serving kegged beer from bottling bucket

[Kahler]

Good day all

I have a 2, 2.5 gallon kegs I have naturally carbing (they're also hooked up to my co2 tank at 5psi) at room temp. We're going to a party next week and I need an easy way to serve this.

I want to take my bottling bucket, put a cold plate on the bottom (that has been sanitized and put in freezer for a few days- wrapped of course), the 2.5 gallon keg on top, ice and water to fill, and serve through a tap I will install in the hole the plastic valve is in. I could also use a picnic tap and use a fermentation bucket if that would be better. I will dispense with a co2 injector and run 10ft of beverage line (that will obviously be in the ice bath as well).

Think it will work? After a lot of searching, i didnt find any info.

 

[hopsalot]

gas in beer out, it will work

 

[Kahler]

Do you think the ice bath and cold plate will cool it down enough? Thats my only real concern.

 

[broadbill]

Do you think the ice bath and cold plate will cool it down enough? Thats my only real concern.

He would not have to cool it down if he put it in the fridge for a few days ahead of time.

I assume he has this capability, since he kegs.

The ice/water would just have to maintain the temp, not cool it down. I'm not sure why he needs the cold plate in the first place.

To the OP: instead of going through the trouble of a cold plate, putting a tap through the hole in the bottling bucket, etc...why not just sink the thing in ice (in whatever container you have) and serve from that? Its worked for fraternities for decades

 

[Kahler]

He would not have to cool it down if he put it in the fridge for a few days ahead of time.

I assume he has this capability, since he kegs.

The ice/water would just have to maintain the temp, not cool it down. I'm not sure why he needs the cold plate in the first place.

To the OP: instead of going through the trouble of a cold plate, putting a tap through the hole in the bottling bucket, etc...why not just sink the thing in ice (in whatever container you have) and serve from that? Its worked for fraternities for decades

Hey Broadbill, i do not have the capability of cooling down in the fridge- thats why im naturally carbing with gas as supplement- and also why i have the cold plate (it was free). if i could chill in fridge, i would definitely just do the ice bath and picnic tap.

 

[dinnerstick]

what is the 5psi from the tank supposed to be doing? if you have a normal regulator that will only allow 1 directional flow from higher pressure to lower pressure, the very high pressure in your keg from secondary fermentation means the tank isn't doing squat

 

[Kahler]

I was just keeping some pressure in the keg until sugars began to ferment- its only been a few days so i figured it would help. This is my first time naturally carbing so i thought netter safe than sorry.

So i take it that i can remove it from gas.

 

[MazdaMatt]

Try this the day before you go:
Put the keg in a bucket that has at least an inch of space all around.
fill up about 4" of ice in the space around the keg
pour a LOT of salt on it.
Put another 4 inches of ice
A LOT more salt
repeat till the bucket is full of ice and a buttload of salt.
Wrap it tightly in a comforter
Rock it around every 10 minutes for the first hour, then let it sit half a day.

When the ice is 50% melted, dump it and repeat this again.

When that ice is 50% melted your keg will likely be very cold - test a pint. On second thought, test a pint after the first batch of ice.

Salt makes ice incredibly cold - you can make icecream with this method from room temperature cream.

 

[shadows69]

A 2. 5 gal fits in a cooler not? I 'm pretty sure two fit in one cooler with wheels. I think your going to need more then 5 psi. I would hit it at 10 psi and it should be ready or at least close. The co2 tank would fit in the cooler as well. Maybe I mis read something?

 

[justflow1983]

Do you have a wort chiller? Submerge the chiller in an ice bath and run your beer through it between the keg and the tap. That's what bars do when they serve at picnic tables etc.

 

[Kahler]

I do have a chiller- copper- but the cold plate would be much easier to use, and its stainless.

 

[strambo]

Wow, I think in way simpler terms. 2.5 gal kegs are small. Stick item in the fridge to cool 24-48 hrs ahead of time. Stick them in any container (bucket, heavy-duty trash bag-whatever) big enough to hold it and ice at the party. Serve with picnic tap and CO2 injector...what am I missing?

 

[cricky101]

I've done it with a 5 gallon keg in a large bucket with ice packed around it. I started with cold beer and it worked fine the entire party. I didn't have room in my kegerator for it but wanted to serve it along with my other kegs.

 

[FATC1TY]

I'd also suggest if this is going to be a regular thing... serving warm beer from a keg, and no way to fridge, that you invest in a jockey box.

 

[Ravenshead]

If I understand the OPs setup, it is a jockey box. I.e. Warm-ish beer flows through a cold-plate encased in ice water and out a tap or picnic faucet. It should work just fine as long the cold plate is well designed and the lines to the tap/faucet are cold.

 

[Kahler]

If I understand the OPs setup, it is a jockey box. I.e. Warm-ish beer flows through a cold-plate encased in ice water and out a tap or picnic faucet. It should work just fine as long the cold plate is well designed and the lines to the tap/faucet are cold.

Thank you! You understand exactly what i'm doing.


My idea IS, essentially, a jockey box.

 

[Kahler]

For what its worth, i did not end up using the original plan-- cold plate, bottling bucket, keg-- because the plate did not fit in the bucket with the keg how i intended.
So, i took the plate, threw it under a keg that someone else brought (miller lite) and served my Saison and APA threw it. Beer was room temp going into the plate and ice cold coming out. Carbonation was perfect- naturally carbed.

For the future, i will pick up a rolling ice chest and put the plate and kegs in it.
Thanks for reading. Cheers