So sick of bottles, how cheap can i keg?

[basilchef]

i want to keg as simply and cheaply as possible. i dont mind not kegging a whole five gallon batch. i just need the cheapest way to get out of bottling 5 gallons at a time. any suggestions?

 

[agodfrey11]

Can I ask why you are tired of bottling? I know I will get a lot of heat for saying that, but there are some good threads out there about bottling that make it much easier. I don't keg, and don't plan on it any time soon. I want to wait for to get a proper kegging setup before I make the jump to do it cheaply. there are also 22 oz and 750 ml bottles that make it easier.

That being said, I just bottled my 2100 bottle since I've been brewing. It took a bunch of batches before I got it down, but I can bottle a batch in 45 to 60 minutes. Not really all that bad when I spent 6+ hours making wort and the bottling stage could be argued to be more important for the final product. I also never have to worry about killing a keg that has just a small amount in it just so I can keg my next batch.

I'm not putting down kegging, but i think people can overlook the negatives of kegging. With kegging you need a dedicated fridge, CO2 tank, regulator, kegs, taps, cleaning system, and still some bottles for the batches you don't want to keg.

Just some things to think about.

 

[DanH]

I just checked Craigslist every day, searching for "keg," "co2," and "refrigerator." I lucked out and got a 20# C02 tank for $30 which I then swapped for a newer full one at Airgas for $21 more. I found a perfectly awesome fridge for $25 and a corny for $30. Now I ordered a basic double keg kit online (hoses, ball locks, faucets and regulator) for $80. So just keep looking cuz deals are out there. I would have spent double at the LHBS. Be careful what you buy though; I guess you could end up buying a Co2 tank that is still owned by a soda company and then nobody will fill it.

Good luck!

 

[HeavyHefe]

I agree about the pro's of bottling. I've only bottled three 5 gal batches but my time and stress of bottling has gone down significantly after perusing some of the tutorials on here (especially revvy's). I take my brews on the go with me quite a bit to game night, poker night, picnics, etc so a bottles just make a lot more sense for me.

That said, I'd like to eventually have a keg or two on tap in the basement bar, but I'm cheap. Buying a one used corney keg system with picnic tap and 5 lb tank will be $150 plus shipping about anywhere you're looking online. This is just too much for me. My plan to is to keep bottling and watch craigslist and local sales for what I need. I'd like to spend <$100 all said and done.

 

[basilchef]

Can I ask why you are tired of bottling? I know I will get a lot of heat for saying that, but there are some good threads out there about bottling that make it much easier. I don't keg, and don't plan on it any time soon. I want to wait for to get a proper kegging setup before I make the jump to do it cheaply. there are also 22 oz and 750 ml bottles that make it easier.

That being said, I just bottled my 2100 bottle since I've been brewing. It took a bunch of batches before I got it down, but I can bottle a batch in 45 to 60 minutes. Not really all that bad when I spent 6+ hours making wort and the bottling stage could be argued to be more important for the final product. I also never have to worry about killing a keg that has just a small amount in it just so I can keg my next batch.

I'm not putting down kegging, but i think people can overlook the negatives of kegging. With kegging you need a dedicated fridge, CO2 tank, regulator, kegs, taps, cleaning system, and still some bottles for the batches you don't want to keg.

Just some things to think about.

i appreciate your post. maybe im over reacting to my two hours lost in scrubbing sanitizing and rinsing in 90 deg heat yet again. Also im not the average "bottler", i go the distance every time creating custom laser printed labels. i know this could be partly why i hate it but the finished product and surprise on peoples faces make it worth it. now i have a reputation to keep. lol. on top of that i give A LOT of beer away. losing money in the process 5 cents min but more if i payed for the clean bottles.dont get me wrong i love to share but in reality it would be cheaper and easier in the long run if i buy or clean a few growlers and just keg. i already have a fermentation chamber that come fall+ could be used entirely for a keg fridge. also i can add hops and other things to keep the beer a little hoppier for longer. just seams right. oh and my girlfriend thinks installing a keg in the house would be sexy. - cheers

 

[beergolf]

I like bottling for one reason. I like variety. I currently have probably 15 different brews in bottles. I always have at least 6 different ones in the fridge. It is so easy I do not understand the problem. I usually bottle when I brew. I rack to the bottling bucket while the strike water is heating up. Once I begin my mash, I start bottling. It usually takes about 30 minutes to bottle a batch. I am done before the mash is finished. No big deal.

