Kegging in Canada

I was wondering what the experience was for some of you guys in Canada getting started kegging. I stopped in at one of the LHBS and found kegs for $50 and they are the only local source I have found.

How did some of you get set up? The brew store will sell me everything I need for $300 (incl. 1 keg, CO2 etc.) but that seemed a little pricy. Was it a similar cost? Is there a cheaper way to get CO2 tanks? I phoned around and so far it looks like the cheapest I can get is $110 for a full 5lb cylinder plus another $90 for a regulator.

I really want to get started kegging but don't want to pay more than I have to. Any advice you could give would be much appreciated.


PB

EDIT: Grammar

I don't think being in Canada has much to do with it, anyone that is remote from a big city with multiple sources to choose from either has to bite the bullet or start shopping the internet.

Have you tried paddock wood?

$300 might seem like a lot, but it's not far off the $249 my local shop charges.

I started with this and added more kegs and equipement once our local brew club got organised.

Kegging is illegal in Canada. I think it's called the Molson/Labatt Law!:fro:

I'm a Canadian transplant living in the U.S. I just went back up North last month.

You can get a good set up from an American distributer for $150 U.S. With the Canadian dollar so strong you should look at this option! I'm sure even with shipping and the exchange rate, you'll come in under 200 bucks.

Check out:

www.northernbrewer.com
www.austinhomebrew.com
www.kegworks.com
www.homebrewing.org

Good luck!

Assuming you are talking Canadian dollars, those aren't much different from what I would call a reasonable price ordering from an online source. I wouldn't bother buying a new CO2 tank, most places around here swap them every time. The plus side of swapping, is you never have to worry about hydrostatic testing. Some places that do refills are sticky about bottles that are overdue for testing.

Here's a bare bones kit for $89 US. http://www.homebrewing.org/Homebrew-Kegging-System_p_24-69.html

You can get cheap kegs here... http://www.homebrewing.org/5-Gallon-Cornelious-Keg-Ball-Lock_p_0-70.html

Well, it does suck trying to get kegging equipment in Canada. I was lucky and managed to find someone local that had 3 pin lock kegs for $60 CND (for all 3). I was also lucky that kegworks.com is just over the boarder. Where I picked up 2 complete faucet set ups(faucet, shank, nipple, handle) and a 10 lb CO2 tank for $170 USD, and a couple other small things. Also managed to pick up a dual regulator on ebay, located in Canada(cheap shipping, no tax and duty) for $54. So I am just looking at about $300, but with 2 keg set up, and a cheap way to go to 3. So I suggest you just keep looking, craigslist, ebay, local classifieds... There is a good chance that you will eventually find a good deal on most if not all of the parts you need.

Wup

I bought a Boil keg from Sabco in the US..$70...after shipping it was $105..then got nailed with the customs duty of $40!!!

I am happy with the product, but be ware of the customs brokerage fees if ordering from the US. Maybe you can ask before you order as I am sure the supply shop would have gotten some feedback on the fees.

I have ordered ingredients from Padockwood and am very satisfied with their prices, shipping an customer service.

Cheers.

I got mine from Dan's homebrew supply in Vancouver for $30 each.

Local place here in Kelowna wants $65!!! Egad!

Pepsi in some areas is getting rid of their kegs and replacing them with a syrup in a box system. I thknk I may just go down and try and talk to someone there. Phoning down was a joke casue you talk to people who don't know anything.

How much is shipping of a keg form the US? Though about buying form adventures in brewing as per the link in post # 5.

Using some of the shipping calculators on ebay, I think it is about $20 to ship it up to me. The duty, taxes, and brokerage fees are what I don't like about ordering from the states. I think I might just foot the bill and go local, at least for one keg. This way I can get troubleshooting advice and I can give the extra money to a local businessman instead of the government.

I wouldn't mind buying an old soda keg and fixing it up but they seem to be hard to get. The LHBS gets their kegs from Grande Prairie, maybe the distributer there still has some soda kegs to sell. A five hour drive is a little much for me though.

At this point, price is becoming less important. I just want my beer in a keg! It is my birthday this weekend, maybe I can score some funding then.

Cheers,
Paul

Found out that 4 kegs shipped via us air mail is about 120 US total. No broker fees with us post but UPS charges a fortune.


Update on Dan's homebrewing supplies. Now $48 cause he had to switch to a new supplier. Damn!

Axegod said:

I bought a Boil keg from Sabco in the US..$70...after shipping it was $105..then got nailed with the customs duty of $40!!!

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I'm sure that at least $35 of that $40 was actually for 'brokerage fees' from UPS or FedEx, not duty. I always get stuff sent by USPS, never courier companies.

Mikey said:

I'm sure that at least $35 of that $40 was actually for 'brokerage fees' from UPS or FedEx, not duty. I always get stuff sent by USPS, never courier companies.

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I will look at the bill again to see what it was....I hope I can find it.

Yeah UPS is the worst of all. I ordered a rod and reel years ago form cabella's and the brkerage fees cost more than the rod and reel. Customs shcrges came to seperately form Canada Customs in the mail and were failry cheap.

I've got one possible sourc have to check into for kegs, if that doesn;t fly I think I'll order them form the palce that charges $15us. Even with shipping and exchange it's still works out to $30 per keg if you order 4. They said to make a note that you want it shipped US Post or airmail, not UPS.

