5 Litre Party Keg Manual

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Myles Armstrong
5 years ago
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5 Litre Party Keg Manual These compact party kegs let you keg your beer and serve it on tap without the need for gas bottles,

They easily fit into most fridges and can be used in a variety of configurations.

The kegs are supplied with a dust plug inserted into the bunghole.

grey rubber bung with plastic insert, which is reusable but can't be closed once opened.

Make sure to remove all detergent residue from the keg because, as the bunghole has a rim on the inside of the keg, it can be

1 5 Litre Party Keg Manual These compact party kegs let you keg your beer and serve it on tap without the need for gas bottles, pressure regulators, cooler plates with ice and a mess of hose pipes and couplers. They easily fit into most fridges and can be used in a variety of configurations. They come in two versions: one with an built-in tap, and one that has to be used with the Party Star pressure tap system. The kegs are supplied with a dust plug inserted into the bunghole. Two different bungs are available: the red plastic bung (left) which is disposable but can be opened and closed repeatedly, and the grey rubber bung with plastic insert, which is reusable but can't be closed once opened. Prior to first use clean the keg thoroughly with Brewer's Detergent and sanitize it with No-Rinse Sanitizer. Make sure to remove all detergent residue from the keg because, as the bunghole has a rim on the inside of the keg, it can be difficult to pour the last of the detergent solution out of the keg, so rinse thoroughly. 1. Gravity Tapping For this you need the keg with the built-in tap. This method is suited both for the serving of real ales (from an unpressurised keg) as well as for keg-conditioned beers. 1. Turn tap clockwise to unlock. 2. Ensure tap is horizontal. 3. Pull out until fully extended.

Push red button to pour. When the pressure in the keg becomes too low to pour, lift the tab on the red plug and turn to open.

Once the tab has been opened to let air into the keg, the remaining beer should be served within a few days.

screwdriver) and this bung is therefore suitable for single use only.

However, once this bung has been opened, it can't be closed.

because the bung fits very tightly into the bunghole in order to provide an airtight seal.

2 Push red button to pour. When the pressure in the keg becomes too low to pour, lift the tab on the red plug and turn to open. Return the tab to its original position to close. Once the tab has been opened to let air into the keg, the remaining beer should be served within a few days. While the red bung can be closed again after use, it can't be removed from the keg without breaking it (this requires pliers and/or a screwdriver) and this bung is therefore suitable for single use only. A reusable alternative to this is the grey rubber bung with plastic insert, which can be removed and reinserted without damaging it. However, once this bung has been opened, it can't be closed. Insert the plastic plug into the bottom of the rubber bung, then fit the bung into the keg's bunghole This requires considerable force because the bung fits very tightly into the bunghole in order to provide an airtight seal. The easiest way is to seat one side of the bung first, then press in the rest of the bung, working in a circular motion. Do not insert the plastic plug into the top of the rubber bung, because as soon as pressure begins to build up inside the keg due to the beer's carbonation, this will force the plastic insert out of the bung. To open, push the plastic insert into the keg. Once the keg is empty the insert can be retrieved from the keg, cleaned and re-inserted into the rubber bung.

2. Keg Conditioned Beer Just like beer can be carbonated by bottle conditioning, keg conditioning is possible as well.

) When using carbonation drops instead of sugar, never add more than 10 carbonation drops to a 5 litre keg. Make sure to leave enough head space in the keg as well.

These kegs are rated at a pressure up to 4 bar (58psi) which means that at normal levels of carbonation (about that of a standard lager) they are safe for use with keg conditioned beers, provided the

3 2. Keg Conditioned Beer Just like beer can be carbonated by bottle conditioning, keg conditioning is possible as well. However, never add more than 30 grams of table sugar (or 33 grams of dextrose sugar) to a 5 litre keg. (This is equivalent to 5 grams of table sugar or 5.5 grams of dextrose per litre of beer.) When using carbonation drops instead of sugar, never add more than 10 carbonation drops to a 5 litre keg. Make sure to leave enough head space in the keg as well. OVER-CARBONATING THE BEER AND/OR OVER-FILLING THE KEG MAY CAUSE THE KEG TO RUPTURE! These kegs are rated at a pressure up to 4 bar (58psi) which means that at normal levels of carbonation (about that of a standard lager) they are safe for use with keg conditioned beers, provided the kegs are not over-filled. Keg conditioned beers may be served using the built-in tap or with the Party Star pressure tap system. Keg conditioning will cause some yeast to settle at the bottom of the keg. As a result of this, the first beer to be poured form the keg will be cloudy. 3. The Party Star Pressurized Tap System The best way by far to serve beer from these kegs is to use the Party Star pressurized tap system. This tap is fitted with a carbon dioxide gas capsule and a pressure regulator valve that ensures constant keg pressure, which in turn keeps the beer fizzy and the beer flow constant. However, this system can't be used to force-carbonate the beer, which means the keg will have to be filled with pre-carbonated beer, or with beer and priming sugar which is then left to develop carbonation. 1. Screw the black dip tube into the socket located at the underside of the tap assembly. (The white inlet tube goes into the black dip tube.) 2. Screw the spout into the socket located on the front of the tap assembly. This should take four (4) whole turns.

