Keg King APOLLO SNUB NOSE User manual
Apollo Snub Nose User Manual
Page 2 of 8
https://www.kegking.com.au
Keg King is a registered business name of MCH Australia Pty Ltd
Warnings and General Safety
Your Apollo is made of bottle-grade PET plastic that is highly crystalline and pressurisable.
The following warnings must be followed to ensure your own safety when handling the tank
under pressure.
IMPORTANT IN FORMATION ON
PROPE R US A GE
Use of this product in a manner other than its intended use as a pressure
fermenter or using this product beyond indicated safe working pressures or
safe working volumes can result in damage to the product, property, and
serious injury. Never attach to an unregulated pressure source or fill the unit
sealed from a mains or other water source. Rapid shifts in pressure, even
while venting pressure through the Pressure Relief Valve (PRV) in the lid, may
occur faster than can be relieved through the PRV and may result in
catastrophic damage to the unit, property, and users. Always ensure
adequate pressure relief is attached to the unit and gradual pressure
increases are monitored and regulated.
WARNIN G
DO NOT expose the tank to temperatures above 50°C (122°F) or below -
2°C (28.5°F)
DO NOT apply more than 2.4 bar (35 psi) to the Apollo
UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE
DO NOT use caustic soda or strong acids, as they will deteriorate the
plastic material of the tank
DO NOT use steel-wool or abrasive scrubbers.
For scrubbing protein residues, use of soft sponges is recommended
NEVER connect to an unregulated pressure source
If you connect to an external pressure source; ensure it has an
independent pressure release valve (PRV).
ONLY use the WHITE, Purple or Blue PRV supplied by Keg King on the
pressure lid
DO NOT use the tank under pressure if it has been physically damaged
e.g. dropped on the ground
The tank is pressure tested at production and is marked with a date for
retesting. If past the marked date, ensure that the tank undergoes a
hydrostatic pressure test before further usage under pressure.
Please read the entire manual before operating.
Apollo Snub Nose User Manual
Page 3 of 8
https://www.kegking.com.au
Keg King is a registered business name of MCH Australia Pty Ltd
Table of Contents
Warnings and General Safety ................................................................................................................................... 2
Keg King....................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 5
Features.................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Fermenter Assembly .................................................................................................................................................. 6
General Operation ...................................................................................................................................................... 7
Leak Test ................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Cleaning and Sanitation......................................................................................................................................... 7
Fermentation........................................................................................................................................................... 7
Gen 3 Cooling Coils.................................................................................................................................................... 8
Gen 3 CIP Cleaning Kit.............................................................................................................................................. 8
Gen 3 Cleaning Kit Operation............................................................................................................................... 8
Storage.......................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Apollo Snub Nose User Manual
Page 4 of 8
https://www.kegking.com.au
Keg King is a registered business name of MCH Australia Pty Ltd
Keg King
Whether you're a brewer or someone wanting to put drinks on tap in your own home, cafe or office, Keg
King offers beverage creation and keg dispense solutions for amateurs and pros!
We don't just sell products, we innovate, design and manufacture our equipment to bring your beverage
ambitions to life!
Our brands include:
•King Kegs, our Australian Made P.E.T. kegs
•Apollo P.E.T. Pressure Fermenters & Unitanks
•KegMaster™Kegerators
•Atomic 15 Brewery Cleaners
•UltraTap Twist FC Faucets
•Spundy spunding valves
•the KegMaster™Solstice Fridge
•and more!
Check the resellers map on our website to find where our products are available in North America, UK,
EU, Aus, NZ and South Africa.
https://www.kegking.com.au/retailers
Since 2009, Keg King’s mission is to make the best brewing & dispensing equipment in the world!
Check out our helpful instructional videos on the Keg King YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/c/KegKingvideos
Enjoy your Apollo P.E.T. fermenter
Apollo Snub Nose User Manual
Page 5 of 8
https://www.kegking.com.au
Keg King is a registered business name of MCH Australia Pty Ltd
Introduction
The Apollo P.E.T. Fermenters are our newest UniTank and closed-bottom Snub Nose variety. Pressure
Fermenters. Made in Australia and individually pressure tested, these tanks offer more convenient single
batch capacity and boast a larger tank opening for ergonomic handling and cleaning. The UniTank variety
utilise our new centralized plunger valve offering more sanitary yeast harvesting and more accurate
temperature control due to the centralized thermowell. The floating dip tube design can now be attached
to the thermowell/plunger valve, allowing for cleaner and clearer beer transfer from the centre of the tank.
