Fellow homebrewers, meet my new beer engine . . .

[NEPABREWER]

I am resurecting this thread - I want this to be my everyweek end type or beer dispensation method ha ha ha! I finally ordered my pump - so all I need are some fittings
and a cooler. I have a corny of cellar aged brown ale waiting for its hand pump.

 

[clearlysuburban]

so is it only me who can't see any of the pictures that are put up? cuz i'd love to make something like this

 

[Flyin' Lion]

so is it only me who can't see any of the pictures that are put up? cuz i'd love to make something like this

I can no longer see them either, but he is an active member-you could try to PM hime.

It would be worth it.

 

[sonvolt]

I can no longer see them either, but he is an active member-you could try to PM hime.

It would be worth it.

If you tried to PM me, my inbox was full and I got the message that I missed your PMs. Sorry . . .

As for the pics, I deleted them from webspace where I was hosting them. If anyone wants to see them again, I am more than happy to post them. Just let me know. I cleared out my inbox, too . . . so I should get your PMs this time.

 

[sonvolt]

Ok . . . you asked for it, so here you go. Just pm or post any questions you have about how I made it. I took the directions from an old issue of BYO (I also have jpgs of that issue if anyone needs them - pm me), and modified them a bit.

 

[sonvolt]

Two more (limited to six at a time, ya know)

 

[Zymurgrafi]

This is awesome. I am re-re-resurrecting (?) this thread for more info please? I do not understand how it mechanically works. If there is no CO2 pushing the beer how does it move up the lines?

Also, would this work with a 5L mini-keg? Sorry if this was explained I read all of the thread but did not get it.

 

[Zymurgrafi]

oh, and if I may request a copy of the original plans/article please?

 

[wild]

Check BYO's Build a Beer Engine: Projects (Jan-Feb 05).

Good luck,
Wild

 

[Zymurgrafi]

Check BYO's Build a Beer Engine: Projects (Jan-Feb 05).

Good luck,
Wild

They only seem to sell back issues in groups of 5 for $25. I do not really need or want that many issues (or to spend that much)...

Okay, call me a cheapskate I certainly am.

 

[Jester369]

Just mulling over the process here. I wonder if you ran CO2 to the keg at extremely low pressure - just a pound or two - so that it wouldn't really affect the carbing of the beer, but instead of oxygen, it would be pulling CO2 when pumped. As long as the 1-2 lbs pressure is negated by the length of beer line from keg to pump, the CO2 won't be pushing, the pump will be pulling. Does that make any sense at all??

 

[Buford]

I think you can use a keg/cask breather on a CO2 line for that very purpose. It lets CO2 in as beer is pulled off.

 

[Zymurgrafi]

well, really i was looking to do it without CO2 at all like the original poster. I was just trying to understand how it worked so I could create my own set-up. I think I get it now and am working on a mini-cask system. Just was hoping someone had the original article on beer engine building to share. I would still love to see it but, I have a plan of my own now regardless.

 

[Zymurgrafi]

oh, and if anyone wants to create their own mini-keg CO2 tap try this.

Though it seems to me the guy went to a bit more trouble than he needed. He could have avoided some of the drilling and all of the soldering cause I am almost certain you can get a brass fitting exactly like that already made cast solid. I cannot think what it is called at the moment but I saw one at the hardware store when I was getting some compression unions.

 

[wild]

I was just trying to understand how it worked so I could create my own set-up.

I built mine in the fall prior to the article. Picked up an RV water pump. Mounted it onto a box. I added copper line so that I could cool it similar to a jockey box. Hook it to the out tap of a corny and lock off the pressure release valve. That's it.
Tip: A good cask conditioned ale is tapped young.

Wild

 

[Hemi]

Just mulling over the process here. I wonder if you ran CO2 to the keg at extremely low pressure - just a pound or two - so that it wouldn't really affect the carbing of the beer, but instead of oxygen, it would be pulling CO2 when pumped. As long as the 1-2 lbs pressure is negated by the length of beer line from keg to pump, the CO2 won't be pushing, the pump will be pulling. Does that make any sense at all??

I think that is against what he is trying to do as hes not trying to save cost of CO2 or just naturally carbonate/cask condition but to use oxygen to in a sense add off flavors from oxidation which normally is considered a bad thing to most of the beer world but has been part of the central love of "Real Ale" of the UK as it brings its own favorable characteristics.

 

[Jester369]

I think that is against what he is trying to do as hes not trying to save cost of CO2 or just naturally carbonate/cask condition but to use oxygen to in a sense add off flavors from oxidation which normally is considered a bad thing to most of the beer world but has been part of the central love of "Real Ale" of the UK as it brings its own favorable characteristics.

True, but for myself (since I posed that question for my own evil purposes ) I wouldn't go through the cask fast enough (I'm going to have 7 faucets to choose from!) before the stuff went undrinkable. I believe I read somewhere that CAMRA does not necessarily oppose putting down a CO2 blanket over the beer for preservation, just that it can't force carb, or dispense it, so I would still be serving 'real ale', just a little longer lasting. Granted, I wouldn't get the changing oxidization level as time went on, but hey, can't have everything!

