DeadSquirrel

Recipes 

Just curious. My first tank lasted a week, so I found the silly leaks and fixed them. But I'm still wondering about how long a 5lb tank "should" last. I have a five gallon corny set up. I understand that different people carbonate to different levels, just looking for a general idea.

Boy, I'm keeping my mouth shut the next time I have beer on tap!! It lasted four days. My neighbors and friends kept 'stopping in' to 'check out' my new kegerator. Yeah right. Just... checking it out... Now I don't have anything for at least two weeks. D'oh!

Oh, and how in the hell do you remove the "In" valve? It's got some kind of double multi-sided star thingies that I've never seen anywhere. It's got about 15 teeth on each. I need to change out some gaskets, but I haven't a clue how!!

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Primary: nada
Secondary: English Cider
Secondary: Mega Mead
Kegged: Blackberry Hefeweizen
Kegged: Hard Lemonade, probably crap
Kegged: Coffee Porter
Kegged: Mini Mead
Future: Dusseldorf Alt this weekend

Brewsmith

Recipes 

If you're talking about the "In" on the keg, it's a 7/8'' wrench or deep socket. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on the size.

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Fermenting:#151 Fortissimo IPA, #152 Porter
Kegged:#150 Fat Tuba Pale Ale, #149 Dim-Wit, #148 Dead Bee Wit
Up Next:Barleywine
My Recipes
Tuba Sonata
Smith & Co. Custom Tap Handles

Igorstien

Recipes 

Not sure about the size, but it sounds like he's talking about a 16 point socket. In Canada I would just pick one up at Canadian Tire, but i'm not sure in Mass......you could probably try Home Depot or Lowes, but for a 16 point I would maybe try a automotive shop.

As for the length of time per CO2 tank, the info I've read mentions a 5lbs to last 5-7 Kegs....depending on the PSI setting of course. I only have one keg on the go and it's the first one the tank has been hooked to and the tank gauge has hardly moved.

IGOR

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Igor Stien

Fermenting: MT
Secondary #1: MT Secondary #2: MT
Conditioning: Nothing Drinking: Store bought
On Deck: Festa Brew Red Ale....As soon as I get my bucket back from storage.

All bottles are Guinness bottles, Plus Five Kegs!!!

MrSaLTy

Recipes 

Most are 7/8" but some are 11/16" I think. The 'star shape' is a double hex fitting. That means you can't use a standard hex socket you need a double hex socket (or a double hex wrench). My 'in' post on my kegs are 7/8" double hex like you describe. I use a 7/8" double hex wrench to remove it, but a double hex (deep) socket will work too.

h2dk

Recipes 

I just used a pair of groove joint pliers to remove the in post (groovelock or tongue and groove, not sure the official name)

I read somewhere 2 corny's per 1lb of CO2, I have yet to test that theory as I lost my first two tanks to leaks...this one seems to be going steady, going on 3 weeks with no pressure lost (weighed in at 12lbs a couple days ago...figure 7.5lbs for the tank and the rest is CO2)

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Tap 1: ---
Tap 2: Amber (Fat Tire clone) --- running on fumes
Tap 3: Raspberry Wheat --- very low
Tap 4: Cooper's Lager (yuck! will pull and let age)
Tap 5: Root beer

Primary: Berry Wheat
Secondary: Porter, Amber

Future:Lemon Wheat, ??

Brewsmith

Recipes 

Sorry about clarifying. I guess not everyone has a 7/8'' double-hex deep socket laying around. A combination wrench works too. The closed end has the double hex on it, I believe. When I tore mine apart, the "Out" was the hardest to remove due to the years of syrup buildup. The gas in was relatively easy.

__________________
Fermenting:#151 Fortissimo IPA, #152 Porter
Kegged:#150 Fat Tuba Pale Ale, #149 Dim-Wit, #148 Dead Bee Wit
Up Next:Barleywine
My Recipes
Tuba Sonata
Smith & Co. Custom Tap Handles

david_42

Recipes 

I have a keg of carbonated water in my fridge and three kegs of ale. The water (25 psi) gets refilled about every ten days. My CO2 bottle lasts about four months. I suspect it would be more like a year, if I just had ale on tap.

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ajf

Recipes 

Between 8 and 12 months I think. (I don't actually mark this on my calender.)
But I condition naturally, and use just enough pressure to deliver the beer.

-a.

AleJoe

Recipes 

Because of the properties of CO2 (stored as liquid) the gauge really won't move till it is almost empty. The high pressure side gauge is about as useful as the oil light in a car

Igorstien

Recipes 

Yes you are correct about that!! I should have mentioned that in my post!
And I good comparison to the oil light.....When that comes on, it's already to late.

IGOR

__________________
Igor Stien

Fermenting: MT
Secondary #1: MT Secondary #2: MT
Conditioning: Nothing Drinking: Store bought
On Deck: Festa Brew Red Ale....As soon as I get my bucket back from storage.

All bottles are Guinness bottles, Plus Five Kegs!!!