Show Us Your Beer Engines

[wide eyed and legless]

Good! Really good. It still needs a bit of work to be the bitter I'm after but it's the right direction. I'm going to make the recipe again but with some water adjustments and see how that affects it. But it's coming along.

Well it looks delicious, which recipe was it?

 

[welly2]

Well it looks delicious, which recipe was it?

It was a bit a of Frankenbrew in that I ended up using a bunch of crystals that I had left over, so:

88% Maris Otter
3.5% each of crystal light, medium and dark
1.5% wheat malt for head retention (which certainly works)
Northdown at 60 - 26.5 IBU
Fuggles at 30 - 7.2 IBU
Fuggles at 0
WLP005 yeast

I'll be making it again this weekend but just with crystal medium as opposed to the mix and plan to take a couple of litres of the wort from the boil, boil it in a pan to reduce it and then add it back in the boil. I forget where I read this (probably here somewhere) but I understand a few breweries do this with their English bitters to add a bit of caramel flavours. It'll be worth an experiment I reckon! And I'm going to use EKG instead of Fuggles for a bit of a change.

 

[S.E]

I had a couple of instances of the keystone, which goes in the front of the cask that I hammer the tap through, having popped out due to a build up of pressure

Hi Welly2, I’m afraid you may find the keystone popping out is going to be an ongoing problem due to a manufacturing flaw in those 4.5 gal pins.

I bought a couple pins and a 9 gal firkin but when I ordered keystones and shives I was told that apparently the pin mould wasn’t made correctly.

The keystone holes in the pins are slightly too big and the protruding walls are too thin to hold the keystone firmly under carbonation.

Also the shive hole is too tight (I see from your picture that you haven’t been able hammer your shive in fully) so about the only shives that will sort of fit are the TE Plastics ones that you appear to be using and I believe TE Plastics are no longer trading.

The plastic firkins are not faulty so you may be better off using one of those. I don’t use my casks very often as I found the trusty no chill type cubes are far easier and better for the job. Cubes are also easier to fit in an STC controlled fridge in summer.

I know those casks are cheap enough but a cube is almost half the price and you don’t need to keep buying and replacing the keystones and shives after each use. Just drill a hole in the cap of a cube and you can fit your aspirator to that.

Cheers Sean

 

[wide eyed and legless]

The plastic firkins are not faulty so you may be better off using one of those. I don’t use my casks very often as I found the trusty no chill type cubes are far easier and better for the job. Cubes are also easier to fit in an STC controlled fridge in summer.

I know those casks are cheap enough but a cube is almost half the price and you don’t need to keep buying and replacing the keystones and shives after each use. Just drill a hole in the cap of a cube and you can fit your aspirator to that.

Cheers Sean

And it keeps it nice and simple.

 

[S.E]

And it keeps it nice and simple.

Yep, nice simple and readily available here. If I was back in the UK or lived somewhere with a cooler climate I would use pins or firkins at ambient but found they are a pain to keep cool when tapped horizontally.

You need a temp controlled chest freezer or something large enough to accommodate them. Cubes will fit in about any fridge and you don’t need to stuff around with keystones and shives. Easier to vent and serve immediately too.

 

[welly2]

Yep, nice simple and readily available here. If I was back in the UK or lived somewhere with a cooler climate I would use pins or firkins at ambient but found they are a pain to keep cool when tapped horizontally.

You need a temp controlled chest freezer or something large enough to accommodate them. Cubes will fit in about any fridge and you don’t need to stuff around with keystones and shives. Easier to vent and serve immediately too.

Something I'll think about closer to summer! It's pretty annoying about the flaws you've suggested. I've got a bag full of wooden shives/keystones kindly sent by Bribie which I might have a go with next brew and see if they work better than the plastic ones I have. I know what you're saying about stuffing about with keystones and shives but there's something that appeals about the whole process! Call me a traditionalist but I'm doing this as a bit of nostalgia and and a nod drinking in pubs back in the UK! It's definitely not practical but it is fun!

