Two Hearted Ale Mini Keg Storage

[yabking]

Hello All:

Just started HB-ing about a month ago and have an IPA in secondary waiting to be bottled in about a week.

A few months ago my wife bought me a little "keg" (actually, just a huge can) of Bell's Two Hearted Ale -- one of my favorites. I haven't had an opportunity to open the keg yet and looking ahead a few months do not see one in the near future, even with holidays approaching. I am assuming that once opened the thing will go flat in a day or so (first question: is that a correct assumption? if not, then problem solved).

I got to thinking about all the empty bottles I have been collecting for my own brews, as well as caps, etc., and the thought crossed my mind that if I were very careful about not splashing I could open the keg and "bottle" it in my own bottles to savour over time rather than having to drink it all at once.

Is this completely crazy?

Thanks

DK

 

[brewt00l]

aw, come on...put on your big boy pants and drink the thing (over a few days if necessary)

Yes, it will go flat in the fridge over a handful of days after you tap it. However, it's not that much beer that it can't be drained in the course of that time by 1 person.

 

[Danek]

I got to thinking about all the empty bottles I have been collecting for my own brews, as well as caps, etc., and the thought crossed my mind that if I were very careful about not splashing I could open the keg and "bottle" it in my own bottles to savour over time rather than having to drink it all at once.

Is this completely crazy?

I don't know - but why not try the same thing with some cheap and crappy beer first? If it works you'll be good to go, and if it doesn't, at least you'll know.

 

[cheeseshark]

aw, come on...put on your big boy pants and drink the thing (over a few days if necessary)

+1 on that. Call in sick to work if you have to.

 

[homebrewer_99]

As someone who has used minikegs for many years I can tell you yes, it will go flat overnight, and no, moving the brew to bottles will not work.

Once you open the keg it should be consumed...

 

[scinerd3000]

bummer man- looks like someones in for a hangover

 

[Homercidal]

I think I have seen a device for pressurizing one of those kegs, although I would be hard pressed to find it.

That said, I think you need to invite a friend or two over and drink that thing! They WERE designed for more than one person you know...

 

[mmb]

I've nursed one over a week. Close it up after you pour a pint and you've got a cask ale. (almost)

Take notes on how the beer changes over time. It's yummy!

 

[Revvy]

I'm surprised now that mini kegs like these have been around for 2-3 years no enterprising homebrewer has come up with a way for us to re-use them for our own means...You'd think that if someone can rig up something to pressurize pop bottles, there's not some way we can re-fill them and use one of those small co2 units.


Paging Yuri Rage!!!! Paging HBT's own McGyver!!!!!

 

[homebrewer_99]

I'm surprised now that mini kegs like these have been around for 2-3 years no enterprising homebrewer has come up with a way for us to re-use them for our own means...You'd think that if someone can rig up something to pressurize pop bottles, there's not some way we can re-fill them and use one of those small co2 units.


Paging Yuri Rage!!!! Paging HBT's own McGyver!!!!!

Where'd you get they are only 2-3 years old?

Many of mine are over 8 years old. I have over 15 of them. I used to bring 2 home in my suitcase whenever I came back to the States. Three summers ago I brought back 4 kegs.

If you get a keg without a gravity tap on the bottom you need a CO2 tap to push the brew out. I have 2 taps. The top bung is 2 pieces. The outer piece is usually a brown rubber with a tan center. The shaft of the tap pushes the center plastic piece into the keg.

I also have gravity taps (highly recommended) that require NO additional equipment except for a different bung specifically made for a gravity tap. It is usually a black rubber piece with a red "key" that you turn to allow air to enter the keg while the brew flows via gravity.

You can remove the bung with pliers. Priming is 1 -2 TBS per keg.

 

[zoebisch01]

I'm surprised now that mini kegs like these have been around for 2-3 years no enterprising homebrewer has come up with a way for us to re-use them for our own means...You'd think that if someone can rig up something to pressurize pop bottles, there's not some way we can re-fill them and use one of those small co2 units.


