Plastic 1/6 bbl pub kegs- anyone tried em?

I'm thinking about switching my kegging setup over to these plastic pub kegs with the sankey D type setup. Has anyone tried them? Can you disassemble the valve to clean them? Also wanna know if the bottle inside can be used without the plastic keg shell. Any input would be great!!!

Oh. And how do you force carb a sankey type keg where the gas and liquid connections are all on one as opposed to thege separate connections of a corny?

I don't know much about the plastic pub kegs, but I'd try them out if had access to some. I know someone managed to get the spear out, but I don't think it's the same mechanism as a standard sankey.

Carbing a sankey just requires making sure the liquid out is blocked somehow. You can connect it to line with a faucet, or you can replace the beer out tailpiece on the coupler with a dime.

I just bought two. I will keep you posted they look great. I like they can be used 10 times before they need any attention. they can also be cleaned and filled easy.
I can get rebuild kits from 5 bucks for gaskets to 14 for the whole tap assembly. And there 36 to buy new.

Zahmbie said:

I just bought two. I will keep you posted they look great. I like they can be used 10 times before they need any attention. they can also be cleaned and filled easy.
I can get rebuild kits from 5 bucks for gaskets to 14 for the whole tap assembly. And there 36 to buy new.

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Happen to have a link to your source?

Any update on using these kegs?

Ya so far there great, I have refilled them twice. the only thing if you get them buy an extra O-Ring for them, the O-ring is not the best, but there really cheap.
I now have three and set me back $108.00 for all. I rate them a 10 but they have not been out long and I have not had them long.

http://www.brewbrothers.biz/

I'm leery of plastic kegs. A guy at Redhook was killed by a plastic 1/2 bbl that exploded.

Yeah, no plastic kegs for me.

Wasnt the redhook incident like 120+psi and not paying attention? Theres another thread on here and alot of smaller pubs are using em with no issues

Plus cheaper.. I might give em a try

Correct, the keg that exploded and resulted in a fatality was pressurized WAY past it's operating pressure. If you stay within parameters, they are very safe.

wailingguitar said:

Correct, the keg that exploded and resulted in a fatality was pressurized WAY past it's operating pressure. If you stay within parameters, they are very safe.

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I'm pretty sure this thread was originally about a completely different type of plastic keg. The plastic pub kegs like the OP asked about are essentially giant PET soda bottles with a plastic sankey style spear, and a cardboard or plastic enclosure. They were originally intended to be one way kegs, where the bar would simply collapse them and throw them into the recycling when they were empty rather than returning them to the brewery. They look like this-


or this-


The plastic keg that exploded at the Redhook brewery was much different, and intended to be a multiple use keg. And there have been numerous reports of PKA kegs exploding in breweries while connected to keg washers, even when the pressure was below the 60 psi keg rating. And several brewers have also indicated that they have accidentally sent the plastic kegs through keg washers with excessive pressure, and the burst discs in the kegs that are supposed to break and safely vent the keg contents at 90 psi never activated. The PKA reusable kegs look like a standard sankey keg, but made of plastic-

Yes totally different plastic America only sells to commercial outfits. Which is is bad since they can't Handel the high pressure cleaning. These have a screw on sanki style cap so they can be cleaned with a brush and refilled like you would any Carboy or bottle. These are going to be the home brewing standerd IMO. I sold all my cornie kegs and have not a single regret. Don't fear change people

Hunh - I saw a club using those at NHC, and wondered what they were. Should've stopped and asked, obviously. Sounds like an interesting option. Only real downside, for those of us with multiple tap setups, is that we'd have to invest in multiple sanke taps that we may not otherwise already have.

Ya but it will be a wash I made money switching over kegs 36 bucks tap 28 my corn kegs sold for 58 each and the locks 5 each

with the price of corny kegs so high these are bound to replace them in the homebrew scene in the next few years. Looks like they have only been around since 2010 I'm sure they will catch on.

It looks like a good option for me right now. Cleaning looks like it will be difficult. Do you need any special tool to remove the top of it to get to the spear.

I don"t think cleaning will be a big deal if you use it just for beer. After its kicked take it apart rinse it out and let it soak with some pbw. It comes completely apart and doesn't look like you need any special tools. I didn't know these existed until i stumbled across a craiglist add that had 4 of these for 10 bucks a pop. There are some good videos on youtube. or pubkeg.com

Zahmbie said:

Yes totally different plastic America only sells to commercial outfits. Which is is bad since they can't Handel the high pressure cleaning. These have a screw on sanki style cap so they can be cleaned with a brush and refilled like you would any Carboy or bottle. These are going to be the home brewing standerd IMO. I sold all my cornie kegs and have not a single regret. Don't fear change people

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Do you have any pics or videos showing yours? How you filled/carbed and such? Looking at going from bottling and Mini-Kegs to something a little more substantial....

Thanks in advance

I have been using them for about 6 months and I am very happy so far. The sanke spear unscrews and gives you a 2" opening to fill/clean the keg.

You can buy them new here http://www.homebrewing.org/5-Gallon-Plastic-Pub-Keg_p_3197.html but I would check for used ones first.

Zahmbie said:

I just bought two. I will keep you posted they look great. I like they can be used 10 times before they need any attention. they can also be cleaned and filled easy.
I can get rebuild kits from 5 bucks for gaskets to 14 for the whole tap assembly. And there 36 to buy new.

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What "attention" do they need after 10 uses?

I havent used one 10 times yet (I purchased 10 and have only used a few of those so far), but since they were used I did see some beerstone build up. The good news it is really easy to any kling-ons and I use the spear to knock it loose. Then it is just PBW and star san.

