2 taps on the keezer, or 3?

My wife gave me the okay to build a keezer :rockin: I've been putting a list of parts together, and I'm undecided on whether to use 2 taps or 3. The keezer will hold 5 cornies once I get the collar built. I'd eventually like to use some of that space to lager, since my wife really likes schwarzbier.

Anyway, I definitely don't need 5 taps, but I'm not sure if I should go with 2 or 3. I'm the only drinker in the house, right now, and I have between 3 and 10 beers a week. When my wife finishes nursing our baby, she'll probably have 2 or 3 beers a week. Figure in the occasional guest, and we're probably at a max of about 14 beers a week, or one keg every 3 to 4 weeks.

If I have 3 on tap, I could end up taking up to 3 months to empty a keg if I drink from them equally. I don't know if that's too long--I've seen differing opinions on how long a keg of homebrew can last. However, I like the idea of having a variety on tap. Maybe I just need to have more parties. What would you guys and gals do?

Drink more beer. 3 beers a day seems in order.

First off, if you going to lager in the same space, are you prepared to drink ales at 34F? That's flavor destroyingly cold for an ale. For the amount you drink, two taps sounds like plenty, that's all I have. Two different beers on tap is diverse enough for me. Plus, I always have 4 or 5 conditioning in another freezer I can drink if the urge hits me.

wildwest450, I have my beer fridge set at 45 right now. I hadn't planned on dropping the keezer to 34 to lager, but was thinking that maybe I could split the difference and keep the keezer at 40. Honestly, though, I haven't looked into what the effects of lagering at a higher temperature will be.

RyanK2, right now drinking more isn't a good option for me. I've actually been looking into brewing more lower ABV beers, because I've been enjoying the flavor more than the buzz lately. Taking care of a screaming baby isn't fun with a hangover.

What's wrong with just one tap? I have two but usualy only use one. These guys with the 5-8 taps just seams like overkill. I don't think I have the time to brew enough to keep 5-8 taps going.

I vote 3 for variety:

Schwarzbier
Flavor of the month
Apfelwein

3 taps.

wildwest - can't you just let the beer come up to temp after the pour? delays drinking a bit, but not by much...

Just took delivery on my 7.0 ft3 GE. Starting cheep with one party tap, and will eventually expand to 2 taps to avoid spending major $$$ right away and aggravating the Boss.....

Gotta believe that 2 or 3 taps is plenty unless you're supplying a fraternity!

I would go for 3. For me, variety is very important. Just because it's there doesn't mean it HAS to be hooked up, but at least you have the option.

maida7, how would having 5-8 taps make you brew any more often? You drink 5 gallons, you brew 5 gallons, it's not like the 5-8 kegs would go as fast as your 1.

Sol said:

I vote 3 for variety:

Schwarzbier
Flavor of the month
Apfelwein

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Ditto. Drinking it yourself is a reason for MORE taps IMO. This way you don't have to drink 5G straight of the same thing. You at least have variety for those couple months.

I can tell you one isn't enough. I usually have at least 2 going, when its cold out I use my garage as a kegerator and add 2-3 more. I figure if you are doing the work go big or go home. Put 4 taps in I don't think that we have a rule that says all taps must be in use

IrregularPulse said:

Ditto. Drinking it yourself is a reason for MORE taps IMO. This way you don't have to drink 5G straight of the same thing. You at least have variety for those couple months.

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+1 I started out having just one beer on tap and found myself wanting a variety of beers when I was downstairs in my bar area. That and not everyone I have over always wanted what I had on tap. Now I've got 3 on tap, and I think it works out perfectly. Good variety for everyone. Plus, you'd be surprised how quickly you can go through a 5G keg.

i put 4 on my kegerator and still i use a cobra tap on the 2 kegs in the lagering freezer for variety.

motobrewer said:

3 taps.

wildwest - can't you just let the beer come up to temp after the pour? delays drinking a bit, but not by much...

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That's one option.

Scimmia said:

I would go for 3. For me, variety is very important. Just because it's there doesn't mean it HAS to be hooked up, but at least you have the option.

maida7, how would having 5-8 taps make you brew any more often? You drink 5 gallons, you brew 5 gallons, it's not like the 5-8 kegs would go as fast as your 1.

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As soon as I put something on tap it gets drank fast. With one on tap we tend to supplement more with store bought beers. If I have 2 beers on tap then we just drink twice as much home brew. If I had 5 beers on tap I'd go thru my entire reserve in less then a month. Heck, one party and my friends would clear me out. Actually, I almost never have 5 kegs full at any time to put on tap.

Obviously, beer gets consumed in my house much faster then I can brew it. By limiting it to one tap at a time, I can stall enough to age some of the stronger beers for 1-3 months. I have a scotch ale that I'm trying to wait on a bit. One tap is a key strategy for me. If that scotch ale was already on tap it would not make it.

If it was me i would do three.

it is better to have three and only need two most of the time, than to have two and always need three.

I take it from the responses that it's not a problem to have a keg tapped for 2 to 3 months (assuming I clean the lines every couple of weeks)? Is that right, or is there just not anyone here who takes as long as I might to go through one?

