BrewTube Air Keg System

[thehollowhead]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/37 ... keg-system" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Friend of mine shared this Kickstarter her father-in-law started. It's a PVC keg system that uses pressurized room air (from something as simple as a bicycle pump) instead of a C02 set up.

As someone without a car, I love the idea of nixing the C02, but I'm still pretty new to kegging so the science of how it works/what the difference is, is a bit beyond me. What's everyone's thoughts on it?

[the-mailman]

Interesting, maybe useful for taking beer to a party. I use CO2 to carb my beer in the keg and it doesn't look like this can do that but I guess that's the point, to eliminate CO2. Carbing with yeast in the container might work but would make transporting hard without disturbing the sediment. Also, some pvc is O2 permeable and is known to leach undesired chemicals, both bad for beer. Have to wait and see how it turns out.

[bluenose]

bicycle pump air is gross

[Celiacbrew]

Interesting, maybe useful for taking beer to a party. I use CO2 to carb my beer in the keg and it doesn't look like this can do that but I guess that's the point, to eliminate CO2. Carbing with yeast in the container might work but would make transporting hard without disturbing the sediment. Also, some pvc is O2 permeable and is known to leach undesired chemicals, both bad for beer. Have to wait and see how it turns out.

Maybe instead of homebrewers, they should be looking at breweries that rent kegs with the little handpump on top. This wouldn't ruin the beer with oxygen and it would stay carbonated for as long as the customer wants to keep it. Having to drink the whole keg in a short period of time was always what kept us from getting kegs when I was younger.

[AllanMar]

bicycle pump air is gross

Looks like the air doesn't touch your beer. It's a "zero headspace" setup. Like a syringe/plunger setup but any compressed air is pushing the plunger.

[Keith]

Great idea. But I'd rather just get a small co2 dispenser for my keg

[LeafMan66_67]

I like the idea, just disagree with some of their statements on the site with respect to naturally carbed beer being superior, and naturally carbed has less chance of off flavours. I do both keg conditioning and force carb, and don't notice any significant difference.

[thehollowhead]

I like the idea, just disagree with some of their statements on the site with respect to naturally carbed beer being superior, and naturally carbed has less chance of off flavours. I do both keg conditioning and force carb, and don't notice any significant difference.

Like I said, I'm still pretty new at kegging, I've done five batches in them so far, but the C02 fiddling is my easily the least enjoyable part for me.

If I start keg conditioning, will I only need the C02 for sealing and dispensing? I'm assuming my tank would last longer between fills?

[thehollowhead]

Maybe instead of homebrewers, they should be looking at breweries that rent kegs with the little handpump on top. This wouldn't ruin the beer with oxygen and it would stay carbonated for as long as the customer wants to keep it. Having to drink the whole keg in a short period of time was always what kept us from getting kegs when I was younger.

Heh, we had a nearby brewery that sold 9L party pigs, a mini-keg thing with an inflatable bladder inside. We usually filled one or two of those for the same reason.