Williamswarn can you use other regulators and other questions

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Stu1

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#304023 29-Mar-2023 19:46

Hi all, bit late to the brew topic, looking at getting a 12 litre brew keg , the keg is 675 and with the extras pack it bumps the price up to 1300. I’m working out the costings , do I need to use a Williams specific regulator? Or could I use something like this

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/home-living/lifestyle/home-brewing/brewing-and-winemaking-equipment/listing/4059477894?bof=Xy9haId

i am working out if I should buy flip top beer bottles 750 in size or the 10 litre corny keg. The keg sounds good as it’s small enough to put in my garage fridge. I would like a kegerator but can’t justify the price yet. The recommended bottler is around 200 as well as the cozy keg blanket . I worked out it would be nearly 2k without a kegerator for all the kit I need it quickly adds up . Can you use an alternate bottler and cozy keg ? . What are your views on the Williams system worth the price tag? . They have some good resources makes the process look easier than having a seperate fermentation system cheers

panther2

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#3056320 29-Mar-2023 20:08

Kegs are so much better than bottling. Bit if your in south Auckland could off load some 750 swappa bottles

Stu1

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#3056321 29-Mar-2023 20:11

panther2: Kegs are so much better than bottling. Bit if your in south Auckland could off load some 750 swappa bottles

I’m in wellington , the kegs do look like a good option the corny keg is cheaper than the bottling machine

Stu1

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#3065360 19-Apr-2023 09:57

Another newbie question, I got a kit of marketplace and dropped my first brew. There were 2 different videos on the Williams Warn site, one shows the yeast being poured into the keg, the other shows it been screwed on to the bottom then released . I followed the first video and tipped it in:( . I’m hoping I didn’t spoil the brew.

To clarify the beer I need to chill it before clarification. I thought i could transfer it to bottles or keg to chill . I don’t really have enough room to chill it now, are there any other options that I could use to chill without a fridge or a kegerator?

The dispensing part is expensive 220 for a bottling machine, is there any other alternatives? . Could I just bottle or do I need to add anything?

Cheers Stu

JonnyCam

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#3065419 19-Apr-2023 12:09

Stu1: Another newbie question, I got a kit of marketplace and dropped my first brew. There were 2 different videos on the Williams Warn site, one shows the yeast being poured into the keg, the other shows it been screwed on to the bottom then released . I followed the first video and tipped it in:( . I’m hoping I didn’t spoil the brew.

To clarify the beer I need to chill it before clarification. I thought i could transfer it to bottles or keg to chill . I don’t really have enough room to chill it now, are there any other options that I could use to chill without a fridge or a kegerator?

The dispensing part is expensive 220 for a bottling machine, is there any other alternatives? . Could I just bottle or do I need to add anything?

Cheers Stu

If the beers i gong to be carbonated already, then the counter pressure filler is good tool and pressure transfer means no oxygen ingress. if you bottle without carb then add carb drops etc into the bottles then they yeast will scavenge the oxygen you'll introduce while bottling.

As the brew keg is presssue rated, if you don't have an airlock,then it will be carbonated.

You can still bottle using a picnic tap and bottling wand, just dial the pressure way back, and ensure that cap the bottle on foam to push (some) oxygen out. Giving the bottle a burst of CO2 prior to filling to purge can help to minimise oxygen exposure too. 12.5 litres is not a heap of beer but heavily hopped styles can degrade fairly quickly when exposed to oxygen in the bottle.

I don't have a counter pressure filler yet, just use a beer gun (kegland / chinese clone of blichman) you can make your own pressure filler if you feel like it. https://byo.com/project/counterpressure-bottle-filler/ - cheaper / less fiddly version here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMvdF0pMp18

Another thing you could try is adding enough Potassium or sodium metabisulphate to get o0 10ppm in the bottle. (this would be tricky, you'd need to calculate how much to add to 12.5 L, and make a solution with that much at a known volume to put that right amount into each bottle) PMB / SMB bind to the oxygen

https://brulosophy.com/2020/03/23/cold-side-oxidation-impact-of-dosing-beer-with-potassium-metabisulfite-pmb-at-packaging-exbeeriment-results/

If I was you, I'd buy a keg (second hand should be about $100) and pressure transfer to that and pour from the keg. you can then pour a rigger or whatever to take somewhere

Stu1

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#3065447 19-Apr-2023 13:05

Thank you great advice, might look at cozy kegs . I was only thinking about bottleing as might share with the family. I’m hoping the first brew turns out ok. Just measured the fridge in the garage I will be able to chill it before clarification which is good.