Using a polypin

[Dennis King]

Been drinking my beers from a polypin for over 30 years so heres my guide to how I do it. Polypins are not suitable for all beers. If you are after a keg style beer or lager they are not for you. If you want a pub style real ale then polypins may be the answer. This is the type I use.

Available from here
Never used the bag in a box style ones, I believe the are not as strong.

Gravity

Serving by gravity is the most straightforward. I fill the pin direct from the fermenter. You can expel the air by squeezing the pin, this lessens the chances of oxidising the beer during transfer. One tube will connect most FV taps to the polypin. I like to give the beer at least 3 weeks conditioning although I have drank after 10 days and still got a decent pint. Generally I would prime about a week before drinking, the short time the tap was open has never had any noticeable effect on the beer. Prime with 60-80 gms of sugar, rock the pin a bit to disperse and move somewhere warm. Once the pin starts to expand move to a cooler serving place and leave at least 2-3 days to settle. In this time the pin should expand fully. Sometimes it can look like it is about to pop. I have had them as hard as a football before without a problem. If you are worried you can roll it back carefully and release some gas. I have done this myself and managed not to disturb the sediment. I use a 20 lt pin, although normally get 23 lts in, and found it to keep fresh and in perfect condition for at least 2-3 weeks. Even known it to continue to produce gas right to the end and remain inflated like this.



This was after 2 weeks and the last pint still had a lot of life.



If you are using this method then you will need to experiment to find what works for you.

Hand pump

Been serving my beer via hand pump for the last 4 years now and have to say it is worth the extra expense if you want a beer as served by hand pump in a pub.


When using a hand pump I have stopped adding priming sugar as I found the action of the hand pump gives my beer sufficient life and doesn't need any extra priming.
With an Angram pump you can connect direct from pin to pump, I just use a jubilee clip to secure.


I use a food grade silicone tube and rinse the whole system with beer line cleaner between pins and clean the pins with oxy cleaner.
If treated right they can last years although I tend to replace after a few years.
I don't use the cardboard box and never had any problem with skunking but there is no direct sun light in my garage.

Good guide there Dennis I've got a couple of 10L and will be filling one of them this week with a mild, I'll let you know how it goes.

[31bb3]

Do you let the beer drop bright before transferring into the polypin if you are using the beer engine ??

[Jeltz]

I don't, I just rack to a bottling bucket, fill a few and then fill the polypin (or 2 if I'm using 10L ones) personally I batch prime but I know Dennis doesn't.

The final pull or 2 of the engine is yeasty and mine is a quarter pint pull. if its the last half of a pint I'll drink it otherwise it gets tossed.

[31bb3]

Ah ok I might try a polypin next time I may lying use cornies but I have got a beer engine which might go nice

Nice how to Den, thx

Might av a dabble with one of these for my hand pull...

BB

Looks great, I would love a hand pump.
When your using a hand pump and polypin combination, does it affect shelf life of your beer? And how often do you have to clean the tubes out when using one batch? (If, say you only pull a few pints each weekend)

[Dennis King]

Do you let the beer drop bright before transferring into the polypin if you are using the beer engine ??

No straight from the FV and let it fall bright in the pin.

Looks great, I would love a hand pump.
When your using a hand pump and polypin combination, does it affect shelf life of your beer? And how often do you have to clean the tubes out when using one batch? (If, say you only pull a few pints each weekend)

No difference in shelf life. I rinse the hand pump and tube with beer line cleaner between each pin.

thankyou Dennis were going to use polypins this time round instead of cornies look great by the way

Yes spot on Den.
I like pins myself, much under used/rated in my opinion, much less prep to get a batch into pins than bottles or a cornie.
Having said that I use bottles, cornies and pins, they all have there use. I like a 5 litre one on the worktop
S
Downside of a pin is that if there is one on the worktop I am more temped to go back and have just another quick nibble, with a bottle it is more of a decision

Cheers Dennis,
I'm a complete novice btw, I haven't seen a pump up close, (apart from in a bar), what type would you recommend? am I correct in thinking there are two types?

Cheers Dennis,
I'm a complete novice btw, I haven't seen a pump up close, (apart from in a bar), what type would you recommend? am I correct in thinking there are two types?

Cheers Dennis,
I'm a complete novice btw, I haven't seen a pump up close, (apart from in a bar), what type would you recommend? am I correct in thinking there are two types?

They are many types 1/4 pull 1/2 pull, angram, hi-gene..... the list goes on. They all basically do the same thing. from my experience angram seems to be one of the better quality ones but i have several hi-gene ones and they are cracking.

The only thing to look out for is there is a fair few "gas assist" ones knocking around. avoid these as they will need a gas line in.

great how to D just what we was looking for need the pins and pump first though

You don't have to use a pump with a pin, I never do, still good depending what you like of course
S

This really makes me want to install a pump in my kitchen

The only difference between beer engines that matters AFAIK is the neck length and only if you want a northern head. The sparkler needs to touch the bottom of the glass. I had to get an extension for mine. This also means the drip tray gets in the way so I removed it and stick a trug under the pump.

Excellent how to Dennis, been trying to figure out how to prime my polypins for a while and the answer was here all along, although I do wonder, can you leave the pin connected to the pump until it runs dry or do you have to disconnect it and clean each time you finish serving?

Kyle

[Dennis King]

I clean mine at the end of each pin.

If you wanted to clean it after each serving you could simply add a T piece with a valve close to the pin. when you finish, close the tap on the pin, open the valve on the t piece and just draw up some water to clear the lines.

That's good to know Dennis, is it just a case of turning the tap off after hours? I ask as I want to set up my beer engine in the garage and buy some more pins.

[Joe1002]

I wouldn't bother turning the tap off, not sure what you would gain from it?

[GrowlingDog]

I turn my tap off incase the pressure builds up too much and pushes the beer out through the beer engine.

[Dennis King]

I don't turn the tap off but have very little pressure.

[GrowlingDog]

I suppose it depends how often you can check it. I relieved the pressure in mine a bit on Sunday and then moved it to the fridge and connected it up. I dont expect it to expand much more but I won't be home to check it until Saturday morning.

Perhaps I should have left it turned on. I suppose if a few pints do get pushed out thats better than it going bang.