Storing keg and co2 tank.

[BrewBoy19]

Quick dumb question. Ok so i just got a keg and all the co2 tank stuff now i need to keg my beer. Everything i read says put the keg in the fridge. My question is..................do you put the co2 tank in as well? or sshould i drill out a hole to run the co2 line into the fridge??? i am guess that i should keep the co2 tank out of the fridge since i have seen articles saying when you fill the tank at first it will be cold so don't hook it up to the keg until 24hrs.

Question #2 is when i sanitize the keg, should i take the ball lock things apart and soak them as well? I am guessing yes but just curious. I have never kegged a beer before.

 

[Yooper]

Having the co2 tank or or out of the fridge doesn't matter in the least- do whatever works for you. I have mine inside (I didn't want to cut a whole in the fridge) but if it was outside, I'd have room for one more keg inside! You can hook it up right away- co2 is dispensed as a gas so warm or cold doesn't matter.

I take apart my posts each time I clean and sanitize a keg, but I know some others will only do it every 3 kegs or 5 kegs or whatever. I think you should do it at least the first few times, and hold the diptube up to the light! I've been surprised at the amount of crud hanging out in the long "out" tube!

 

[Tiber_Brew]

I'm personally for keeping the CO2 tank outside the fridge. One of my kegerators is an upright fridge, the other is a minifridge, and I just drilled a small hole for the gas line into the manifold inside for both. The main reason for this is to leave more room for the beer inside. I can fit 4 corny kegs inside my upright if I keep the gas cylinder outside. A secondary reason is that when you chill your gas, the secondary gauge isn't as accurate. Since pressure decreases with temperature, the reading won't necessarily reflect the amount of pressure left in the tank. Not that it's 100% reliable outside the fridge, but it's at least a better indication.

As for taking apart the poppet valves when cleaning/sanitizing, I usually do that every 4 or 5 batches. When I don't clean/sanitize the valves and take them apart, I run PBW and sanitizer through them while assembled to the keg. This method has never failed me in 4 years and hundreds of gallons of beer. Now, if you had a lasting infection, I would certainly take apart and clean the poppet valves every batch as a precautionary measure.

TB

EDIT: dang, Yoop! You beat me to it!
Note that the differences in our replies are merely preferential. Do what works for you.

 

[BrewBoy19]

Ok thanks a lot guys. So will the dip tube just come out when I unscrew the poppit valve then?

 

[beaksnbeer]

Yes 7/8 wrench to take post off then gently rock tubes til they slide out I also clean mine out before I sanitize you can do every couple if you want I won't risk an infection for 1 minute of work.......my 02

 

[BrewBoy19]

I will probably clean them every time. I am paranoid. Thanks again guys.

 

[Tiber_Brew]

Nothing wrong with being paranoid. I was at first.