg post will seal properly without a post in it. You could always put a gas post in if that's the case

Ah, yes. That flange on the end is important. Do the gas ones have the same diameter?

 

[pk.sax]

I s'pose.... Mine is the willow style, esky brand one. I.e., no fancy seals. Carry it away on its side and set it up on the grass upright!

 

[Florian]

what if you reversed the dip tubes (swapped the posts / tubes or even just the disconnects on your beer / gas lines)'

that NRV will be needed but...

That's it, that'll work. Just swap the keg posts. In case they have different threads, swap the dip tubes.

 

[Nick JD]

That's it, that'll work. Just swap the keg posts. In case they have different threads, swap the dip tubes.

Might as well just swap the gas and beer lines! In through the out door...

I can't think of any issues off-hand. No mods required.

 

[Florian]

Whatever is easier, wouldn't be fun on barbed disconnects I guess, but fine on JG.

 

[stux]

Ah, yes. That flange on the end is important. Do the gas ones have the same diameter?

Think so. It's quite easy to get them mixed up when rebuilding

 

[stux]

Whatever is easier, wouldn't be fun on barbed disconnects I guess, but fine on JG.

My setup is JG based so this is what I'd do

(Just swap the black and grey disconnects around)

PS: you wouldn't want to have to vent any pressure