Homark Beer Engine

I picked up a beer engine at a local flea market. My plan was to clean it up and use it as a decorative piece on my bar. I checked it out and it works. It pumps water, at least. I assume it will pump beer.

I'm thinking that I may make a batch of English Ale and cask condition it in a corny keg. It would be ready just in time for the Holidays. I don't know whether or not it's worth trying.

Has anyone ever tried to make a cask conditioned ale?

Here's what the beer engine looks like. I still need to clean it up some. The thing weights a ton!

That is AWESOME. I've never done a cask-conditioned ale, but I think you'd have to be crazy NOT to with that thing laying around. Mind saying what you paid for it?

So cool.

That is friggin awesome! Not crazy about real ale, but I'm sure it would work awesome.

daksin said:

That is AWESOME. I've never done a cask-conditioned ale, but I think you'd have to be crazy NOT to with that thing laying around. Mind saying what you paid for it?

So cool.

Click to expand...

I traded some stuff for it so no actual dollar amount. The asking price was $100.

I've had cask ale on several occasions this past year. Once at the Great Lakes Brewery in Cleveland. Once in Eastern Carolina. It was different each time I tried it, but always quite tasty.

I just ran across this link. The video at the bottom gives an idea of how to use it with a corny keg.
http://northernbrewer.blogspot.com/2011/01/beer-engines-all-aboard.html

I'll probably take my engine apart, refinish the wood and polish up the brass. It's in good shape, but needs a face lift. It's a novelty, for sure.

http://www.brewingtv.com/episodes/2011/6/1/brewing-tv-episode-38-none-more-cask.html
This has some good info as well.