Co2 in pressure barrel (newby)

[welsh_kai_boy]

Hi,

I have just started home brewing and have a few questions:-

1) I have a young’s bitter kit I followed all of the instructions and put it in a young’s pressure barrel. It’s ready today (as per instructions) and it seems a little lively (gassy) and a little cloudy. It’s in the shed, is this too cold?

2) I have a young’s lager kit this again seems a little cloudy and not as gassy as the bitter again it’s in the shed. Too cold?

3) I have seen S30 caps with valves and young’s do the bulb kit, does the co2 protect the beer as well as force it out? if I buy a S30 and use the larger cylinder does it have to be left on all the time or do you just screw it on and leave on for 30 seconds or so to fill the void (I want to alternate between kegs)? Does the soda stream cylinder fit? What do you suggest S30 or bulb fitment?

Many thanks in advance, I don't want to waste my time or money.

WKB

[Danmet]

3) I have seen S30 caps with valves and young’s do the bulb kit, does the co2 protect the beer as well as force it out? if I buy a S30 and use the larger cylinder does it have to be left on all the time or do you just screw it on and leave on for 30 seconds or so to fill the void (I want to alternate between kegs)? Does the soda stream cylinder fit? What do you suggest S30 or bulb fitment?

Yep I think that the co2 does both jobs - if the tap is at the bottom of the barrel then you don't really need co2 to force the beer out, but you will notice it takes longer to come out as you get further down the barrel, and it starts to glug air back in (to fill the vacuum) which speeds up the beer going off. I got a s30 cap with a Hambleton Bard cylinder, as it works out cheaper in the long run. You just screw it on when you need to add some more co2, and take it off when you're not using it ( I use it for two kegs). Don't leave it on for 30 seconds!!!! It only needs a short blast - 30 seconds will cause something to go pop. I've put too much in before (a few seconds) and watched in horror as the beer started bubbling - even after I'd taken off a few pints into a jug I could still hear the co2 hissing out of the cap (guess it showed it worked).

The Youngs bitter kit tastes a lot better if you leave it for a few more weeks than it says on the kit (or at least when I made it).

[Lillywhite]

A quick one second blast of the Hambleton Bard S30 cylinder is all you need to draw off a couple of pints. Anymore then you're wasting your precious gas.

[welsh_kai_boy]

Many thanks to you all, this has been most helpful

I will look into the S30 valve and Hambledon cylinder as this seems better in the long run. I will ensure that its a short sharp connection as not to blow up my barrel, ouch .

How easy is it to get the cylinders exchanged (Cardiff area)? Will the soda stream cylider work with S30 valve?

WKB

[Lillywhite]

Many thanks to you all, this has been most helpful

I will look into the S30 valve and Hambledon cylinder as this seems better in the long run.

How easy is it to get the cylinders exchanged (Cardiff area)? Will the soda stream cylider work with S30 valve?

I would have thought that a city as large as Cardiff would have a homebrew shop. Suggest you google. The cylinders are £16.75 to buy nowadays with an exchange refill at £4.95 at my nearest HBS. I can't help you on your Sodastream query and I would personally stick with the HB cylinder.

[boingy]

You can get an adapter to allow Soda Stream cylinders to fit S30 valves but they are not especially cheap:

http://www.hopandgrape.co.uk/catalog/de ... GAS2157070

[martyn142]

You can get your S30 cylinder and have it refilled at Cellars on Cowbridge Road Kai. As someone said, you can get a sodastream converter to fit a S30 valve but personally I've found it easier to get hold of the S30 cylinders than to get sodastream refills.

[welsh_kai_boy]

Guys,

Great news I have a local HBS in my town so I will seek out the caps and gas. Cellars is 10 mins drive so great news if HBS does not supply refills.

Does anyone know if the youngs caps in Wilko's (£15.99) are S30 valves with a CO2 bulb adaptor (fitted with pin)? I don't want to buy 2 of these to find that they are not S30 compiant.

I will also look on EBAY for 2 1/4" caps with S30 valves.

Great help, glad I joined this forum.

[Lillywhite]

Does anyone know if the youngs caps in Wilko's (£15.99) are S30 valves with a CO2 bulb adaptor (fitted with pin)? I don't want to buy 2 of these to find that they are not S30 compiant.

The Wilkos caps only fit the CO2 bulbs and you cannot use with the Hambleton Bard S30 valves.

You need a standard S30 valve fitted into a 2"' cap which costs £8.79 from these people:-

http://www.hopandgrape.co.uk/catalog/de ... COR2017256

You local HBS might be able to get you one.

[welsh_kai_boy]

Great link Lillywhite, stupid question time:-

It says 2" cap, I am assuming this is really a 2.25" cap in real life? Maybe I am wrong

WKB

[Danmet]

If it's for a Youngs barrel, then it's classed as a 2" cap - I've got a couple of the same barrels and swapped mine for 2 " s30s.

[welsh_kai_boy]

Danmet,

I have 2 youngs barrels so I will visit my HBS to get a price and then use Lilywhite's advice to buy from H&G if expensive locally.

Thanks to all who have helped me with my questions.

WKB

[Lillywhite]

I have 2 youngs barrels so I will visit my HBS to get a price and then use Lilywhite's advice to buy from H&G if expensive locally.

I intend to do the same in January and replace the two caps on my recently purchased Youngs kegs although I'm keen to see how much beer I can naturally dispense without resorting to any CO2 gas. I only need one complete cap and one cap just with the hole since I have a complete S30 valve from an old King Keg that I discarded a few years back. As you pay a minimum £4.70 postal charge on each order I was going to buy a York Terrier kit and replacement washers for my old valve as well from Hop & Grape to make it worthwhile. They seem to have a good stock list and I understand that their service is good.

[Scotty]

I'm keen to see how much beer I can naturally dispense without resorting to any CO2 gas.

I've drawn of 6 pints in the last 4 days and found out yesterday that I needed to gas my barrel. I don't know if this is normal but considering a one second blast probably won't have much of an impact on the cylinder, I'm not really bothered

[welsh_kai_boy]

Just saw this on EBAY 2"cap with S30 valve £7.99 plus £1.77 P&P.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-Beer-barrel-k ... m153.l1262

thats quite a bargain