Kegging Equipment

[Piperlester]

I'm now well on my way with brewing (10+ kits, have the grains and equipment for all grain)... But I'm looking to start kegging. Initially just for force carbonation and conditioning, then bottling, with the ultimate plan being to buy/build a kegerator.

My understanding is I'd need at least the following... But am I missing anything?

2 x 5 gallon soda kegs
5lb co2 canister
Manifold (or whatever they're called) with individual regulators
Hookups for gas line
Hookups for beer line
Gas/beer lines
Beer gun

 

[grampamark]

Your list is more than enough to start with. Individual regulators are nice if you want to be serving from one keg and force carbing another keg at higher pressure, but not really necessary. I have a three tap kegerator with a three output manifold. If I'm force carbing a new keg I just turn the other two off at the manifold. A carbonated keg will hold enough pressure to pour several pints before the gas has to be turned back on.

A beer gun is nice if you plan to bottle quite a bit of your production, but again, not necessary. Check out the "Bottling and Keggng" forum for many alternatives to a beer gun.

 

[Jag75]

I was gonna build my own , but after pricing everything out i wasnt too much more to just buy one .

 

[cloudybrewer]

Throw in some keg lube.

 

[Piperlester]

Throw in some keg lube.

Do I have to buy the keg lunch first?

 

[SoCal-Doug]

Might as well get a couple tap and keg gasket kits. They are only a couple bucks each and its better to have them the moment you need them, not 3 days after the leak shows up.

Scrap the beer gun. Get a counter-pressure bottle filler if you want to bottle from kegs. There's some perfectly good ones for under $70.

 

[ShutTheFermenter]

Best to just replace all the o rings on your kegs right away. They can absorb soda flavors and make your beer taste a bit off. A new set costs only a few dollars.

 

[Transamguy77]

One drawback I see with your plan is if you arent chilling the beer when your carbing it up but then trying to bottle carbed warm beer its going to foam all over, maybe others have had luck with warm beer but I have not.

At the point that you have your above list all you'll need is a fridge and your golden, you dont need to have taps through the door just yet, you could just use picnic taps and open the door to fill your glass.

One other thing to concider is after you keg your beer and you realize how much you like kegging you might not want to bottle beer unless you are taking it somewhere. I personally had grand plans of bottling and kegging but it never happened, I only bottle for gifts and if I need to take beer places I fill growers and take them.

 

[cloudybrewer]

Do I have to buy the keg lunch first?

And a few drinks. Some sweet talkin' never hurts, but don't get cheesy.