My Experience With The Coors Lite Home Draft (Video)

[completegeek]

My aunt had one of these at her house tonight when we were watching the LSU vs. Mississippi game (Geaux Tigers!) and she said she would give it to me once it was empty. I took one for the team and did my best to empty it even faster, but I had to switch to the Shiner she happened to have because it was to nasty to drink. I am definitely spoiled when it comes to my beer now.

I can't believe I could ever drink Coors lite and call it beer.

 

[bschindl]

If you prime with sugar, couldn't you use the homedraft system without a co2 cartridge, at least for a few beers, or would there not be enough pressure to dispense the beer? I have a red ale carbing up in a homedraft system right now. I have a pack of carts coming from Midwest, but I think I'm gonna try without a cart first. If nobody replies before I tap mine, I'll try to remember to post the results. It just seems like if there's a need to relieve pressure before installing a cartridge then there should be enough pressure to dispense as well.

If you aren't using Co2 cartridges, then any time that you dispense a beer the extra headspace will have to be filled with air. That will either lead to flat or stale beer after a while.

 

[rod251]

If you aren't using Co2 cartridges, then any time that you dispense a beer the extra headspace will have to be filled with air. That will either lead to flat or stale beer after a while.

Ah, that makes sense. I guess I'll pony up the $1.30 and use a cartridge for the sake of good beer.

 

[bilder]

I am thinking of getting some of these. I could get a tap-a-draft for 90 bucks after shipping or I could buy three of these things for the same price. Guess these would be nice due to having a dispenser for each bottle over the single dispenser with the regular tap a draft system.

Only problem would be chugging down all that yucky beer.

 

[rod251]

I am thinking of getting some of these. I could get a tap-a-draft for 90 bucks after shipping or I could buy three of these things for the same price. Guess these would be nice due to having a dispenser for each bottle over the single dispenser with the regular tap a draft system.

Only problem would be chugging down all that yucky beer.

On tap and very cold, Coors Light is drinkable. I bought one Tuesday, and drinking 2 or 3 glasses a night, plus my buddy coming over and helping me on Friday evening, I had one empty in four days. I was using a 20 oz. Sam Adams glass to dispose of the Coors. Every story has a happy ending, though, because by yesterday the Home Draft bottle was full of delicious homebrew. Now the wait begins...

 

[doctorRobert]

For petes sake BMC isn't that bad, its still beer! You can drink that much cheap beer in a weekend, its light beer!

This whole process sounds awesome I can't wait to try it.

 

[J_to_the_B]

Alright, just picked up a Coors Home Draft Keg and am searching out the 16g CO2 cartridges. I just put 5 gallons of Multigrain Red Ale from a NB kit into the fermentor, so I'll be priming and bottling that in about a month! Looking forward to the results...

 

[rod251]

Alright, just picked up a Coors Home Draft Keg and am searching out the 16g CO2 cartridges. I just put 5 gallons of Multigrain Red Ale from a NB kit into the fermentor, so I'll be priming and bottling that in about a month! Looking forward to the results...

I got my cartridges here: http://www.midwestsupplies.com/box-of-ten-16-gram-co2-cartridges.html

 

[scottland]

I bottled 1.5gallons of my Pumpkin ale in an empty coors home draft bottle.

The Coors light wasn't that bad to get through, I solicited a little help from my friends, and it only took a few days. It was very easy to sanitize, and refill. My pumpkin ale is now happily carbonating. I'll probably tap it on thanksgiving.

 

[Ampsonic]

Alright, I have a small batch of Apfelwein that I am going to put in one of these. How full should I fill it? I plan on priming just like I would for beer, how much volume should I calculate? I believe it's 1.5 gallons, is that exact enough?

 

[scottland]

Alright, I have a small batch of Apfelwein that I am going to put in one of these. How full should I fill it? I plan on priming just like I would for beer, how much volume should I calculate? I believe it's 1.5 gallons, is that exact enough?

I filled mine most of the way up, as for priming, 1oz dextrose should do the job nicely.

 

[Ampsonic]

How long do you think it will take to prime?

 

[MacBruver]

If you aren't using Co2 cartridges, then any time that you dispense a beer the extra headspace will have to be filled with air. That will either lead to flat or stale beer after a while.

There's no vent of any sort to let air in. CO2 will fill the head space, coming out of solution from the beer. You'll be able to serve a few pints from it, but the beer will eventually go flat as the pressure inside of it gets less and less. At least it won't oxidize, though.

 

[rod251]

There's no vent of any sort to let air in. CO2 will fill the head space, coming out of solution from the beer. You'll be able to serve a few pints from it, but the beer will eventually go flat as the pressure inside of it gets less and less. At least it won't oxidize, though.

So instead of opening the cap to relieve pressure before installing a cart, couldn't you just draw a few pints then put a cart in?

 

[bilder]

Anyone tried posting on Craigslist to get some empties? I have gotten free bottles that way, just wonder if this is popular enough to have a chance at getting some freebies.

I am going to make a post on there and see if I get lucky.

 

[RogerMcAllen]

So instead of opening the cap to relieve pressure before installing a cart, couldn't you just draw a few pints then put a cart in?

