hand pump for a corny?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
W

Warpig75

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2008
Messages
45
Reaction score
0
Location
west hartford
I'll be hitting the lake this summer; 1 or 2 corny's of something in-hand.

has anyone rigged one these up to a ball-lock corny before?

http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/pumps/replacement/HP-700.shtml

or

8" Black Plastic Hand Pump for Keg Beer | BeverageFactory.com

i've seen the co2 cartridge quick-disconnect set-up but the 4" hand pump just seems like a cheaper and lower maintenance alternative

(plus there's something inherently satisfying about pumping your keg by hand... no comments about my masculine insecurities please)
 
As long as you drain the keg in that session, it's fine - but if not the beer that's left over will be oxygenated and flat within a day or two. If pushed with CO2 it will last near indefinitely.
 
ifishsum said:
As long as you drain the keg in that session, it's fine - but if not the beer that's left over will be oxygenated and flat within a day or two. If pushed with CO2 it will last near indefinitely.
Click to expand...

oh definitely - we'll be drinking more than my 10 gallons but at least i'll have homebrew to offset all the BMCers ;)

im just wondering how i'd rig up a line with a quick-disconnect or how exactly it'd be connected

edit: ahhhh i see - you just need the coupler: http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/pumps/replacement/HP-111.shtml
 
BrewBeemer said:
I would add a small 5# Co2 bottle with regulator and tap, first and last glasses come out the same. You must have the room to carry these items with two korny's on board.
Click to expand...

well that's what i was trying to avoid - bringing the 5# tank & regulator - especially since i know that beer will be gone within hours

if one of my friends busted my reg i'd have to thrown them in the lake - with the tank up their *** ;)
 
The little CO2 cartridge things are not expensive. I think I paid $20 for mine, with a couple of cartridges.

It sure beats pumping OXYGEN on top of your hard made beer...

;)
 
Again, as long as you expect to drain the keg in one session, a hand pump is fine. The brew won't have time to go flat or oxygenate.

However, anything left the second day will only be good for brining sausages.
 
Go with the mini CO2 injectors. Not only is it easier and just as economical as the hand-pump, it has alternative uses. Such as with a carbonator cap, you can quickly carbonate and taste your beer at various stages of fermentation. You'll find the CO2 injector a much better option.
 
The nice thing about an air tap in this instance is that drunken friends can pump the keg themselves, instead of fiddling about with those tiny CO2 cartridges. If the kegs are gonna kick in an afternoon/evening, and the brewer wants to have fun too, why insist he fanny about with all those cartridges? He'd be replacing one every fifteen minutes at that rate of pour. Plus there's all that metallic waste, not to mention his friends making fun of him for bringing whippets as well as beer. :D

I'd get the hand pump and have done. I do the same thing - I've got four Cornies with Hoff-Stevens fittings in the lid, and a hand-tap to go with it. Well, I've got CO2 push, too, but I'm confessing for the principle of the thing. ;)

Tip: Make sure there's a check valve in the air-in line. If it's a loose, hand-held pump, all you need is a drunken idiot flailing away at the pump and pulling it off the line or keg - then all your pressurized beer will come out the air-in line. Funny on video, but heartbreaking.

Cheers!

Bob
 
NQ3X said:
The nice thing about an air tap in this instance is that drunken friends can pump the keg themselves, instead of fiddling about with those tiny CO2 cartridges. If the kegs are gonna kick in an afternoon/evening, and the brewer wants to have fun too, why insist he fanny about with all those cartridges? He'd be replacing one every fifteen minutes at that rate of pour. Plus there's all that metallic waste, not to mention his friends making fun of him for bringing whippets as well as beer. :D
Click to expand...

I can usually dispense a carbed keg of beer on two, maybe three, CO2 cartridges. It's a lot easier than pumping a keg every time you need it. Give it a little squeeze on the trigger when it slows too much.


NQ3X said:
I'd get the hand pump and have done. I do the same thing - I've got four Cornies with Hoff-Stevens fittings in the lid, and a hand-tap to go with it. Well, I've got CO2 push, too, but I'm confessing for the principle of the thing. ;)
Click to expand...

How do you like those. I just picked up a couple of refillable old Pabst 1/4 barrel kegs with those fittings. Haven't hooked them up yet, but looks like they should work great.
 
How do you like those. I just picked up a couple of refillable old Pabst 1/4 barrel kegs with those fittings. Haven't hooked them up yet, but looks like they should work great.
Click to expand...
Aside from the normal Corny-keg lid-sealing issues, they work great. Hoff-Stevens fittings are becoming quite difficult to find, but any retailer who handles stuff from Rapids, Inc. should be able to source them for you. Ask at LHBS.

Bob
 
NQ3X said:
The nice thing about an air tap in this instance is that drunken friends can pump the keg themselves, instead of fiddling about with those tiny CO2 cartridges. If the kegs are gonna kick in an afternoon/evening, and the brewer wants to have fun too, why insist he fanny about with all those cartridges? He'd be replacing one every fifteen minutes at that rate of pour. Plus there's all that metallic waste, not to mention his friends making fun of him for bringing whippets as well as beer. :D

I'd get the hand pump and have done. I do the same thing - I've got four Cornies with Hoff-Stevens fittings in the lid, and a hand-tap to go with it. Well, I've got CO2 push, too, but I'm confessing for the principle of the thing. ;)

Tip: Make sure there's a check valve in the air-in line. If it's a loose, hand-held pump, all you need is a drunken idiot flailing away at the pump and pulling it off the line or keg - then all your pressurized beer will come out the air-in line. Funny on video, but heartbreaking.

Cheers!

Bob
Click to expand...

yeah im definitely on the same wavelength as you - it'll cost me $20 whether i get a charger or pump but at least with the pump i wont need cartridges and i wont have to make sure people arent doing whippits!

ironically i actually WANT the charging handle, but i think the pump is just going to be more practical, everyone know's how it works and like you said it'll just spare me from micro-managing the corny when someone's girlfriend cant figure out why there isnt any beer coming out (ok that was uncalled for :mug::mug:)

i appreciate everyone chiming in on the subject though - it's good to know that if the keg isnt kicked i risk it going flat. if i think it'll ever take more than a day to finish a keg (like a backyard bbq) i'll be sure to just use the tank/reg setup.
 

Similar threads

Clint Yeastwood
Alternative to Bulky Corny for Pumping Sanitizer, PBW Through Beer Line?
Replies
34
Views
2K
Broken Crow
Broken Crow
Clint Yeastwood
Kegland's Pan-Galactic Bucket Blaster
Replies
5
Views
1K
Graham H
G
Timothy Woodard
Hand Pump Alternatives?
Replies
12
Views
1K
Timothy Woodard
Timothy Woodard
Ridonkulous05
Nebraska Pending Sale: all components of 10-gallon All-grain brewing setup; In-person pickup only- sorry.
Replies
1
Views
718
dawn_kiebawls
dawn_kiebawls
P
Yet another Keezer Build. But this one is Mine!
Replies
6
Views
3K
prof25
P
InkBird 300

Latest posts

Back
Top