Suck it, bottles.

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PseudoChef

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After two years of bottling and saving my cash the last couple of months (pretty much didn't brew for a variety of reasons the past 3 months here), I made the jump. Sanyo 4910 from CL and the two keg, dual body reg kit from kegconnection and I should have this APA in a keg, under pressure sometime next week and Janet's Brown Ale the week after that!

Man, it's good to say that. Taps and tower after the next cash savings, hopefully.

F-off, bottles! (unless going into a competition):ban:
 
After two years of bottling and saving my cash the last couple of months (pretty much didn't brew for a variety of reasons the past 3 months here), I made the jump. Sanyo 4910 from CL and the two keg, dual body reg kit from kegconnection and I should have this APA in a keg, under pressure sometime next week and Janet's Brown Ale the week after that!

Man, it's good to say that. Taps and tower after the next cash savings, hopefully.

F-off, bottles! (unless going into a competition):ban:

Hurray! To me, it was something I had to wait for, too. I brewed several years before I got my kegging gear (won the HBT football pool in 2007, I believe). Now, I say, "I can't believe I bottled all that beer! I should have done it way before!". Now you can say the same!
 
Congrats! My third brew is in the secondary, and I'm already pricing kegging setups :D Mostly inspired by a good deal on a 20# tank that I saw. Do you mind if I ask how much the whole setup ran you?
 
It's something that in retrospect, I should have done a long time ago....and I never really minded bottling. Kegging is just so much easier and having the ability to dispense the exact amount of beer at the temp and carb level you want at the pull of a handle is just excellent.
 
I personally do not mind bottling, it's a part of the process for me. I brew everything from start to finish in solitude. If I had a bar in my apartment then I might consider kegging, but for the extra money, I'll just make a lot more beer than buy a keg set up.
 
Nice! Kegging is sooo much easier. I kegged a couple batches in my friends keggerator and had to get one asap.
 
My Kegging setup cost me $200 for the sanyo $210 for the Co2 and such from Keg Connection and $40 for two kegs so $450 total.
 
It's about time! I had a kegerator for two years before I started homebrewing. Good times.:mug:
 
I was one who never minded bottling either. Honestly. But then, I really wanted to learn from my brewing and started doing 8-10 gallon split batches to experiment with different yeasts/pitching rates/whathaveyou, and bottling just became too much after this 4th brew at 8 gallons.

While I had been saving up (like I said, wasn't brewing because I moved and was very busy with school/work - so saving my brewing budget), it was spontaneous when I saw the 4910 on CL for $100. I then got the 2 keg setup with dual body reg from kegconnection.com for about $210 shipped. So that's $310 to picnic tap it out the door (5# CO2 fill will be around $12 in town according to my club). I'll do a tower and perlicks with next month's cash. Expecting just above $200 for that, so about $530 or so overall I am estimating.
 
I don't mind bottling at all but the thing that surprised me was how much I prefer draft to bottle. I don't know what it is really (since I don't really believe that it tastes better) but it is just so cool to just go into the kitchen, or now I have an additional 5 taps in the basement, and pull a pint.

Plus I set up a separate tap for soda for my wife and now she is as happy as I am to have kegging ability.
 
My Kegging setup cost me $200 for the sanyo $210 for the Co2 and such from Keg Connection and $40 for two kegs so $450 total.

Mine was similar
$210 for a 7.2CF Magic Chef chest freezer (4 keg capacity without collar)
$200 dual regs, 2 cornies, 5# tank and all the lines (Pincic taps)
$55 Johnson Controls thermostat
$50 for 2 more kegs
$50 for a 3way manifold and extra lines/QDs
$565 , 4 on draft, and room for a dozen frosty pints and my CO2 tank on the hump
 
If we're doing the itemized thing, here goes:

First system: Fridge - $165
2 Keg system from Northwest $240 with shipping
4 extra kegs - $125 shipped

Then 4 more kegs $125

Then new fridge to keep extra kegs cold: $600

Then Back up CO2 tank $55 and regulator $50 and fittings for 2 more kegs

Heck, in for a penny, in for a pound - I decide to add a bunch of taps to the backup fridge - $285

Then, since I have so much free space in the basement fridge 4 more kegs (for those counting it is now 14 kegs) $140

Yikes! I have never itemized this before. I hope my wife never sees this post.

Grand Total $1785
 
Got my kegs, tank, and reg yesterday and pulled my first pint (friend had already carbed up another keg for me) last night. This is the best decision ever.
 
Hmmm..
Magic Chef 3.9cf fridge Free
Wooden Cuff so it holds 3 kegs
Parts, accesories, paint $50
Kegging system
3kegs, regulator, taps, tank $320
Extra kegs (4) $130
SS 2 Tap tower w/ taps and all parts $80
SS wood smoker box drip tray $10
Johnson temp controller $40

Oh crap. I've spent too much on this freaking addiction!
 
I still bottle half my beer. I love having bottles int he fridge. I think it is just a thing from being big into craft beer before homebrewing. I don't think I will ever get over that.
 
I still bottle half my beer. I love having bottles int he fridge. I think it is just a thing from being big into craft beer before homebrewing. I don't think I will ever get over that.

I get ya'. I will probably pull the ohiobrewtus style and force carb everything, but bottle off the keg with a BeerGun to free up space when I want to.
 
I get ya'. I will probably pull the ohiobrewtus style and force carb everything, but bottle off the keg with a BeerGun to free up space when I want to.

That is what I used to do. Then I foolishly sold my Beergun because I needed some cash. Now I bottle condition, but I really preferred bottling with the Beergun.
 
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