My 1st cornie

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Adam's Apples

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I have previously used the plastic barrel kegs, as well as the odd bottled batch, to dispense my beer. Now I've purchased my 1st cornie and can't wait to use it. Over time I hope to collect quite a few and built a kegorator, but for now will just be keeping this in the fridge and dispensing as easily as I can straight from the keg.

So...what are the minimum add-ons required? I have just the cornie on it's own, so guessed I would need a Co2 bottle and regulator, coupled with a tap I can attach direct to the cornie for dispensing.

Is it as easy as that? Am I missing anything?

I am hoping to sanitise the keg with Iodophor, so if anybody knows of any problems this may cause, please let me know.

Cheers
 
At minumum you will need the disconects (either ball or pin depending on the keg) beer line, gas line, a picnic tap, and some sort of co2 tank.
 
Adam's Apples said:
Can you tell from the link to the ebay item I bought - 20 litre Beermaking Cornelius Keg Beer s/steel homebrew on eBay, also, Beer Wine Making, Food Drink, Home Garden (end time 30-Nov-08 18:10:50 GMT) - whether this is a pin or ball lock?

Isn't it possible to get a tap that connects direct to the cornie? Thought I had seen pics of this before.

Cheers
Click to expand...

Yes, you can get a tap that fits on the keg, but you might not want that. You'll probably get a ton of foam if the beer is properly carbonated. You are going to want about 6 feet of beer line and a picnic (cobra) tap. You will want a regulator and co2 tank, also, which was already mentioned. In a pinch, though, you could prime the keg and carbonate it that way. Then use one of these for dispensing: Cornelius Keg Portable Co2 Charger

I can't see the top of the keg, but it does look like pin lock.
 
I think its a ball lock because I think that is a presure relief pin in the picture and i dont think pin locks have those (i know mine doesnt). But it is hard to tell from the picture.
 
I bought a two keg system.

Then, I bought two more kegs.

Then, I bought four more kegs.

Now, I want more kegs.

It never really ends. Once you start putting beer in them and aging it, you just want more and more.

:rockin:
 
YooperBrew said:
Yes, you can get a tap that fits on the keg, but you might not want that. You'll probably get a ton of foam if the beer is properly carbonated. You are going to want about 6 feet of beer line and a picnic (cobra) tap. You will want a regulator and co2 tank, also, which was already mentioned. In a pinch, though, you could prime the keg and carbonate it that way. Then use one of these for dispensing: Cornelius Keg Portable Co2 Charger


I am definetley set on getting the portable charger, that looks great. From what I have seen, I should be able to force carb the beer using this only and can even fit a gauage between the connect and the charger to see the co2 level. Definately my preferred option over a large co2 tank.

Thanks for the recommendation!
Click to expand...
 
That will use a lot of CO2 cartridges; Would be a lot cheaper to naturally carb them, and loose a pint or two to sediment on the first pour, using the charger to push your beer and keep it carbed.
 
MoRoToRiUm said:
That will use a lot of CO2 cartridges; Would be a lot cheaper to naturally carb them, and loose a pint or two to sediment on the first pour, using the charger to push your beer and keep it carbed.
Click to expand...

You're right. But I do want to keep things as easy as possible, at least at first. The portable charger is so small and convenient, I am gonna use this solely for a start. If it is really inneffective cost wise, I will grab a co2 tank, regulator etc.

Forgive my ignorance, but until now I have always used plastic barrels and naturally carb'd beer. I was hoping to get a gas gauge, screw this onto the inlet and then screw the portable charger onto the end (I have seen set ups like this i think). I was hoping then just to attach a tap directly to the outlet, but the advice received here suggests a length of 5-6 feet tube to stop the beer being too frothy. When I have pressurised the keg initially, will I then just be able to draw beer from the tap and top up pressure in the keg as the beer level drops?

Cheers
 
You will always have a need for C02 tank. I think most beer will go flat if you dont keep a 10-12 psi on it. When the keg starts to get low , you will start to use more CO2, that means more cartridges. If your gonna save for something I would get the C02 tank and regulator, even if its just a 5lb c02 tank. You'll use the c02 tank to burp the headspace in the keg when you first rack to it, to displace the oxygen in there. You'll also use it to push 30psi to it, to set the lid seals when you first rack. You can use it to help clean out you keg by pushing cleaning fluid and sanitizer. Not to mention that c02 refills are cheap when you compare them to small 16 oz cartridges. As a noob i had some issues with carbonation and foaming, my suggestion, Get the c02 tank, regulator, ball lock disconnects, and 10 feet of line. For now you can suffice with picnic taps. Check out kegconnnection for prices or try craigslist.
 
jesserc said:
You will always have a need for C02 tank. I think most beer will go flat if you dont keep a 10-12 psi on it. When the keg starts to get low , you will start to use more CO2, that means more cartridges. If your gonna save for something I would get the C02 tank and regulator, even if its just a 5lb c02 tank. You'll use the c02 tank to burp the headspace in the keg when you first rack to it, to displace the oxygen in there. You'll also use it to push 30psi to it, to set the lid seals when you first rack. You can use it to help clean out you keg by pushing cleaning fluid and sanitizer. Not to mention that c02 refills are cheap when you compare them to small 16 oz cartridges. As a noob i had some issues with carbonation and foaming, my suggestion, Get the c02 tank, regulator, ball lock disconnects, and 10 feet of line. For now you can suffice with picnic taps. Check out kegconnnection for prices or try craigslist.
Click to expand...