If you aren't a heavy drinker/partier I recommend going with 2 taps, but a 3-4 distributor. That way you can have two on tap with a 3rd and/or 4th conditioning/carbing up. If you host a lot of parties go with at least 3.

I ordered a 2-tap kit from kegconnection.com and the distributor they gave me had a plug in a 3rd hole. I simply removed the plug and added another shut-off valve. Now I have 2 on tap and a third carbing up. I even cheat and use a picnic tap on the 3rd one to sample it while I'm waiting for one of my other 2 kegs to kick it. Good luck with your build.

loctones said:

I take it from the responses that it's not a problem to have a keg tapped for 2 to 3 months (assuming I clean the lines every couple of weeks)? Is that right, or is there just not anyone here who takes as long as I might to go through one?

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I only clean the lines if I'm switching between different beer styles, and even then not all that often. Chances are your local hole in the wall pub doesn't even bother. Place I tended the distributor was supposed to clean the lines. Like that ever happened.

If the system is sealed and the beer doesn't have contaminants you'll be fine just cleaning the lines when the keg kicks. Go with as many as you can fit, room wise.

Thanks, all. I'm going to price everything out tonight. If I can spare the extra money for the third tap, I'm going to get it. Otherwise, I'll get the system ready for 3, and just use a picnic tap for the third beer, if I need it. The 3rd tap will come as a birthday present or something at a later date.

I own 6 corny kegs and have a 2 tap kegerator. The variety is very nice, but I do find myself only haveing one keg tapped quite often. Are you planning on having the tappers hooked up to the front of the freezer door, or will they be on top with a tower? If you are attaching them with a tower on top you can save money with a dual tap tower, not sure if I've seen one with three tappers on a single tower.

I had this very same consideration when I started too.

Ended up with 6 taps.

I'm fairly certain I have read that unpasteurized beer lasts 2-3 months in a keg with CO2.

steinsato said:

I'm fairly certain I have read that unpasteurized beer lasts 2-3 months in a keg with CO2.

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Speaking from experience, it lasts much longer than that. I've had kegs some kegs for over a year with no issues at all.

Now that you mention it, when your lagering/conditioning beer in kegs, sometimes you let them sit for up to a year. I guess there really isn't a difference between letting a beer lager for a year or having in on tap for a year.

I have a 3 tap tower. I wish I had more. 6 would be perfect.

I put three taps on my keez when I built it.

I recently moved into a new apt with the Lady.

Looking at my keez in my office, I said "I think I'm going to go with a smaller kegerator to save some space."

She looks at me and says "You said this thing could have SIX taps. Won't it be cheaper just to add the last three taps?"

If your kegerator will hold 5 taps, I say go with 5!

bad coffee said:

She looks at me and says "You said this thing could have SIX taps. Won't it be cheaper just to add the last three taps?"

!

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I would say she's a keeper!

If the keezer fits 5, put a plan together (spacing, liquid and gas lines, etc.) that will accommodate 5. Then purchase at least 1 initally (I would go with 3), and upgrade later if you wish.

jeffmeh said:

If the keezer fits 5, put a plan together (spacing, liquid and gas lines, etc.) that will accommodate 5. Then purchase at least 1 initally (I would go with 3), and upgrade later if you wish.

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That is exactly what I did. I started with 3 and left a spot for a 4th. About a year later, the 4th tap went in, and I'm glad I did it.





-Joe

I priced everything out last night, and I was able to swing the 3rd tap, so I went ahead and ordered all the parts for 3 taps, with a setup that'll accommodate a 4th down the road.

I told my wife that I was going to have to start brewing to fill it up (we have a busy couple of weekends ahead), and she said "Why don't you just build the kegerator, instead?" I guess that's a fair trade. I'll only have 1 on tap to start, but that's just fine. I've been wanting a kegerator for years, so I'm stoked.

My local brewpub will fill corny kegs for me. You could look into that. That way you can have a couple different beers on tap even though you haven't had time to brew. I just call ahead, sanitize the keg then drop it off overnight. They usually have it filled, carbonated and chilled for me the next afternoon.

Congrats! Drinking your own brew is awesome, but there's nothing like pulling your own from a tap

-Joe

I vote for 3. I have 4, but I think 3 is perfect. I always have a stout on tap, then a mild/house ale and then the 3rd tap for something seasonal .

mattjmac said:

If you aren't a heavy drinker/partier I recommend going with 2 taps, but a 3-4 distributor. That way you can have two on tap with a 3rd and/or 4th conditioning/carbing up.

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To quote that Guiness advertisement...."Brilliant". Never thought of going that route with the third distributor line.

loctones said:

I priced everything out last night, and I was able to swing the 3rd tap, so I went ahead and ordered all the parts for 3 taps, with a setup that'll accommodate a 4th down the road.

I told my wife that I was going to have to start brewing to fill it up (we have a busy couple of weekends ahead), and she said "Why don't you just build the kegerator, instead?" I guess that's a fair trade. I'll only have 1 on tap to start, but that's just fine. I've been wanting a kegerator for years, so I'm stoked.

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Excellent. I have been using a 15 cu ft freezer, temp controller, and picnic taps in the basement, but I was able to get a great deal on a 4.9 cu ft Vissani kegerator, that I can keep on the main floor. I wanted three taps, but at this price two was a reasonable concession. Have fun with it.