Hooked tap and gas up to corney - using a borrowed midget widget - batch primed @ 10,days ago using keg this weekend so I stuck a couple of spurts into the keg, at 2.5 bar now- used 3 metres of tube for the tap a wide tube I did have to steep in boiling water to get it on both tap and jg fitting, got quiet a bit of foam Im guessing its coz I poured 5 mins after the spurts ??
So now I put the keg outside for the night - is this a good idea ? Figured it'll be fairly cold in the morning and I can give it a acoupke more spurts ?
What's the verdict guys ?
Should I use a more narrow tube ?
Have I over carbed or just poured too soon
I did tighten te flow control lever on side of tap and it seemed a little better - should I also tighten in the front screw?
First time begging and its a present for my mates 40th party at the weekend
So no pressure ! - pun intended !!!!
Hmm where to start?
Batch primed with a party in 18 days, you don't say how much you primed but I am gonna disappoint you now :(
It would be 3 to 4 weeks at 16-18 degrees before that baby would be ready was there any pressure at all before the midget was applied?
I know you are eager for the party but you would of been better using gas this close to the event, gas even taken 7-10 days depending on what your desired carbonation level is
I have no experience of midgets ;D but understand they are great for serving but expensive for full kegs
Don't panic
What you need to do is get the co2 into the keg at cold temp careful tonight is supposed to be -6
Can you leave them permanently attached?
I suspect your keg was at room temp hence foam when you tried to pour
Absolutely correct about narrower pipe but length is plenty so what I recommend is open tap full whack, if you get a full pint glass of foam it's too warm, take temp?
In which case when keg is cold put on the floor and start to roll back and forward to get co2 into the liquid
You will hear your midget gassing as more goes into beer. Stop and check every 15-20 mins of rolling
Problem now depending on how much you batch primed is that you are going have a gassy sweet beer :(
Taste it!
Yeah ne w I. Was tight on the priming think it was @ 25 litres @ 19 un@- 19 in corny and the rest in bulmers litre bottles Dont care bout them figured the 4 -4.5 priming ounces would not sweeten 25 litres too much
Anyway since I posted I've had a catalog of errors
1. I noticed after letting go of the midget trigger there was gas seeping From the connection on the widget end
- tightened this over tightened in fact- so replaced it with a narrower tube - got an awful farting sound soon as I connected the gas
Figured I was loosing gas from the keg - gave it a few spurts and disconnected it
2. Figured there may be enough gas to pour again - connected the tap
.3. Remember that wide tube I connected with boiling water to jg and tap ? Had no dubli clips or whatever they're callwd
Anyone see where this is going ?
Tube flew off theth jg fitting spraying the ceiling wall microwave and fridge with my Newcastle finest !!!
Knew I shoulda gone to bed after I started this post !!!
3. I have just pissed myself
Yeah I had to do that myself !I've left inside for the night having a can of Guinness to console myself
>:(
I'll put it out for the day tomoro - pick up some clips and.tighten up tubes connections and have another blast - it did look funny though
Waterford !
Thinking of changing the name to Dr pepper brown ale
I thought you were in Wexford as I'm in enniscorthy tomorrow and was gonna let u borrow my spare tank
QuoteThinking of changing the name to Dr pepper brown ale
Drop a mentos into it :)
Ah your grand john - thanks though the midget should be fine just a combination of a bad set up and the impatience of a kid waiting o. Santy !!!
so.... the krg has been outside all day, got some jubliee clips today - gonna bring it in from the cold @ 9 - 9.30 and have another go at it,
figure ill check the pressure first - i had been working under the assumption that @ 2.5 bar would be the correct pressure to aim for - am i wrong is this too high ?
anyone want to weigh in here with any pointers - gonna do a few spurts and rolls
i was aiming for 2.5 vols of co2 thats what i usually stick in those priming calculators whne i am bottling , this probably not the same as 2.5 bar though !!!!!
getting nervous now !!!
