Serving Cask-Conditioned Ale
An easy to follow guide to getting your homebrew served on cask.
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Special Issue: Guide to Kegging
Homebrewing is a great hobby…and kegging makes this great hobby even better by freeing brewers from the tedium of having to clean and sanitize a seemingly endless number of bottles per batch of beer. We’ll get you started.
In this issue
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mr-wizard
Counter-Pressure Bottling Tips
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Counter-Pressure Bottle Filling
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Conditioning Kegged Beer
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mr-wizard
Removing Yeast Before Kegging
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Cold Conditioning a Keg
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Nitro Beer
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Fix Over-Carbonated Kegs
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Crank and Shake Carbonation
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Force Carbonating Method
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mr-wizard
Appropriate Carbonation Levels
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mr-wizard
Strong Chemical Taste in Kegged Beer
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mr-wizard
Removing Soda Flavor from a Keg
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projectBuild a Draft Jockey Box
You have your kegerator set up and running smoothly; your friends love to drop by and drink your homebrew on tap. But now you (and they) want to bring your finely crafted brew out and about to parties, picnics, and other social gatherings. You could build a portable kegerator, but there is a cheaper and simpler alternative that also opens up the possibility of serving multiple kegs on the go: a jockey box.
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articleCounter-Pressure Bottling
The main challenges of counter-pressure bottling are to retain the beer’s carbonation and minimize its exposure to oxygen during the transfer. When performed correctly, almost all of a beer’s carbonation is retained when it is counter-pressure bottled. Likewise, with a little practice, the beer can be transferred with minimal exposure to oxygen. Learn how with pointers found here.
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articleBalancing Your Draft System
A properly set up and maintained home dispensing system allows you to pour correctly carbonated beer that has the appropriate head and appearance for style. However, it can also be the source of frustration if things are not done right. Learn how to properly set up and maintain your draft system.
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articleCarbonating Options for Kegging
Techniques and pointers for force carbonating your beer, including a carbonation chart to get your desired CO2 level dialed in.
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articleMini Kegs & Keg Alternatives
Mini-kegs are an option for homebrewers looking to avoid bottling, but who don’t have the space for a full kegging system.
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articleServing Cask-Conditioned Ales at Home
Check out these resources to guide you on your own quest to perfect homebrewed real ale on cask.
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articleNitrogen Draft Systems
It’s not that difficult to duplicate the “nitro pour” of your favorite pub draught. All it requires is some additional equipment beyond a standard keg set up and somewhat different carbonation and serving methods.
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articleRefurbishing and Cleaning Beer Kegs
Bringing an old beer keg back into use requires a little time, a limited amount of mechanical skills, and most of the tools that should be in every kegger’s tool kit.
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articleIntroduction To Kegging Beer
Thinking about moving to a kegging system? Learn the pros and cons of kegging your beer, the required equipment, some of the basic carbonation techniques, and the key concepts for those new to draft systems.
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projectBuild a Kegerator
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Carbonation Priming Chart
The amount of carbonation in bottle-conditioned homebrew is dependent on two things — the residual level of carbon dioxide after fermentation and the amount of carbonation obtained from the priming sugar. To get the level of carbonation you desire in your homebrew, choose a level of carbonation (from Section A) and subtract the amount of […]
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projectBuild a Draft Tower
Build your own draft tower from PVC piping for a fraction of the price of a new one. This project is quick and easy, yet still looks great and works perfectly.
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projectBuild a Heated Keg Cleaner: Projects
Keep your kegs and carboys clean with this bucket-based spray cleaner.
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projectBuild Your Own Spunding Valve to Carbonate in the Keg
With this homemade spunding valve you can naturally carbonate your homebrew by capturing the carbon dioxide produced late in fermentation just like many pros do on the commercial side.
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Build a Counter-Pressure Bottle Filler: Projects
Want to bottle sediment-free beer from your keg? With an hour of your time and $30 worth of parts, you can make your own counter-pressure bottle filler.
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