Show Us Your Beer Engines

[vortex]

I'm in the club! Got mine shipped over from the UK for not too much. Reco 1/4pint with water cooled cylinder, sparkler etc. Looking forward to giving it a run.

Where's the best source of poly pin style collapsible bags now? Tried BCF yesterday, didn't see any, the staff were all flatout so didn't ask...

 

[wide eyed and legless]

You can get them on eBay or The Plastic Man, I don't know if there is an outlet in Adelaide.

 

[billygoat]

I got a 10 litre one from Supercheap.

 

[dago001]

Rays Outdoors have a 10 litre one for about $6.00.

 

[vortex]

I got a 10 litre one from Supercheap.

Got one of these. The tap on it is smaller than 1/2" (which is what the BE cylinder barb is), how is everyone else connecting to these? It also reaks of PVC, so I'm hoping a wash out will fix that.

Alternatively does anyone have a modified keg lid and/or aspirator they want to move this week? Keen to have the beer engine up and running for Christmas day.

 

[Kodos]

Got one of these. The tap on it is smaller than 1/2" (which is what the BE cylinder barb is), how is everyone else connecting to these? It also reaks of PVC, so I'm hoping a wash out will fix that.

Alternatively does anyone have a modified keg lid and/or aspirator they want to move this week? Keen to have the beer engine up and running for Christmas day.

For an event or a session using the hand-pump, I just open the purge valve and let air in. So far the beer's been finished that day and oxidation hasn't mattered. If you don't finish the keg, purge the keg a few times with CO2 and you'll be fine.

The keg lid I use doesn't actually have a purge valve on it, so I just put a gas disconnect without anything attached on the gas post to let air in.

 

[billygoat]

Got one of these. The tap on it is smaller than 1/2" (which is what the BE cylinder barb is), how is everyone else connecting to these? It also reaks of PVC, so I'm hoping a wash out will fix that.

Alternatively does anyone have a modified keg lid and/or aspirator they want to move this week? Keen to have the beer engine up and running for Christmas day.

I fitted a piece of hosing over the polypin tap to pad it out, so that 1/2 inch hose fitted on tightly.
If you are using a keg, no need to have a modified lid. I use a check valve between the keg and beer engine. The tube that fits to the inlet of the check valve is 3/8 so it also fits ok onto a black QD. If you're beer engine works ok, you'll have no problems pulling beer through a QD.
If you want to connect it up for christmas day without buying a heap of extra stuff, get a black QD, and fit some tube to the barb and pad it out until its thick enough to fit the 1/2 tube snugly.
I've had two beer engines for over 5 years and have never had to modify a keg lid with bulkhead fittings to pull beer. If your beer engine works properly, it will have no problems drawing beer through a black QD.
Before using the polypin, I filled it with napisan solution and left it for a few days, then rinsed out. Got rid of that PVC smell without a problem.
To be honest, i don't think I'll bother using the polypin much. Its a bit harder to fill and doesn't suit the fridge that I serve my pommy ales from. I find using corny kegs and serving my pommy ales from them is easier in my set up.

 

[billygoat]

I used a short piece of 6mm ID beerline.

 

[billygoat]

I pushed the 6mm ID beer line onto the black QD, and then got a short length of 10mm ID vinyl tube and fitted that over the 6mm tube.

 

[billygoat]

Once you have the 10mm tube fitted over the 6mm tube, a 1/2 inch ID tube will fit on snuggly. In the picture I have used 1/2 inch silicone tube but any 1/2 inch ID tube will do. The 1/2 inch tube will then fit over the barb on the beer engine.
When ready to serve, open the PRV or as another poster stated earlier, if you don't have a keg with a PRV, just put a QD on the gas post to allow air in.
This a quick and easy way to connect a corny keg to a beer engine without having to buy a heap of extra bits. Works well.