2.5 bar will be fine for force carbing. Serve at about 0.5 bar though. That's what I do. Pressure would be higher with mixed gas I think.
high pressure to force carb over a couple of days not 2.5 bar permanently
2.5 Vols is just under 11psi or 0.75 Bar!!
http://www.brewersfriend.com/keg-carbonation-calculator/!
dont forget to release pressure before you diall in serving pressure
Quotedont forget to release pressure before you diall in serving pressure
ah !!! ok wasnt aware of that - guess i can do that on either the corny release valve or the widget release then pump in the serving pressure - makes sense now that you say it !!
so i stuck on the jubliee clips - brought in keg - did a few spurts and rolls - poured 2 pints think I have the flow control on th etapsorted - enjoying a pint now not highly carbed yet - but getting there - will repeat this process - spurt and roll -not drinking ! in the morning and over next few days
thanks for the help lads really appreciated
- the widget seems limited in so far as there is just a trigger - you cabt set the reg to a psi and leave it on - guess ill be able to do that once i get one of the cylenders filled
so any one got widget exoerienc e?
say i release the pressure diall in the serving presure - do i need to keep doing that each time i pour a pint ? was kinda hoping i didnt have to pour pints all night !!!
Just picked up on this - Have you got it dispensing now???
Just wanna ask a few questions going back to the start...
Re batch priming - Id have thought 18 (even 10) days would be plenty of time for the priming sugar to have finished producing co2/alcohol - just like my beer can ferment out in about 7-10 days in the fermenter - same thing - right?
I just dont get how force carbing a beer that is foamy is going to help here? Maybe im missing something.
this is my first time kegging - I was following the general bottling Rule of 3 Weeks priming & applying that to the keg, I think the foaming was related to the temp of the beer and the flow rate on the tap and maybe due to the fact taht I probably dispensed before the C0s was totally abasorbed into the Liquid ??
making this up now - but this is my impression
What it really could have been down to was I did not realise you were suppossed to release that 2.5 bar pressure before serving and set it to something like .5 !!
- force carbing - is just coz I haven't got the time to wait for the prime time
I guess I've kinda experienced a comedy of errors here, I'm gonna dispense another pint or two again tonight to test
Yeah but thats my point/question - where does your "general bottling Rule of 3 Weeks" come from? - this 3 weeks would include conditioning etc - but in terms of the yeast generating co2 - that should be done in about a week if its kept at the right temp.
So - ok - the first night you might have got foam because it was warm but thats a bit like an over carb situation - cool the keg and try again - I wouldn't have said carb some more.
See how it goes tonight, but ive a feeling it could be worse - you may have to stop in Hallmark for your mate and put this one down to experience :P
Ah no... You can de-gas - i.e. shake and let off the valve on the top - leave to settle, cool it right down and try again.
But sure we'll see what happens later.
ha your right seems worse - i'll try what you said so - its npt very carbonated as in the beer once the foam settles is not espesially fizzy - anyway - i released the Gass form the Keg and threw it out the back -might have another look in a few hours
Ah right - What type of tap do you have?
You said its got flow control didnt you? Make sure its down as far as low as possible - i.e. restrict the flow.
I primed in the keg a few times and it would usually allow me to dispense half the keg without any gas at all.
Id be interested in hearing ciderheads opinion since it was him who gave you duff advice in the first place :P haha ah no...
I think you just want the beer to flow out smoothly at this stage - so my advice would be to get as much gas out of it and then just dispense with a small amount of co2 after you have the situation in the keg under control.
So the best time to vent the keg is when it is warm cos the co2 wont be dissolved in the liquid as much.
After you vent you can shake and vent some more. repeat a few times.
After that though i'd give a little squirt back into the keg - make sure the lid is sealed etc.
Then cool her right down and try serving from it again.
one o the brass taps from the group buys - brought keg back in released whatever gas could be released gave it a shake released - shaen again - will leave a while and repeat - u sayin then just attach & check reg for serving pressure ? so the basic idea is tha I have over carbed ?
