Beer Machine --> Mini-Keg??

I had an idea over the weekend. I was flipping through the Northern Brewer catalog, and saw the "Tap-a-Draft" and "Mini-Keg" systems. Esentially, they are just a vessel that you put primed beer into, then use mini CO2 cartriges to keep pressure on for pouring.

Ok, now here's my idea/question. My wife bought be a Beer Machine for X-mas a few years ago. It produced aweful, barely beer-like concoctions (although it led me to real homebrewing). It has been shelved since, and i even thought of putting it on Ebay. However, I was just thinking, it is essentially like these other systems. Its a party-pig with an attatchment for a mini CO2 catridge.

Does anyone see any reason why I couldn't salvage this little beast to use as a minikeg? I figure, fill it with primed beer...let the priming carbonate it fully, then toss it in the fridge with a CO2 cartridge and use like a minikeg? Thoughts?

-Todd

seems like it would work just fine.

-walker

This works just fine and perhaps it is the beermachine's true destiny. Several people I know started with a beermachine, at least one uses it as a secondary for keg conditioning ales. I tried the minikegs a few years back and the dispenser broke first party. The beermachine seems more robust.

Thanks. I figured it should work just fine, and it will finally put the damn thing to good use. :cross:

You could rack into the sanitized beer machine, let it carbonate, and then stick it in the fridge. That's what I do. You get about a half-batch in there.