Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
Here's the deal, when I was ready to bottle my first two brews, I didn't really want to have a ton of bottles hanging around. So, I picked up the party pack (four 5L mini-kegs plus the CO2 tap item to pour it better)... It was pretty good for the first mini-keg I used, since I went through it pretty fast (in just a few days). But, since then they've been pains in the ass. Supposedly you get up to 90 days (to drink the brew) with the CO2 tap item on it. But, since it doesn't seal even close to well, you can't. You'll lose all the carbonation from the brew, and go through more than a few 16 gram CO2 cartridges in the process in just a week. I have one still with brew in it, which I plan to take to a family gathering/party on Feb. 12th so that it will be finished off that day.
I'm planning to NEVER use these POS kegs again. I have about 2-1/2 cases of (16oz) Grolsch style) bottles empty right now (plus 5 1L) with the balance still with brew in them. I also have a few brews in process (two aging on oak chips, two still in primary) that I'll be looking to keg properly.
While the 5L mini-kegs sound like a great idea at face value, do yourself a favor. If you're NOT going to finish one off in under 3-4 days, don't use them. Also, you'll get a LOT of foam in the brew for the first few pulls (not just the first one the documentation claims) so be prepared for that issue too. I'm talking about ~1" of brew and the rest of the glass of foam (in 16oz glasses)... Even once you've pulled a few pints out of the keg, you'll still have excessive foam from it. Trying to adjust the CO2 knob is pretty much guesswork. Yes, it has a level 'indicator' but it's like a volume dial on your old Walkman... They also leak air/CO2 like there's no tomorrow. So, if you think you can tap it, and then keep it around with the same cartridge, and keep it carbonated, for more than a day or two, think again. Since they cannot hold any decent pressure, once tapped, you'll use up a cartridge in a few hours if you set it to keep CO2 inside the keg. NOT a good thing at all.
Now I'll need to figure out what to do with these things. Maybe I can convert one, or two, into table lamps... The tap assembly itself will probably go onto the shelf of bad ideas...
I'm now planning on picking up a regular keg setup with the CO2 tank and such, plus one 5 gallon and one either 2.5 or 3 gallon keg to start. If not this week, then soon enough to be able to use it on Feb. 12th as well. Within another month, or so, I'll be starting work on a keezer to keep the brew at the proper temperatures.
I'm planning to NEVER use these POS kegs again. I have about 2-1/2 cases of (16oz) Grolsch style) bottles empty right now (plus 5 1L) with the balance still with brew in them. I also have a few brews in process (two aging on oak chips, two still in primary) that I'll be looking to keg properly.
While the 5L mini-kegs sound like a great idea at face value, do yourself a favor. If you're NOT going to finish one off in under 3-4 days, don't use them. Also, you'll get a LOT of foam in the brew for the first few pulls (not just the first one the documentation claims) so be prepared for that issue too. I'm talking about ~1" of brew and the rest of the glass of foam (in 16oz glasses)... Even once you've pulled a few pints out of the keg, you'll still have excessive foam from it. Trying to adjust the CO2 knob is pretty much guesswork. Yes, it has a level 'indicator' but it's like a volume dial on your old Walkman... They also leak air/CO2 like there's no tomorrow. So, if you think you can tap it, and then keep it around with the same cartridge, and keep it carbonated, for more than a day or two, think again. Since they cannot hold any decent pressure, once tapped, you'll use up a cartridge in a few hours if you set it to keep CO2 inside the keg. NOT a good thing at all.
Now I'll need to figure out what to do with these things. Maybe I can convert one, or two, into table lamps... The tap assembly itself will probably go onto the shelf of bad ideas...
I'm now planning on picking up a regular keg setup with the CO2 tank and such, plus one 5 gallon and one either 2.5 or 3 gallon keg to start. If not this week, then soon enough to be able to use it on Feb. 12th as well. Within another month, or so, I'll be starting work on a keezer to keep the brew at the proper temperatures.
