air pressure for dispensing

[doctor strangebrew]

I have a 2.5 gallon keg. Don't really need CO2 to dispense beer because it will all get used up quickly. Can I change CO2 adapter to simple air valve (like a bike tire)? I have an air compressor. I will be using priming sugar to carbonate keg. If I keep air pressure will the beer stay carbonated for a day or two?

 

[McKnuckle]

Get a small CO2 charger that uses 16g cartridges. Quite cheap and a much better, more reliable way to do things IMHO:

https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Inj...+co2+charger&qid=1556044392&s=gateway&sr=8-13

 

[mongoose33]

You *can* use air if you are going to dispense it all in one sitting (or drinking ), but otherwise you'll get the same effect as we did in college with a keg using a pump and a picnic tap: the next day the beer is oxidized, and bad.

So, if you have an air source with the same size tubing as would be the case with CO2, connect it to a QD and you're good to go....for about 6-8 hours.

Would it stay carbonated if pressurized with air? Yeah. And it would be bad-tasting carbonated beer.

 

[TechFanMD]

In less than a day the beer is going to be heavily oxidized and you're going to know it. Air is fine for a party (like hand pump keg taps), but that beer is going to degrade really fast. You spent time and money making it, you want it to stay fresh. The recommendation of getting a CO2 cartridge adapter is a good one if you don't want to buy and maintain a CO2 tank.

Also, the air in a compressor tank can be really nasty. You might even have mold growing in the tank (from condensation of water from compression of the air), or leftover machining oils from when it was manufactured. I wouldn't take the garage compressor and use it to serve beer.

 

[doctor strangebrew]

OK, I get it... drink it all in one day (was hoping for two) Compressor is small portable and drained with every use (also have 12volt tankless one for car) I'll check into the little CO2 setup. Also, for the rest of the 5 gal batch, can I use quart beer bottles with screw caps? Trying to avoid capping a bunch of small bottles. Does any beer still come in the big glass jugs? Saved a bunch years ago and moved... forgot them.

 

[TechFanMD]

OK, I get it... drink it all in one day (was hoping for two) Compressor is small portable and drained with every use (also have 12volt tankless one for car) I'll check into the little CO2 setup. Also, for the rest of the 5 gal batch, can I use quart beer bottles with screw caps? Trying to avoid capping a bunch of small bottles. Does any beer still come in the big glass jugs? Saved a bunch years ago and moved... forgot them.

You can buy brown (amber) plastic bottles at many homebrew stores. Grolsch style swing-tops are great too (get brown if you can if you're buying new).

You can bottle the rest in used plastic soda bottles if you clean them well, and again - keep them away from light.

 

[doctor strangebrew]

I am so excited! I have a 2.5 gallon keg and my friend just told me he has a 3 gallon glass carboy I can use. I also have a decent kettle so all I need now is ingredients (and a few small items) I gave up homebrewing years ago because I got tired of cleaning and capping bottles (5 gallon batch) Gave all my equipment to a friend when I moved. It feels good to be back in the game. Some else gave me the keg so I guess this is like good karma coming back.

 

[mongoose33]

I am so excited! I have a 2.5 gallon keg and my friend just told me he has a 3 gallon glass carboy I can use. I also have a decent kettle so all I need now is ingredients (and a few small items) I gave up homebrewing years ago because I got tired of cleaning and capping bottles (5 gallon batch) Gave all my equipment to a friend when I moved. It feels good to be back in the game. Some else gave me the keg so I guess this is like good karma coming back.

Just a note on bottle cleaning: I keg, but I do bottle some of the beer. I clean my bottles by first triple-rinsing when I get them home, and then into the dishwasher they go. I get them oriented correctly so the water jets get up inside them and they come out sparkling clean. When I fill them I'm giving them a couple squirts of Star-San which removes any residue from the anti-droplet stuff that may be on the bottle, and they're good to go.

 

[doctor strangebrew]

Years ago, when I still bottled my beer, I was an auto mechanic. I like to make my own equipment so I made a bottle capper using a hydraulic bottle jack, a wood frame, some return springs and a brass cap fitting. Worked great, but very slow! I had issues with oxidation (doing 48 bottles)

 

[doctor strangebrew]

My 2.5 gallon keg is soda type. What kind of fitting is used for CO2? If I use the small CO2 do I need a hose and adapter?