 

[np1962]

This is all good but you have not mentioned how you fill the headspace as you draw beer out of the keg.
As vortex mentioned he would need an aspirator to allow co2 to enter the keg as beer is drawn from it.
Otherwise a vacuum will form in the keg and you will not be able to pull more beer.
If you are just opening the relief valve and allowing air to enter the keg you may as well remove the lid and just draw from the lid opening.
Just connecting a gas QD without an aspirator is problematic as it is almost impossible to dial the pressure low enough to stop it forcing beer out of the keg through the engine.

Edit: You posted while I was typing this.

 

[billygoat]

He said he wants to use it on Christmas day, this gives him a quick and easy way to get him going. Not a permanent installation or solution.
I have a cask breather (which I hardly use), check valve and a low pressure regulator that replaces the beer volume with CO2 to prevent staling. I set the low pressure reg to about 20KPa. Also, the check valve stops beer being forced out of the beer engine if there is too much pressure in the keg. It only allows beer to flow when the handle is pulled.
I only tend to use the cask breather when I know the beer engine will be used a lot during a session.

 

[vortex]

Thanks billy goat, that will do the job for the day.

 

[billygoat]

Vortex,
As Nige posted above, if you have a keg you can remove the lid, dangle a hose into the keg and draw it out with the beer engine that way. Put a tea towell or something over it if outside, to stop bugs being attracted to it.
At our Ballarat and Region get togethers, there are a few of us with beer engines. Some of the blokes bring English ales along in PET bottles or other containers, we just stick the hose in the container and pump away.

 

[dago001]

With my set up, which is similar to what most here have done, I only ever put enough beer in the keg or water container for the required session. I have used a 10 litre cube and just dropped the line into it, as I was expecting to drink it in one session.
With the plastic water container, I have made an adaptor plate which replaces the tap. It has the beer line going through it, (tight fit, doesnt leak air) into the container. I removed the barb from the BE and fitted a JG fitting in its place. I now have a 10mm beer line direct from the BE to the container. No air gets into the water container. I have kept beer in this manner for up to 2 weeks, just sitting in an esky, before it started to taste funky.
Cant post any pic atm as I amat work, but I try to get some uploaded over the next few days.
Cheers
LB

 

[Kodos]

If you are just opening the relief valve and allowing air to enter the keg you may as well remove the lid and just draw from the lid opening.

I would have guessed this creates a much greater risk of oxidising the beer in the keg: the larger opening, and shoving the hose inside the lid will disturb the CO2 blanket above the beer. allowing it in through the gas QD or relief valve, (I would have thought) would just leave a layer of air above the CO2, and that can be purged later if necessary. But if others have tried the alternative and not had a problem, I can't discount their experience. The former has been quite easy for me.

If the O2 bothers you, you could get one of those gas bulb chargers and just give it the slightest puff of CO2 if you notice a vacuum forming and the pull gets difficult.

Many brewers find they can just draw the beer through a standard disconnect without problems. I've noticed it depends on the beer engine, and more likely on how large the chamber is - ie a 1/4pint pull can draw through a beer QD easier than a 1/2pint pull.

Give a few options a go before you spend a lot of money on gear you might not need.

 

[Batz]

Post #16 in this thread shows what I do.

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/62084-keg-to-cask-conversion/

I only use the beer engine for parties etc, the keg always gets drained in one night. I did buy all the aspirators and gear but have never used them.

Batz

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I am curious to know why my bitter has the creaminess of a beer charged with nitrogen, I have sparklers
on both beer engines, could the oxygen and nitrogen be getting separated when the beer is forced through the sparkler?
I don't carbonate the beer and I have tried to Google an answer but to no avail.

 

[mje1980]

For gods sake man, don't question it, just enjoy it and stop making other people ( like me ) insanely jealous!!

 

[black_labb]

Its what a beer engine does, especially with the sparkler. Ive been giving my handpump a good workout. I brew handpumpable ales for most beers and bottle other beers for when I feel like something different.