4th Keg in a 3 Tap

[edie]

never thought we'd use a 4th tap so don't have one. i do have 4 kegs though and was wondering if i disconnect 1 tap and carb up the 4th keg could i then go from the +1 keg to another. this makes very little sense.

i want to have four carbed kegs with 3 conncted to the taps. then when i want a pint out of the 4th keg (untapped but carbed) can i just disconnect one of the kegs attach the 4th, drink a little of it and then switch back?

is everything going to retain it's carbonation? this is assuming i don't have any leaks.

 

[bruin_ale]

there's no issues with that other than the inconvenience of switching the disconnect.

 

[david_42]

And the mixing of the beers. Most taps aren't going to have much in the line and I often mix beers, but if you want a clean pint, pour the first ounce or so in a separate container.

 

[bruin_ale]

agreed, I didn't mention that but was thinking that the first beer would be a little bit of a mix. Not a huge issue IMO.

 

[mattjmac]

I'd add to squirt a little Starsan on the posts before switching around the disconnects. I do this all the time with no problems.

 

[JohnnyO]

http://www.brewmasterswarehouse.com/product/0101786/ss-tees-516-barb

 

[edie]

thanks for the speedy replies. hadn't thought of beer in the lines, shouldn't be too big of a deal though. and the starsan sounds like a good idea.

thanks again!

 

[shortyjacobs]

http://www.brewmasterswarehouse.com/product/0101786/ss-tees-516-barb

Err....that will result in beer that is always a 50/50 blend of the two kegs....

 

[Atl_Brew]

You could put an inexpensive tee on the gas line and keep all four kegs under pressure.

 

[Antler]

When I build my kegerator I want to have 4 kegs carbed with 2 tapped at all/any given time. Would I need a manifold or just T off the air lines going into the two keg setup?

 

[bruin_ale]

A T would work fine. Can I ask why you'd only put 2 on tap if you've got room for 4 carbed kegs in your kegerator?

IMO, a manifold is nicer looking and easier to maintain - but at the expense of cost. You can just as easily get a T and do the same thing.

 

[shortyjacobs]

When I build my kegerator I want to have 4 kegs carbed with 2 tapped at all/any given time. Would I need a manifold or just T off the air lines going into the two keg setup?

I just T-ed mine. I have 2 regs, 6 kegs. One reg goes to 2 kegs with the use of 1 T, the other reg goes to 4 kegs with the use of 3 Ts. (yeah, the 1 line -> 4 lines using three Ts is pretty funny looking). It works great, but there are caveats:

If you don't have check valves on your Ts, you can back beer up from one keg into another if your kegs are filled too full and you vent the wrong one. I've killed 2 kegs this way, as the beer washed back up and into another keg, making them both taste funny, (and I suspect infected, since I never sanitized my gas lines).

You can't have different beers at different pressures. Some people really care about this....I don't.

If you don't have all the kegs connected, you can't shut off gas flow to one line easily if you don't have a keg connected to it, (say you only have 3 kegs in your fridge at some point), and have to trust and hope that the quick disconnect isn't leaking, (never been a problem for me).

 

[Antler]

A T would work fine. Can I ask why you'd only put 2 on tap if you've got room for 4 carbed kegs in your kegerator?

IMO, a manifold is nicer looking and easier to maintain - but at the expense of cost. You can just as easily get a T and do the same thing.

I don't plan on have more than two different types of beer on tap at any given time, and with using 20 liter kegs they can run out quickly during a party, so I plan on having a keg of each tapped, and a keg of each carbed as spares.

 

[Antler]

I don't plan on have more than two different types of beer on tap at any given time, and with using 20 liter kegs they can run out quickly during a party, so I plan on having a keg of each tapped, and a keg of each carbed as spares.

I'm thinking to use a 4 outlet manifold to have 2 kegs tapped and 2 carbed. If I do this and at ome point decide to have 4 kegs tapped, is it just a matter of added another 2 tap tower and lines to the keg outs?

 

[cjb]

Why don't you just get a picnic tap for the fourth one? That's what I do if I have a second keg in my fridge (only one faucet on the door). A picnic tap is handy to have anyway if you ever want to take a keg somewhere...like...maybe........a picnic.

 

[Antler]

Oh I'm sure i'll be satisfied with two kegs going, i was just curious.

 

[shortyjacobs]

I'm thinking to use a 4 outlet manifold to have 2 kegs tapped and 2 carbed. If I do this and at ome point decide to have 4 kegs tapped, is it just a matter of added another 2 tap tower and lines to the keg outs?

Yes.

And the reason we all find this weird is because we all crave more taps on our kegerators. I have 5 taps, and still want more. It pisses me off, actually...I originally did 5 taps as I thought that's all I could fit in my fridge. Now, I can fit 6 kegs, (moved my CO2 outside of the fridge), and I desperately want a 6th tap. But then the taps wouldn't be centered on the fridge door!