 

[welly2]

Alright. It's an "xbeeriment" - sparkler vs. no sparkler.



Immediately, obviously there isn't the same head with the non-sparkler pull. It came out of the handpump gushing away, the sparkler pull was far more refined.

Head retention on the non-sparkler pull dissipated fairly quickly although there's a little bit of head still remaining after a few minutes. It's very reminiscent of drinking a pint in southern pubs. The good northern head is still there standing proud, while the southern head is limp and looking glum and defeated. Very unappetising.



Taste wise, the sparkler pulled beer has a lovely smooth mouthfeel. It's malty, slightly bitter and delicious. The southern pull, while still tasty (it is my beer, after all), has a slightly less elegant mouthfeel. If you can imagine a smooth, welcoming northern accent vs. a harsh, brash banshee-like southern wail from Essex or Bedfordshire, you'll know what I mean.

Overall, I've got to say I'm a northern bloke and I like my pints with a sparkler. It's just how it's meant to be. It's just far more appealing and appetising. I don't think actual taste of the beer is any different, I think it's the mouthfeel which is different. Anyone who pops round for a pint is more than welcome to have it unsparkled, however they'll have to drink outside. "Those" kind aren't welcome in my house.

 

[WarmerBeer]

Have stripped, cleaned, and re-built my Hi-Gene 1/2 pint engine. Man, there was some naaasty gunk inside that cylinder!

Pulled myself (a Dark Mild, perverts) a couple of times last night. The o-ring seals on the top & bottom of the cylinder are looking worse for wear, but are not leaking, so far.

I am keen to get a replacement 6" drip tray, as mine didn't come with one. Anybody know of anywhere local, or do I need to hit up one of the UK online stores?

 

[Batz]

I am keen to get a replacement 6" drip tray, as mine didn't come with one. Anybody know of anywhere local, or do I need to hit up one of the UK online stores?

It's a while ago but I'm sure I bought my drip trays here:

http://real-ale.com.au/

He also has sparklers, and all the other gear. Prices where reasonable too.

 

[billygoat]

Have stripped, cleaned, and re-built my Hi-Gene 1/2 pint engine. Man, there was some naaasty gunk inside that cylinder!

Pulled myself (a Dark Mild, perverts) a couple of times last night. The o-ring seals on the top & bottom of the cylinder are looking worse for wear, but are not leaking, so far.

I am keen to get a replacement 6" drip tray, as mine didn't come with one. Anybody know of anywhere local, or do I need to hit up one of the UK online stores?

If you don't find anything local, try
shop.barleybottom.co.uk

 

[NC1984]

Hello All,
I have recently joined the beer engine club. Managed to pick up a Angram CQ 1/4 pint water jacketed pump. It looks great and has been tested with no leaks. I have installed onto my bar and am now just finishing the keg fridge, hoping to brew in the next month and give it a try. I had to build a small plinth to sit under the engine as it was too deep for my bar but I think it came up ok.

 

[NC1984]

Hello All,
I have recently joined the beer engine club. Managed to pick up a Angram CQ 1/4 pint water jacketed pump. It looks great and has been tested with no leaks. I have installed onto my bar and am now just finishing the keg fridge, hoping to brew in the next month and give it a try. I had to build a small plinth to sit under the engine as it was too deep for my bar but I think it came up ok.

View attachment 110884View attachment 110885View attachment 110886

I should mention the agg hose has contained in it a length of insulation which then has the water lines and beer line in it.

Just waiting on a few parts, have ordered a check/demand valve from cfbs in UK, an LPG regulator to act as a aspirator. I will use a keg king in line reg to bring the supply down to about 3-5 psi as a safety.

Looking to brew London pride and use no secondary fermentation, just enough co2 to seal a Corny and hopefully will be pumping ale soon!

 

[NC1984]

I should mention the agg hose has contained in it a length of insulation which then has the water lines and beer line in it.

Just waiting on a few parts, have ordered a check/demand valve from cfbs in UK, an LPG regulator to act as a aspirator. I will use a keg king in line reg to bring the supply down to about 3-5 psi as a safety.

