GrowlerWerks uKeg

[MatIPluto]

Has anyone tried these for force carbing? Their website says you can do it but amazon reviews are a bit sketchy. Figured I'd ask around before I blow $150 on one of these

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YR9NUEI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[SanPancho]

if your goal is to force carb teeny tiny batches then for a fraction of the cost of this you can buy a carbonator cap and use a soda bottle. they'll hold up to 30psi (stated) and you can do 2L bottles, 1L, 500ml, 333ml, etc. basically any PET bottle with a soda cap. (not water bottle cap)

they dont hold pressure while you pour/serve, like this one does. so you cant use it as a keg. but i'd pour a beer, squeeze the bottle to purge all the air out, then screw the cap back on and re-gas it. good enough for all but the most hoppy beers.

 

[ong]

SanPancho has a really good point — what you’re paying for with this item isn’t the ability to force carb, but serving without exposure to oxygen (and, realistically, it being all cool looking and steampunk). A stainless carbonation cap and PET bottles have totally revolutionized my brewing. I now do lots of small batches and force carb in bottles to test out flavors and procedures without a lot of fuss and bother.

 

[El Nino]

I haven't ever used one of those, but I do have a gallon keg growler (kegsmith), no problems force carbing using a 16g co2 cartridge. Usually each cartridge has enough co2 to force carb a gallon and serve it. And usually there's some left over but at some point while trying to force carb the 2nd batch I'll have to replace the cartridge.

I thought of the growlerwerks as an option, but the kegsmith was basically the same price for a 128oz size so i went with that

 

[SanPancho]

your other option is the 1.5gal torpedo keg from morebeer. 60 bucks i think, so more than carb caps, but less than the crazy growler prices. and its an actual keg.

personal preference, but id buy a 1.5 gal keg before i'd blow more than $100 on a growler.

decisions, decisions.

 

[Atalanta]

Expanding on the carbonation cap idea. I used these to make soda siphons from 2 liter bottles: http://www.beveragefactory.com/draf...MIr62k1pW22wIVDtNkCh2NuQdWEAQYAyABEgI0rPD_BwE

I have this cap connected to enough line to reach the bottom of the soda bottle. Then, using a ball lock gas in connection, I carbonate the water. Having the hose to the bottom of the bottle limits shaking and water getting into the gas line. Then, for serving, I have a picnic tap attached to line attached to a liquid out ball lock. This way I can dispense the carbonated liquid without opening the bottle.

 

[Tommydee]

I have the 128 oz ukeg. Wife got it for my birthday. I love it and it's a hit at small parties. I had an issue where I tightened the sleeve too tight, blew out a gasket, but customer service was great, sent me parts for free. However, I think for less money, one could buy a 1 gallon or 2.5 gallon keg, a simple cobra tap liquid assembly, and a cartridge regulator that fits the gas post. Not as slick looking, but Would work. For a polished solution, if you've got the means, go u keg. But if I had the money back, I'd probably pick up a 1 gal AND 2.5 gal keg, so I could choose depending on the party, and the parts I mentioned above.

 

[beernutz]

I was a Ukeg kickstarter participant and ended up with 2 64oz copper ukegs. I really like my ukeg ( one is still in the box) and take it to my homebrew club meetings each month where it is always an attention-getter.

However the 8g cartridges it uses are barely enough CO2 to empty the ukeg much less force carbonate it. If you want to force carbonate small quantities a carbonator cap is much more efficient. That is what I use.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

It looks like the gallon-sized ones have 16 grams:

https://www.growlerwerks.com/collections/accessories/products/16-gram-co2-package-of-10

I brew 1-galloon batches, and never thought I would do any type of kegging, but this looks like a good option. Father's Day is coming up, so I'll see if I can drop enough hints for the Beautiful Mrs. Tas to get this for me; she hates bottles lying around.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

I haven't ever used one of those, but I do have a gallon keg growler (kegsmith), no problems force carbing using a 16g co2 cartridge. Usually each cartridge has enough co2 to force carb a gallon and serve it. And usually there's some left over but at some point while trying to force carb the 2nd batch I'll have to replace the cartridge.

I thought of the growlerwerks as an option, but the kegsmith was basically the same price for a 128oz size so i went with that

I'm considering one or the other, for 1-gallon batches. When you were doing your research into the GrowlerWerks product, how did it compare with the KegSmith, in your opinion? Would you say that they are essentially the same thing, or did you find one to be "better" than the other, at least on paper?

 

[El Nino]

I'm considering one or the other, for 1-gallon batches. When you were doing your research into the GrowlerWerks product, how did it compare with the KegSmith, in your opinion? Would you say that they are essentially the same thing, or did you find one to be "better" than the other, at least on paper?