Compared to Butterfly Dump Valves, the plunger valve option on the unitank versions is easier to
disassemble and clean. It is an overall more sanitary dump valve, and we believe that it will help brewers
brew even better beer than before since sanitation is key to brewing great beer in the first place. Much
like a bung or sink plug, the Plunger Valve closes off the bottom of the fermenter by being pushed in from
the top. The seal is airtight, ensuring nothing enters or leaves the bottom hole of the tank. Pulling the
Plunger Valve up opens the bottom of the tank, allowing yeast slurry and vegetal matter to fall through.
It’s that easy. We recommend fermenting with the valve open to start.
Made from BPA-free, bottle-grade PET plastic, the unitank itself is pressure-rated at 5 bar, making it the
safest vessel of its size for pressure fermentation. Fermenting under pressure has its benefits, including low
ester formation, less dependence on temperature control, oxygen-free transfer and beer that is near-
carbonated after fermentation. For homebrewers and small batch brewers, pressure fermentation allows
for faster fermentation times.
Features
•Made from BPA-free, bottle-grade PET plastic
•Individually pressure tested
•Pressure-rated at 5 bar
•Large opening for handling and cleaning
•Available in 30 and 60 Litre, UniTank or Snub Nose varieties
Apollo Snub Nose User Manual
Page 6 of 8
https://www.kegking.com.au
Keg King is a registered business name of MCH Australia Pty Ltd
Fermenter Assembly
Out of the box, the Apollo lid has 4 ports available for use for:
•2x ball lock posts
•The PRV/dry-hop port
•The Thermowell / Central Plunger Valve port
1. Seat the PRV Housing and PRV O-ring into the PRV port.
2. Seat the PRV into the PRV Housing.
3. Place the SS Short Dip Tubes with O-rings through the ball lock post ports in the lid.
4. Insert a Universal Poppet into each ball lock post.
5. Tighten down the liquid and gas posts to the thread ball lock post ports on the lid (it does not
matter which side you choose to place the liquid or gas).
6. Slide the top end of the Silicone Dip Tube onto the SS dip tube under the Liquid Ball Lock Post.
7. Screw the thermowell rod onto the bottom thread of the lid.
8. Screw on the neck ring to firmly hold down the lid assembly.
60L Neck Ring
(9555-2)
SS Short Dip Tube
with O -ring x 2
(9137-8)
Liquid Ball Lock Post
(5229)
Gas Ball Lock Post
(5212)
PRV Housing
(9137-1)
60L Lid
(9555-1)
Poppets included
(4826)
PRV O-ring
Pressure Relief
Valve (PRV)
Thermowell
(9661)
Apollo Snub Nose User Manual
Page 7 of 8
https://www.kegking.com.au
Keg King is a registered business name of MCH Australia Pty Ltd
General Operation
Leak Test
It is important to check for leaks to ensure that all the parts are securely in place so that no beer is lost, and
the vessel can operate safely during fermentation. To do this:
1. Pressurise the tank to no higher than 20 psi.
2. Disconnect the gas line and detect for leaks using a spray bottle filled with foaming sanitiser or soapy
water around the seals and joins of the top and bottom assemblies.
3. To fix a leak, DEPRESSURISE the tank first before readjusting the fittings.
Cleaning and Sanitation
1. For cleaning, we recommend non-caustic products such as sodium percarbonate or our Atomic 15
ABC (Alkaline Brewery Cleaner product code 9006).
For easier cleaning, we recommend our Gen 3 CIP Cleaning Kit that attaches to the inside of your
Apollo Lid!
2. For sanitising your Apollo, it is best to go with non-rinse phosphoric-acid type sanitisers such as the
Atomic 15 Foaming Sanitiser (product code 9001) or something similar.