Quote
Id be interested in hearing ciderheads opinion since it was him who gave you duff advice in the first place :P haha ah no...
Cheeky ucker!
It takes min 10-14 days to carbonate a keg using just priming sugar.
Warm temp that allows yeast to fart is no good for max C02 absorbtion.
The issue here was lack of time before the party this Sat, force carb at high pressures 2.5bar in this case for a couple of days at cold temp to get co2 into the liquid. 2-3 days at that pressure and you will get closer to your desired carbonation vols.
As per the link I sent you its all temp dependant, so you will get there quicker with lower ambients.
Vent pressure every 12 hours and serve at 0.25-0.5 bar to test.
if you try serve at 2.5 bar good luck it will piss everywhere.
ok so !! - the carb level right now is not as important as the serving of teh beer i.e without foam - given taht its a newcastl;e clone thats not that carbed anyway so I'd prefer to serve a slightly low carbed beer instead of a foamy one....
no need to fall out guys it aint gonna ruin the session.... (just my rep as a home brewrer )
a feck it - til be grand !!!!
I've sonc egot my habds on an actual cylindr - ill pick up a bit of plumbers tape tomorrow and be able to stick on the real reg so may be a llttle better than just this spurting business with the midget
( ... spurting midgets ... sounds soooo bad !!)
Dont worry, we wont be falling out any time soon :P
I'll sneak into his room n give him a midnight hug in the travel lodge in cork :)
No need to sneak in, we're sharing ....a single bed :-*
;D
we're all friends here !!
one more question.. (well probably loads but we'll go with this one for now )
the tubes/piping
1. the Beer Line - what is the best one Inner Dimensions Outer Dimensions ?
I have 2 Group Buy Taps - so I guess the fitting is pretty standard or at least there is loads of you guys using them
On the one I am currently using the tube fit snugly on the fitting - I prob would have gotten it on without softening it in hot water
I did have I think its a 5/16 tube I tried to put that on the 2nd Tap Last night but no matter how long I stood it in Boiling Water it just would not go on !!
Does the tube width have a big impact on foaming ( the wide 1 i'm using is @ 3 meteres in length )
I could always pick up some in one of the DIY Shops today - have to pick up plumbing tape anyway
So if it does have an imapct and a moire narrow tube would reduce foaming - what would you reccomend Dimensions wise and length wise
2. The Gas Line - is this as important as the Beer line in terms of width and length ?
thanks
Guys
Thats the problem with Jimmy he rocks up sets your world on fire and then when he's had his fill moves on to his next conquest. :o
A new Brewer is not just for Christmas Jimmy!! ;D
Haha PMSL -
But i dont know the answer to these questions...
But i suppose i can always make one up like you did :P
OOOh i want out now - just incase you come back with bigger guns
I use pub taps and they tend to have different diameter line into them than the line homebrew people end up with for whatever reason - so i remember i had to get an enlarger or a reducer to go from our home brewers beerline size to the tap - ill look up my ebay purchases to see what i bought and get back to ya
This is exactly what I got
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/3-8-OD-polythene-pipe-Food-Grade-Beer-/160924117323?pt=UK_BOI_Restaurant_RL&hash=item2577d3294b
I know these ebay links often expire so the seller is
username: lig5150
Shop Name: The Harmony Hut
This is 3/8 inch (OD) line not sure of ID but you shouldnt need to worry, this line will work for the Group buy taps - cos i had a similar tap.
Look at the shop theyve piles of stuff. Try get it all at once to save on shipping.
Now, i may have confused you when i mentioned pub taps and stem adapters.
If you do ever end up with pub taps e.g. heinken, carlsberg bud, they will usually have a John guest fitting in the shaft that takes a smaller OD line than 3/8 - they take 5/16.
