Buying a Kegerator: What should be on my wish list?

[OnTheFlyBrewing]

I've had enough of bottling. Was trying to save the expense of a kegerator, but it is time to take the next step. My question is, when buying a kegerator, what are you glad you added/upgraded, or wish you did?

• Perlick Faucet - 630SS Stainless Steel?
• All SS couplers?

I'm ready to buy, so let me know what you think.

Thanks,
Fly

 

[Jag75]

Get one that is solid like a SS floor , a fan, and if you want a 2 tap , buy a 3 . The one I bought can go as low as the 30's and high as the 70's so it doubles as a fermenting fridge when you dont have anything on tap . I have intertaps which have been great . They even have the nitro adapter ($15) incase you want to run beer gas. Good luck and check out all kinds of them. You'll definitely love not having to bottle as much .

 

[IslandLizard]

I use an upright freezer I got off Craigslist, 5 taps coming out the door. Fits 5 ball lock kegs, with extra space above for bottles and such. CO2 tank is on the outside. A top-freezer fridge could do the same, even hold 6 kegs.

Look for a used CO2 tank on CL or so. Don't buy a new one, chances are the first time it will get swapped out for a full used one. Some gas outfits or beverage distributors let you "buy" one for a deposit.

All stainless taps and shanks. Use 4mm ID EVA Barrier tubing for both beer and gas. Like this:
https://www.williamsbrewing.com/532-EVABarrier-Beer-Tubing-39-foot-roll-P4680.aspxAlso get the plastic push-fit adapters with it.
For that, make sure your keg QDs are MFL, not barb, like these:
https://www.ritebrew.com/product-p/843382.htmhttps://www.ritebrew.com/product-p/843386.htm
Same for your gas distributor, get one with MFL connections.

 

[Knightshade]

Get those self closing springs for the Intertap faucets. Such a stupid little add on, but I really like not having to worry about (my kids) accidentally bumping and having beer spill all over the place.
https://www.williamsbrewing.com/Intertap-Self-Closing-Faucet-Spring-P4151.aspx
I'm using the Duotight connectors as well, makes things really easy.

I kind of bought into the whole Duotight system really.

 

[Yesfan]

Get one that is solid like a SS floor , a fan, and if you want a 2 tap , buy a 3 . The one I bought can go as low as the 30's and high as the 70's so it doubles as a fermenting fridge when you dont have anything on tap . I have intertaps which have been great . They even have the nitro adapter ($15) incase you want to run beer gas. Good luck and check out all kinds of them. You'll definitely love not having to bottle as much .

What kind did you go with? Just curious.


OP, I have to agree with what's been said so far. SS all the way, Duofit/EVA fittings/lines. I've been happy with mine.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

EVAbarrier tubing and Duotight fittings are everything they are cracked up to be - fixed my foaming issues and are a lot easier to connect. If you have to have hose clamps, invest in an oetiker tool and stepless clamps. More is more here as well; I had 1 tap kegerator, converted that to two taps, then found a deal on a 4 tap keezer and sold my kegerator to a friend. Now I am lamenting not having a 5th tap for a light lager or berliner (Belgian session, Vienna lager, saison, and IPA on tap right now).

 

[bleme]

I agree with starting with MFL connections. EVAbarrier and Duotight fittings are far better than anything else available. I know I'm the odd-man-out, but I prefer my taps INSIDE the kegerator. I've been happy with picnic taps for many years now, but even if I upgraded to intertaps, I'd still want them inside.

 

[Jag75]

What kind did you go with? Just curious.


OP, I have to agree with what's been said so far. SS all the way, Duofit/EVA fittings/lines. I've been happy with mine.

I got the Keg King

 

[Knightshade]

I got a Komos v2 4 Tap, which also goes by the Series X. Not sure why they're labeled different..as it comes out of Kegland Australia.

I was going to start a new thread, but since there seems to be a large population within this one that has the evabarrier lines and duotight connectors. How do you store your non beer occupied lines? I've only got 2 of my 4 occupied so far so they're currently empty. I'm under the assumption that you don't want to keep them full of BLC the whole time, and I've read that Star San doesn't play friendly over the long term w/the duotight connectors. My intention is to clean the lines immediately after the keg has kicked, but what stays in the lines between that time, and a new keg is put in place?

 

[day_trippr]

I used primarily John Guest and some DMfit PTC connectors when I replaced all of the beer and gas lines in my brewery, due to much greater availability - everyone and their siblings apparently had depressed the Duotight supply to where my usual go-tos were out of stock. Out of the 80+ total fittings I used only five of them are Duotights.

It would be a dark day here if I had my first empty beer line

Cheers!

 

[IslandLizard]

I was going to start a new thread, but since there seems to be a large population within this one that has the evabarrier lines and duotight connectors. How do you store your non beer occupied lines? I've only got 2 of my 4 occupied so far so they're currently empty. I'm under the assumption that you don't want to keep them full of BLC the whole time, and I've read that Star San doesn't play friendly over the long term w/the duotight connectors. My intention is to clean the lines immediately after the keg has kicked, but what stays in the lines between that time, and a new keg is put in place?

I think you can just blow 'em out with CO2 (or air) or simply gravity drain until they're empty. You can probably hang them up or drape over a corner of a storage rack and let air dry.

It's a lot easier to drain a 6' EVA line than my 19' Bev Seal Ultra 235 lines, I haven't switched yet. Whatever drops cling and remain inside, so be it.

I always have a supply of several months old, used Starsan around. I pour the crystal clear "Starsan" liquid that's on top into a clean bucket, and discard the 1-2 inch of dirty sediment on the bottom. That superclear "Starsan" has completely precipitated out by then, containing mostly phosphoric acid, it's at a pH of 2.7-3.0, and whatever else remained in solution. I keep a racking cane and some other stuff in it, like cleaned but tarnished hop bags that were in the boil kettle. They become white again after a few weeks in that "Clear Starsan" solution.

I've wondered if those standby beer lines could be filled and left with that "Clear Starsan" solution to keep them clean and sanitary.

 

[day_trippr]

I would not risk it as the history of "I left Star San in my lines and now they're white inside" is long and broad.
If I ever actually had to let a tap go idle I'd clean the line, go the blow-out with CO2 route, and leave it dry...

Cheers!