So how are you guys carbing up via CO2? Or are you just using priming sugar and using CO2 to push the beer

^^^^^^^very interested about this question. I lobe the ability to carb quicker.

nianticcardplayer said:

So how are you guys carbing up via CO2? Or are you just using priming sugar and using CO2 to push the beer

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I usually use co2 to carb.

brant740 said:

I usually use co2 to carb.

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Ok so is it like a corny keg then just hook it up and turn to 30 pounds been searching high and low for the procedure

I think Pubkegs are good up to 60psi so you can do whatever you normally do to carb.

edit: Confirmed 60 PSI at mfg website.

http://www.rehrigpacific.com/products-and-services/rigid-packaging/pubkeg/brewers

I had a regulator that went bad, it would creep up in pressure. I don't think it would have gotten to 60psi, but still something to consider.

mikescooling said:

I had a regulator that went bad, it would creep up in pressure. I don't think it would have gotten to 60psi, but still something to consider.

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Perhaps adding http://www.kegoutlet.com/regulator-...chudnow.html?gclid=CJ_a0tauwbgCFck7MgoduQ4Adw would be prudent....

Just something to consider... Looks like Redhook wasn't an isolated incident and has occurred while cleaning the kegs as well.

http://indybeers.com/2012/10/beer-brewers-taking-action-after-more-plastic-kegs-explode/

I'd consider looking at other avenues for stainless. U said u got three for $108. My three ball lock soda corneys were 25 a piece at my LHBS. Ive seen them on craigslist for 35-40 bucks. And everthing from 1/2 to 1/4 to 1/6 at my scrap yard for not much more.

Pratzie said:

Just something to consider... Looks like Redhook wasn't an isolated incident and has occurred while cleaning the kegs as well.

http://indybeers.com/2012/10/beer-brewers-taking-action-after-more-plastic-kegs-explode/

I'd consider looking at other avenues for stainless. U said u got three for $108. My three ball lock soda corneys were 25 a piece at my LHBS. Ive seen them on craigslist for 35-40 bucks. And everthing from 1/2 to 1/4 to 1/6 at my scrap yard for not much more.

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I remember reading that, wasn't the keg that exploded a different style of plastic keg? Different manufacturer I mean.

nianticcardplayer said:

I remember reading that, wasn't the keg that exploded a different style of plastic keg? Different manufacturer I mean.

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It is my understanding it is the PKA (Plastic Kegs America) that are having the issues. Although rated for 60PSI with cold beer. I have a hunch nobody has tested for plastic stress and thermodynamic expansion from the hot water cleaning process.

Pratzie said:

Just something to consider... Looks like Redhook wasn't an isolated incident and has occurred while cleaning the kegs as well.

http://indybeers.com/2012/10/beer-brewers-taking-action-after-more-plastic-kegs-explode/

I'd consider looking at other avenues for stainless. U said u got three for $108. My three ball lock soda corneys were 25 a piece at my LHBS. Ive seen them on craigslist for 35-40 bucks. And everthing from 1/2 to 1/4 to 1/6 at my scrap yard for not much more.

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I bought my pub kegs used for $10 each. They are much different from the ones that exploded. The pub kegs have a big soda bottle inside a heavy plastic shell. the thin inner bottle would blow at a much lower psi than outer shell.

I don't use a cip system under pressure like the pros so I don't worry about it

Another thing to note, if the keg is full the "explosion" is nothing more than a strong leak. If you were to hit it with just air/CO2 pressure than you will have issues.

Hence why tanks get a "hydro" test, much safer if there were problems.

Ben

OntarioBeerKegs said:

It is my understanding it is the PKA (Plastic Kegs America) that are having the issues. Although rated for 60PSI with cold beer. I have a hunch nobody has tested for plastic stress and thermodynamic expansion from the hot water cleaning process.

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Yep. Still doesn't explain why their safety burst discs aren't functioning as they're supposed to though.

JuanMoore said:

Yep. Still doesn't explain why their safety burst discs aren't functioning as they're supposed to though.

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My theory is the discs could be working as intended. But the kegs are exploding before 60PSI from the heat stress. Heated polymers are not as strong as a lower temperature sample.

OntarioBeerKegs said:

My theory is the discs could be working as intended. But the kegs are exploding before 60PSI from the heat stress. Heated polymers are not as strong as a lower temperature sample.

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I was talking about the reports of kegs that had been pressurized above the burst disc pressure (90 psi) that neither exploded or had the burst disc activate.

...back to the pubkeg: I sent PMs to the two guys here who have purchased these. I have a friend with a commercial system in his basement and I'd like to keg some beer for him. I use ball lock cornies in my keezer not Sanke kegs. Could I use my growler filler and a longer hose to fill one of these after the beer carbs in my cornies? I'd rather not go out and buy a Sanke coupler.

Seems that would work, though you'd probably lose at least a little carbonation, and go through a decent amount of CO2 in the process.

Why not just rack the flat, finished beer to it and have your friend force carb it on his system?

stratslinger said:

Seems that would work, though you'd probably lose at least a little carbonation, and go through a decent amount of CO2 in the process.

Why not just rack the flat, finished beer to it and have your friend force carb it on his system?

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Yeah, I thought about that, but he is not the kind of guy who can do too many things on his own (corporate lawyer). He usually hires someone to do the job for him. Plus, I have made it a mission to consume as much of his beer as possible when I am at one of their parties. So, I'd like to just give him a ready to use keg with my Hog Mountain Logo plastered on it of course. I don't mind buying the kegs if I can fill them. I can get two for less than $100 and rotate them through his system.

Emailed brews brothers and they advised that they will soon have instructions and such on filling and carbing up