There is no way I could have. 15 different brews on tap and it would drive me crazy to drink the same brew all the time. Tonight I ha a Saison, a porter, an IPA and an amber ale. mmmmmmmm.

 

[lumpher]

Tonight I ha a Saison, a porter, an IPA and an amber ale. mmmmmmmm.

i keg, and it takes me 10 minutes. tonight, i've drank a blackberry hefe, a northwest pale ale, and an english mild. i understand the potential diversity of bottling. i also understand "aren't you finished bottling yet", so kegging is better if that is a reason. we all have our reasons, andthey all work. the main question is "is it worth it?" my answer: "HELL YEAH, whatever is needed"

 

[amandabab]

There is no way I could have. 15 different brews on tap and it would drive me crazy to drink the same brew all the time.

this is why a mostly bottle now.
10-15 batches aging, some long term, kegging just gets to cumbersome at that stage.

 

[malevolent]

Kegging is WAYYY more efficient in terms of time. There are kegging setups (picnic tap, lines, reg, tank, and keg) for around 170 shipped from kegconnection.

Kegged 50 gallons (from start to finish including sanitizing each keg) in just about 30 minutes. Bottling 50 gallons would take forever.

 

[malweth]

Realistically, it costs a minimum of around $300... but easily $400-500

A decent keg setup with two picnic taps is around $200 (plus s/h - I found Midwest to be about the same as KegConnection after shipping, but there are often sales). At Midwest, a single tap setup is $155 (+s/h), but it includes one less keg ($40) and can only ever have one beer on the regulator (without additional purchases), so the 2-tap system is pretty economical. Going with ball lock adds about $25/keg -- I personally didn't think it was worth it.

Let's not talk about getting additional kegs just yet...

A mini-fridge can be dirt cheap or even free on craigslist. I went the keezer route and got a pretty good, older (but not old) freezer for about $50. The latter option needs a temperature controller (search here for "ebay aquarium") which is about $50.

That's $300 for a basic 2-keg setup in a nice big freezer (I can easily fit 4 kegs - with a collar could fit 6... your craigslisting may vary).

I got my parents to buy me a couple more kegs by promising to bring beer to my brother's rehersal dinner... and I ended up getting a couple more on my own for bulk storage and to have options on what's on tap.

I'd say $400 to get started is very reasonable. It was well worth it, IMO. I'd stopped brewing beer because I dreaded cleaning out the bottles. . . now it's nothing. If I want I can clean out a dozen bottles and fill from the tap.

 

[Barnstormer]

My neighbor works for Pepsi and gets me cornies for free. I scored an antique fridge that works fine from some folks I know for free too. My wires uncle gave me a bunch of fittings, a couple facets and a 5lb co2 tank from when he was in the beer business. My only costs are really just some quick disconnects and beer line and hose clamps. It was worth making the jump for me!

 

[MisterTipsy]

I use 750ml and 1000ml bottles. This cuts the bottling time down by more than half. Washing, sanitizing and filling 50 bottles per batch is a drag, but with 18-20 bottles, it isn't bad at all.

 

[passedpawn]

It's a sizable investment. As others said, probably $400 if you include a chest freezer with controller.

But it's worth it, too.

 

[petep1980]

Kegging has it's own pitfalls as well. Carbing can be tricky. Make sure you read up on it. It's not cheap. There is a lot more cleaning involved than you would think. And the reason I stopped kegging is tracking my drinking became a little difficult. It's easy for me to have two bottles of homebrew, where as having just 2 pints while watching the game was nearly an impossible feat.

 

[TheMan]

Kegging is worth it. I've bought two chest freezers (fermentation and keg freezer) off Craigslist so far and both were $50 each. So that part isn't as huge an expense as some make it out to be. If you are somewhat handy, there is a "how to" on adjusting a freezer thermostat so you do not need a temp controller.

If I was you I would check the vendors regularly for keg setup deals, kegconnection throws out a solid deal a couple times a year that can cut the $400 figure by $50 to $100 if you are patient. While you're waiting, check garage sales, hbt classified, and Craigslist for keg stuff too. I've seen great deals.

And to whoever said something about having to kill the last little bit so you can put something else on tap, you can just bottle that from the tap. Or, sometimes I just dump the last bit cause its not worth my time. Plus, no one says that if you have a keg setup you must keg everything, you get the best of both worlds.

I bottle less because I don't have a temp controlled space for so many bottles to sit, the beer gets ruined because it sits in 80 degree rooms all day, so this is another thing to remember. When I started Kegging I got to see how much fresher the beer stayed and this was worth it alone.

