What should I go to next - kegging or AG?

Extract brewer here; currently bottling in 32 oz. pop-tops and 12 oz. regulars -- and I'm ready for the next step.

What would you do (or have done) 1st, and why:

1) get kegging equipment
2) start doing AG instead of extract

as always, thanks for the thoughts and replies....

AG I'd say. BC it's cheaper than jumping into kegging and, to me, I'd want to make the best beer I could....regardless of how it's served.

Also, you'll save money in the long run with brewing AG...which you can help justify your kegger purchase later on

No matter what you do, I'd start buying cornies now. With shipping you're looking at $25-30 per in quantities of 4. They aren't being manufactured anymore an most of the ones on the west coast are bound for China.

I would take AG over kegging any day. It is my personal opinion that AG beer tastes better(I say again that is my personally opinion, please don't flame me). I also currently do both.

AG ftw! Kegging is nice, but imho AG will bring you deeper into brewing than you would have thought possible. At least, that's the way I see it.

olllllo said:

No matter what you do, I'd start buying cornies now. With shipping you're looking at $25-30 per in quantities of 4. They aren't being manufactured anymore an most of the ones on the west coast are bound for China.

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I thought you could still buy brand new ones.

What are the alternatives to corny kegs for kegging?

One vote for Kegging from me

I went Kegging before AG, and would do it again in a heartbeat if I had to do it all over again. Then again, I only bottled one batch because I knew I'd never keep it up if I had to bottle every batch. Too much damn work

I say both, I did. AG greatly increased my abilities to brew and kegging got rid of the pesky bottling process. I make a lot more beer now.

All Grain is the correct answer.

I talked to TOM at my local home brew store. I asked do u do all agrain. he says it is a matter of time. all grain takes 7 hours & extract takes between 3-5. I am all for kegging that way you dont have bottle laying around

billtzk said:

I thought you could still buy brand new ones.

What are the alternatives to corny kegs for kegging?

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You can buy them new, but my understanding is they are not being made any longer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelius_kegs

New meaning unused. New is considerably more costly.
I guess my point is the number of kegs available is finite. That we were able to get them for so long at such a cheap price is becoming a thing of the past.

partial mashing AND kegging

you don't need much equipment to do counter-top partial mashing. just two boiling pots and a mesh bag.

olllllo said:

I guess my point is the number of kegs available is finite. That we were able to get them for so long at such a cheap price is becoming a thing of the past.

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I still find kegs for next to nothing. I've actually stopped buying them because I have 15 of them and I am out of room. I keep finding deals like two kegs and a co2 tank for 40 dollars. I don't think that will change for a while. Even at 25 bucks a pop (which is way more than I've ever paid) I doubt they'll be going away any time soon. People can't sell them for $30 each on CL here, so I don't think the demand is as great as the hype might have you think.

DeathBrewer said:

partial mashing AND kegging

you don't need much equipment to do counter-top partial mashing. just two boiling pots and a mesh bag.

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+1 especially if you live in an apartment (like me) or lack space outdoors, AG is not very practical. Having your very own beer on tap is so awesome! With the flip of a tap, beer comes out! BEER, man! Good beer! it just flows and flows and flows. It's beautiful. start kegging ASAP.