give me an update

[paulg]

having been away from brewing for a couple of years I was wondering what the latest feelings are for keeping beer when using a beer engine and cask or sankey keg.
I previously used a cask breather but have now read Pee Bees ideas re using a quality regulator to supply low pressure accurately.
So PeeBee or others school me

[WalesAles]

paulg,
Do you mean `Give me an update Please`?

WA

[paulg]

If I say please nicely,will you give me an update

[Kev888]

The setup you mentioned that Pee Bee uses is (AFAIK) his own unique creation, rather than some more general change in thinking. If you're using casks (or sankeys) which seal reliably even at low pressure, then the breather is still a favourite and simple method of avoiding oxidation where consumption is too slow for traditional air-breathing methods (or a re-purposed propane regulator working as one).

Or, to also maintain carbonation in sankeys (or I guess casks), then a normal low-pressure regulator (or primary and secondary regulator) is also still the most common answer. Ideally in a temperature controlled keggerator or similar, in order that carbonation will be consistent at the set pressure.

So probably no great change since you were last around, really. The legitimate availability of Sankeys and casks means low-pressure systems need not be unreliable (or complex) these days, though they're still fairly rare second hand hence budget is (as always) a factor. So used cornies are still very common, though not the great bargains they once were (and there are new ones around now too), just not as ideal if you intend low-pressure use.

[paulg]

Thanks Kev
I have bother plastic casks and 20l sankey kegs ,also an atc800 temperature controlled ex coke fridge.I must admit I didnt find any problems keeping my beers long enough before using the breather arrangement but was interested in the gas regulator idea.
I have in fact ordered a 0-2 bar regulator that PeeBee mentioned so I can experiment .
Just need to get brewing now.Considering the Whitbread 1892 porter from Ron Pattinsons book

[Kev888]

Sounds fair enough to me. A lot of regulators used in homebrewing are fairly crude, so probably no bad thing to have a good quality one. Though it could be worth thinking about safety PRVs (unless your couplers have them built in or similar), if the regulator has none or has unsuitably high pressure ones.