 

[724b]

Adventures in Homebrewing has a one keg setup for $109...
http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2012/06/kegging-system-109-save-26.html

Or, a two keg, two pressure setup that just went on sale for $219...
http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2012/06/great-deal-2-keg-2-pressure-kegging.html

 

[SilverZero]

i appreciate your post. maybe im over reacting to my two hours lost in scrubbing sanitizing and rinsing in 90 deg heat yet again.

Just a tip: I have been soaking my bottles in a big storage tub of water with a cup or two of clear ammonia for a day or more. Cleans the inside maybe with some shaking and maybe one or two get actually bottle brushed, the labels come right off of most bottles (especially Deschutes bottles) and a quick run with a fingernail brush gets the glue off. Makes cleaning bottles much easier, then I just run them through a hot rinse and dry cycle in the dishwasher.

And I give most of my beer away, but I see that as a good thing. Real friends will save your bottles and give them back.

 

[ktblunden]

i appreciate your post. maybe im over reacting to my two hours lost in scrubbing sanitizing and rinsing in 90 deg heat yet again. Also im not the average "bottler", i go the distance every time creating custom laser printed labels. i know this could be partly why i hate it but the finished product and surprise on peoples faces make it worth it. now i have a reputation to keep. lol. on top of that i give A LOT of beer away. losing money in the process 5 cents min but more if i payed for the clean bottles.dont get me wrong i love to share but in reality it would be cheaper and easier in the long run if i buy or clean a few growlers and just keg. i already have a fermentation chamber that come fall+ could be used entirely for a keg fridge. also i can add hops and other things to keep the beer a little hoppier for longer. just seams right. oh and my girlfriend thinks installing a keg in the house would be sexy. - cheers

I also label all my beers, it just makes it look that much cooler when you give one to someone. My beers get handed out with the understanding that the rinsed empties come back to me. I'll let someone keep one bottle if they want to save the label, but they have to ask me specifically. Otherwise, they're getting free beer, so they can rinse it out and give the bottle back to me. I always let people know the sooner I get bottles back the sooner I can start a new batch, that usually motivates them.

As far as cleaning goes, the night before bottling I usually fill each bottle with an Oxy solution and rinse them out really good a couple hours later. Then on bottling day I give each one a quick spray of Starsan from my spray bottle and set them upside down in my dishwasher rack unil they get bottled. At some point I'll invest in a bottle tree and vinator, which should speed up the process considerably.

 

[cincydave]

I like bottling for one reason. I like variety. I currently have probably 15 different brews in bottles. I always have at least 6 different ones in the fridge. It is so easy I do not understand the problem. I usually bottle when I brew. I rack to the bottling bucket while the strike water is heating up. Once I begin my mash, I start bottling. It usually takes about 30 minutes to bottle a batch. I am done before the mash is finished. No big deal.

There is no way I could have. 15 different brews on tap and it would drive me crazy to drink the same brew all the time. Tonight I ha a Saison, a porter, an IPA and an amber ale. mmmmmmmm.

I agree 100%. I like having a large variety of styles to choose from depending on what I feel like drinking. I also do the bottling while mashing, which is really just down time otherwise, so it really doesn't add any time for me.

 

[basilchef]

thanks for all the replies. you all have valid points. i have come to the conclusion that what i want is a 2-3 gal mini keg to keep on draft in house and bottle the rest for friendly gatherings, bbq's and such. has anyone heard of kegs that size. i have seen something called a "party pig" in the midwest magazine. anybody know about these? could it be what im looking for? also there is a 3 gallon mini draft system from them as well. im just not sure if they are as simple as they seem. thanks a bunch everyone.

 

[amandabab]

Williams brewing has 1.75 and 2.5 gallon kegs

 

[seamus18]

I purchased a 3 keg setup from kegconnection and I am thrilled! Was bottling exclusively, but now I am in love with the simplicity of kegging. Kegged two 5 gallon brews this morning, and I am actually drinking (and really enjoying) the porter tonight. Turned out excellent. Couldn't be happier. I feel I will only bottle from the keg or if the keggs are all full. Didn't really hate bottling, but now... Just my 2 cents.

 

[te3b0r]

I can't find a chest freezer for less than $150 in my neck of the woods so I am stuck with bottling until the funds free up from buying a house.

 

[TheMan]

Just keep looking. By the time you save up $150. You'll probably find one for half that