Oxebar Keg?

[day_trippr]

Neck is kinda tight for stuffing and removing hops compared to a filter housing.

Anyway, have you noticed leaf hops are becoming extinct in the general marketplace?

I don't think pellets will work in the typical Randall, maybe one using a paper element would work, but when I go to YVH and see what they have they've relegated whole cones to a tiny corner of their world (waaay over to the right)...

... and as of today they only have Amarillo, Cashmere, Mt Hood and Strata available...

Randalls may go the way of the Dodo Bird for lack of anything to put in them...

Cheers!

 

[grampska]

I figured I'd throw my two cents. I really like these. Force carbing goes super quick since they're so easy to shake compared to a full size corny or sixtel. And they work great on their side which is what I did because I have a big honking cooler that can probably hold three of them lying down.

The biggest advantage I think is that if you're taking these somewhere and something goes wrong with the CO2 or the dongles, it's simply a giant beer bottle.

I do wish they were 2.5 gallons for the option of easily splitting a 5 gallon batch.

 

[fluketamer]

i am able to get 5 gallons into eight 2.5 liter bottles. or 5 3.5 liter bottles. i can fit them in any fridge or prime them and leave them room temp to carb up then place in fridge as needed.

these are easier than metal kegs for me. only issue i see is cleaning but if they get to a point where i cant clean them or am hesitant i can replace them for 5 or 6 dollars a piece

day tripper i wasnt sure what a randall is but i see now its a flavor infuser right?

 

[day_trippr]

Yup, stuffed full of cones and put in-line between cold keg and faucet.
I have one made from a bog-standard water filter housing that looks like this example:

I used it often when I was growing Chinook, Cascade and Centennial as cones were freakin' everywhere
Since I stopped growing the trend to pellets has been so dominant it'd be difficult to find the hops I use these days to use in a Randall...

Cheers!

 

[windsifter]

sorry to resurrect an old thread but for anyone still interested in the 4l pet oxebar kegs which i think are still not available, i have been having great success so far with these 2.5 and 3.5 liter pet bottles with kegland's tee piece and carb caps. i found these available in the tri-state area and are $5.99 for the 2.5 and $6.49 for the 3.5 liter. they are very versatile, cheap, easy to use, and compact. so far so good .

Where did you get the bottles or what was originally in them? I've browsed the local groceries in San Francisco looking for "good bottles" like the ones you have in your photo but didn't see much.

 

[fluketamer]

In ny/ nj area they sell them at netcost markets. I get them for 5$ for the 2.5 liter and 6$ for the 3.5. the cap is standard soda bottle which fits kegland carb caps and tee piece. it’s filled with kvass a weird sweet low alcoholic bread wine that I don’t care for. you take dark bread and soak it in water to make a "wort" think prison wine but for beer. i pour it down the sink rinse the bottle let them drip dry then sanitize and fill. the plastic doesnt retain the kvas flavor which i was originally concerned about. its only drunk by russians and eastern europeans so unless you have a community near you i think you are unfortunately unlikey to find these amber pet barrel bottles. they are amazing. i had 3 kegs on tap in my rotation. now i have 8. for only 18$ per 3.5 liter pet keg. im surprised some online hbs doesnt offer this system its so cheap. im sure someone could figure out how to source and supply these bottles empty instead of full of kvas. its kind of like bottling but on a large scale with oxygen free purging and transfer. i imagine the thought of plastic may turn some people off but i used to bottle in plastic all the time so it wasnt a big switch for me. i suggest trying to type in kvas 2.5 liter in google images to possibly find a local supplier. they make a 1.5 but that size doesnt fit my needs

just on google now i found the 1.5 liter virginia. they prollly have or can get the bigger bottles.

 

[fluketamer]

i just found them all over san francisco . you guys have a large european community there. european gorumand deli in zip code 94118 has the 2.5 liter bottles im sure they have the 3.5 also.

 

[mac_1103]

im sure someone could figure out how to source and supply these bottles empty instead of full of kvas

Yeah, and they'll probably charge more for the empty bottles than what you're paying for the kvas.

 

[fluketamer]

Yeah, and they'll probably charge more for the empty bottles than what you're paying for the kvas.

williams sells these which are a decent size for potentially using for minikegs or transporting beer. i dont know anything about plastic manufacturing or buying wholesale but if they can make these it would seem they could make the barrel bottles for a similar price. these are less than 5$ each

 

[Drey32]

I have 2 of these kegs and they perform as expected, purchased them from MoreBeer with the tapping heads. Each one is roughly 2.2 gallons. These make great pool kegs or beach kegs. They fit perfectly in my backpack cooler plus ice. small CO2 regulator with mini-CO2 "bullets" and a party tap and you're off to the races.

Can you tell me what backpack cooler you have?

 

[Wrendelar]

Can you tell me what backpack cooler you have?

