Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble

Mini-kegs and party pigs as alternatives to bottling

Last month we reviewed some alternatives to the standard 12-ounce long neck that could ease the hassles of bottling. While larger bottles and swing-tops may ease the burden, they still require some tedious cleaning and processing. What most experienced homebrewers really want is a nice stainless steel soda setup that allows quick and easy packaging. Unfortunately, the minimum price of a soda keg setup exceeds $150 and a full system can approach $300. As a result, many homebrewers are still looking for an alternative method to package and dispense beer in bulk.

This article examines the first of two systems that are commonly available in the homebrew community: German mini-kegs and party pigs. Both offer you the chance to dispense draft homebrew at a cost of less than $90 for 5 gallons of capacity. In next month's edition, we'll look at the Party Pig system and what it has to offer. For now, let's take a look at the mini-kegs.

The mini-keg system

This system uses 5 liter (1.33 gallon) containers that look like shiny miniature barrels. Although the container is made of steel, the inside of the keg is lined with a plastic coating to protect against rust and metallic flavors in your beer.

The kegs themselves are fairly inexpensive, selling for as little as $8 with the required stopper. With proper care, these kegs will reportedly last for 7 to 12 fillings. Dents, dings, rust or cracking indicate that it is time to retire a keg.

The primary cost in this system comes in the tap that is used to dispense the beer from the kegs. It can cost approximately $40 for a good tap, but it is only needed when you are dispensing the beer. Also, lower cost taps are available, but they will be less durable and less flexible and may shorten the life expectancy of your kegs.

The economic structure of this system allows you to build up a pretty good inventory of the kegs at relatively little cost. For under $200, you could own a good tap plus enough kegs to package 20 gallons of beer. This makes the mini-kegs the most economical method for bulk packaging.

Despite this economy, the mini-kegs don't seem to have caught on too widely. One problem appears to be inconsistent carbonation.

Like the Party Pigs we'll be looking at next month, the mini-kegs use a combination of priming and external pressure to carbonate and dispense the beer. Because the mini-kegs are subject to damage if the CO2 pressure gets too high, it may take some careful fiddling to produce the results you desire. Here's what some of our readers have had to say about their experience with the kegs.

From Flat in Fairbanks:

"I've experienced consistent carbonation problems with the German mini-kegs. I've tried priming with different amounts of priming sugar,(one half cup to one full cup) with the same results. No bubbles! There is some foam, but after a minute or so it dissipates leaving only FLAT brew. . . . What more can I do? I'm glad I didn't invest a bunch of money in these. Germany should have saved the tin for a few more VW beetles."

The presence of foam in this case indicates that carbonation formed. The problem seems to be dissipation of the carbonation during dispense. The system is designed to use CO2 pressure during dispense to maintain the carbonation of the beer. Perhaps a bit of fiddling with the CO2 system would solve this problem. As the next comment indicates, there seems to be some inconsistency in the performance of the gas cartridges that come with the system.

Reader Tom Starr writes:

"I thought I would provide a little input regarding the use of the 5 quart mini-kegs. I have used them and at one point had about 16 of them filled. Using the priming sugar recommended for these, I found my brew to be almost flat. Logic dictates increasing the priming sugar, but after a few of them almost ruptured last summer from indoor heat, adding more sugar to these is the last thing I want to do.

"The CO2 cartridges, (I use the large ones), are very inconsistent in what they will dispense. While I have actually emptied two kegs using only one cartridge, on the flip side I have sometimes had to use two cartridges to empty one keg. I don't know the answer. A slow leak somewhere maybe.

"So, I now have five full kegs and will not be filling any more once they are empty. Until I can afford the 5 gallons soda keg and CO2 bottle rig, I'll bottle to 23 ounce bottles."

Tom's experience indicates that a good deal of experimentation may be needed to achieve ideal results with the mini-kegs. One source I talked with suggested the use of a "Carbonator" attached to a CO2 gas bottle. While this may achieve good results, the cost of a 5 pound gas bottle plus a regulator and connections will run $125 to $150. This additional cost would push the investment for 5 gallons of capacity above the cost of the most basic soda keg system.

If you have the patience for fiddling or the need for a lowest-cost system, the mini- kegs could be a good solution for your beer packaging needs. If you decide to go ahead, be prepared for the challenges and keep some bottled homebrew in reserve to help out with attitude adjustment in times of stress.