Avoiding oxidation during dry hopping

[worlddivides]

OK, that's just a non-standard (and IMO lousy) design. Where did you get the keg? Maybe they sell a special tool for those posts?

I live in Japan, so I'm pretty sure the place I got the keg wouldn't have any meaning to you, but I just sent them an e-mail asking about the posts and what tool is used to remove them. Hopefully they get back to me soon. I also agree that it looks like a lousy design, but that might be my irritation talking.



EDIT: Wow. The guy responded within a few minutes after I e-mailed them (even though it's around 11:45pm here). It uses a 21mm hexagonal "high box" box wrench, the kind most commonly used in body shops on cars (for spark plugs, for example). He also sent me a photograph of the kind of wrench (which is one that comes down from above and you twist it one way or the other) and a few pictures of packages. He also mentioned that they sometimes can be found at dollar stores (well, 100 yen stores, to be precise). Guess that should make things easier.

 

[HM-2]

4. I knew my girlfriend's fridge (that she intended to throw away but I stupidly thought I could use as a keg fridge) was too small to fit 2 kegs. I thought it was just barely big enough to fit 1 three-gallon keg and 1 CO2 tank. I was wrong. They cannot both fit, no matter how I arrange them. So currently I have a three-gallon corny keg in the fridge, not carbing but just being kept cold, and the CO2 tank turned off outside the fridge.

My fridge will fit 2 5 gallon kegs, but not a CO2 cannister and regulator (not even a Sodasteam one). I resorted to drilling a hole through the top of the fridge (no coolant lines there in most fridges that don't have an ice box) and caulking it in using epoxy. You could try that?

 

[mac_1103]

It uses a 21mm hexagonal "high box" box wrench, the kind most commonly used in body shops on cars (for spark plugs, for example).

I'd still be worried about those rounded edges. I've never seen a spark plug that looks like that.

 

[worlddivides]

My fridge will fit 2 5 gallon kegs, but not a CO2 cannister and regulator (not even a Sodasteam one). I resorted to drilling a hole through the top of the fridge (no coolant lines there in most fridges that don't have an ice box) and caulking it in using epoxy. You could try that?

This fridge barely fits a single 3-gallon keg. I thought that I might be able to fit 2 if I put one partially on top of the other, but the ceiling is far too short for that, not to mention that the compressor in the back comes forward so far that it even further limits things. Not only can I only barely fit a single 3-gallon keg, but I wouldn't be able to fit that keg in there if I hadn't removed the plastic drawers from the door.

I'm just going to dispose of this fridge and get a bigger one. I should've just done that in the first place.

 

[worlddivides]

I'd still be worried about those rounded edges. I've never seen a spark plug that looks like that.

Apparently these rounded edges are how they are on all of the Japanese-made Cornelius kegs: 3 gallons, 5 gallons, and 5 liters (about 1.3 gallons). The place I bought the keg from sells both US-made and Japan-made, but usually only has one or the other at any time (and right now they only have Japan-made kegs). The US-made ones use the "standard" 7/8" wrench size. I say "standard," but that's not at all standard outside of the US and extremely difficult to find here, whereas the Japanese ones apparently use the 21mm wrench size. I didn't know that until now, of course. Wish I'd known that earlier. Similarly the regulator I have is also made in Japan and it does not use PSI, which makes sense when I think about it... since PSI stands for POUNDS per square INCH, both Imperial units of measurement. It instead uses megapascal (going from 0mPA to a maximum of 0.35mPA), but I just look at the values and think 7psi or 14psi or 21psi in my head.

 

[Broken Crow]

Not to side-track again, but there hasn't been a 'US-made' keg in decades....Even the 'MicroMatic' cornys are AMCYLs made in India.
If you can't find a 6-point box-wrench or socket, you could use large vise-grips vertically. (horizontally would chew up the fitting)

 

[Bassman2003]

If you would rather have US units to work with, changing the posts are very easy. Bobby has great prices on replacement posts. That is if the inside threading is the same.

 

[mac_1103]

Bobby has great prices on replacement posts.

Yeah, but does he even ship to Tokyo?

 

[CascadesBrewer]

The main problem is how to connect the picnic tap to the beer line. I bought a DuoTight connection, but it's way too loose for the picnic tap (even though the picnic tap I bought specifically said "DuoTight compatible"). I also bought a connector, which the picnic tap connects to much better, but it's not secure. It's way too easy to disconnect it. And when I tried using it with Stellar San today, it was spraying out near the connector, which makes me sure I need to find something else before I eventually carb the beer and serve it.

I am not sure what items you have access to.

I have a few of these picnic taps: https://www.morebeer.com/products/hand-held-beer-faucet-duotight-compatible-stem.html

If you look at the "Demo Only" picture, it shows the two connectors needed to connect EvaBarrier line 1) to the picnic tap and 2) to a threaded ball lock connector. A picnic tap alternative is the Pluto Gun, but that still uses the same connector. Personally, I like the Duotight Ball Lock disconnects that directly accept Evabarrier line, but I know some don't care for them. I wish there was a picnic tap that directly took Evabarrier line. MoreBeer also sells a Torpedo branded picnic tap that has a threaded flare fitting (but for $20 US and I have heard complaints about the internal plastic parts breaking).

 

[Bassman2003]

Yeah, but does he even ship to Tokyo?

Maybe or if a relative is coming over etc... If there is a will...

Maybe it is easier to buy the 21mm socket!

 

[worlddivides]

I am not sure what items you have access to.

I have a few of these picnic taps: https://www.morebeer.com/products/hand-held-beer-faucet-duotight-compatible-stem.html

If you look at the "Demo Only" picture, it shows the two connectors needed to connect EvaBarrier line 1) to the picnic tap and 2) to a threaded ball lock connector. A picnic tap alternative is the Pluto Gun, but that still uses the same connector. Personally, I like the Duotight Ball Lock disconnects that directly accept Evabarrier line, but I know some don't care for them. I wish there was a picnic tap that directly took Evabarrier line. MoreBeer also sells a Torpedo branded picnic tap that has a threaded flare fitting (but for $20 US and I have heard complaints about the internal plastic parts breaking).

Those are the picnic taps I have, but the connector looks slightly different. Same color and same length, but it looks like the ends are shaped slightly different. I'm guessing I got the right tap but the wrong connector.

 

[worlddivides]

Maybe or if a relative is coming over etc... If there is a will...

Maybe it is easier to buy the 21mm socket!

Yeah, especially since I can supposedly get it for about $1. I haven't looked for it yet since I just filled my keg, though.

 

[worlddivides]

Not to side-track again, but there hasn't been a 'US-made' keg in decades....Even the 'MicroMatic' cornys are AMCYLs made in India.
If you can't find a 6-point box-wrench or socket, you could use large vise-grips vertically. (horizontally would chew up the fitting)

I actually have a 6-point socket wrench that came with 10 heads, and I separately bought the 7/8" because that's non-standard here but the main one used for corny keg posts in the US. I'd have to check, but I might have a 21mm in there. I tried the 7/8" and the two largest that came with my socket wrench, but none of them fit. My guess is that the largest one that came with the wrench was probably too small, so I'll have to just get a new one.