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Author Topic: Plastic Firkins  (Read 8347 times)

Offline gtoothaker

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Plastic Firkins
« on: May 21, 2010, 10:06:25 am »
Hi all,

I just got an email from UK Brewing (no affiliation) about the availability of plastic firkins.  Does anyone have any experience with these or any opinions? They cost less new than SS (100 vs 175) and I've had a hard time coming across used firkins, or pins for that matter.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Offline babalu87

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Re: Plastic Firkins
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2010, 10:10:22 am »
Go to Jims Beer Kit

Its a UK beer site that covers lots of that type of thing.

Good group of guys over there
Jeff

On draught:
IIPA, Stout, Hefeweizen, Hallertau Pale Ale, Bitter

Primary:
Hefeweizen,Berliner Weisse, Mead

Offline gtoothaker

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Re: Plastic Firkins
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2010, 10:49:50 am »
Great tip on Jim's Beer Kit site.  I found a great write up on the subject.  I've posted the link below for anyone else.  Scroll down the post a little to see his setup.


http://jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=29703&p=321255&hilit=plastic+firkin#p321255


Offline richardt

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Re: Plastic Firkins
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2010, 12:16:45 pm »
Thanks for the link.  A local brewery has been using plastic kegs.

http://www.plastickegsamerica.com/content/section_plastic/index.html

Offline weithman5

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Re: Plastic Firkins
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2010, 02:51:44 pm »
these plastic kegs look interesting.
i have emailed them to ask a few questions about oxygen diffusion, cost, etc

but does anyone have any experience with them?
Don AHA member

Offline bfogt

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Re: Plastic Firkins
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2010, 06:45:08 pm »
these plastic kegs look interesting.
i have emailed them to ask a few questions about oxygen diffusion, cost, etc

but does anyone have any experience with them?

Sun King Brewing in Indianapolis has used them exclusively.  I thinkk they'd be happy to answer questions via email.

Offline joelambic

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Re: Plastic Firkins
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2010, 04:17:31 pm »
I've had experience with them from a cellaring perspective.  They are definitely lighter than stainless.  The biggest issues were them being slipperier and coming off the chocks due to vibrations and when tapping them as they tended to bounce more so required more whacks with the mallet and really benefited from having someone behind the stillage holding them to keep them from coming off the chocks.  If one has an auto-tilt stillage, these may not be a problem.