Storing Carbonated Beer In Cube

[jrsy85]

Hi All,

Long time lurker, first time poster,

I'm starting out in HB and was designing a setup. i have a 50l stainless keg that i will be modifying and have designed a process which i think will work but want a second (or third) opinion.

Can I:

1. ferment in a 30l brewing barrel .

2. Filter into 50l SS keg

3. force carbonate (Possibly slightly over-carb?)

4. transfer half to bottles and half to 15l cube for storage and/or party keg

I can bottle from the keg with this:

But what about storing the Carbonated beer in a cube.

I am research scientist in Adult stem cells so sterile handling is not an issue, and i was thinking araldite will help if the tap thread is a weak point.

What do you guys think?

Joel

 

[Cortez The Killer]

Cubes - even under mild pressure will expand

The IBU's were using cubes for RAF#2 to dispense low carbonation English style ales and the cubes swelled

I think you'll have problems at anything over 1.5 volumes

Cheers

 

[PostModern]

You can't carbonate very high in HDPE as it can't take the pressure. Real Ale pressure is fine, but any more will stretch and eventually tear the cubes.

Araldite? You know the thread is on the beer side of the rubber seal right? mmm Solvent Ale.

EDIT: nice ninja post there from Cortez!

 

[Bribie G]

I araldited a tap into one of my fermenters as the tap thread itself was seeping. It hasn't given me any off flavours or infections touch wood (there isnt any space for nasties to work their ways into the threads)

On topic: If you can store the cube cold and do a very mild prime, cold beer can hold much more CO2 than hot and would be perfect for UK bitters. I'm thinking along those lines with some 5L cubes and a little caravan water pump. five would be a nice quaffer for a weekend or a mate & me.

I regularly secondary then cold crash and when I bring the secondary up to ambient after a week or two in the cold fridge, an amazing high head often develops on the beer in the fermenter as the CO2 is forced out of solution :unsure: . It always subsides after a few hours but it got me thinking "sh&t there's some CO2 in there !"

Wouldn't pursue the idea with hot beer though.

 

[jrsy85]

Thanks for the replies,

I've had a good look at the 15L cubes and I think the swelling in the center can be addressed with a metal strap like a wood barrel, the tops and bottoms of the cube are firm enough to hold I believe. or maybe its worth filling one with water and putting it in a drum of water and slowly add pressure until BANG. there only $12 from Rays Outdoors anyway.

Well a few people have asked the max pressure of a cube and I don't mind making things go bang :lol: all for research i assure you.

Cheers