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Cider Digest #1880
Subject: Cider Digest #1880, 2 June 2014
From: cider-request@talisman.com
Cider Digest #1880 2 June 2014
Cider and Perry Discussion Forum
Contents:
adding bottom taps to "blue oak" (Dick Dunn)
Re: Do the guidelines for force carbonation of beer apply... (Tim Bray)
Re: reviews of two tap kegerators (Tim Bray)
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Digest Janitor: Dick Dunn
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Subject: adding bottom taps to "blue oak"
From: Dick Dunn <rcd@talisman.com>
Date: Fri, 30 May 2014 21:09:38 -0600
I have a number of "blue oak" (the bright blue HDPE) open-head barrels, 14
and 30 US gallons. I've thought for some time that I'd like to have bottom
taps in order to be able to rack at least the 14's by gravity.
There are various adapters and gadgets for adding bottom taps to containers
in the homebrew world--for example, to the PETE carboys. I've thought that
these should work on my barrels, since a larger container means not so much
curvature over the width of a tap--hence hopefully easier to get a good
seal.
Has anybody done modifications like this? adding bottom tap to blue oak?
- --
Dick Dunn rcd@talisman.com Hygiene, Colorado USA
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Subject: Re: Do the guidelines for force carbonation of beer apply...
From: Tim Bray <tbray@wildblue.net>
Date: Sat, 31 May 2014 08:45:02 -0700
Agree with Dick, the guidelines for beer carbonation are not directly
applicable to cider. Flat beer is unappealing in part because it is too
sweet and not acidic enough. Ciders are often the opposite - bone-dry
and overly acidic - and in many cases I find the flavor of my ciders
improve in the glass as carbonation subsides. Cider also does not hold a
"head" the way beer does, so if you follow the beer guidelines a lot of
the CO2 is basically wasted.
Dry ciders often taste best to me when still. Off-dry ciders (or dry
ones with a lot of apple character) taste best to me when "petillant" -
just slightly sparkling. Any more carbonation than that usually just
boils off when the cider is poured anyway.
Having said all that, I dispense cider under the same pressure as the
beers in my 3-tap kegerator, and it works out fine - the excess
carbonation boils off quickly and leaves a petillant cider in the glass.
This also allows me to bottle straight from the tap, as the foam
displaces air and the residual carbonation is just about right - for my
taste.
In addition to the advantages Dick lists for force-carbonating rather
than bottle-conditioning, I will add that with a one- or two-year-old
cider, there is a significant risk that something other than the
original fermentation yeast will awaken to consume added sugar, so your
flavor profile might drift off in unexpected directions.
Cheers,
Tim Bray
Albion, California
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Subject: Re: reviews of two tap kegerators
From: Tim Bray <tbray@wildblue.net>
Date: Sat, 31 May 2014 08:59:46 -0700
I went through this process about a year ago. There are a number of
review sites and some comparison articles, but none that I found were
comprehensive, and several are contradictory. Don't limit your search
to two-tap models; the base unit is the important part.
The various manufacturers change their processes, and some are simply
branding equipment that is actually manufactured under contract, so the
manufacturers might be different from one year to the next. This limits
the usefulness of reviews (and is true for pretty much all kinds of
appliances).
Summit was the best-rated in the reviews I found, of the consumer-level
appliances; also by far the most expensive. They are perhaps closer to
commercial quality than consumer.
Danby was also highly rated. I ended up with a Kegco and like it so far.
Cheers,
Tim Bray
Albion, California
On 5/15/2014 12:16 PM, cider-request@talisman.com wrote:
> Subject: reviews of two tap kegerators
> From:denniswaller@comcast.net
> Date: Thu, 15 May 2014 06:04:02 +0000 (UTC)
>
> Does any one know of an article that reviews and ranks (a la Consumer
> Reports) kegerators? I have learned there are several companies that
> manufacture kegerators, e.g. Edgestar, Haier, Danby, Summit, Kegco, etc.
> that will hold two 1/6 barrel kegs or very similar Cornelius kegs, each
> contains about 5 gallons of cider. But I have no knowledge of the quality
> of those products. I would be grateful for any advice that would help me
> choose a well made product.
> Dennis Waller
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End of Cider Digest #1880
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