Buying kegging gear, am I missing anything?

So I am finally getting into kegging. This weekend I ordered a Kegerator:

Haier Kegerator HBF05EBSS-2 Keg Beer Cooler | BeverageFactory.com

This order includes - kegerator, 5 # co2 tank, tower, cheapo regulator

I am picking 4 rebuilt ball lock kegs from Chi Company, 4 ball lock barbed quick disconnect for gas, 4 ball lock barbed quick disconnects for liquid

I am planning to purchase these from Micromatic:

Regulator - Beer Regulator - Dual Primary CO2 Regulator Battery

6 in 1 tool - Keg Beer 6 in 1 Combo Wrench


I know I also need to get some beer lines for liquid and gas, what size should I be using and am I missing anything else?

Liquid Line: Beer Line Hose, Clear Vinyl 50'

Gas Line: Beer Line Hose, Red Vinyl

I'd say you're on target!

It might be a little late...but I recommend the threaded disconnects. (at least one set)

If you use the threaded disconnects...you can use the Tailpeice adapters to connect to Sankey D or S type, Grundy G type, German A type Slider, Guinness U type...couplers for commercial brews as well.

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=5846




One of these little beauts will come in handy when you want to transport some brew...

The Carbonater :: Midwest Supplies Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies

You just wash out a PET plastic soda bottle...fill with homebrew...install the cap. Depress the poppet valve and squeeze out the air...then connect to your Ball Lock gas connector...and "POOMMMPP" it's pressurized to maintain the carbonation until serving time.

And eventually, you'll want some BLC (beer line cleaner) to keep up with rinsing out the liquid lines to remove beerstone, etc..

CK-1P 1 Quart Beer Line Cleaning Hand Pump Kit | BeverageFactory.com


Enjoy your new rig! Looks sweet!!

Thanks for the info, I will get BLC from Micromatic since BF order has already been placed. Carbonater looks fun but I already have Tap-A-Draft system that I will use as a backup.

I am confused as to why you are getting 4 liquid and 4 gas quick disconnects when you will only have 2 kegs on tap at a time.

OMJ said:

I am confused as to why you are getting 4 liquid and 4 gas quick disconnects when you will only have 2 kegs on tap at a time.

Click to expand...

Backup , my kegerator is big enough to hold 5 # co2 tank + 3 cornies, 2 of which will be tapped. 3rd corny can be sitting there conditioning. Should I just get 3 sets?

Let me tell you why newbies make mistakes. They get into something, see a lot of new terminalogy and get overwhelmed and make mistakes. Its the nature of all of us in everything we do. It can be kegging or switching to all grain.

I am a newb to kegging and even with my research I still ask a question just to be sure I dont make any mistakes. I am investing a lot of money into my setup and want to get it done right.

I wouldnt get any more qds than kegs you are going to have on tap. So for now I would just get 2 sets. Save the money for now until you are ready to add a 3rd tap to the setup.

Thanks, I will stay with 3 I guess just to be safe. I'm dropping a more than a g on the whole setup, I'm trying to cover it from every angle. Saving cost of extra set of quick connects over whole sum is is nothing compared to the whole setup. I am prepared to buy extra stuff to cover my back.

I find you can never have too many disconnects on hand.

I hooked a gas one up to an extra pressure gauge so I can check pressures on kegs.

I hooked up two liquids with a cartridge filter housing between for filtering cider

I keep an extra liquid hooked up to a picnic faucet for emergencies...

I have five primary regulators...two secondary regulators... a manifold with three shutoffs...all have gas connects.

Jumper for Jockey box...Liquid to tailpiece jumper.

Oh...I wish I had a few more...

Pivzavod said:

Regulator - Beer Regulator - Dual Primary CO2 Regulator Battery
6 in 1 tool - Keg Beer 6 in 1 Combo Wrench

Click to expand...

Those 2 things (as well as the gas and liquid lines) can all be bought cheaper if you just tack them on to your beveragefactory order instead of buying them from micromatic:

Keg tool: 6 in 1 Combination Draft Beer Faucet Wrench | BeverageFactory.com

Dual primary regulator: Dual Primary CO2 Beer Regulator Battery - Premium, Two Product | BeverageFactory.com

Gas line (per foot.. just up the qty to get a single piece of longer length): Vinyl Beer Air Line - 1 ft. of 5/16" I.D. Hose, Blue | BeverageFactory.com

Liquid line (same deal as gas): Beer Line - 1 ft. of 3/16" I.D. Hose, Clear Thermoplastic Super Vinyl | BeverageFactory.com

How long should gas / liquid line be in my setup?

Gas doesn't matter. just as long as it needs to be.

Beer line should be about 10 feet if the serving pressure is at 10 psi and the beer is at ~40* F

Pivzavod said:

How long should gas / liquid line be in my setup?

Click to expand...

Gas line should just be as long as you need it to be. The beer line is another story, you'll need to balance the lines to give the proper line resistance for your serving pressure. Here's a page on that

Troubleshooting Draft Beer Systems for Line Balance Troubles.

As a quick rule of thumb, 5' of 3/16" tubing works for a serving PSI of 12 or so.

Thanks all, I modified my BF order which didnt ship yet and also placed order with CHI. The only thing left to buy is some Perlicks which I will probably get from AHS