Show Us Your Beer Engines

[cdbrown]

Batz - any chance you might want to sell your aspirator? After getting the right fittings I hooked mine up and unfortunately had to quickly disconnect as it leaked gas. Seemed to have damaged the black seal that's under the plastic cap. I've hooked up my 2 engines on the beer side but need to sort out the tubing better (reduce the length) and also put some clamps on the silicone hose where it connects to the demand valve as it's only a stem connection rather than barb.

 

[Batz]

Batz - any chance you might want to sell your aspirator? After getting the right fittings I hooked mine up and unfortunately had to quickly disconnect as it leaked gas. Seemed to have damaged the black seal that's under the plastic cap. I've hooked up my 2 engines on the beer side but need to sort out the tubing better (reduce the length) and also put some clamps on the silicone hose where it connects to the demand valve as it's only a stem connection rather than barb.

No I think I'll hang onto it, I'm just as likely to use it one day.

Batz

 

[leahy268]

So anyway saw this thread the other day and showed SWMBO a picture of a beer engine.
She commented 'oh that's cool' which I'm going to liberally interpret as 'You can commence purchase'.
So I have a couple of questions for everyone.

1. Where would I look to buy a cask? Probably not the would kind (Too much maintenance)..
2. I have a mate that regularly travels to England (Previously lived there). He often goes back for a week or so. He would happily bring one back for me in his suitcase.
Might cost me a few pints but that would be easy.
Ebay the best location to buy from?
Any pitfalls?

Every few years my extended family get together for Easter or Christmas or something. Would love to be able to put on a cask conditioned ale for a gathering like that.
Would rather enjoy putting a cask on for a fair few other occasions as well come to think of it.

I look forward to hearing from those that use them currently.

 

[CosmicBertie]

Plastic, collapsible water carrier, with a couple of hose pipe connectors to allow for quick connecting/disconnecting. Works a treat and you dont have to worry about aspiration of the 'keg'.

 

[leahy268]

Plastic, collapsible water carrier, with a couple of hose pipe connectors to allow for quick connecting/disconnecting. Works a treat and you dont have to worry about aspiration of the 'keg'.

Tempted to try that one for a start of course. How does everyone find them. Earlier reports were talking about leaking and so forth.

But say I did oneday want to make a 'real' cask of ale up does anyone have a source for them?

 

[Innes]

As I don't have a bar at home to attach my beer engine to, I went down the path of designing and constructing a purpose built stand.

The initial design started out being a simple stand to hold the beer engine at a comfortable height, but over time it evolved (as all these projects tend to do) into an enclosed stand which not only held the keg, but also kept it cool.

The stand is made from aluminium square tubing and aluminium plate, welded, riveted and sealed





The top is made from laminated hardwood benchtop which I treated with a food grade wood oil



Into the back of the stand, I installed a thermoelectric cooling unit form an old cooler bag. It runs on 12V DC and has a plug pack wall adaptor. The specs say it can cool down to 20°C below ambient, but I intend using it to maintain the temperature of the keg, rather than cooling the keg from warm.



The cooling unit will also keep all the lines and the beer engine cylinder cool as well. I still need to line the inside with some insulation foam. The stand is big enough to fit a standard cornie keg.



The stand now takes pride of place next to the beer fridge.

 

[wakkatoo]

Nice piece of kit Innes, really like it. Well done.

 

[chillamacgilla73]

Gday Leahy

I was in uk in June/July this year and bought a reconditioned angram CQ model delivered to inlaws in london for ~$230. Exchange rate took a dive since I bought it but even still, depending your budget, I'm of the belief if the manufacturer has rebuilt the unit it must be good quality. So far so good.

Cosmic Bertie-I'm liking the collapsible water carrier idea...I've been trying to order all the plumbing and aspirator NRV etc but this is such a practical idea I'm thinking give it a crack.

Cheers

 

[BPH87]

What is the difference between the CQ model and the clamp on model?

Going to Europe for a month tomorrow and was going to post a few home.

 

[chillamacgilla73]

What is the difference between the CQ model and the clamp on model?
Going to Europe for a month tomorrow and was going to post a few home.

They are heavy 6-7kg....dunno if I'd post them home.
CQ pump mechanism is integrated into the unit wheras the CO has the handle drive the pump via linkages. Don't know if that's the correct lingo but the CQ uses the handle to drive the pump internally as opposed to driving the pump through linkages n what not.

Excuse non technical speak....not my forte.

Check the Angram website
CO http://www.angramltd.com/shop/products/hand-pumps/clam-on-hand-pump.html
CQ http://www.angramltd.com/shop/products/hand-pumps/model-cq-hand-pump.html

 

[sp0rk]

What is the difference between the CQ model and the clamp on model?

Going to Europe for a month tomorrow and was going to post a few home.

I'll gladly take one if you can get them over here cheap

 

[dago001]

Just got this little baby back from the UK. Paid 10 quid for it and got it home in my suitcase. Pretty happy with it, although I havent used it yet. It's a Homark model from Courage brewery in Scotland.

Cheers
LB

 

[jlm]

Looks like you've just nominated yourself for a shindig at your place David.

 

[dago001]

Looks like you've just nominated yourself for a shindig at your place David.

Yep, will have to do a Real Ale fest some time soon, but judging by the way our other get togethers go, nobody will be able to settle on a date, so I will have to drink it all by myself.
Cheers
LB

 

[spog]

Just got this little baby back from the UK. Paid 10 quid for it and got it home in my suitcase. Pretty happy with it, although I havent used it yet. It's a Homark model from Courage brewery in Scotland.

beerengine.jpg
Cheers
LB

. 10 quid! Am of to pomgolia soon,hmm may have to start making enquiries.and getting a bigger suitcase. ...cheers...spog...

 

[dago001]

My advice to anybody who goes to the UK, talk to the locals, be friendly to the publicans, tell them you are a brewer and enquire if they have any old pumps taps etc they might be happy to give/sell you. Dont ask straight up, try to get a bit of a conversation going. Look for the small pubs not affilliated to a chain, as the chain pubs dont have anything.
I also picked up a large Pilsner Urquell brass font for free. We made a few great contacts over there as well, one publican was going to send over a half a container of small kegs for me. Took some talking out of as they would be of no use to us over here, different type of fittings etc. Another is sourcing some more beer engines for me, to be shipped over with his mates when they come over.
Cheers
LB

 

[NickB]

Still a work in progress, but thought I'd utilise my bar fridge which struggles as a fermenting fridge in the warm temps up here. I'm using a collapsible water container in the fridge.

Have access to a bender and guillotine at work, so cut and bent some galv sheet to mount the engine to. A front cover has been bent, but not yet drilled. All the exposed galv will be painted soon (probably black)

Will keep posting updates as they come!










Cheers!

 

[mckenry]

Here's mine. Just testing it here, but I will eventually recess it into a wine barrel.

 

[Lachlan J]

Nick B - is the beer in that collapsible water container carbonated at all? I like the look of that setup, but I'd be worried about it bursting under pressure..

 

[NickB]

Nah, not carbonated. I had thought about lightly priming but haver got around to it as yet