Paging Yuri Rage!!!! Paging HBT's own McGyver!!!!!

Actually I did see a webpage on it. If I can dig it up, I'll post.

 

[yabking]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Looks like this weekend will be three days of Two Hearted. Good thing it's a long one!

 

[DutchK9]

Maybe this is what you guys are looking for?

The Northern Brewer Homebrew Forum :: View topic - 2 tap mini-keg draft box complete

Baron ken made one. Here is his parts list;


I had most of it set up from summer last year except for the faucets which I recently got for my kegerator. I was using picnic taps. The cooler was not drilled. It worked, but once the minikegs started getting empty and floating, every time I lifted the lid to get the picnic tap, the minikegs would pop up, heh.

The faucets are Perlicks ($40 each). Too expensive for this set up but I bought them for my kegerator. I may buy some cheap faucets to leave with the draft box (the Perlicks go back on my kegerator when I done using the draft box).

I had all the tubing, hose clamps, etc. The brass/copper fittings I made for the minikegs were the tough part. I made them last year and I would estimate <$20 each to make them now. Ball valves are around $11 each.
The co2 injector I already had (it will screw onto a gas disconnect with flare fitting).


cooler ~$15
minikegs ~$10x2
co2 injector ~$20
ball valves ~$11x2
faucets ~$40x2
shanks, etc. ~$15x2
tap handles ~$10x2
tubing, clamps, etc. ~$10
brass/copper minikeg taps ~$20x2
brass t, etc ~$10

Whoa! ~$267, yikes! I didn't want to know.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

An interesting idea, for sure! I'm not sure I could cobble together anything better than the system above, but I'm game to try. The problem is that I don't have any mini-kegs, I rarely see beer that I want in mini-kegs, and I have about a dozen projects already on the back burner. Someday...maybe...

 

[FSR402]

You know, I love cask beers, I bet these would work work great for that. I also have some that I could clean out and use.
Cask IPA anyone?

 

[DutchK9]

An interesting idea, for sure! I'm not sure I could cobble together anything better than the system above, but I'm game to try. The problem is that I don't have any mini-kegs, I rarely see beer that I want in mini-kegs, and I have about a dozen projects already on the back burner. Someday...maybe...

Yuri Midwest sells empties and extra rubber bungs. I had some ideas for this system also and will probably make it a winter project. I was thinking a cooler with wheels would be better with the weight of the two kegs and ice.

 

[Sager Brewing Co.]

You can buy new empties of the mini kegs on the cheap, problem is from what I have read about them, they are not ment for more then a few uses. I don't know why, maybe they just are not strong enough to stand up to the pressure over and over again?

Most of the online HBS stores don't sell them any more, probably because they just have not really caught on like other options. They seem like great options but lately I don't even see much of the accessories for them anymore. You used to be able to get carterage co2 dispensers and hand pump dispensers for them but now all I ever see on web sites is the bung's, probably because they have so many and just have not sold them out yet.

 

[Pickngrin]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm...... Bell's Two-Hearted Ale. I haven't had any since I left Michigan in 2000. I was only there for a year but fortunately made it to the Bell's brewpub. Highly recommended!

 

[Chip]

My local brew supply, The Beer Essentials, in Tacoma WA sells a plug for the mini's that you can use with a Tap-a-Draft set up. IN fact I bought one of their Tap-a-Draft set ups for a friend of mine and it came with three metal .5L kegs rather than the plastic ones I have.

The adapter or plug fits into the hole in the top of the mini and by a locking set up allows you to screw in a Tap-a-Draft regulator. My friend just kegged a batch this weekend so we have yet to try it.

Here is a link to the adapter.

The Kegging Section - 5 Litre Kegging Parts

 

[IrregularPulse]

Couldn't you use the BMBF to fill from one of these just like from a keg? I know there isn't any pressure pushing the beer out, but wouldn't this still allow for the beer to keep it's carbonation in the bottle? Worth a shot no?