Sealing Your Keg With A Ball And Lock Cap
Investing in a growler keg can be wise, especially if you like to host events at your home. A keg holds a large volume of beer. This allows you to serve multiple guests without creating a lot of bottle or can waste.
Kegs can be refilled with your favorite brew and stored for use at a later date- as long as they are properly sealed. If you are new to keg ownership, you will want to invest in a ball and lock growler cap to help seal your keg and keep its contents fresh until you and your guests are ready to imbibe.
Know Your Keg Size
Ball and lock caps are purchased separately from the kegs that they help to seal. This allows you to purchase a high-end locking mechanism, but it also means that you will be responsible for investing in a lock that fits your keg.
Most kegs come in a standard size so they are easy to match with a lock. Be sure that you know if your keg is standard size, or if it has custom dimensions that will require you to purchase a specialized ball and lock keep to achieve a proper fit.
Handle Your Keg Safely
The CO2 gas that gives beer its signature bubbles also creates a significant amount of pressure within your keg. The buildup of pressure inside the keg can pose a serious safety risk if you don't handle the keg carefully. Be sure that you read the instructions for your ball and lock cap thoroughly and that you follow the manufacturer's recommendations at all times.
All ball and lock caps will have different PSI limitations, and exceeding the PSI limit could cause your keg to burst. It can help to place your keg in a canvas bag for storage and transport if you are worried about an explosion, as this will help keep the shards of the keg contained.
Never Alter the Cap
If you don't understand the dangers of the pressurized contents of your keg, it can be tempting to modify the ball and lock cap to suit your needs. Some people try to make a cap that is too large fit into a small keg opening. Others attempt to modify the cap to allow the keg to be connected to a CO2 dispenser, which could cause internal pressure to skyrocket.
Never, under any circumstances, alter your ball and lock cap. If the cap doesn't meet your needs, invest in a new cap that will better suit your keg setup.
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