Using a pub cask

[simpleton]

Hi

So I recently bought a plastic cask from alix101 on here, which has turned up and it looks great.

Now....how do I use it? Buy now, learn later

So i've worked out from youtube and a few posts on here that I need to buy the following I think...

Some shives that go in the top hole: http://www.barleybottom.com/menu/product/&ID=197
Some keystones that go in the serving hole on the end: http://www.barleybottom.com/menu/product/&ID=118
Some hard and soft pegs: http://www.barleybottom.com/menu/product/&ID=173
And a tap: http://www.barleybottom.com/menu/product/&ID=165

Is this correct?

Also, a few questions:

Do I need anything else?
Is there anyway I can put some Co2 into the cask to make it last longer?
From what I gather on youtube...I stick a the keystone in the end, fill the cask (with nearly fermented beer, 2 points from FG), tonk a shive into the top and leave to ferment for 2 weeks.
When done, I put it somewhere to serve, let it settle, take a peg (hard or soft?) tonk in the top...then take the tap, tonk it end and pull a beer.

Have I missed anything?

Cheers,
Si

[Full Mental Jakey]

I hope it's correct, I've ordered the exact same things from the exact same place

I think a "cask breather" is what you need to supply CO2 into the cask (via the peg hole in shive) as you draw beer out of the tap...

Like yourself, I'm also looking for advice on how to fill, condition and tap the cask...

[simpleton]

So I have done a bit more research...on wikipedia of course.

It would seem my understanding above is mostly correct, though:

1) Once the secondary fermentation period is done, you move the cask to a place to serve (about 13degrees ideally)
2) You tonk a soft spile into the shive to allow the cask to breath and condition for a period of time.
3) At this point you also tap the keg with a tap or beer engine
4) When its ready (I believe this takes professional judgement of the bubbling of the spile), you replace the soft spile with either a hard spile (real ale) or a spile that has an attachement for a cask breather (apparently not real ale, but thats not the point here) that provide a blanket of Co2 onto the beer and make it last a bit longer (a week or so).

You can then pull a pint and call yourself a cellarman.

Or maybe not, you may flood your kitchen with prized homebrew or it may explode and ruin your ceiling, but then, thats the fun right.

So thats my understanding so far, but its likely wrong, at least in part.

cask breathers are here (£45 ) : http://www.barleybottom.com/menu/product/&ID=115
The spile attachements for it are here: http://www.barleybottom.com/menu/product/&ID=287

Anyways, someone feel free to chime in and correct my mistakes before I make a real mess with a porter that is going in this thing hopefully.

Also - how long does the beer last if you don't tap it? I assume a fair while if its pretty strong.

Cheers,
Si
Che

[Fil]

I hope to get a beer engine soon and from what ive sussed so far your spot on

[simpleton]

I hope to get a beer engine soon and from what ive sussed so far your spot on

One step at a time for me I think...though in any case, the missus generally keeps out of my way when it comes to brewing, and doesn't moan too much, but I suspect she will draw the line if she came home and I had installed a hand pump in the kitchen. That said, it would be nice. Can use a sparkler then too.

[jakey.goodman]

So I have done a bit more research...on wikipedia of course.

It would seem my understanding above is mostly correct, though:

1) Once the secondary fermentation period is done, you move the cask to a place to serve (about 13degrees ideally)
2) You tonk a soft spile into the shive to allow the cask to breath and condition for a period of time.
3) At this point you also tap the keg with a tap or beer engine
4) When its ready (I believe this takes professional judgement of the bubbling of the spile), you replace the soft spile with either a hard spile (real ale) or a spile that has an attachement for a cask breather (apparently not real ale, but thats not the point here) that provide a blanket of Co2 onto the beer and make it last a bit longer (a week or so).

You can then pull a pint and call yourself a cellarman.

Or maybe not, you may flood your kitchen with prized homebrew or it may explode and ruin your ceiling, but then, thats the fun right.

So thats my understanding so far, but its likely wrong, at least in part.

cask breathers are here (£45 ) : http://www.barleybottom.com/menu/product/&ID=115
The spile attachements for it are here: http://www.barleybottom.com/menu/product/&ID=287

Anyways, someone feel free to chime in and correct my mistakes before I make a real mess with a porter that is going in this thing hopefully.

Also - how long does the beer last if you don't tap it? I assume a fair while if its pretty strong.