That wasn't what I was hoping to hear, but it sounds like good advice.

I will do some looking on ebay. I'm in the UK, so will see what deals I can find. I had assumed that the principal was same with Cornies as with the plastic kegs I had been using, apart from the force carb option available with Cornies as they can hold more pressure. I thought I would push Co2 in the cornie initially at a higher pressure and then just top up as beer level drops. Does the regulator keep the pressure at a preset amount itself?

Cheers
 
The regulator allows you to dial in the pressure. I hit the keg with 30psi to seal the lid on the keg, burp the keg to remove any oxygen there. I then dial it back down to 12 psi and leave it there. In a week its carbed. When I take my keg some where , i use the small c02 charger you spoke of.
 
jesserc said:
The regulator allows you to dial in the pressure. I hit the keg with 30psi to seal the lid on the keg, burp the keg to remove any oxygen there. I then dial it back down to 12 psi and leave it there. In a week its carbed. When I take my keg some where , i use the small c02 charger you spoke of.
Click to expand...

So when the regulator is set to 12 psi, the gas bottle remains attached and 'open' so that it can take co2 to maintain 12 psi?

Cheers
 
Yes. That's correct. Althought I hear some folks force carbonate and then remove the co2 tank and theoretically the beer should stay carbed, provided there arn't any leaks on the keg, and you arent dispensing any of it. If you are dispensing , then yes you would want to keep 12 psi on it or whatever psi your beer style calls for.
 
jesserc said:
Yes. That's correct. Althought I hear some folks force carbonate and then remove the co2 tank and theoretically the beer should stay carbed, provided there arn't any leaks on the keg, and you arent dispensing any of it. If you are dispensing , then yes you would want to keep 12 psi on it or whatever psi your beer style calls for.
Click to expand...

Cheers for all the advice. If you get chance, could you check out the link to the ebay item above. If this would do the job I will get something like it as a regulator and then try and pick up a cheap co2 cylinder.
 
What that ebay ad shows works perfect, what is says it is will not work. You have no need for a flow meter, you need to control the low pressure side and a low pressure gauge. On a side not that stuff is EXPENSIVE once it gets turned into pounds sterling...wait for a 300 dollar plane ticket to the states, stuff 3 cornies in one duffel bag, 2 in the other with your regulator disconnects, etc :)
 
GuateBrewer said:
What that ebay ad shows works perfect, what is says it is will not work. You have no need for a flow meter, you need to control the low pressure side and a low pressure gauge. On a side not that stuff is EXPENSIVE once it gets turned into pounds sterling...wait for a 300 dollar plane ticket to the states, stuff 3 cornies in one duffel bag, 2 in the other with your regulator disconnects, etc :)
Click to expand...

Tell me about it. Cornies and all the ancillaries seem at least double cost in UK!
 
Make sure that your 6 foot of beer line is 3/16" ID. If you buy 1/4" ID line the resistance is not great enough and your beer will fly out fast and foamy. There is a HUGE difference in resistance from 3/16" and 1/4" even though visibly it looks about the same.
good luck in your kegging!
-Ben
 
dataz722 said:
I think its a ball lock because I think that is a presure relief pin in the picture and i dont think pin locks have those (i know mine doesnt). But it is hard to tell from the picture.
Click to expand...

Ridge Runner said:
+ 1 for ball-lock, because of the pressure relief valve, although you really can't see.
Click to expand...

T-Hops said:
I would also say ball lock. I have 4 that look just like that keg.
Click to expand...

It could still be pin lock all of mine have relief valves and they are pin lock .
 
Good point on the line size Ben. I wish I had known that before I ran 4 lines from my taps to my kegs. I can fill a pint glass (with foam) in about half a second right now.
 
Don't forget to add a check valve after your regulator to prevent any bier back flowing should your bottle of gas go low or empty as the bier will make a mess inside your regulator. If your feeding a manifold with many taps to many kegs I would add a shut of valve plus check valve to each gas run from the manifold to each keg. Better to be safe besides you can shut the valve and remove or change a keg without disturbing the other kegs and the preset regulator pressure.
 

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