Need a home depot shopping list for my new keg system

I feel like a total NEWBEE and I am soooo lost

I acquired 5 used corny kegs. I know I need to buy new gaskets and a tap handle / hose for dispensing BUT...

NO WAY IN HELL I AM PAYING 100+ ON A REGULATOR SET-UP!!!!

what do I actually need to build and what is this nitrogen vs CO2 bs?????

I have a team of steam fitters, pipe fitters (insert favorite joke here), and plumbers that will help me with braising

Thanks guys

Are you suggesting you want to fabricate your own regulator? Not sure it's not more trouble than it is worth. The regulator is what keeps all the CO2 from flooding out all at once and launching your beer into the sky at 500psi.

You should be able to get a regulator setup for under $100 if you shop around a bit. Some good vendors on this forum.

The CO2 vs nitrogen thing is primarily a concern for stout beer. Stout takes a bit more pressure to move through the hose, so would end up overcarbonated and foamy from CO2. Nitrogen permeates much less into a beer, so is often used as a mix with CO2, in conjunction with a special tap system, to get stout moving through the lines, but come out smooth and creamy.

Take your time and set-up the system slowly as you go along. Buy the right things the first time and you won't have to shop again. I put my system on basic pic-nic taps (just 2 to start off) until I could scrape up the cash for some nice perlick faucets and a regulator line expansion kit.

I saw regulator type things at home depot and I think that the Medical Gas at work (we are building a 1 million square foot hospital) could fab up the tubing.

I recently started kegging also and bought 2 CO2 bottles and regulators on craigs list for less than $100. Agree with Zen Brew, the picnic taps are great so you can save up for a fancier setup. Try this site: CHI Company ball lock kegs for sale, Home brewing and vending, beer kegs, Pepsi vending machines, flavor strips and vending labels

They have regulators for ~$40 and taps with MFL QD's installed for $8.

Not familiar with Home Depots regulator options. A quick search online pulled up propane regulators, and compressor air regulators. Again you could end up fighting against something not designed to do what you want.

Several options out there for reasonable money. KegConnection who also has a vendor account here has great service and products. Base regulator $40. Dual $55 Not too expensive.
http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=56

You could start with the single and expand it later for more kegs with add on kits. If you can get medical grade hoses at work, then sure go for it.

You'll need a fridge that can fit the kegs. Be aware most mini fridges are not tall enough for corny kegs. There are a couple, but they can be hard to come by. I gave up my search for mini fridge and nabbed a scratch and dent kegerator. Also you'll need the CO2 container. Generally 5lb is used if you want to keep in a mini fridge or kegerator. If you want to keep it outside the fridge you can go bigger.

Zen, I h8 to sound like a complete tard but do I want a Duel regulator???

Do I want to keep the keg or kegs attached to a CO2 bottle at all times???

I ask these questions to show that I have no clue what I am getting myself into (but I am excited to be here)

Thanks,
Joe

Yes, you keep the CO2 tank attached to dispense your beer once it is carbonated. You can get a dual guage regulator which shows the pressure to the corny and the remaining gas in the CO2 tank. You can get a dual regulator which allows 2 different pressures to 2 tanks so you can carbonate one at one pressure and dispense the other at another pressure. Here is a link to a Sticky thread on kegging.>> https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/sticky-kegging-faqs-43347/

I use a dual regulator, and I swear I only paid $35 for it. But that was over a year ago. You only need the CO2 connected when pumping CO2 to carb (couple of minutes maybe) and when serving. Kegerator is the most important thing. I know I picked up a used one on craigslist with 20 lb CO2 tank for $100. From what I've seen, it looks like the keezer option is the best, if you have space. I know thanks to my craigslist find, even though I'm only on my 3rd batch ever, I've never had to bottle/naturally carbonate. And from what I understand, that is a major blessing.

Well after reading this thread and having purchased a couple of used corneys a few weeks back myself I finally pulled the trigger on a double regulator from Kegconnection. There's a great place in town for CO2 tanks--so then I'll be down to lines, picnic taps (for now) and fittings.

Oh, and I guess I'd better start a couple of batches to get into those corneys...

staffVAJoe said:

Zen, I h8 to sound like a complete tard but do I want a Duel regulator???

Click to expand...

You don't sound like a tard. Asking questions is a good thing. Being a tard is buying a bunch of stuff that won't do what you want because you didn't ask someone. (not that I've ever done that) LOL
What regulator set-up you get depends on how many kegs you will have on tap at once. Blender posted a good link a couple posts back. Remember you can expand, so you don't have to get a multi line system to start off.

staffVAJoe said:

Do I want to keep the keg or kegs attached to a CO2 bottle at all times???

Click to expand...

Most people do. It needs to be hooked up for several days to get the carbonation levels up. Also needs to be hooked up to dispense beer. Once pressurized the keg will tap a couple beers with the CO2 removed, but will taper off as the pressure drops. Force carbing is a different story. Do a search if you want to know.

staffVAJoe said:

I ask these questions to show that I have no clue what I am getting myself into (but I am excited to be here)

Click to expand...

It is very exiting isn't it? You're gonna love tapping your own beers (and your neighbors may come to love it too)