Honestly I saw more negative reviews for the uKeg, and hardly any for the Kegsmith (27% of the reviews for the uKeg are 1-stars, which threw a red flag for me), the Kegsmith had 88% 5-star reviews. Not saying it's a better product since I have no experience with the uKeg, but there were far too many complaints about defective products and especially bad customer service that scared me away. With that said I'm happy with my purchase. Fits perfectly in my fridge and force carbs a gallon of beer in a hurry. No problems with it at all, and bringing a mini keg to a party is always a good conversation starter haha.

I have to admit the uKeg is a really interesting concept and looks super cool, but my decision to not go with it was mainly the amount of negative reviews. It seems to me that buyers either loved or hated it.

 

[Beholder]

I have a uKeg, I attribute the bad reviews partly to quality issues faced through ramp up and partly due to the product that has some details that need to be paid attention to (e.g. ensuring the CO2 cartridge interface is tightened down, not over-tightening the CO2 cartridge case, not over-tightening the cap and distorting / damaging the o-ring), but that weren’t initially highlighted in the instruction material.

I see that now quality is well established and the instructions are clearer, but I would agree customer service was always a bit spotty (I was a backer too and took that ride), but haven’t had the opportunity to see if it has changed / improved.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Many thanks to @El Nino and @Beholder for offering their personal experiences with these products. I am squarely on the fence with this decision.

I am leaning toward the uKeg for sentimental reasons, because it is being offered through Brooklyn Brew Shop, the folks who helped me get started brewing. I have a lot of faith in them and want to support them. On the other hand, the KegWorks is tried and true, and slightly more economical.

I'll choose one or the other - maybe eventually get one for me and the other for my dad, who also likes to brew small batches.

Once again, thanks to both of you -

Ron

 

[S-Met]

Opinion, but not worth the cost for long run. If your like most of us, your hobby will expand. I would look for something that will grow with you and you can have swappable parts as needed.

$75 for a new torpedo 1.5gal or $80 for a 2.5gal.
$25 for a pocket co2 with threaded connection https://www.morebeer.com/products/co2-injector-includes-1-cartridge.html

If you already have a keg setup, you will already have the connecors and probably have a piknik or make it classy with a $6 qd faucet adapter and add a faucet. (Add $30 for a faucet if required) https://www.morebeer.com/products/corny-keg-disconnect-faucet-adapter.html


If you have no other keg supplies, add $10 for a picnic tap set and another $8 for a ball qd.

Then it's plug&play with other brew setups as well.

 

[probablynotnick]

I received a ukeg as a wedding present from my wife's maid-of-honor (yeah she's pretty cool). She actually backed the kickstarter to get this for us!

Anyway, I haven't ever had any issues with it. It's really neat in that everything is clean and contained, however, I'm not sure that it's a great option for using as a mini keg, mostly just a bad ass growler. Ours is the 64oz using 8g cartridges FWIW

They're a little tricky to clean, but we really do love it as a piece of beer "glam"

 

[TwistedGray]

The cap is now available - UKEGNEWS is the coupon code
https://www.growlerwerks.com/produc...Lock Cap&bis_id=2OzY8y&variant=10020674961523

 

[TasunkaWitko]

I went ahead and ordered one of these (the 128-oz) last week, it should arrive sometime this week.

From what I can see, a lot of the issues leading to early bad reviews have been addressed; most recent reviews have been very positive. Since I brew 1-gallon batches only and have no plans to change that situation, I believe that it will suit me just fine; of course, I still have a supply of 60 bottles, just in case.

If there is any huge news one way or the other, I'll try to post it here; otherwise, it will be safe to assume that I'm a satisfied customer.

 

[TwistedGray]

I posted this thread yesterday, too, for those who know...https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/first-time-kegging-and-clueless.661480/

 

[TasunkaWitko]

After a few days of cold-crashing, I kegged my Earl Grey Pale Ale last night, 22 February 2018. This was my first time using my 1-gallon "uKeg," which I purchased from GrowlerWerks through Brooklyn Brew Shop:

https://brooklynbrewshop.com/collections/accessories/products/growlerwerks-ukeg

The instructions provided by Brooklyn Brew Shop were very easy to follow:

https://brooklynbrewshop.com/pages/growlerwerks-ukeg

The only variation from the instructions was that I used a mini-siphon, rather than siphoning "the old fashioned way." The process went smoothly and the keg is currently in my refrigerator, doing it's thing and hopefully carbonating my beer over the course of a couple of days, rather than a couple of weeks. In accordance with the instructions, I am gently agitating the keg 3 times each day, to help facilitate the carbonation process.

The beer itself looked great; I should have taken a photo, because it was a very beautiful colour, somewhere between butterscotch and caramel. It also smelled incredible, as well; the nugget hops are a good compliment to the bergamot in the Earl Grey Tea, and I suspect that the finished beer will be very good, indeed.

