Someone give me a gameplan-KEGS

Ok-
Ultimately, I would like to have nearly 4 revolving cornys in the house. I would also like to have at least 2 kegs on tap. Every set up I have seen to build a kegerator like this is nearly $600. Even though I seem to get wasted each weekend and blow this at the Blackjack table, I can't bring myself to pull the trigger. Someone give me a gameplan on how I can get the cheapest set up. Here is my best (cheapest) plan so far:

Buy set up for 2 kegs with picnic spout but only get one keg. Clear out bottom shelf of fridge in house. Simply keg this one and cool in fridge. Then next month get another keg. Next month get another keg. Then save $200 for fridge for kegerator.

OR should I skip kegerator and get a small freezer that can hould around 4 kegs and builder a Keezer?

I had a hard time justifying the cost as well.

I bought a 2-keg kit with picnic taps for about $210. That included 2 kegs, co2 tank, regulator, and all the fittings and hoses.

Then I searched and searched for a cheap chest freezer. Lowes had a 5.0cf on sale for $129 brand new, so i bought that. Built a temp controller for $30 for it, and that's it. $380

I open and close the lid when i want to fill up a beer. Not a big deal. You might check craiglist for a fridge or freezer. You'd be surprised what you can find for like $50

Frankly, I'd pull the trigger on a Craigslist Chest freezer and get kegging. Then again, I don't care much for gambling and I like drinking beer.

$100 chest freezer
$75 regulator
$80 5# CO2 Tank
$80 for 2 kegs
$75 for 2 faucets
$50 for odd and ends (hoses, connects, etc.)
= $460 Give or take

At the rate I drink my beer, I am satisfied with only having a third keg for conditioning.

i would say buy used kegs off ebay or check creigslist.. if u plan on using 4 kegs and want to have them all being used at once.. go buy a cheap fridge that u can throw them all in..

if u are trying to save money skip the kegerator and use that money toward the kegs and fridge or freezer..

if u go used it will help u save money...

but i check your local home appliance or any other store that sells appliances cause i just bought a brand new frigeded air Refrigerator 18 cubic ft for $299

so if u took that 600 buck for that kegerator used 300 to by a fridge or less if u get used and the rest to buy used kegs and the co2 tank and the rest of the stuff u need u shoudl not be spend way to much to have 4 kegs running at a time

How often are you going to brew and in what quantities (i.e., 5 gallon, 10 gallon)? For me, I bottled two batches before ditching that and moving to kegs. Kegs, imho, is the only way to go… that is, if you are going to constantly brew.

Kegerator is nice, but expensive (as is a keezer). Benefits of a kegerator is you can usually fit in a ½ barrel from the store… in case you can’t get to brewing but want something on tap. A keezer, on the other hand, will allow you to store more kegs and give you an already set-up ferment chamber for lagering / controlling ferment temps. I went the kegerator route and wish I did a keezer. I can only fit 2 kegs in the kegerator and had to build a ferment chamber to control temps.

Also, you need to think if you’re going to want separate pressures on the kegs (means two pressure regs); if not, you’ll want to add a 2 way co2 distributor w/separate ball check valves / shut off valves (you can use a tee but that’s asking for trouble). A keezer will allow more taps, but the distributors get pricy.

A picnic (or cobra) faucet means you need to constantly open the keezer/kegerator to pour; also, in my experience they tend to leak or drip after a pour… so I went with a tower and faucets. Perlicks can be found for decent prices… shop around.

Other things to consider: shanks, taps, faucets, hose, gas and liquid disconnects, poppet valves, O-rings, keg lube, co2 bottle, tower w/dual faucet holes, and of course kegs (used was my budget but that ment replacing poppet valves, which is a headach!).

Your idea is good… buy a little at a time and build up… .then it’s like x-mas every month!

Kegging costs... plain and simple in most cases. While you can save some cash by finding used stuff, other than the freezer, it seems tougher to do unless you have a bustling craigslist near you.

But, finding the freezer/fridge cheap is where you will save the most cash IMO. I bought my freezer new, because it had to be black and I didn't want to paint it. Also, "upgrading later" is often something most people end up never doing. Sink the money now on what you want, and you won't have to regret not doing it later. A two tap setup from kegconnection shouldn't be too bad in price, and their stuff is so well put together and user friendly. I bought a 3 tap setup, and inside of 3 weeks, called for the 4th

Here's what I'm saving up for. I plan to just put it into my basement fridge. I don't believe there will be any extra work necessary, two kegs should fit just fine as-is. Drill a couple holes & hook 'er up.

discooby said:

How often are you going to brew and in what quantities (i.e., 5 gallon, 10 gallon)? For me, I bottled two batches before ditching that and moving to kegs.

