Portable Kegging Options

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

absentmathis

Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2012
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Location
Charlotte
Hey guys, forgive me in advance if this has been covered ad nauseum. I've searched quite a bit but a lot of the threads have dead links and stuff. I've been kegging for a couple months now - have a two keg/dual regulator setup in my garage. My buddies and I have a 10 year running camping trip Thanksgiving weekend, and I want to take a keg this year. What are my options? My setup is permanently installed, but I can bring a keg obviously and have a party tap line. I also have an old commercial keg (d style) pump/tap that I'm willing to sacrifice if it can be used. Can I build something that will work? Given that this will be a rarely used setup, I'd rather not drop big bucks but I am willing to spend a little money. Any input much appreciated!

Edit: I know oxygenation is a concern, but there will be 10+ of us and there is little chance any beer survives the night, much less weekend. If I go with a 'paintball tank' setup I guess I'd have to buy a separate regulator right?
 
If you are sure you will during the keg in 1-2 days, here is what I would do:

Option One: Cut the valve stem from an old bike tire and insert it into a piece of tubing and clamp. Hook the other end of the tubing to a gas disconnect for your keg. Use a bike pump to pressurize your keg and dispense your beer through your picnic tap.

Option Two: Place the keg on its side at a downward angle toward the top with the gas pop it down. Hook up your picnic tap to the gas side. Hook a disconnect to the beer pop it with nothing attached (or a short length of hose). Dispense the beer with gravity like it is a cask.

Both options will oxidize your beer just like a bronco tap on a Sankey keg and it will slowly go flat, so if you don't drink the keg in a few days it will go bad.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. Tipping the keg sounds plausible but precarious given we'll be camping. Maybe I could build a cheap stand of some sort. The bike pump idea has promise too. Looking at the tap I have I can't see how it will come apart nicely, bump pump fittings could be rigged up pretty easily.
 
Thanks for the suggestion Dane but I don't see how that's a good option. Seems it would cost $30+ (plus initial investment) just to dispense a keg. That's not big money by any means, but also not the solution I'm looking for. If there's some cheap way to stock up on those cartridges that I'm not aware of please correct me.
 
Firstly, I would reccomend that you transfer to a fresh keg after you have it carbed. This will keep the sediment, etc that settles out from being stirred into solution (that is unless you do the shake method)
Secondlt, the keg charger is a great solution, but if you are drinking it over one day/the weekend and do not mind it losing carbonation you can place the keg higher than where you are serving to (above cup level) and pour a beer or at least run some beer into the line. Then take a gas QD without any lines to it and place it on the gas post. From here as long as you keep the cobra tap below the bottom of the keg you can basically siphon out of the keg using gravity rather than pressure. I do this all the time when doing an Oxy soak and it flows plenty fast and shouldn't foam too badly. Do not expect the beer to be fully carbed or stay unoxidized after a couple days though. And if you knock over the keg you can lose beer.
 
Back
Top