Cask beer cooling

[BH Tavern]

Hello, I have a pub in northern California, and I've just acquired a beer engine. I plan on serving cask-conditioned beer from a slim quarter sized keg (about 11in diameter by 24in tall). I lack the bar space to add a dedicated cooler, and we do not have air conditioning (it gets extremely hot in the summer behind the bar). I'd like to keep my keg around 58F, and my keg will be situated vertically under the bar.

Last resort would be a 8-10 foot long draw from a dedicated basement fridge, but I'd much prefer to keep the keg right under the bar. I was looking at flash chillers to recirculate cold water through a saddle (see http://www.filton.net/acatalog/Cask_...___Probes.html) but I don't see anything that would fit a slim quarter. Anyone have a clever solution to keep a keg at cellar temp without a fridge, in very limited space?

Noah,
Barley and Hops Tavern

[James Murray]

I don't know how often you are planning on serving cask beer, but a real simple solution is a few bags of ice and a tub to place the cask in. It is reasonably inexpensive and an easy solution. I pour cask every thursday from our brewery tasting room and its really only a couple of bucks to keep it proper for about 9-10 hours of the day. Word!

James Murray
Lead Brewer/Asst. Distiller
Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits
San Diego, CA

[BH Tavern]

I don't know how often you are planning on serving cask beer, but a real simple solution is a few bags of ice and a tub to place the cask in. It is reasonably inexpensive and an easy solution. I pour cask every thursday from our brewery tasting room and its really only a couple of bucks to keep it proper for about 9-10 hours of the day. Word!

James Murray
Lead Brewer/Asst. Distiller
Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits
San Diego, CA

Heya James - thanks for the advice. I was considering a solution that involved building a cooler out of a trash can and insulation, using ice to keep the keg cool. The problem is that I plan on having cask ale at all times. I'd just as soon not lug the keg to the walk-in every night. I'm assured by a very respected brewer that constant temperature is important with cask beer, so I don't want to go from cold to room temp over the course of several days. I'm thinking that if I insulate well enough, the ice should last overnight, and I can just replace some as it melts each day. I plan on keeping the keg very close to my bar ice maker, so it shouldn't be a hassle. Am I missing something, or is this a good idea?

Cheers!

Noah

[dick murton]

There used to be some sort of wrap around cooling jackets available for cask beer in the UK. Not sure what happened to them, but apparently they were pretty effective.

You could try SIBA or the IBD as I really can't remember who used to supply these things, let alone if they are still available

[BonedaleBeer]

Check these guys out. Looks like they have just about everything for Cask Ale in the US. http://www.ukbrewing.com/caskcooling.cfm

Jeff
CBW

[BH Tavern]

Check these guys out. Looks like they have just about everything for Cask Ale in the US. http://www.ukbrewing.com/caskcooling.cfm

Jeff
CBW

..everything except that cooler for the size keg I mentioned in the original post. I'll probably try insulation and ice packs instead of somehting more high tech.

[bford]

Noah,
I just want to know where you are so I can come have a pint!

[BH Tavern]

Noah,
I just want to know where you are so I can come have a pint!

Occidental, CA