Converting Sanke Kegerator

I have a line on a standard one tap kegerator for a reasonable price. Comes with CO2 canister, regulator, lines, and (I assume) commercial tap. So I can figure out how much it would cost, what do I need to buy (other than kegs) to convert to the home brew(soda, ball lock) kegs?

Rich

If you bought a premade kegerator, all you would need is the Gas-in and Liquid-out connections for a Corney Keg. You'd probably want to replace the liquid lines too if it's been used. Who knows how well the last owner cleaned them..

Basically just cut the hose a few inches above the sanke adaptor and replace it with the new homebrew ones. Keep the sanke around obviously.

Here's everything you need:
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/KEGERATOR_HOMEBREW_CONVERSION__P1701.cfm

The kit above is a great solution as it allows you to swap back to sankey again if you decide to buy a quarter barrel from a local micorbrew once in a while. Sometimes when I'm low on homebrew that's got woide appeal I'll throw a commercial brew in for a party instead of draining my last keg.

kornkob said:

The kit above is a great solution as it allows you to swap back to sankey again if you decide to buy a quarter barrel from a local micorbrew once in a while. Sometimes when I'm low on homebrew that's got woide appeal I'll throw a commercial brew in for a party instead of draining my last keg.

Click to expand...

+1, I have two of those kits, if the going ever gets rough (hasn't happened in two years), I can have two commercial sixth barrels on tap.

That's if the kegerator comes with a sankey tap.

Thanks guys. That second solution is one I wouldn't have thought of, so double thanks!

Rich

Have you given any thought to kegging your brew in sankes?

wilserbrewer said:

Have you given any thought to kegging your brew in sankes?

Click to expand...

No, I hadn't. I'm not sure where/how one gets them (I do 5-6 gallon brews, so it'd have to be a 1/6th barrel. Are they easier to clean/use? Sorry for my ignorance....

Rich

Setting aside potential ethical implications of buying sankey kegs (a subject that has its own thread).....

I've never considered it. For one thing the kegs are much larger so I'd have to start making 15 gallon batches to make it worthwhile. Then if I'm doing that I'm having to store and move 15 gallon containers instead of 5 gallon containers.

And all that sets aside the fact that my kegerator currently holds 3 corneys and I have a dual tap tower so i can serve 2 kinds of beer at once. Using sankey I'd have only one on tap (or have to invest in a bigger fridge).

And cleaning a sankey keg is harder to accomplish, seeing as you have a very small opening. I can visually inspect most of the interior surfaces of a corney and can physically touch the inside as well. I cannot say that about an intact sankey.

Basically, using sankey would involve a significant change to the investment in space and equipment for me. YMMV