This is the one we bought about 2 years ago it fits both kegs, but you can not close the top but adding ice it works to keep them cool on hot southern summer days at the pool.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Tr...-Cooler-Backpack-with-Microban-Gray/632970935

 

[fluketamer]

cant get my 3.5 liter amber PET,s anymore .

at least i grabbed a half dozen plus i can still get the 2.5's

 

[fluketamer]

after 2 years the 4 liter oxebar is finally available in the US !

 

[Yesfan]

I'd like to have one of these to keep a gallon of homebrew upstairs, take with me, etc. Looks like the 4L with tapping head will fit on the door shelf of my fridge. For those who experienced leaks, is it primary just the prv or carb caps, or the tapping head itself that screws into the bottle.

I love the carb tee and caps Kegland sells, but on a 2L bottle it's too tall for my fridge.

 

[KegLand]

Hey guys. Sorry it's taken so long to get the 4L Oxebar kegs over to you in America. We have been struggling to keep up with demand in Australia and generally we release products in Australia first. Some questions that have come up on the forum so far that I would like to clear up are:

How long will the beer last?
We use a barrier PET that uses Nylon as well as PET in the wall of this container that improves the gas barrier properties. The most oxygen sensitive beers a re light lagers and with these we recommend the shelf life in these kegs to be 3-4 months. For darker styles you can probably leave in the keg longer.

How have they been in terms of reliability?
They have been excellent in Australia and Europe with a large amount of positive feedback. With that said some issues have surfaced that I would like to point out. We did get a batch of faulty RED PRVs. I don't think any of these made it over to America but some of these leaked at very low pressures. In the off chance that you got one of these just make a warranty claim and it would be replaced. It was only a very small number so it's barely even worth mentioning. The only other issue we see are customers leaving the tip tube too long. We recommend cutting the dip tube so it doesnt rub on the bottom of the container when you screw on the tapping head. This can cause the dip tube to come off wile screwing up the head as the dip tube gets twisted. So it's important that when you get the tapping head make sure to cut the dip tube to a length where it can rotate freely. Beyond these two issues we have had the product received really well.

Will the tapping head work with other bottles?
Our PCO38 tapping head is based on the ISBT standard. The thread specification can be found here:
https://www.isbt.com/assets/Threadspecs/1165371-1_SHT1.pdf
Unfortunately this thread is extremely uncommon as very few other manufactures use a 38mm neck opening for carbonated beverages. You can probably see that the thread specifications quite similar to other 38mm necks so even though other 38mm neck finishes are manufactured by other juice bottle manufacturers and probably use a non-pressure rated thread it's possible that they may still work. I would recommend at least hydrotesting any container you decide to put under pressure if it's not designed for pressure as a minimum safety precaution.

If you guys have any other questions we will try to answer as soon as possible.

 

[fluketamer]

just got my 4 liter oxebars. these things are very high quality. they seem sturdier than a soda bottle. they take up the same footprint as a 5 liter mini and they are ultra light and see through.

ideal PET mini kegs. perfect for the kitchen fridge.

If you guys have any other questions we will try to answer as soon as possible.

how do you reccomend cleaning them. first time and for reuse?

 

[KegLand]

just got my 4 liter oxebars. these things are very high quality. they seem sturdier than a soda bottle. they take up the same footprint as a 5 liter mini and they are ultra light and see through.

ideal PET mini kegs. perfect for the kitchen fridge.



how do you reccomend cleaning them. first time and for reuse?

Thanks for the support we really appreciate it.

For cleaning:
PBW and water that is less than 45C in temperature. Also PBW contains Sodium Metasilicate. Always limit the contact time with PBW to 20min or less as if you leave PBW in contact with PET it will make the PET more brittle and can cause cracks to start.

For sanitizing
I would recommend using Star San or Stellarsan or some other phosphoric acid based sanitizer. You can leave this solution in the keg permanently for years and no damage will occur.

The tapping head (not the keg itself) is able to be put in the dish washer if you like.

 

[bstacy1974]

I have the 8L bottles for half batches. The only issue I have is the bottles tip over very easily. Does anyone have a suggestion on stabilizing the bottles? Maybe some type of foot or bucket you put them in to keep them upright?

 

[DuncB]

I have the 8L bottles for half batches. The only issue I have is the bottles tip over very easily. Does anyone have a suggestion on stabilizing the bottles? Maybe some type of foot or bucket you put them in to keep them upright?

3d print thread request.

 

[mac_1103]

The only issue I have is the bottles tip over very easily. Does anyone have a suggestion on stabilizing the bottles? Maybe some type of foot or bucket you put them in to keep them upright?

There are probably a hundred ways to DIY a simple stand to keep them from tipping over. Problem is that most of these would defeat a major advantage of the Oxebars - the small footprint. So I'm thinking velcro maybe.

 

[KegLand]

There are probably a hundred ways to DIY a simple stand to keep them from tipping over. Problem is that most of these would defeat a major advantage of the Oxebars - the small footprint. So I'm thinking velcro maybe.