3. Insert the push handle into the rectangular opening located on the side of the tap. Gently push it in until it clicks. 4. Turn the pressure regulator clockwise as far as it will go. 5.

Before inserting the cartridge, make sure it has a temperature not exceeding 25 C, as heat may cause the cartridge to become over-pressurized. 6.

Insufficiently chilled beer may cause foam to jet out of the bunghole while inserting the tap, creating a huge mess.

Insert the dip tube into the plug and lightly hit the top of the tap assembly with the palm of your hand, pushing it down.

4 3. Insert the push handle into the rectangular opening located on the side of the tap. Gently push it in until it clicks. 4. Turn the pressure regulator clockwise as far as it will go. 5. Insert the CO 2 cartridge into the holder and screw the holder firmly onto the socket at the back of the tap. DO NOT UNSCREW THE HOLDER UNTIL THE CARTRIDGE IS COMPLETELY EMPTY. Before inserting the cartridge, make sure it has a temperature not exceeding 25 C, as heat may cause the cartridge to become over-pressurized. 6. Before fitting the tap assembly onto a fresh keg of beer, thoroughly refrigerate the keg overnight to a temperature of 2-4 C. Insufficiently chilled beer may cause foam to jet out of the bunghole while inserting the tap, creating a huge mess. If the keg is fitted with a red plastic bung: Lift the black tab on the bung (DO NOT TURN) and removed it by pulling it upwards. Insert the dip tube into the plug and lightly hit the top of the tap assembly with the palm of your hand, pushing it down. This breaks the seal in the red plug which allows you to lower the dip tube into the keg. If the keg is fitted with a grey rubber bung: Put the end of the dip tube onto the plastic insert and push down until the plastic insert drops into the keg, then lower the dip tube into the keg. Hook the front of the plastic bracket around the keg, then push the clip at the rear of the tap assembly down until it clicks, locking it around the rim of the keg. The tap assembly is now in place.

5 7. Adjust the pressure regulator to obtain a beer flow as desired. Push down on the tap lever in order to pour the beer out of the spout. Cheers! 4. Tips & Tricks Cleaning the tap assembly: Once the keg is empty, turn the pressure regulator clockwise all the way, then remove the tap assembly by lifting the clip at the back and then unhooking the bracket from the keg at the front. Unscrew the dip tube and spout and rinse them with running water. Then hold the tap assembly upside down and run tap water into the white inlet tube while pushing down on the lever until clean water runs out of the spout socket. Retrieving the reusable bung insert: When using the grey rubber bung, the plastic insert has to be pushed into the keg and, once the keg is empty, retrieved from it. This is not always easy and may require a bit of manipulation. A small piece of Prestik on your fingertip may help to position the insert at the bunghole so it can be pulled out of the keg. Some plastic inserts are just a fraction too large to move through the bunghole easily. Sanding down the outline or the plastic insert a little may help to ease the passage of the insert through the bunghole. Filling the keg: When filling the keg with pre-carbonated beer, use of a counter-pressure filling system is recommended. Having both the keg and the beer as cold as possible will help to maintain carbonation and minimize foaming. If no counter-pressure filling system is available, pouring the beer as slowly as possible and in stages (so that the foam can settle in between) is recommended. Because it is not possible to purge the keg with CO 2 in order to remove oxygen from it prior to filling it with pre-carbonated beer, the shelf life of the beer, once kegged, will be limited. Keg conditioned beer, on the other hand, is far less susceptible to oxidation because the conditioning process will remove most of the oxygen from the beer and the head space. Cleaning the keg: Because the bunghole has a small rim on the inside of the keg, it can be difficult to pour the last of the detergent, rinsing water or sanitizing solution out of the keg. One way to deal with this is to hold the keg upside down and using a sheet of good quality paper towel to absorb the residue through the bung hole. Keg lifespan: While these kegs are reusable, the are essentially made for single use only, which means they won't last as long as professional beer kegs will. Cleaning your keg immediately after use and storing it dry will help prolong its service life. Avoid damaging the keg because, over time, damaged spots may develop into weak spots that may promote keg rupturing under high pressure.

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