Looking to brew London pride and use no secondary fermentation, just enough co2 to seal a Corny and hopefully will be pumping ale soon!

Can anyone advise on the suitability of my planned set up, listed in order of flow

GAS:

Co2 tank - used for multiple beers, say set to 10-15psi if I am dispensing via font tap
Manifold block
Handpump line - in line regulator reducing to around 5psi (needs to be sufficient for sealing corny kegs)
LPG reg to act as cask breather - should allow 0.4psi on a demand only basis (when the pump is pulled)
Into Keg.....

Beer

From Corny Keg (do I need to modify the dip tube/make a larger one? I have heard people doing this.
3/8 line to beer engine demand/check valve, this is housed in the fridge.
1/2 inch line from other side of demand/check valve to the beer engine. This length is around 2.5 meters. I have noticed some people put the demand/check valve right at the base of the hand pump and others put them in the fridge. Does the length of the 1/2 inch feed to the beer engine make any differences.

Sparkler to be determined by beer style needing it or not.

Into my glass and into my belly.

Any advise greatly appreciated!

 

[S.E]

Depending on your engine even 5psi will probably make it drip. Are you sure you need that to seal your kegs? Some do need a bit of pressure but if the seals are good shouldn’t.

You can shorten the dip tube or replace it with a piece of silicone tube.

Or you could use cubes or poly pins rather than kegs if yours don't seal.

 

[NC1984]

Depending on your engine even 5psi will probably make it drip. Are you sure you need that to seal your kegs? Some do need a bit of pressure but if the seals are good shouldn’t.

You can shorten the dip tube or replace it with a piece of silicone tube.

Or you could use cubes or poly pins rather than kegs if yours don't seal.

Thanks,
Isn’t that what the demand/check valve will stop.
Also the LPG reg is after the reg and before the keg so won’t that bring the applied pressure right down?

Can’t wait to get into it!

 

[S.E]

Thanks,
Isn’t that what the demand/check valve will stop.
Also the LPG reg is after the reg and before the keg so won’t that bring the applied pressure right down?

Can’t wait to get into it!

Yes, sorry that should work. Hadn’t seen the LPG reg.

 

[S.E]

Only thing is the beer will be over carbonated for cask ale and your engine may struggle to pump the over carbed ale.

 

[NC1984]

Only thing is the beer will be over carbonated for cask ale and your engine may struggle to pump the over carbed ale.

Ok thanks, what if I only carb to 1 or say 1.3 volumes. I have been reading some of the charts that are around.

I was really planning on just going straight from primary to keg, cold crash seal it up and drink,
Possibly shorten the dip tube or use a widge.

 

[koshari]

Thanks,
Isn’t that what the demand/check valve will stop.
Also the LPG reg is after the reg and before the keg so won’t that bring the applied pressure right down?

Can’t wait to get into it!

my setup is pretty much as you described in this post, adjustable reg at 8 psi feeding 2 draft kegs and the pump via an LPG reg and demand valve, as you correctly state anything above atmosphere will cause dripping, a collapsable vesel or bag full on co2 is the other option, imo the pump works best with a vessel slightly below the engine but you generally have to prime a little before your first drink in a session, the demand valve adds some more resistance to the pump handle as its a significant diff pressure before it opens.

i love a sparkler regardless of style, the creamy head is really where the pump shines, your bar saetp looks goot so many happy returns,

I was really planning on just going straight from primary to keg, cold crash seal it up and drink,

cant see it being a problem, just remember you have to replace the head space if its in a rigid container.

 

[S.E]

Ok thanks, what if I only carb to 1 or say 1.3 volumes. I have been reading some of the charts that are around.

I was really planning on just going straight from primary to keg, cold crash seal it up and drink,
Possibly shorten the dip tube or use a widge.

No problem, I often go straight from primary to cask. You can shorten the dip or use a widge if you have one. If not just use a bit of silicone tube cut short without a widge will work.

Only cold crash to around 12c will keep the yeast happy and working.