This will PO some, and help some others. I care only about helping people, you others will have to thicken up that skin.
I went to the local big time party store- most variety, cheapest prices, and bought a 1/2 bbl. keg for lawnmower/pool/mass quantities use. I can't make it any cheaper.
The good stuff goes into the Sanyo, from my nearby local micro-brewer- and I can't make it cheaper than them either. I do want to start out doing AG, as I have done and will not continue to do, simple kits. I have a lot of wine experience from thirty years ago, and wanting to do my own brewing, want only to do AG or at least mostly-grain type brewing. 10 gallons. So I am starting all over acquiring the equipment.
That means keggles, to make it cheap, easy and handy. So there I am, in the store, paying my 10 bucks deposit for the 'mower beer, and I level with the guys that I want 2 empty 1/2 kegs for cutting up for brewing-not for scrap metaling. They tell me that the deposit is going up, and "yeah, no problem we'll sell you 1/2's for ten bucks, how many do you want?" They have my name and deposit for the one I bought full.
Now if that 20 extra bucks went into the store's pocket, their pocket, or what, I don't know, and I don't care. I was honest, straight-up with them about my goal and what I wanted them for, I paid what they charged me, and I've got my kegs for brewing.
So before you hand over the big bucks for plain kegs, maybe just try and see what your local conditions are- it don't cost nothing to ask.
I went to the local big time party store- most variety, cheapest prices, and bought a 1/2 bbl. keg for lawnmower/pool/mass quantities use. I can't make it any cheaper.
The good stuff goes into the Sanyo, from my nearby local micro-brewer- and I can't make it cheaper than them either. I do want to start out doing AG, as I have done and will not continue to do, simple kits. I have a lot of wine experience from thirty years ago, and wanting to do my own brewing, want only to do AG or at least mostly-grain type brewing. 10 gallons. So I am starting all over acquiring the equipment.
That means keggles, to make it cheap, easy and handy. So there I am, in the store, paying my 10 bucks deposit for the 'mower beer, and I level with the guys that I want 2 empty 1/2 kegs for cutting up for brewing-not for scrap metaling. They tell me that the deposit is going up, and "yeah, no problem we'll sell you 1/2's for ten bucks, how many do you want?" They have my name and deposit for the one I bought full.
Now if that 20 extra bucks went into the store's pocket, their pocket, or what, I don't know, and I don't care. I was honest, straight-up with them about my goal and what I wanted them for, I paid what they charged me, and I've got my kegs for brewing.
So before you hand over the big bucks for plain kegs, maybe just try and see what your local conditions are- it don't cost nothing to ask.