my simple 4 keg outdoor set up

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defenestrate

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i was asked to supply the beer for an party, so i wanted to set something up that would be quick and easy, easy to move and still be kind of cool. i had an idea in my head of something i saw in a magazine, so i went with it. after a few hours, this is what i came up with..
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i took a cardboard template of a corny to home depot and found this storage container would hold 4 fairly snug-its also a high top unit that comes about 2/3 way up the kegs.
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Way to class up the Rubbermaid bin! I think I have the same one that I'm using for swamp cooling two carboys at once.
 
if you couldn't tell, i used mainly pieces for stair cases :eek: i'm sure i could have saved a few bucks but this made it very simple and i just went with it. i used 2 41 in banisters with squared tops for the posts. i made 2 small slits in the handles and slid them in.
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the tap board is actually a piece of stair cut to 36 inch. here is a shot after i taped it off for the chalk board paint.
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after the chalkboard paint had dried and was workable, i added my tap hooks.
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i then attached the banisters to the board ( i had also drill out the bottom of the banister to add the super sexy table feet for stability) i used the square tops so i could mount them flushly to the board.
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after adding the signs to the board, i'm just waiting on the rest of my parts. i'm using a paintball tank regulator, a 4 way splitter off the regulator, and a lot of ice with 8 ft lines. i'll post up more pics when its ready to go and in action, hope it works out! :mug:

i know the lines are going to get warm, but i'm ok with just clearing the lines a little-hopefully it doesn't turn into wasting too much HB. also, i should have primed the wood before applying the paint for a smoother surface, but i think it will work. cheers.
 
its actually my sisters party, its more or less a shared party for beer and food for about 30 people-but yeah i'll be getting some dough, although thats more for the beer compensation-i dont mind spending the money on the supplies because if all goes well with this, i have a few other parties down the road that it would be put to use at.
 
Very cool. Love the ingenuity on this board. :rockin:

Using a paint ball tank regulator do you think 8' lines are needed? Maybe you could cut the lines down which might reduce the warming problem?
 
Great idea.

One thing I'd consider, however, is that in the first picture you show the party taps being held by the handles. It'd really suck to have someone clumsy accidentally turn the taps on...
 
Very cool. Love the ingenuity on this board. :rockin:

Using a paint ball tank regulator do you think 8' lines are needed? Maybe you could cut the lines down which might reduce the warming problem?

i planned on dispensing @ 12 psi, so i figured i needed that line length to make sure it didn't totally foam? i'm not sure, i've never really messed with shorter lines/lower psi

Great idea.

One thing I'd consider, however, is that in the first picture you show the party taps being held by the handles. It'd really suck to have someone clumsy accidentally turn the taps on...

how would they do that? the actual "lever" or whatever on the picnic taps is being held by the hooks, so the taps are actually held in the "off" position?
 
i planned on dispensing @ 12 psi, so i figured i needed that line length to make sure it didn't totally foam? i'm not sure, i've never really messed with shorter lines/lower psi



how would they do that? the actual "lever" or whatever on the picnic taps is being held by the hooks, so the taps are actually held in the "off" position?

It LOOKS like if the beer line was pulled on the beer would start to flow. Might not be something to worry about, might be an optical illusion.
 
It LOOKS like if the beer line was pulled on the beer would start to flow. Might not be something to worry about, might be an optical illusion.

after your original post i went and looked... yeah if they tugged real hard it would make the tap open, but in the wrong direction- it should be good. that might be something i need to watch out for late in the party :drunk:
 
how would they do that? the actual "lever" or whatever on the picnic taps is being held by the hooks, so the taps are actually held in the "off" position?

If it is like most taps, if you flip them all the way back, it will be locked in the open position...for filling pitchers!!!!
 
after your original post i went and looked... yeah if they tugged real hard it would make the tap open, but in the wrong direction- it should be good. that might be something i need to watch out for late in the party :drunk:

As stated above, tugging in the "wrong direction" will result in the tap being locked open. Just something to be aware of.
 
been thinking about the beer lines- i've never poured from anything other than 12 psi- anyone care to chime in if using 4 ft of line and say 5 psi would work? i guess i could cut my lines and try it, but i'd rather not...
 
In my experience, having picnic taps like that which warm up much warmer than the keg will just result in full glasses of foam.
You might want to try one of these
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_271_129_371&products_id=2270

I don't have one but have seen people post about liking them.

i can see foaming issues from warm lines and taps upon initial pouring, but i would think once the lines are cleared the cold beer would still be cold enough to pour fairly decent. i guess i'll find out. any time i've used a picnic tap at a party with a commercial keg, its been fine.
 
been thinking about the beer lines- i've never poured from anything other than 12 psi- anyone care to chime in if using 4 ft of line and say 5 psi would work? i guess i could cut my lines and try it, but i'd rather not...

I made a portable kegerator out of a trash can to bring HB out on the boat with me, and i have a 2ft line to a picnic tap i rigged into a pvc tower. I had to dial it down to about 5psi and got perfect pours.
 
I made a portable kegerator out of a trash can to bring HB out on the boat with me, and i have a 2ft line to a picnic tap i rigged into a pvc tower. I had to dial it down to about 5psi and got perfect pours.

awesome, yeah the calculation i used i had 5 psi and 3 ft of hose worked out. so you have a pvc tower with a cobra tap instead of a faucet? i gotta see this!
 
heres a pic of what i rigged up. its a trash can lined with foam board insulation cut into strips with Great Stuff shot in between the strips, the top snaps on and i made a ghetto fabulous tap tower out of PVC i had laying around the garage. i just threw this thing together in a few mins, not my finest work...

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been thinking about the beer lines- i've never poured from anything other than 12 psi- anyone care to chime in if using 4 ft of line and say 5 psi would work? i guess i could cut my lines and try it, but i'd rather not...

I run my 2 1/2 gal cornies with 3.5' of line and picnic tap at about 5-6 psi.
 
heres a pic of what i rigged up. its a trash can lined with foam board insulation cut into strips with Great Stuff shot in between the strips, the top snaps on and i made a ghetto fabulous tap tower out of PVC i had laying around the garage. i just threw this thing together in a few mins, not my finest work...

that is still pretty awesome :rockin:

I run my 2 1/2 gal cornies with 3.5' of line and picnic tap at about 5-6 psi.

cool, thanks! sounds like 4 ft of line will be plenty.
 
To the OP, I really like that set-up! Might have to steal it ;)




heres a pic of what i rigged up. its a trash can lined with foam board insulation cut into strips with Great Stuff shot in between the strips, the top snaps on and i made a ghetto fabulous tap tower out of PVC i had laying around the garage. i just threw this thing together in a few mins, not my finest work...

And to you sir, that is actually quite slick. I've seen ghetto of a far more fabulous nature.
 
here it is finished and ready for action
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i actually drove this to south jersey from annapolis on friday night, kept it on ice in the basement and set it up outside @ 7 pm sat. temps were great and the 3.5-4 ft lines poured perfect around 6 psi.

all 4 kegs (about 3/4 full) and 4 growlers gone by 11 pm, about 25 people :) can't wait to use it again.
 
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