BrewingRob
Well-Known Member
What I like the most about the British ale experience is the "nitrogen served"/"hand pumped" head and mouth feel, along with the warmer serving temps, malty taste, etc.
The Altera pump is one solution, but mine never really did shake the plastic taste. Plus, as mentioned above, it is not designed to draw 1/4 or 1/2 pint at time. This not only takes more time to pump, it takes more time to settle the cascade. The newest pump does not leak like the first one (beer squirted out the side of handle with each pump!), but it's still a little messy.
My latest trick is to use a regular corny keg. It can either be naturally or forced to a low CO2 rate. After it's carbonated (if forced), I disconnect the CO2. For serving, I turn the regulator up to about 25, and reconnect the CO2, preventing more CO2 from dissolving, but forcing the beer out at a higher rate. I then put a bottle filler on the spout of a picnic tap as a restrictor (it fits right in the hole), and serve. With care, you can fill a 1/2 pint, wait for the cascade, and then complete the fill. Viola! Nitro-system/handpump on the cheap.
The Altera pump is one solution, but mine never really did shake the plastic taste. Plus, as mentioned above, it is not designed to draw 1/4 or 1/2 pint at time. This not only takes more time to pump, it takes more time to settle the cascade. The newest pump does not leak like the first one (beer squirted out the side of handle with each pump!), but it's still a little messy.
My latest trick is to use a regular corny keg. It can either be naturally or forced to a low CO2 rate. After it's carbonated (if forced), I disconnect the CO2. For serving, I turn the regulator up to about 25, and reconnect the CO2, preventing more CO2 from dissolving, but forcing the beer out at a higher rate. I then put a bottle filler on the spout of a picnic tap as a restrictor (it fits right in the hole), and serve. With care, you can fill a 1/2 pint, wait for the cascade, and then complete the fill. Viola! Nitro-system/handpump on the cheap.