So you need one of these
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/3-8-x-5-16-Stem-Adapters-John-Guest-/160889479118?pt=UK_BOI_Restaurant_RL&hash=item2575c29fce
thats a 3/8 to 5/16 stem adapter.
Make sure you dont get them numbers reversed cos it wont fit.
The John Guest part number is PI061210S if you're stuck.This little jobby will just go between your 3/8 line and the JG fitting on the tap.
Now...
Gas line - i used the same line for my gas. It fitted the reg i had which was barbed and i got off a guy in the north off beoir - i had another reg which i got from Geoff in the B&C and it seemed to fit that too.
And another thing - you asked about line diameter - my understanding is the smaller the better. Two wide and it will gush out and give you foam.
But you shouldnt need to worry bout that too much with flow control taps
TBH your story above baffles me a little - not sure why you ended up with such bad foa in the first place. I just read ur post again and you mention your 5/16 tube - that prob came from a pub;
If you wanna use that you need to get the opposite of what I linked to above - a stem adapter that enlarges instead of reduces - but either way you will need some 3/8 tube on the tap to enlarge too - and at that stage its kinda pointless.
My advice: stick to the 3/8 line, you had a bad experience but dont let it set you back man!!
New to brew don't be embarrassed if you feel Doirty and used your just another notch on Jimmys bedpost :o
I use 5/16 one of my taps has a barb on the back the other just a straight slide over. Like you I had a bitch getting the second one on. What I did was cut a slit in it get it over the end, heat up with a creme brûlée or blow torch, gas cooker I suppose would do at a push and force it all the way over.
Wave your blow torch gently, LdPE tubing catches fire easily.
Once I had it far enough I cut back to the point of the slit and used a jubilee clip just for good measure.
You are perfectly correct you want resistance in you pipe to minimise foam and smaller diameter on longer length will help you do that.
Important you only use food grade products, I would recommend you avoid the ultra clear PVC ones as they contain plasticisers which are ok if you already have a family..
Gas doesn't matter but again I prefer grey gas tube even though its a bitch to manage as I know it's multilayer and as I leave my gas on all the time I have minimal loss versus the braided PVC stuff.
ah i beat ya :P
there ya go ... more than one way to skin a cat.
hows she pullin these days newtobrew?
Actually that seller on eBay, Paul, is the mutts nuts and I have bought loads of stuff off him.
yeah thats him - hes sound - ive ordered wrong stuff and he's replaced it at his own expense.
QuoteA new Brewer is not just for Christmas Jimmy!!
If your Careful you can also get Sandwiches On Stephens Day ...oh wait that's a puppy
Pulling Good now - I got my hands on a proper cylinder, that combined with the reg I bought recently means I have it set up properly now - the midget isn't the best tbh it has a trigger - I guess I could have tied that so it was on constantly - but it was only borrowed so I didn't want to take any chances -
Have it at .5 bar for serving now - with the flow Control turned way down on the tap - I got a nice foam free pint last night - - not especially carbed
- was tempted to try to force carb again - set it at 2/2.5 and leave it for the night - but didn't want to chance it
its a Nukie Brown Clone and that's not especially carbed anyway
for now I'll leave the tubes as its working - may swop them out in the future,
yeah I had thought of heating the tube with a hair dryer or something - I got it onto the Reg after a bit of finagling and jubilee clipped it in place so it seems fine. once I get through the weekend with it I'll re asses and tweak where necessary
thanks for all the advice and help lads - last night I did feel a little Chuffed with the Set up !!! Felt Like I had my own real mini bar in the Kitchen !!
Good stuff - glad you got it going!!
That's what we're here for
Have one at your party for me
hey Guys - thanks for all the help !!
Keg went down a treat !!!
Was a bit foamy after the drive - lots of back roads - put it out the back went to pub for a few hours - was nice and settled and chilled when we got back so poured lovely
and passed the taste test of of lot of Nordie Blokes who drink proper ales too !!!
;D [smiley=thumbsup.gif]