Here in Fredericton I went to the local Cash and Carry, which is a warehouse for retailer to buy candy, pop etc....

I stopped in and asked about the empty returned Kegs...Since they were empty they charged me the deposit price for them.........$10.

NICE

IGOR

Igorstien said:

Here in Fredericton I went to the local Cash and Carry, which is a warehouse for retailer to buy candy, pop etc....

I stopped in and asked about the empty returned Kegs...Since they were empty they charged me the deposit price for them.........$10.

NICE

IGOR

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Technically, you're now in possession of stolen property. Those kegs did not belong to the Cash and Carry, they had no legal right to 'sell' them to you.

Not nice.

Well, in a way, getting unathourized kegs form the mega breweries isn't so hard to swallow. They've been ripping us off for years buy calling what they produce "Beer".

Besides, I've been offered kegs at deposit price from beer reps. Also, they will sell you another breweries kegs and don't feel so bad about it.

That said.... it's is technically theft. But if an authorized depot was to sell them at deposit price then I'm in. They are an authorised destributor after all.

Just ordered 4 form adventurs in homebrewing. Will let you know if I get any customs charges. Had them sent US post airmail.

Mikey said:

Technically, you're now in possession of stolen property. Those kegs did not belong to the Cash and Carry, they had no legal right to 'sell' them to you.

Not nice.

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And you care, because.....????????????????

Dennys Fine Consumptibles said:

Just ordered 4 form adventurs in homebrewing. Will let you know if I get any customs charges. Had them sent US post airmail.

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You should ask them about writing used on the product information. If I understand correctly, you shouldn't get duty charges for used materials...Only for new items.....So if customs believes the units are new they may charge you....etc. etc........blah, blah, blah....

IGOR

I'll phone tomorrow and see if they have shipped it yet. If not I'll ask them to write used on the bill. Thnaks.

How much was sjipping on the 4 kegs to Canada?

wup said:

How much was sjipping on the 4 kegs to Canada?

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for 4 kegs:

USPS Ground service: $40us
USPS Air Mail" $60us

I opted for airmail.

So $60 for kegs and $60 for shipping equels $120US. Still cheaper than buying locally. In fact about half the price.

Denny,

I was wondering if you keg arried yet. What was the duty you had to pay on them? Did it work to say that they were used?

Cheers,
Paul

Haven't go them yet. Sent them out two weeks ago this coming Tuesday/Wednesday. SO about a week and a half a go. They were supposed to go by airmail which is about 5 working days to Canada, but they could be stuck in customs. Hopefully here this week!

I hope you do better with FedEx/UPS than I did. I won a set of wheels for my car on eBay.

Shipping from Orlando FL to Montreal $50.00 (not bad)
Import duties $0.00
GST $0.00
PST $0.00
Brokerage fees from UPS $82.49

Farking Bastiges!

Sent it US Post, AiIr Mail. Shouldn't be any brokerage fees but shipping was higher and I've been waiting 10 days so far.

Igorstien said:

Here in Fredericton I went to the local Cash and Carry, which is a warehouse for retailer to buy candy, pop etc....

I stopped in and asked about the empty returned Kegs...Since they were empty they charged me the deposit price for them.........$10.

NICE

IGOR

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Hi everybody!

I am looking for used keg ( EURO form ) 20L, 30L and 50L with the quantity of around 1,000 pcs each type of keg. If you know a supplier then please help to inform me.

Thanks/ Vo Hoang Son

Dennys Fine Consumptibles said:

Sent it US Post, AIr Mail. Shouldn;t be any brokerage fees but shipping was higher and I've been waiting 10 days so far.

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Ah, USPS that's different. Good move on your part. If Canada Customs do snag the parcel, their brokerage fees are $5.00.

Of course they are as slow as snails. Glas I didn;t choose "ground" which can take 4-6 weeks.

If the kegs aren't here by wednesday I'll phone and see if they have any way of tracking the shipment.

Hey Denn, you get these yet?

I bought my kegging system complete with 2 new kegs (ball lock) regulator (double guage), 5 Lb al tank, double draft tower. Fridge and fittings/hoses
at my LHBS for $650 CDN. tax in.
In reality it didn't cost me anything as I gave up smoking and this was my reward.
It was paid for in a few months.

I then bought 5 used kegs from our local pepsi bottler, replaced all the gaskets and cleaned them out. I paid $23 CDN tax in for each keg.

I must see if I can score some more. One can never have too many kegs.

Chairman Cheyco said:

Hey Denn, you get these yet?

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Well, it seems I made the mistake of ordering wile they were in the middle of moving their business to a new location. Teir shipper screwed up and didn't ship till Oct 1st, then sent it ground (2-5 weeks to Canada) rather than air wich is 5 days or so. Did save me $25 in shipping but it could be another few fracking weeks.

They were very apologetic on the phone though.

I could really use those kegs. I've got 20 gallons to keg and only 3 kegs till those arrive. Plus I filter so I need one spare to do that.

BTW you back in Canada now?

Keep me updated, this is likely the route I'll be going next time I buy kegs.

Dennys Fine Consumptibles said:

BTW you back in Canada now?

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I was for a while, I'm on a rig in Cuba now...