I already have a kegerator at my house. So what would be involved (Cost and equipment) to keg my homemade brew instead of bottling it. Since I am going to have to buy bottles anyway, I was thinking I could just keg it.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
kegging question
- Thread starter tim1970
- Start date
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You need a couple corny kegs ($20 each) and a set of gas in/beer out connectors for every tap you want running at the same time. That's it. If you can fit 2 cornies in your kegger, that's a total of about $50 to get started.
sirsloop
Well-Known Member
Is your current setup rigged for sanke kegs currently? I'm assuming you already have CO2, regulator, gas/beer lines, shanks, and faucets?
Depending on what you want to do, you'll need new ball lock/pin lock taps for cornie kegs, the cornie kegs themselves...
If you want to add on to your current setup, add on a gas manifold to T off the gas, more gas and beer line, shanks, and faucets. ...thats it...
Figure 30 bucks a keg after shipping, replacing the o-rings, and lubing, $12 a set for taps. Lines could run around 10 bucks, shanks are like 20 each, faucets are another $3-40 depending on what you get (cobra spicket, standard faucet, shirrons, etc).
Depending on what you want to do, you'll need new ball lock/pin lock taps for cornie kegs, the cornie kegs themselves...
If you want to add on to your current setup, add on a gas manifold to T off the gas, more gas and beer line, shanks, and faucets. ...thats it...
Figure 30 bucks a keg after shipping, replacing the o-rings, and lubing, $12 a set for taps. Lines could run around 10 bucks, shanks are like 20 each, faucets are another $3-40 depending on what you get (cobra spicket, standard faucet, shirrons, etc).
sirsloop said:
yes I already have CO2,regulator,refrigerated box,gas/beer lines, shanks and faucets. So to keep it simple, and only run one keg at a time, all I would need would be the keg(obviously) and a tap for a cornie keg? and I could optionally replace my gas and beer lines? Anything I am missing?
kornkob
Resident Crazy Uncle
Morebeer.com sells a sanky to corney conversion kit if you want a fast fix.
I used their quick releases for my beer lines and have been pretty happy with them. Mine's rigged up so I can swap in a commercial Sanky keg for those times I want to throw a quarter of commercial craft brew on tap for a party or some such.
I used their quick releases for my beer lines and have been pretty happy with them. Mine's rigged up so I can swap in a commercial Sanky keg for those times I want to throw a quarter of commercial craft brew on tap for a party or some such.
Another thing, after reading on this site and other places, it seems like all I would do after I keg, would be to place in coolbox and hook up co2 line. Let it sit at serving pressure for about a week, then I would be good to go. correct? If so I could get some type of
'T' connector for my tank and have one tank tapped, while a second tank is hooked up to the CO2, but not tapped. Then when #1 was empty, I would have keg #2 ready to go. By doing it this way, would there ever be a chance of over-carboninating?
'T' connector for my tank and have one tank tapped, while a second tank is hooked up to the CO2, but not tapped. Then when #1 was empty, I would have keg #2 ready to go. By doing it this way, would there ever be a chance of over-carboninating?
sirsloop
Well-Known Member
good idea...
yeah just get taps, a cornie keg, and those quick disconnects. If you have a fridge large enough for a 1/2 keg you can probably run 2-4 cornie kegs in that same space. If one is enough for you, thats cool... but it sounds like you have room to run multiple beers at once.
yeah just get taps, a cornie keg, and those quick disconnects. If you have a fridge large enough for a 1/2 keg you can probably run 2-4 cornie kegs in that same space. If one is enough for you, thats cool... but it sounds like you have room to run multiple beers at once.
sirsloop
Well-Known Member
You really should carbonate at serving temps. You will need higher pressures to get the same level of carbonation at room temps, which will require a secondary regulator. PITFA IMHO.
sirsloop said:
I was planning on carbinating at serving temps. What I would do is keep one keg in the box that is tapped, and then another non-tapped keg, but hooked up to the co2 line in the box to be ready for when the first runs out. That is why I was concerned with over-carbinating.
sirsloop
Well-Known Member
sounds good if you ask me...
tim1970 said:
If there is time between the first and second keg, I would prime the keg with priming sugar (like you do for bottling). Expect a 3 week wait and then hookup at serving pressure. You'll save some CO2 this way too.
Would it be possible, to fill a keg, then purge off O2, then put in about 12 lbs of CO2, then unhook gas line, and store in my kegerator? keep it like this for 1 - 2 weeks until I am ready for it, and when the keg I am currently drinking goes dry, I can just hook up my CO2 again, adjust down to serving pressure and go. In other words, does it hurt to store a pressurized filled keg?
sirsloop
Well-Known Member
its actually a good idea to purge the 02 and put some CO2 pressure in there for storage. Pressure helps seat the gaskets.