 

[Hemi]

True, but for myself (since I posed that question for my own evil purposes ) I wouldn't go through the cask fast enough (I'm going to have 7 faucets to choose from!) before the stuff went undrinkable. I believe I read somewhere that CAMRA does not necessarily oppose putting down a CO2 blanket over the beer for preservation, just that it can't force carb, or dispense it, so I would still be serving 'real ale', just a little longer lasting. Granted, I wouldn't get the changing oxidization level as time went on, but hey, can't have everything!

An interesting experiment would be brew two of the same recipes one right after another. Force carbonate one dispensing on co2 and naturally carbonate the other dispensing using oxygen and see how they differ over a period of a couple months. Kinda funny now I think what other variables contribute to the fine taste of "real" ales. You know those old guys were smoking their pipes like smoke stacks....I believe this would be a major source of the flavor . Gives it a bit of a "smoky" flavor

 

[anc001]

I love this idea, it seems like a great way to serve your beer at its natural best.
So much so that I had to sign up and plead for someone to send me the BYO articles that I can't find anywhere.

 

[Mikestro35]

I just put together one of these, and i had a few questions. Does it matter if the release valve is off or on, if so why is that so? I have dispensed it in both ways. Also this seems like it would be just like taping a keg with a hand pump tap you used at parties with the sankey kegs. I have my pepsi keg in a mini fridge that stays arond 45-50, would staying in the fridge differ from kept outside of the fridge? Well my first 2 pints have been amazing, this is a very easy project that you can put together in an hour so far it has seemed well worth it.

 

[Homercidal]

I had a pulled ale a few years ago in Ann Arbor, and it (They, actually) was good, but I'd prefer to have my beer cold and fairly carbed. The place in AA had their casks in the basement and they had several styles. I wish I could remember the name of the place!

I am interested in the history and novelty of the thing.

 

[dlauver]

I had a pulled ale a few years ago in Ann Arbor, and it (They, actually) was good, but I'd prefer to have my beer cold and fairly carbed. The place in AA had their casks in the basement and they had several styles. I wish I could remember the name of the place!

I am interested in the history and novelty of the thing.

Arbor Brewing Company most likely. Great beer!

 

[GeorgeH]

I had a pulled ale a few years ago in Ann Arbor, and it (They, actually) was good, but I'd prefer to have my beer cold and fairly carbed. The place in AA had their casks in the basement and they had several styles. I wish I could remember the name of the place!

I am interested in the history and novelty of the thing.

I would guess it was Ashley's: http://www.ashleys.com/ I know they've done casks and firkins in the past, and I just got an email about a firkin event in the next month or two.

 

[argyle]

This is an awsome looking pump. Looks to work pretty good too! I'd like to make one. Does anyone have the plans for this still?

 

[Revvy]

I'm bumping this up (Thanks Ryan) becasue I'm trying to come up with something like this that looks like it would be used in the late 1800's at a vintage Base Ball game... I'm hoping SOMEONE has the 2 byo articles that supposedly contain plans for a beer engine-the May 1997 or The January 2005 issues.

Or any other ideas...

Please take a look at my thread to get an idea of what I'm talking about...

Thanks!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=65335

 

[drez77]

I have the byo magazine issue from 2005. PM me and i can get you a scan of it this weekend. I will say the article is a little weak, it talkes more about the box construction than anything else. But anyway, I can get it for you.

Mike

 

[modenacart]

How do Pubs keep up their beer engines? Do they self drain?

 

[doomedplanet]

This thread was inspirational. What an easy solution that will make me happy. I believe this is the best way to drink a beer hands down. When I lived in the bay area I drank cask conditioned ales every time I went to Magnolias or the Toronado. Now that I'm in Eugene, forget about it, I don't know of a single place that serves them(it is possible there is some place here I don't know about). I must make a version of this sometime soon. I would probably use a smaller vessel than my corny keg just because I would rather just cellar a couple of gallons, since I couldn't drink a full corny fast enough except if I had a party.

thanks!

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

This looks awesome!!!

Here is my idea.... taking an idea from this thread that discusses the 5L mini-kegs.

I would like to cask condition in these 5L mini-kegs and serve them with a pump system similar to the one described in this thread.

My idea is to take the extra mini/dorm fridge I have laying around, and convert it to a stand along mini-beer-engine. I would serve out of the 5L kegs so I wouldn't have to worry about oxidation as I would drink the keg within a week or so. So here are some pics to help....

I would mount the pump on top of the fridge and keep the kegs in the fridge.

My question is this: How do you maintain carbonation in the kegs while htey are on tap? I think I will need to make some kind of a tapper for the kegs that has a dip tube to the bottom of the keg, for the beer to be pumped from, and a breather to prevent excessive off gassing.

Any suggestions or ideas on how to make the tapper would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

With a little searching I found this article:

BYO - Will using a beer engine result in flat homebrew?

It would seem that a traditional engine system relies on the lower cellar temperature to maintain the ~1.5 volumes of CO2 in solution. The beer IS exposed to atmospheric pressure but maintains its low carbonation because of the lower temperature. The head on the beer is formed by running it through the sparkler.

So here is what I am a-thinkin:

One two hole stopper:

One 1/4" stainless tube that runs through the center hole (dip tube)

and

One of these air filters to avoid air-bourne contaminants such as acetobacer: