I have a cask breather (Nordgren) and have used it on occasion. Indeed, the breather goes in between your CO2 tank and the vented spile. Make sure the breather is always above the cask, mounted on a wall if you can. My breather works vertically - gas in from the regulator to the top hose barb, gas out to the cask from the bottom. Connect the bottom gas out line to the hose barb on the vented spile (which should have a pressure valve built in). If you weren't hooked up properly, you wouldn't be able to pull a pint at all. If there's resistance when you pull then something isn't right. Since you seem to be able to pull a pint OK, it sounds like you're set up fine for dispensing. Don't know why your CO2 would run out so quickly unless you have the bottle opened all the time. The vented spile also doubles as a hard spile, so you should have a decent blanket of CO2 on the beer when you're not dispensing. This may sound basic, but never connect the breather until you're done with normal soft and hard spiling. When you're satisfied with the condition and are ready to serve, hook up the unit. Steve Hamburg -----Original Message----- From: Chicago Beer Society Home Brewer List [mailto:CBS-HB@LISTSERV.UIC.EDU] On Behalf Of Jeff Evans Sent: Monday, August 23, 2004 9:16 PM To: CBS-HB(a)LISTSERV.UIC.EDU Subject: Jeff's first cask ale Hello everyone, I don't know why you'd care, but here's a little update on my first batch of beer (ever), and more importantly, a question. How it worked out: My first batch came out fairly well - I was trying to avoid an overly bitter hoppiness and overdid it - but for my first batch I'll consider it a success (I'm giving myself permission to not be great at my first attempt). Nice and malty, but a bit too sweet. Nice caramelly color, 1.060 OG, 1.018 FG - 5.7%abv. The question (eventually): I bought a beer engine and a firkin, because my goal is to make a cask ale. I got a 5 lb. tank of CO2. I racked the beer into the firkin on Saturday and hooked up the CO2 for blanket pressure. The guy I spoke with at the CO2 supplier was very nice, but didn't know what a firkin was, and the cask breather that I bought from Banner Beer did not come with instructions. I'm assuming that I've hooked up the CO2 incorrectly, as my regulator tells me the tank is already empty, and I can hear a little bit of vacuum sucking some air back into the firkin after I pull a pint. If anyone can guide me with as much detail as possible how the CO2 system should be set up, I'd appreciate it. - Does the breather simply go in between the tank and the (piece of the assembly that looks like a) spile with a piece of gas tubing on either side? - My low pressure regulator is set at 2 lbs. - that's right, isn't it? - any internet instructions out there? Thanks for any help. This newbie needs it. Jeff Evans