Quarter Barrel and Kegging

I recently received a few SS quarter barrels from a friend with the low profile couplers. I've read the post about using these as fermenters, which would be a great idea, but my question is: How success is it to carbonate your homebrew in one of these? Will it be the same way procedures to carbonate as with the corny? Will cleaning and maintainance be a PIA???

Thanks,
Z

 

51 views and no replies...?? Come on ppl a little help would be greatly appreicated.

 

Well, there are a lot of details you'll have to look into before going down this road.
I ferment and serve out of sanke kegs, and the carbing process is just the same as a corny, with the exception of the coupler. With a corny you can put on the gas-in line, set it to whatever PSI, and you're done.

With the sankey coupler, the gas-in and liquid-out are the same connector, so you have to have some way to stop the liquid while you carb.
If you carb at higher-pressure to speed the process, you'll have to have a reliable valve to stop the liquid under that pressure. I just don't trust my picnic-taps at 30 PSI, so I put a valve on the liquid out line, right before the beer-nut and tailpiece. Some have suggested placing a coin between the rubber washer, and the tailpiece to stop the beer flow.

Either way, the quarter barrels will work very much like cornys once you have them set up and working. Just know that they are a little more work to open/close and clean. Lots of info on these forums about doing all of that though.

Good luck.

 

Sanke kegs work great for serving, as that's what they are designed to do! Contrary to the post above, I have had no problem w/ picnic taps while force carbing at 30 psi. You made a very nice score for kegs and couplers, you should be very happy. Below is a great post detailing sanke ring installation. With practice, it will be easy!

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/installing-retaining-ring-sanke-keg-64128/