Cheers,
Si
Che

Sounds perfect, but note, the beer engine will attach to the tap (threaded connection), so you always tap regardless of using beer engine or not. You also normally use the hard spile to break a hole in the shive, and then use a soft spile to allow the excess gas to escape to the correct condition (use your own judgement, it's a personal thing anyway!). Once you are happy, you pop the hard spile in to allow the beer to keep its condition, but you will need to put have to use no spile (temporarily as you pour a pint) or a soft spile in when serving beer, else you'll create a vacuum, and the tap will 'glug' and disturb the sediment. Obviously pubs will either use a cask breather, or use a soft spile during the day, and pop a hard spile in when not in use (overnight etc).

If you don't want to fork out for a cask breather, your best bet for home brew is to probably get a one way valve version of shive, so you don't have to mess around with hard and soft spiles all the time (after you have used a soft spile for conditioning). I have never used these though, but they are effectively hard/soft spiles in one.

http://www.a1barstuff.co.uk/race-cask-v ... p-168.html

I can recommend "a-cask" for taps, I had to buy 12 for a beer festival I ran, and they were by far the best price at the time. (I have no affiliation with the company!)

http://www.acask.com/products-page/all- ... -cask-tap/

Hope this helps!

[Blackaddler]

I would also add, that it's best to do any spiling/tapping outside, if possible.

Once vented, hard spile, and gently move the cask into position indoors [if that's where you're serving it from].

You don't want to be cleaning beer off the ceiling/walls/wife/cat etc!

[jakey.goodman]

I would also add, that it's best to do any spiling/tapping outside, if possible.

Once vented, hard spile, and gently move the cask into position indoors [if that's where you're serving it from].

You don't want to be cleaning beer off the ceiling/walls/wife/cat etc!

Good shout! It's amazing how high beer can go!

[simpleton]

OK, thanks all. I had a look at those 1 way shive things, they look like a goer. I shall get one of them.

One thing I did notice was there are quite a few variants of the tap. Which made me think, do I need something to go on the end of the tap to serve direct from the cask? A few places sell stainless steel attachments that point downwards...I expect you screw these on the end of the tap. I would assume this is the way to go as most of the taps don't point down which would be awkward.

[Mr. Dripping]

This was the process my dad taught me when he was in the pub trade.
Put cask level on stillage and allow to rest for 24 hours.
Puncture the shive and insert hard peg, then drive the tap in to the keystone.
Allow to settle again for a further 24 hours and then remove the hard peg and replace it with a soft one. You are now ready to serve.
If you leave the hard peg in you will create a vacuum when you draw off beer and then when you remove the hard peg to release the vacuum you will disturb the sediment.

[Full Mental Jakey]

A newbie question for you Mr Dripping, from someone who hasn't done this before...

You say insert hard peg and then drive the tap in. Wouldn't driving the tap in create pressure that would pop the peg out? I always imagined you'd drive the tap in with the peg out...

[jakey.goodman]

OK, thanks all. I had a look at those 1 way shive things, they look like a goer. I shall get one of them.

One thing I did notice was there are quite a few variants of the tap. Which made me think, do I need something to go on the end of the tap to serve direct from the cask? A few places sell stainless steel attachments that point downwards...I expect you screw these on the end of the tap. I would assume this is the way to go as most of the taps don't point down which would be awkward.

That's the main reason I went for the twin outlet tap style, you can decide where you want the beer engine to attach to, and one of the ends points down. If you don't use a beer engine, you don't need to bother with those fancy metal things, just use the tap as normal. I have done 2 beer festivals with those taps, and they have been wonderful.

Cheers
Jake

[scotia]

Looks like an easier solution here viewtopic.php?f=6&t=62529&p=657644&hilit=widget#p657644

[steambrew]

You are on the right lines I have used one for some time , I tap the barrel with a tap with twin outlets one to a beer engine the other one to a SS pipe I use a hard peg then when in use a soft peg

[Mr. Dripping]

A newbie question for you Mr Dripping, from someone who hasn't done this before...

You say insert hard peg and then drive the tap in. Wouldn't driving the tap in create pressure that would pop the peg out? I always imagined you'd drive the tap in with the peg out...

No, the peg doesn't pop out when you drive the tap in. If anything, the pressure is slightly released as you usually get a little squirt of beer as you knock the tap in.