kegging cost question

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OHIOSTEVE

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OK I have decided I want to set up a 2 or 3 tap kegerator here at home. starting from scratch what kind of cash outlay am I looking at? I am TOTALLY clueless.
 
depends on how well you search the net and craigslist. If you're starting with a fridge you already own or buying a new one..

I'll assume you already own one.

Shanks & Faucet assemblies (3) - $100
Kegs Used (3) - $75-100
Ball/Pin-lock fittiings for kegs - $35
5lb CO2 Tank new aluminum - $60+10 to fill. I actually have a place in town that fills for $5, so check around.
Gas and Beer Lines - $30

This is all estimates going on prices I have found in the past. The is all brand new equipment aside from the kegs. You could probably shop around craisglist or ebay and find better deals. I'd also suggest a bigger CO2 tank than 5lbs if you're going to be running 3 kegs.
 
depends on how well you search the net and craigslist. If you're starting with a fridge you already own or buying a new one..

I'll assume you already own one.

Shanks & Faucet assemblies (3) - $100
Kegs Used (3) - $75-100
Ball/Pin-lock fittiings for kegs - $35
5lb CO2 Tank new aluminum - $60+10 to fill. I actually have a place in town that fills for $5, so check around.
Gas and Beer Lines - $30

This is all estimates going on prices I have found in the past. The is all brand new equipment aside from the kegs. You could probably shop around craisglist or ebay and find better deals. I'd also suggest a bigger CO2 tank than 5lbs if you're going to be running 3 kegs.

thanks....I have a buddy that owns a bar.. he said he had a SIX TAP TOWER laying around there somewhere that I could just HAVE!!! The bar is old and has 4 floors and every one is stuffed with old restaurant equipment and old bar equipment....Heck I could probably get an entire set up and just switch it to cornys lol.....It seems cheaper than I expected ...might be the next project.
 
It can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be :D

Suthrn gave you some pretty good ballpark numbers. Craigslist can be your friend if you're lucky. In my case, I found two 20 lb CO2 tanks for $80 total, and were each at least half full. Then I found a few kegs on ebay that came out to about $27 each including shipping. I splurged a bit and went for a three body regulator for about $100. Then you obviously have the misc. fittings, tubing, clamps. The only other major expense I had was the chest freezer which ran another $400 or so, but it will hold 6 or 7 kegs. Oh, and I forgot about the temp controller. I can't remember what that was, but I think it was another $50 or so.

For now, I'm not running any fancy tap system and just using picnic taps and have to lift the lid of the freezer to pull a pint. I spent a little too much on all the hardware so I have to wait a bit before getting permanent taps set up. But in your case, if you're already getting some taps for free that isn't much of an issue :D
 
depends on how well you search the net and craigslist. If you're starting with a fridge you already own or buying a new one..

I'll assume you already own one.

Shanks & Faucet assemblies (3) - $100
Kegs Used (3) - $75-100
Ball/Pin-lock fittiings for kegs - $35
5lb CO2 Tank new aluminum - $60+10 to fill. I actually have a place in town that fills for $5, so check around.
Gas and Beer Lines - $30

This is all estimates going on prices I have found in the past. The is all brand new equipment aside from the kegs. You could probably shop around craisglist or ebay and find better deals. I'd also suggest a bigger CO2 tank than 5lbs if you're going to be running 3 kegs.

This sounds about right. With one addition, you will need a refrigerator. There are a lot of choices. From a chest freezer conversion to a refrigerator just for beer. I found a refrigerator with no freezer at Sear for around $400 a few years back. We also use it for sodas.
 
OK I have decided I want to set up a 2 or 3 tap kegerator here at home. starting from scratch what kind of cash outlay am I looking at? I am TOTALLY clueless.

One other side note:

When you buy your faucets, spend the extra money and get perlicks if you can afford them. I bought 4 standard faucets when I first built my kegerator and I HATE them. They get sticky all the time and I feel like they're going to break when I try to pull a pint after not using them for a few days.

For an extra $20, you can get a perlick which prevents these problems. I'll be upgrading soon when I get my bar finished.
 
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