Pub casks at home: my thoughts so far

[Skittlebrau]

Can the CypherCo/Brewery Plastics pins be used with an autostillage or are they too light?

[mentaldental]

A quick update now that I have gained more experience with using my set-up (as described above).

1. I no longer have a direct connection to the CO2 supply.
2. I make sure there is sufficient fermentable dextrinous sugar in the beer at casking. So highish mash temp. and auxillary fining/chilling at 5 days or so, cask at 6-7 days. I often don't bother with isinglas because the aux finiings and chilling clear the beer sufficiently.
3. Make sure that the taps are shut off when not serving. I normally do this after every serving unless a session is on. If I don't I usually forget to do it later. Closing the taps prevents condition being lost and/or loss of all the CO2 from the cylinder if there is a minor leak.
4. I normally find that the whole cask retains suffient condition throughout it's life.
5. A shelf life of 2 months is easily achieved.

/Michael

[rval]

So any idea where to buy the Pins these days, anyone?

[mentaldental]

So any idea where to buy the Pins these days, anyone?

You can buy direct from Cypherco (and they will engrave you details on the cask FOC)

CypherCo Limited
Unit 19
Rural Enterprise Centre
Vincent Carey Road
Rotherwas Industrial Estate
Hereford
HR2 6FE

Tel: +44 (0)1432 343340
Fax: +44 (0)1432 373657
Email: info@cypherco.com

[Befuddler]

Here you go as requested. I hope you can see what is going on:

Let's ignore the fact that I have two cask breathers.
You can just make out the edge of the beer engine in the top left corner of the photo.
At the back you can see a CO2 cylinder and regulator. As you can see the reg is set low about 2-3psi.
The gas is taken out of the cylinder and the line split into two using a JG "Y" fitting.
From one side of the "Y" a line is taken to the "in" port of the cask breather.
The "out" side of the cask breather is connected to the grey JG tap.
The other side of the "Y" fitting has a line run to the red tap.
The outlet of both the red and the grey tap are connected together using another "Y" fitting.
This line is connected onto the inlet of the plastic spile. I don't use the other port on the spile which I think is intended to be used to vent the cask.

...

This is an amazing post... Can't believe I missed it before. Thank you.

[Martin G]

If there is an issue about drinking all of the cask/pin then what about following the bass bottling guide as reproduced by GW in BYOBRA. Enjoy the full on cask beer for a few days and gently bottle a store off when in peak condition and bright, carry on drinking from the cask. This has worked fine for me as long as cask is nice and cool. BTW not sure if anyone mentioned it (long thread) but the condition and quality last better if opened and stored on the cool side of optimum. Wet towels and those ice cube bags work quite well on steel.

Hereford casks sell steel pins, they do the ones that stand upright a bit like a keg, or normal cask chopped in half.

[Scooby]

Good idea regarding bottling from the cask.

I was inspired by mentaldental's set up and used his idea for my 'cellar'. I've also found that I don't use the direct connection to the Co2,
The beer starts to show signs of getting tired 5-6weeks from the first pint being pulled.

I preferred the GPS casks which were £42 +VAT each, transport costs were well over the top, collection
would make them more viable. Great casks though and they have a smaller diameter that CypherCo and the stainless cask's I borrowed from my local
to see if they would fit in my 'cellar', the door wouldn't close

I've posted these elsewhere but guess there's no harm in having them in this thread.

[floydmeddler]

That is a thing of beauty!!

[phatboytall]

Just found this awesome thread.

Got given a brand new Angram hand pump for my birthday from a mate in the bar fitting industry, just need to work out how to use it now!

[JABB]

Just found this awesome thread.

Got given a brand new Angram hand pump for my birthday from a mate in the bar fitting industry, just need to work out how to use it now!

You may need a cask breather then.

Wait, I have one for sale.... PM me if interested.

[paulg]

I know this is an old thread but question for mentaldental
you say auxillary fining/chilling at 5 days then rack to keg at 7 ,what aux finings do you use .I am currently using cornies but may well go to casks if any are still available on the for sale ad.
I usually allow 14 days and then crash chill and force carb ,I understand the idea of casking before fully fermented to secondary ferment in cask and build up condition

[mentaldental]

I know this is an old thread but question for mentaldental
you say auxillary fining/chilling at 5 days then rack to keg at 7 ,what aux finings do you use .I am currently using cornies but may well go to casks if any are still available on the for sale ad.
I usually allow 14 days and then crash chill and force carb ,I understand the idea of casking before fully fermented to secondary ferment in cask and build up condition

Unlike isinglas finings which vary dramatically in effectiveness I find that pretty much all aux finings do the job. At the moment I am using some from Murphy's (think they do two types--both work).

My procedure once fermentation is complete and having allowed a few days for diacetyl removal. (I have had problems with diacetyl through being too hasty and now crash cool/fine at day 9-10., depending on gravity etc).
1. Add dose of aux finings and mix in.
2. Switch coolers on to 10°C.
3. Leave 24-48 hours and rack into cask without priming.
4. Leave to condition at roomish temperature which probably takes 2 weeks. It's faster if you prime, I suspect.

[Jim]

.........may well go to casks if any are still available on the for sale ad......

Linky.

[paulg]

thanks for the link jim ,I have been in contact with stephen and hopefully he has reserved some for me just need to confirm withhim my shipping address in the uk as I need to get them shipped onward to corfu greece (I have a firm that will do this but have lost there address so am waiting a reply to my e-mail

[Bunglebrewsbeer]

This is the solution to my problem (I hope) ! Can you give me the link to where to buy these barrels please as would defo look to invest! Many thanks

You can get everything you need from here: http://www.barleybottom.com/

Don't seem to sell the barrels on here. Do you know where may do so?


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