Does all kegging require CO2?
I’m thinking of kegging more as bulk storage and dispensing (rather than bottling), and am at this point not concerning myself with carbonation.
Am I correct thinking that even if the delivery system were set up to use gravity, that I’d still need CO2 to fill the void that the decanted liquid occupied (so I don’t create a vacuum), because SOMETHING needs to fill up that space, and I don’t want oxygen in there?
thanks
jb
Sounds like you are talking about a cask breather. It allows enough CO2 in to fill the void but is not intended to carbonate. You need a beer engine to pull it or like you said, use gravity to dispense.
Thanks Dude!
Will check out the breather/aspirator option.
If they were made a little better, and I could feel better about the seal, one of those collapsible water bottles would be an option 
Actually I use those to serve my English bitters. A polypin is what they call them in the UK. I’ve had mixed results to be honest. I’ve had trouble getting the carbonation right. I’ve gotten it near perfect and then they tend to go flat as time goes on. Not ready to give them up yet but certainly haven’t been spot on.
I’ve used a polypin (plastic bag) with my homemade beer engine. But I only fill it with 2-3 gallons, out of a carbonated keg. What ever I think will be consumed at the event. CO2 will come out of solution as you draw beer out, so the beer will go flat.
For what the OP is considering, I don’t see it as a viable option as oxidation would be a concern. I’m open to changing my mind with some pictures of your setup.
I would either push with a low CO2 pressure to avoid carbonating the beer but have a slow pour, or use a Nitrogen tank for a normal speed pour.
I think he’s trying to mimic a cask where he’d use gravity to dispense the beer from the keg. But he’s absolutely right that with a cornie, he’d create a vacuum at best and oxidized beer at worst.
That was why I threw out the idea of the cask breather like they use in the UK. It only lets enough CO2 in to replace the volume of beer dispensed when you aren’t going to go through the keg before it would go bad.
Is this what you are using?
Can you describe the set up little?
Are you asking me or the OP? To be clear, I don’t use one. I either do a straight cornie with CO2 or I use the plastic collapsible containers.
But yes, that’s what I was talking about.
[quote=“PPDude72”]… or I use the plastic collapsible containers…
[/quote]
I missed this one PPD
Hmmm. Are you talking about the big collapsible water jugs like I might find in a camping store?