3. Do not use caustic soda or strong acids as they will deteriorate the plastic material of the tank.
4. Do not exceed temperatures above 50°C. PET is a soft plastic and will deform at higher temperatures.
5. For scrubbing protein residues, soft sponges are highly recommended.
DO NOT use steel-wool or abrasive scrubbers.
Fermentation
Wort should be chilled to below 30°C prior to transfer to the Apollo tank.
After pitching in the yeast, close up the tank and ferment with controlled temperature and pressure.
To control Apollo’s internal pressure, we recommend attaching the Keg King spunding valve (9161) to an
MFL gas ball lock disconnect (8282 for plastic, 7797 for stainless steel) and affixing the spunding valve
set up to the gas ball lock post on the Apollo lid.
Temperature can be monitored through the thermowell. Simply insert a temperature control device
probe 6mm or under into the thermowell to gauge liquid temperature readings at any height within the
fermenting beverage.
During and after fermentation, hops can be added to the fermenter by de-pressurising and utilising the
dry-hop port for pellet hops. Once added, the tank can be purged and re-pressured with a regulated CO2
source.
Sampling from the fermenter can be easily done with the liquid-to-liquid transfer line (9183). Simply
connect one end to the liquid post and move the liquid out by pushing down on the internal pin of the
opposite disconnect. No additional CO2 is required as the fermenter is already pressurised.
When fermentation is complete, bring the temperature of the beverage down to cold crash the yeast and
increase beverage clarity. You can remove the spunding valve and attach a gas line to hold your desired
carbonation pressure when the liquid is cold.
If the internal gas pressure of the tank after fermentation was not enough to carbonate your beverage
entirely after cold crashing, attach a regulated CO2 source to the gas post to allow the beverage to finish
carbonating to your desired carbonation level.
Apollo Snub Nose User Manual
Page 8 of 8
https://www.kegking.com.au
Keg King is a registered business name of MCH Australia Pty Ltd
Gen 3 Cooling Coils
Inserting the Cooling Coil Kit is optional and for this reason, the ports for the Cooling Coil will need to be
manually drilled into the lid. To insert the cooling coils:
1. Drill two 13mm diameter holes through the indentations marked on the lid.
2. Protrude the Cooling Coil Posts from the bottom of the Apollo lid so that the male threads are facing
upward with the O-rings on the underside.
3. Secure each post by screwing the Cooling Coil Nut onto the male thread.
4. The Cooling Coil connects to the Gen 3 Lid by pushing the ends through the Cooling Coil Posts. Adjust
the seating level of the Cooling Coil to finish.
Gen 3 CIP Cleaning Kit
CIP stands for Clean in Place. Our optional Fermenter King Gen 3 Cleaning Kit includes the following
parts to provide brewers with a powerful CIP system for getting their tanks sparkling clean without
scrubbing. The required parts are:
•½ BSP Female Hose Barb (5717)
•½ BSP Stainless Steel Spray-ball (9162-2)
•2 meters of Silicone Tube Hose 12.5mm x 18.5 mm (5496)
•70W submersible pump (8051-1)
•15L bucket (8051-5)
Gen 3 Cleaning Kit Operation
1. Remove all fittings from the tank except the lid and neck ring and place them in the 15L bucket.
2. The pump comes pre-packed with a black hose barb. This is to be screwed onto the outlet of the
submersible pump. Place the pump in the middle of the bucket.
3. Attach the CIP Spray-ball to the underside of the lid.
4. Attach the ½ BSP female hose barb to the top side of the lid.
5. Link the silicone tubing from the barbed pump outlet to the barb at the top of the fermenter lid.
6. Fill the tank with 5 litres of warm water at no higher than 50°C and Atomic 15 ABC (9006) or other
recommended cleaner mixed to the recommended dosage.
7. Seat the bucket right underneath the tank.
8. Run the pump to drive the cleaning solution through the spray-ball until no fermentation residue is
noticeable on the interior surfaces of the tank.
9. Rinse with clean water.
Storage
After each fermentation, it is a best practice to clean and sanitise the Apollo fermenter, then store dry.
We recommend pressurising the tank to 10 psi and storing in a cool room away from sunlight. This ensures
that your tank stays free from oxygen and bacteria for up to 2 weeks.
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