When we first decided on the dimensions of these kegs we decided to make the diameter only 155mm so we could get a large number into a kegerator without taking up much floor space. With that said as you have suggested you can knock them over easily. One easy solution is to use this CO2 cylinder bracket:
https://www.kegland.com.au/products/2-6kg-co2-cylinder-bracket-holder-wall-mount

These fit the 155mm diameter oxybar kegs pretty well.

 

[bstacy1974]

So I have a small chest freezer for my kegs. I think it's a 5.5 cubic foot model. The Oxebar 8L bottles fit perfectly in the opposite corners of the corny kegs. Try to ignore the mess but the upper right oxebar is sitting on the floor of the freezer. The lower left is sitting on 3 upside down 12oz paper coffee cups to raise it up. This is why I bought these kegs. I can do half batches or split a full batch. However, I have another small refrigerator that I occasionally use for beer and the Oxebar didn't do very well in that fridge.
Overall, I think the Oxebar kegs are the best small volume/introductory kegging system I've seen in the 15 years I've been brewing. (Remember the tap-a-draft).

 

[khannon]

So I have a small chest freezer for my kegs. I think it's a 5.5 cubic foot model. The Oxebar 8L bottles fit perfectly in the opposite corners of the corny kegs. Try to ignore the mess but the upper right oxebar is sitting on the floor of the freezer. The lower left is sitting on 3 upside down 12oz paper coffee cups to raise it up. This is why I bought these kegs. I can do half batches or split a full batch. However, I have another small refrigerator that I occasionally use for beer and the Oxebar didn't do very well in that fridge.
Overall, I think the Oxebar kegs are the best small volume/introductory kegging system I've seen in the 15 years I've been brewing. (Remember the tap-a-draft).

View attachment 846006

I do like the Oxebar system as a low-cost solution, They work great most of the time. Great format and footprint, just need to be a little careful on concrete, and when cleaning that you don't flip a full one to dump(the vacuum will collapse it pretty quick). I can't wait to order some of the 4L ones.

I do see in the picture, that you thread-taped the connectors..Did that help get a better seal? Did you also tread-tape the keg? I have had issues getting the seal "just right", I didn't think of tread tape because I thought they had rubber gaskets, though now I'm going to have to check again.

Also, is there a recommended brand of ball-lock connectors with these? I've had hit or miss success, sometimes I have to hold the ball-lock connector down to get beer or gas to flow. I have mostly CMBecker, though I'm sure there may be cheapies in there too.

 

[KegLand]

I do like the Oxebar system as a low-cost solution, They work great most of the time. Great format and footprint, just need to be a little careful on concrete, and when cleaning that you don't flip a full one to dump(the vacuum will collapse it pretty quick). I can't wait to order some of the 4L ones.

I do see in the picture, that you thread-taped the connectors..Did that help get a better seal? Did you also tread-tape the keg? I have had issues getting the seal "just right", I didn't think of tread tape because I thought they had rubber gaskets, though now I'm going to have to check again.

Also, is there a recommended brand of ball-lock connectors with these? I've had hit or miss success, sometimes I have to hold the ball-lock connector down to get beer or gas to flow. I have mostly CMBecker, though I'm sure there may be cheapies in there too.

The PCO 1881 thread was designed as a bottle thread standard where it was a wedge seal where two smooth surfaces of rigid plastic seal against each other. No rubber or flexible material was used as flexible rubbers/elastomers are generally a weak spot and cause oxygen ingress as oxygen permiates through the seal. The carbonation caps should seal fairly easily when screwed onto the tapping head and the Polykeyton and PET connections make a very oxygen tight seal so you really should not require thread tape.

If you have a leak, one of the two surfaces is probably damaged and probably not smooth.

 

[bstacy1974]

I do see in the picture, that you thread-taped the connectors..Did that help get a better seal? Did you also tread-tape the keg?

I did a pressure test with empty bottles before applying the tape and both held pressure for a couple of weeks while my beer was in the fermenter. The tape was added as a precaution after reading several reviews saying they had leaks. It's just enough tape to stay in place on the threads. About 1.5 wraps is all. All connections are hand tightened. No tools were used. As Kegland stated, there are no additional gaskets or o-rings in these connections.

 

[KegLand]

I did a pressure test with empty bottles before applying the tape and both held pressure for a couple of weeks while my beer was in the fermenter. The tape was added as a precaution after reading several reviews saying they had leaks. It's just enough tape to stay in place on the threads. About 1.5 wraps is all. All connections are hand tightened. No tools were used. As Kegland stated, there are no additional gaskets or o-rings in these connections.

Great. Thanks for that clarification.

Also even in the case of a leak the thread tape is probably not going to help this type of thread. As you can see from this type of thread design that was made by the ISBT:
https://www.isbt.com/assets/Threadspecs/1165371-1_SHT1.pdf

You can see the thread has a "vent" which is made up of vertical breaks in the thread. These breaks would prevent conventional thread sealers like thread tape from working. These threads with "vent" are designed to be safer so when the cap is unscrewed the gas from the pressure vessel can be release safely without the lid flying off.