I've never kegged a beer before, so I am sure that there will be a learning curve to this process; however, it is a very user-friendly product and I am impressed so far.

By Friday evening, I should be able to sample the beer, and am looking forward to it.

 

[Cantina De Jefe]

Bought. Thanks for this. I have been going through 3 co2 catridges to force carb and dispense 1 gallon and it ends up over carbed at the end. Now i can regulate it with consistency for force carb and replace with the original lid if im travelling with my brew.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Results:

Well, I am pretty impressed with this whole experience; both the beer and the keg.

Three days after kegging the beer, it was ready to pour. I got a little more foam than I expected, and the beer was a little bit hazier than I expected; however, I am 95% sure that this was due to the fact that I drove 3 miles on a bumpy road before trying it, and also because I am pretty sure one of my sons loosened the pressure cap while it was carbonating. I'll know more about this next time.

In any case, the beer looked great:

The colour, even with the unexpected haziness, was absolutely beautiful. The aroma was very nice, with a balance of the malts and the nugget hops that I really liked, with a nice, light, citrusy kick from the bergamot in the tea that went well with the woodiness of the Nugget hops.

The mouthfeel was smooth and full-bodied, kind of addictive in a way that I really liked. The taste of the beer reflected the aroma, with a prominent (but not over-whelming) maltiness balanced by a delightful freshness from the hops and tea. Regretfully, I do not know the grain bill for this American Pale Ale, but Brooklyn Brew Shop nailed it. If I can come close to duplicating it in future brews, I would be very happy. The tea itself was represented very well, and I am convinced that two bags for the gallon as just right. It did not over-power but was definitely noticeable - and complimented the entire beer nicely.

The finish was just a touch more "resiny" (resinous?) than I would prefer, but not by very much. I suspect that most people who enjoy an American Pale Ale would find this to be just about right, or possibly even a little on the light side where that quality is concerned.

Above all, the beer tasted both fresh and refreshing, with no "green" qualities that I could detect in the slightest. This was a true winner!

In summary, I really enjoyed this, and so did my father. The keg made a nice conversation piece and convenient delivery method while we played cribbage that evening. We drank a little more than half the gallon in the one sitting, and I suspect that we'll finish it off before this coming weekend is out.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Hello -

I'm set to keg my second batch of beer with the uKeg, a Belgian Blonde infused with chamomile:

For the first beer I kegged with it (shown in my post above), I kegged it according to these instructions:

https://brooklynbrewshop.com/pages/growlerwerks-ukeg

As far as I know, I did everything right; I force-carbed at 15 psi and served it at 7-8psi. However, the beer was very foamy with every pour (not just the first one), regardless of how long it was in the keg, the serving temperature or how long it had rested after transport. It literally looked like this:

I had to pour a little, let it rest, then pour again. The beer was excellent, once I was able to fill the glass, and the head was beautiful, as well; but it was a pain.

I am sure it was due to something that went wrong on my part, so I am seeing if the Knights of the Round Table have any suggestions. I consulted the troubleshooting section at uKeg's website, and these were the suggested causes:

• Shaking the uKeg during transport. It's kind of like shaking a can of beer - it foams after you do that. But letting it sit for 10 minutes usually corrects this issue.

• Right after filling it it can be foamy due to agitation of the beer, similar to transporting it. Again, allowing it to rest 10 minutes in the fridge should take care of this.

• Letting the beer get warm. Warm beer can be really foamy, but you'd have to leave the uKeg out for more than 8 hours to experience this...less if left in direct sun on a hot day. Cooling it back down will alleviate the foam.

• Often the very first pour can be foamy if the uKeg was filled with a closed tap. This allow air to remain in the tap tube and assembly. When you go to pour that first beer, the air rushes out with the beer leading to sometimes 1/3-1/2 a cup of foam on that first beer.

• Beer that is poured from a tap system with pressure >15psi. Ideally you run the uKeg at the same pressure it is poured at in the bar, usually 5-10 psi. When the uKeg pressure set point and bar system set point are very different, the beer can pour foamy. But this is typically gone after the beer sits in the uKeg for a day or so.

As far as I know, I can eliminate all of these causes, so I am out of ideas.

There were a couple of variables with this first attempt at kegging that may have caused it:

1. I don't know for sure, but I am fairly positive that one of my older sons messed with the keg while it was carbonating; at the very least, the regulator was messed with, and at worst, the cap may have been removed.

2. I cold-crashed the beer, going straight from the refrigerator to kegging.

Based on what little I know, I don't think that they contributed to the problem, but I could be wrong.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Ron

 

[TwistedGray]

Ron, I wish I could help, but I only use the ball lock cap. I can say, at lest with that, that I do not have the same issues that you are reporting. I've used it now three (four?) times without that issue.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

I only use the ball lock cap.

I'll probably get one eventually, the next time there is a promotion or sale. It makes pretty good sense.