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Air compressors create condensation. The condensation gets blown out the hose and is usually funky milky oily disgustingness. We drain air compressors every day on the job.

I would never in a zillion years hook an air compressor up to a keg...might just kill ya if you did it enough

 

[LittleRiver]

...I would never in a zillion years hook an air compressor up to a keg...

Agreed. Even with filter/dryer hooked up I still would not consider using air from a normal construction grade compressor. The air will have oil and other contaminants in it.

Medical grade compressors are available, but expensive.

 

[kh54s10]

I would also advise against introducing air from an air compressor into your beer. It could contain oil, and probably is not very clean otherwise.

 

[doctor strangebrew]

mongoose, I didn't have a dishwasher back then, but now I do. Might reconsider using bottles. It is nice to be able to sample a few bottles early on, then keep sampling as the weeks go by. My best batch (a dark german lager) was so much better after 6 weeks in the bottle. The idea with the 2.5 gallon keg is more of a "quick and easy" plan. Eventually I will get a 5 gallon carboy (glass, of course) and keg half/bottle half (best of both worlds)

 

[Gameface]

Air compressors create condensation. The condensation gets blown out the hose and is usually funky milky oily disgustingness. We drain air compressors every day on the job.

I would never in a zillion years hook an air compressor up to a keg...might just kill ya if you did it enough

I was going to mention the fact that compressor air is not clean, not by any stretch of the imagination. You beat me to it.

 

[kh54s10]

Eventually I will get a 5 gallon carboy (glass, of course) and keg half/bottle half (best of both worlds)

You want a 6 or 6.5 gallon one. 5 gallon ones are pretty much useless unless your max batch will be no more than 4 gallons.

Look at this before you decide on glass: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/broken-glass-carboy-horror-stories-compendium.376523/

 

[doctor strangebrew]

Do you not understand the compressor is small home type and no oil. Anyway, if I use it will invite friends and drink the whole keg in one day! Most likely will just use small tankless 12 volt one (tailgate party) My 2.5 gallon corny keg is ball lock type so will small CO2 setup connect directly or do I need a hose? I will replace seals and connectors on ball locks. By the way, I have also responded to the glass carboy thread.

 

[Matthew Nelson]

You want a 6 or 6.5 gallon one. 5 gallon ones are pretty much useless unless your max batch will be no more than 4 gallons.

Not necessarily if you use FermCapS to kill the foam. About 10-15 drops will do depending on how aggressive the yeast is.

Kegs are pressured with CO2 (or Nitro) to prevent oxidation yes, to preserve flavor yes, but its also used in order to maintain the beers proper carbonation level from first draw to the last. That's why feed pressure is set based on the carbonation chart for the volume of CO2 that beer is supposed to have. Getting beer to come out of the tap is just the last step in the chain. Now if the keg is going to be drained over the course of a few hours then the carbonation part is not so pressing an issue, but it will be for when that's not the case.

 

[Brewvy]

Aquarium air pump may provide enough pressure to push beer. Otherwise you could try to use gravity. Also check out cask conditioned with a liquid hand pump style to pull the beer out, this is how the old English pubs would serve with the casks in the basement of the pub. Another option could be to put dry ice in a balloon and hook to the air in post , this will prevent oxidation by only letting co2 in.

 

[kh54s10]

Not necessarily if you use FermCapS to kill the foam. About 10-15 drops will do depending on how aggressive the yeast is.

Used Fermcap for a while. I had boil overs and blow offs even when using it in a 6 gallon Better Bottle. I decided that I didn't want to have silicone in my beer even though it is supposed to settle out. So - headspace... I have a five gallon Better Bottle that came with my original kit. It hasn't been used in many years.

 

[doctor strangebrew]

I have 2.5 gallon corney keg with ball locks. Where can I get simple small CO2 setup (like paintball size tank)? Will it connect directly or should I use a hose? I do natural carbonation with priming sugar so just need to dispense beer and keep it carbonated.