Is a kegging setup worth it? Looking for opinions

I have an opportunity to convert half my beer fridge into a kegerrator. The current setup I am looking at is 3 total taps, 2 standard and 1 stout, a CO2 and a nitro-mix. Only 2 lines will ever be active (space constraint), and the canisters will be outside the fridge. I will have it setup so I can easily swap faucets when i swap kegs. My price is $400+. I know there are ways to do it cheaper, but if I am going to do it I want to do it proper.

So my question, is it worth dropping $400 on the setup? I like the idea of it for entertaining, all though we don't do a whole lot of it. That is where I am stuck. I don't mind bottling, I have bottling a batch down to 45 minutes. But I like stouts, that's half the reason I want to do it... to have a real stout.

I don't know, thoughts?

Absolutely 100% worth it. Kegging is the way to go. I have a very simple and inexpensive set up with cobra taps, a 2 way manifold, and 5 lb CO2 and it works great.

You'll never regret it. Ever.

wildwest450 said:

You'll never regret it. Ever.

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+1

Montanaandy

I <3 kegging. So simple and having beer on tap is the best thing ever.

Sorry if this is a dumb question but what do you mean a stout tap??

100% worth it. Just not having to bottle your beer makes brewing so much better for me. Once I switched to kegging I went from brewing 5 gallons every 2 months to brewing 10-15 gallons a month. God I hate bottling.

h*ll. yeah.

but I disagree your comment on "real stouts". I hate nitro tapped stouts. real stout is carbed.

Why not just set up for 2 kegs and when you use the 3rd, just swap out the faucet, especially since you said you will only have 2 set up at a time.

Love it and never looked back.

Interesting point on the stout, I guess what I am looking for is that creaminess that my bottles seem to lack.

@iron City... I thought about that, but I have room on the fridge door for all 3 taps. And I figure if I ever go completely away from bottling, I will have room for 3 kegs in the fridge. I just figured i might as well eliminate one more step and mount all 3 taps.

love it, you will never go back and you can still fill up some bottles from the keg with a counter pressure filler to share with friends. I didn't even do the whole conversion. I just use the 2 kegs, 2 cobra taps and 5lb CO2.

Kegging Rules :rockin:

The only batch I ever bottled was my first one and I thought, "I will never do that again!" Went out immediatley and built a four tap kegorator/fridge. It was a great decision and IMHO definatley worth it. So much easier and faster than bottling. Although I came to find that four taps was definaltey overkill.

One thing I reccomend is that you don't skimp on faucets!!! I am still using the el-cheapo's and can't wait to get a Perlick

wookiemofo said:

@iron City... I thought about that, but I have room on the fridge door for all 3 taps. And I figure if I ever go completely away from bottling, I will have room for 3 kegs in the fridge. I just figured i might as well eliminate one more step and mount all 3 taps.

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Good point. I have a conversion kit on the way. Its just a 2 keg setup. I'm sure I'll want more taps eventually, but I also want to make sure I have room in the fridge for cold crashing as well as anything I may have on tap, plus bottles (if I do end up bottling after this). I can't wait. Hopefully I don't screw something up, which I'm sure I will.

I hope it is worth it. I just purchase a keg kit from keg connection for my next batch. I always head bottling and hope that this allows me to brew more without the last messy step.

I bottle from my kegged beer. I'll never bottle with priming sugar again, unless I want to!

After ten years of on and off brewing I can say that now with four carboys going in my house and another few brews planned that the difference between me actively homebrewing and not homebrewing is kegging.

wildwest450 said:

You'll never regret it. Ever.

Click to expand...

+2 or 3 or 10 or whatever we're up to....

wildwest450 said:

You'll never regret it. Ever.

Click to expand...

This. I bottled one batch and was immediately shopping for kegging equipment and a freezer. If I had to bottle, I wouldn't be brewing. Simple as that.

wookiemofo said:

Interesting point on the stout, I guess what I am looking for is that creaminess that my bottles seem to lack.

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eh, it's just my opinion. i just don't like nitro. if anything, nitro a bitter.

wookiemofo said:

...if I ever go completely away from bottling....

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you will. lol. the only time i had to bottle since i kegged over a year ago was because I brewed for a friend. i almost thought about telling him to go buy a tap setup, lol...

I just started kegging, and I'm another one of those that doesn't mind bottling... and it's the s---! I'm rockin 1 keg on a picnic tap too, (haven't quite finished the keezer build yet ) and it still dominates. Besides the already mentioned ease of kegging: your beer comes out extra crystal clear, the head is a whole new fluffy level of perfect you haven't even seen yet, perfect carbonation is completely fool-proof now, and you don't have to give people instructions on how to properly pour your homebrew anymore. It's just the best.

nitro = bonus.

I got rid of all my bottles, drying rack, bottle cleaner, filler within a month after I started kegging. I have never looked back except to laugh at myself for not doing it sooner.

Yes another vote for kegging and why did it take me so long to switch over!!!! You will love it!!!

i switched to kegging a long time ago, and won't (can't) go back. not only for the hassle of bottling, but swmbo has heard 3 different bottle bombs, and we agreed i'd only keg from the 3rd one on . what i have bottled now is it

Just pulled the trigger... wish me luck!

Not I need to find out how to drill gas lined into the sides, and determine if I want all 3 taps mounted or swap out 2 as I need them.

And I've got some special 'Surly' branded faucet handles lined up from a buddy of mine!

I got stainless Perlic's but chrome shanks... is that pointless?

wow, after reading this thread I know what I'm asking Santa for christmass

I didn't give Santa a chance to tell me 'no'. I'm buying a house next week, so while I'm hemmoraging $$$.....

I just filled two kegs for the first time yesterday and I have one more waiting to be filled. You will never, ever regret it. It's that much better than bottling.