Scored 6 pin lock cornies for $60 last night...

...and there is a good chance I'll be getting a full 20lb CO2 tank for $50 (CDN $)



I should be kegging by the New Year. Can't wait. I'm tired of bottling.

Kevin K said:

...and there is a good chance I'll be getting a full 20lb CO2 tank for $50 (CDN $)



I should be kegging by the New Year. Can't wait. I'm tired of bottling.

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Good score, bottling sucks. Keep a few cases of bottles just in case

Alright. Dilemna time.

Turns out that 20lb bottle is $100 CDN (filled). It has been inspected and is certified for 5 years. It is used however (no big deal).

I can buy a NEW 5lb tank for $90 filled.
The advantage of the small tank is I can fit it in my small bar fridge. (same size as Sanyo 49**).

Should I just bite the bullet and get the big tank, and convert my old (big) fridge into a kegorator? Or get the small tank and use the small fridge as a kegerator (but be limited to 2 kegs)?

Decisions decisions!

...or, you could get the big tank and keep the bottle outside.

I'd get the 20 - 5 pounds doesn't last as long as you think

I don't know what the ROI (Return On Investment) price is, but a kegging friend of mine recommends renting the tank versus buying because they have to be re-certified every 5 years (and you have to pay for that too). If it is time to refill and is not certified then the refiller can refuse to refill it. With renting it's the owners responsibility to re-cert. You just exchange tanks like you do with propane. One less hassle in my book.

Does anyone have any input on that?

homebrewer_99 said:

...a kegging friend of mine recommends renting the tank versus buying

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Ya, if you can put a deposit down on the bottle and just exchange it, that's the way to go - and you can usually upgrade for a small fee too. Usually the deposit is just about the same price as buying the bottle, but the exchange thing makes it worth it IMHO.

I'm lucky - a good buddy of mine works at a place that keeps tanks for customers. When mine gets low, he brings me a new one to keep until mine is empty. And it's less than $10 to refill a 10# tank too!!

It pays to have a friend in the business...

Not many places in my area use the rental (deposit) model. I've stopped by a few places and they make you BUY a tank, which they will exchange for similar filled ones. I suppose the only difference is that they do not guarentee that they will take the tank back and return your deposit. This is the same as propane actually because once you buy it, there's no returning for a refund.

Bobby_M said:

Not many places in my area use the rental (deposit) model. I've stopped by a few places and they make you BUY a tank, which they will exchange for similar filled ones. I suppose the only difference is that they do not guarentee that they will take the tank back and return your deposit. This is the same as propane actually because once you buy it, there's no returning for a refund.

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Yeah, I guess you are right. My concern was transferring the responsibility of the pressure testing, etc, to the gas supplier...

All-right, share your corny source with fellow Canucks you bastard!

PS I got a 20# tank and really like it - Fill and forget!

I know the girl that runs the local community club. She doesn't care whether she gets her $10 deposit back from Coke, or from me, so she's letting me take them.
If it wasn't such a pain in the ass, I'd offer to ship some, but I'd imagine you could strike up a similar deal with just about any small community club/legion etc locally.

Works for me!

Now, about that tank...gotta sell the wife on that one. She doesn't want me spending all kinds of extra cash on beer equipment at Christmas time...

Kevin K said:

Now, about that tank...gotta sell the wife on that one. She doesn't want me spending all kinds of extra cash on beer equipment at Christmas time...

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Well, she still has to buy YOU a present, right?

My wife just rolled her eyes when I told her I wanted a propane burner for my birthday...

Nice scores. Go for the 20#. Buy those tanks while you can. Lots of companies are getting out of the cornies business and going the bag-in-the-box route. As far as tank swapping, I have found welding supply shops often simply swap your empty for their full. Check it out and see if anybody does it in your area.

Well it's finally coming together.

I've got all my taps/lines/fittings/cornies. Just need to finally go get that 20#'er tomorrow and I'm in business.

Only a year behind schedule.