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I plan on brewing once each week and I do 5 gallon batches. I will have 20 gallons done in 3 weeks before I touch any of it. But, I do drink an ass load (I have no doubt I can burn through a batch a week).

I went scouting fridges/freezers today on lunch break. I think I am going to go freezer/keezer route. My only concern is that I may downsize from my house right now to possible apratment/condo and I would cry if I got used to a Keezer and then couldn't fit it in a new place. I really only need one keg running, but know I want to have my "reserve" so I think it would be wise to go Keezer. What is the smallest Freezer that can fit 4 kegs in it and a CO2 can with no issues? I have seen a 7 c.f. and a 14 c.f.

If I went this route, I would probably go:

Freezer
one keg (used)
2 keg regulator (for expansion)
5 lb CO2
picnic tap (and then upgrade to faucets when money is good and convert to Keezer)

If I recall correctly, my recent Austin Home brew mag had a killer price on a 2 tap setup with everything except CO2 can.

My girlfriend is gonna kill me, she already thinks I drink too much- now all my extra time, space in the house and money go to my new "mistress":rockin:

Commonsenseman- that looks like a pretty sweet setup!

* Freezer
* Temp controller
* CO2 tank
* CO2 regulator (dual gauge)
* Secondary regulators (for each keg beyond the first)
* Regulator valves
* Gas line
* Beverage line
* Swivel nuts & barbs
* Flare washers
* Beverage Disconnects
* Picnic tap
* Hose clamps
* Corny Kegs
* Lots and lots of teflon tape
* Keg lube

What I did was go the kegconnection.com route. I honestly couldn't make heads or tails of all the keg talk until I actually got a kegging kit and figured out what everything was and how it went together (and made a few screwball mistakes along the way).

Don't screw around and try to half-ass your kegerator. If you know exactly what you want, just do it and you won't be sorry. If you try to get by on the cheap then you will eventually end up spending even more money upgrading it in the future. My wife is the one who talked some sense into me, and she was right.

If you shop around for keg prices you might find them cheaper (per keg) if you buy 2-4 at a time, especially with shipping costs these days.

Just something else to think about.

A batch a week! Wow, that's 7-8 beers a day.

scottland said:

A batch a week! Wow, that's 7-8 beers a day.

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-Breakfast.

I have been scratching out ideas for my (future) keezer for what seems like a couple years now. I settled on this....

I brew ~once a month. I also want 4 kegs in rotation, and 2 taps at all times. I also wanted to be able to serve at different pressures, and have a keg conditioned and carbonated (to the correct pressure) on deck at all times.

The answer is actually pretty simple -

buy two of these kits....

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=494

....and ask kegconnection to swap the 2 single regulators for 1 dual regulator.

Then you need to add is the 7.0 cf Holiday chest freezer which is reported to hold 3 (maybe 4) kegs on the floor without a collar.

Then add the temp controller.

Down the line, I will decide if I want to do two taps or three. From there, you purchase the taps, the shanks, tailpieces, and build the collar accordingly.

My favorite thing about buying the 2) 2 keg kits is that you get your back up CO2 tank, your 4 kegs, and 2 manifolds - each with a dedicated regulator, plus all the incidental tubing and connectors - all for the discounted kit price. Also, until you add the taps, the keezer will work fine without a collar build. Yes, you have to open the keezer lid to pour a beer, but this thing will be in my garage - so function over form. Lifting a lid to pour a beer sounds a lot better than cleaning and filling 48 bottles to me right now.

Joe

Brandonovich said:

Don't screw around and try to half-ass your kegerator. If you know exactly what you want, just do it and you won't be sorry. If you try to get by on the cheap then you will eventually end up spending even more money upgrading it in the future. My wife is the one who talked some sense into me, and she was right.

Click to expand...

amen. save up your money and buy what you actually want.

commonsenseman said:

Here's what I'm saving up for. I plan to just put it into my basement fridge. I don't believe there will be any extra work necessary, two kegs should fit just fine as-is. Drill a couple holes & hook 'er up.

Click to expand...

Got this one last month, it was incrediby easy to get set up once i cleared the bins from the bottom of my freezer.

A 7/8th hole saw works likes a charm for the shank installation.