From completely full, 1-2 pints will get you to where you need to be. Instead of pulling the pints, I like to just pour them when I switch from the storage cap to the cap with a tap. They key thing to remember is that you need the air in the headspace and the cartridge to be cold before you twist it in or else you risk venting off some of the CO2.

 

[rod251]

So it sounds like storing the CO2 in the fridge is the way to go.

 

[Hook09Em]

Here's an idea:

If you already have a beer that's kegged in a corny keg (or any keg for that matter), you could use a counter pressure bottle filler to fill up a Home Draft system. All you would have to do is buy a different stopper that fits the Home Draft System.

This would allow you to bypass having to naturally carbonate the bottle, or wasting a bunch of CO2 cartridges trying to force carbonate. Also, if you already have the kegged beer chilled, you don't have to wait for the beer to cool down before you twist in one of the cartridges.

I understand that you need a corny keg to begin with, but I think it would work great for anyone who's wanting to bring their homebrew to a party and give everyone the "draft" experience while avoiding having to lug around a 5-gallon keg and CO2 tank.

 

[knotquiteawake]

Here's an idea:

If you already have a beer that's kegged in a corny keg (or any keg for that matter), you could use a counter pressure bottle filler to fill up a Home Draft system. All you would have to do is buy a different stopper that fits the Home Draft System.

This would allow you to bypass having to naturally carbonate the bottle, or wasting a bunch of CO2 cartridges trying to force carbonate. Also, if you already have the kegged beer chilled, you don't have to wait for the beer to cool down before you twist in one of the cartridges.

I understand that you need a corny keg to begin with, but I think it would work great for anyone who's wanting to bring their homebrew to a party and give everyone the "draft" experience while avoiding having to lug around a 5-gallon keg and CO2 tank.

I'm Sold! My deal to get a 10 gallon cooler to make my corny keg "portable" fell through, this is a really great alternative.

 

[throwbookatface]

I still don't understand why you need to naturally carb the thing. Can the CO2 cartridges not force-carb it enough?

Also, my understanding is that people use less priming sugar for their tap-a-draft systems. Would the same apply here?

 

[ThreeRatBastards]

I still don't understand why you need to naturally carb the thing. Can the CO2 cartridges not force-carb it enough?

You don't "need to" naturally carb the thing, but it is a hell of a lot more cost effective to do so. I'd rather spend a few pennies on sugar than several dollars on CO2 cartridges.

Also, my understanding is that people use less priming sugar for their tap-a-draft systems. Would the same apply here?

I used the normal amount of priming sugar for a 5 gallon batch (as noted in the videos). The bottle swelled up pretty tight and I will admit I was nervous about it. You could definitely get by with less. Somewhere in this thread I posted a link to the TAD instructions which tell you how much sugar they recommend. I'll probably go with that next time.

 

[throwbookatface]

Makes sense. Thanks!

 

[v2comp]

someone gave me one of these things last month and I tried unsuccessfully to make it work right the second time. my c02 cartridges would not seal into the little rubber o-ring and c02 leaked out immediately.

on another note, the people that I think that will benefit the most from these if they can get them to work are homebrewers that keg and force carbonate already. the only reason I even tried it was so that I could take smaller amounts of beer to homebrew club meetings or over to friends cookouts, instead of lugging the kegs with me. I am going to try again to figure out how to keep it from leaking c02 because of this thread though and will report back my findings.

 

[bierhaus15]

I plan on dumping the coors, but I was wondering if I could just unscrew the tap system from the container and dump the beer out - and save myself the C02 cartridge that came with the thing. Would this work?

 

[ThreeRatBastards]

That should work just fine bierhaus.

 

[v2comp]

just carefully crack it open.........or you could be taking a beer bath......

 

[bierhaus15]

Yeah, just unscrewed it and it didn't foam up or anything. And lo and behold coors doesn't taste as terrible as I remember.

 

[Timboosh]

Here's an idea:

If you already have a beer that's kegged in a corny keg (or any keg for that matter), you could use a counter pressure bottle filler to fill up a Home Draft system. All you would have to do is buy a different stopper that fits the Home Draft System.

This would allow you to bypass having to naturally carbonate the bottle, or wasting a bunch of CO2 cartridges trying to force carbonate. Also, if you already have the kegged beer chilled, you don't have to wait for the beer to cool down before you twist in one of the cartridges.

I understand that you need a corny keg to begin with, but I think it would work great for anyone who's wanting to bring their homebrew to a party and give everyone the "draft" experience while avoiding having to lug around a 5-gallon keg and CO2 tank.

+1... Anyone give this a shot?? Or maybe using BierMuncher's bottle filler idea?? If it's practical enough, I'd love to do this instead of bottling up a 6 pack to take somewhere for a gameday...

 

[NorCalAngler]

Does this system accept the standard tap a draft bottles?

 

[RogerMcAllen]

+1... Anyone give this a shot?? Or maybe using BierMuncher's bottle filler idea?? If it's practical enough, I'd love to do this instead of bottling up a 6 pack to take somewhere for a gameday...

Very easy to do. Filling with carbed beer is no harder than filling with flat beer. Don't worry about the bottle filler, you need to leave a lot of head space anyway(1-2 pints) so that the CO2 cart has somewhere to expand without blowing out the safety valve.