Mini-keg for small batch

[ZigZagMarquis]

Has anyone "kegged" a small batch (1 gallon / 128oz) in a mini-keg such as this and used CO2 cartridges to force carbonate vs. bottling and fizz tabs? Is it a viable albeit expensive option? Can the beer be force carbonated with those small CO2 cartridges or are they only good for dispensing already carbonated beer?

 

[dmtaylor]

I've mini-kegged before. Prime with 1 tablespoon sugar similar to the way you would prime bottles. Wait a couple weeks. Chill. Pour a few pints. Then use CO2 cartridges to keep carbonated and to push the remainder of the beer out. Requires about two CO2 cartridges per 4-5 litres. You can do it dirt cheap.

 

[ZigZagMarquis]

I've mini-kegged before. Prime with 1 tablespoon sugar similar to the way you would prime bottles. Wait a couple weeks. Chill. Pour a few pints. Then use CO2 cartridges to keep carbonated and to push the remainder of the beer out. Requires about two CO2 cartridges per 4-5 litres. You can do it dirt cheap.

Cool. Thanks. So about 10tsb of sugar for 1 gal / 128 oz, condition in the mini-keg for about 2 weeks, hook up the mini-CO2 system, pressurize, chill and away you go?

 

[dmtaylor]

Actually that might even be too much priming sugar. 3/4 of a tablespoon, or 10 grams, should be plenty for 1 gallon. The mini-keg I used was 5 litres, that's where I used a full tablespoon.

 

[schmurf]

I use mini kegs but have a sodastream bottle instead of the smaller cartridges

 

[DaveMur]

I've got a 5l one but like schmurf I got a soda stream adaptor to use one of their cannisters so I didn't have to worry too much about replacing the cannisters. I think when I was reading up about getting one you can force carb with the small cartridges but couldn't say for sure how long you could expect it to last i.e. serving. Currently I'm about 4 brews in with my first soda stream can and all were force carbed.

 

[SanPancho]

Has anyone "kegged" a small batch (1 gallon / 128oz) in a mini-keg such as this and used CO2 cartridges to force carbonate vs. bottling and fizz tabs? Is it a viable albeit expensive option? Can the beer be force carbonated with those small CO2 cartridges or are they only good for dispensing already carbonated beer?

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depending on where you source them, and what sort of fittings you want, its cheaper to get one of the 1.5gal kegs from torpedo. no weird/specialized parts or anything like that. just normal corny stuff for cheap. you can still use the co2 canisters for travel, just have to get an adapter or two to get it on the corny QD. all told, its alot cheaper than what some of these pressure growlers can cost. and it carries more beer. easier to clean. stackable if you get more than one. etc.

 

[Dade0]

Cool. Thanks. So about 10tsb of sugar for 1 gal / 128 oz, condition in the mini-keg for about 2 weeks, hook up the mini-CO2 system, pressurize, chill and away you go?

Use a calc for priming addition. Homebrew dad's priming sugar calc is excellent. It is under brewunited.com