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Author Topic: Cask Conditioned Mini-Keg  (Read 16351 times)

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Cask Conditioned Mini-Keg
« Reply #15 on: June 16, 2011, 10:58:09 am »
I was thinking about this on the drive home last night, and I think you're right.

Some of the newer kegs I have also have a venting bung.  The bungs are black with a red middle piece.  The middle part (spile) of the bung is had a flat side to it and the black bung has a vent hole in it which is marked, I think, with an arrow. 

If you turn the red piece to line up the flat side with the vent, it's designed to open a vent which releases pressure and allows air in for a smooth pour.

This is probably exactly what you're doing.

I also have one of the counter-top Beertender things, which pumps air in to push the beer out.  I suppose this could also work for cask conditioning, in that you're not pushing with CO2.  I've only used it for parties where the beer is gone before the people are.
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Offline tomsawyer

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Re: Cask Conditioned Mini-Keg
« Reply #16 on: June 16, 2011, 11:50:08 am »
Ah, so the Beertender is like a beer engine.  I'll have to check that out.

My spile isn't fancy, you just push it sideways while its in place in the bung, and some pressure will be let off.
Lennie
Hannibal, MO

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Cask Conditioned Mini-Keg
« Reply #17 on: June 16, 2011, 12:16:44 pm »
http://www.amazon.com/BeerTender-Heineken-Krups-B90-Beer-Tap/dp/B00132J8RK

The one I have is something like this. It chills and dispenses.  Mine has different adaptors for regular kegs, Heineken kegs, and something else (I think it might come with it's own container for "drink dispensing).

Not sure if I have the same brand or not.  It was a gift.  It's actually pretty cool when I bother to drag it out and set it up.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline dmtaylor

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Re: Cask Conditioned Mini-Keg
« Reply #18 on: June 16, 2011, 07:51:29 pm »
BeerTender ONLY works with Heineken or Newcastle kegs, nothing else.  There is another brand of machine that can adapt to the Heinekens and all others but I don't have that brand.  That must be the one Joe is talking about.  Mine has no way to get air in, which is why I had to hook up a bike valve to inject CO2 (or I guess you could bike-pump regular air in) to push the beer out.
Dave

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Offline tomsawyer

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Re: Cask Conditioned Mini-Keg
« Reply #19 on: June 22, 2011, 02:48:07 pm »
Just thought I'd report back after tapping the mini-cask for the last couple of days.  The beer cleared up better than the bottle conditioned stuff, of course I didn't add gelatin to the bottled beer.  The little bit of dry hops added a nice extra bit of aroma without changing the flavor profile too much.  There were a few hop bits expecially in the first draw of the day.

When I bled all the pressure off the keg it poured really slow, I think some little floaties (hops and maybe gelatin) were partially clogging the tap hole which is pretty small to begin with.  I found that leaving some carbonation on the keg really helped push the beer through the tap and created a very nice head that lasted nicely.  I've been drinking this at about 60F which is cellar temps in my basement.  At this temp the malt (Maris Otter and British crystal) really shines.

The beer was so clear that I took a couple of pics with my phone, will try to download them today or tomorrow.  All in all, I consider this experiment a success in spite of the overcarbonation issues.  Will definitely use this in the future for small parties.
Lennie
Hannibal, MO

Offline tomsawyer

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Re: Cask Conditioned Mini-Keg
« Reply #20 on: June 22, 2011, 06:37:49 pm »
Heres a link to the pic.  Sorry I didn't get it sized right.

http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=103049&p=913419#p913419
Lennie
Hannibal, MO