Are Kegs Worth the Cost?

I went straight to kegging because everyone that starts bottling eventually goes to kegging.

 

Kegging is no where near an issue if you have to bottle as long as you have a beer gun or counter pressure filler of some sort. For example...

My keezer only holds three ball locks (beers 1,2,3) and I have beers 4 and 5 still in primary ready to keg. I can bottle straight from the tap, so instead of having 50+ bottles for each beer 4 and 5, I'll just bottle from two of the three kegs that's closest to being empty in my keezer and put them in the fridge. Then I'll rack beers 4 and 5 to the empty kegs and let them condition while I continue to enjoy beer one from the keg and beers 2 and 3 from the bottles. With beers 2 and 3 being half full, I should only have to use 40-50 bottles instead of about 100 for beers 4 and 5. I've got two more beers on tap and I can still enjoy bottled beer that's already conditioned ready to drink.

Win win.

 

I've tried the homemade counter pressure bottle fillers (using a bottling wand and stopper) as well as some other methods. I like to bottle off the keg to share with friends and for competition where good consistent carbonation is key. Nothing I've tried beats the Blichman Beer Gun.

If you are going to bottle off your kegs - I would highly recommend biting the bullet at some point and getting one, it makes it so much easier. I did a review of it on my blog (below) if you want to read about it.




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It sounds like you already bought your kegs, which is awesome. Although the up front cost to me is super high, so far it has been worth it. I quickly went from 2 kegs and party taps to now 5 kegs, faucets and the chest freezer. There's no place for me to really put it, but I figure I'll make room. I like kegging, it is easy. I don't think I'll be able to drink all the beer but I will certainly still give it away but in growlers.

 

kegging is the greatest. Pulling a nice glass of homemade beer right out of the keg puts a smile on my face every time.

 

It sounds like you've got a nice process, but I recall seeing some calculations on purging, and I'm pretty sure you're way over purging. But no judgement from me...c02 is cheap, whatever gets you good results.

I purge about 5 times. I also purge the keg itself 5 times prior to filling it. Then I (you might consider incorporating this since you sound as thorough (or more!) then me) fill through the diptube by connecting the end of my autosiphon to an out fitting. I unscrew the release valve ever so slightly so to allow gas to exit the headspace as the keg fills, and this way I don't ever have to open the lid of the keg.

The rest of your process is pretty much what I do.

 

You will love kegging. There really isn't a downside. I always tell people interested in kegging to expect to spend about $300 using some used equipment. By the time you get a freezer off CL, a new Regulator, hoses, disconnects, faucets, shanks, kegs, Tank... It adds up!

 

Yeah, I'm sure it's way overkill, but as you say CO2 is cheap and I use 20# tanks so even with wasting lots of it they still last me a loooong time, and I have another one waiting when one runs out.

I actually tried the dip tube fill method but I got tired of replacing autosiphons. Without fail they would start letting bubbles into the stream within a few months of use, and I just couldn't stand that. I need to get a cap for my better bottles to allow me to start a siphon with pressure, then I could use the dip tube method again. That or make my own autosiphon.

 

So simple I can't believe I didn't think of it. Must get a beer gun to implement immediately. Thanks!

 

Might as well through my opinion out there. After 32 batches bottled, I built a 2 keg mini fridge system. That first batch I kegged was little slow, but I'm sure I'll get faster. I'm still learning, but it was simpler than I thought. Now I have been on draft and it's pretty awesome!

But having said that, I then bottled my next batch. It was an oatmeal stout where I transferred off 2 gallons and made 1 gallon a chocolate oatmeal stout and the other gallon a coffee oatmeal stout. I left the 3 gallons as is. It was a royal pain to bottle those 3 batches. Took me about 2 hours, but I had separate additions for each of the 1 gallon batches. But I couldn't have done that with kegging. I guess I could have used the 2.5 gal kegs. So anyway, I still plan on bottling some. I plan to have a pale ale or IPA on tap at all times and then bottle the other beers I make, but don't drink as fast. I like that I can have the flexibility to do both.

 

Just pulled my first pint tonight. Man it put a smile on my face. I feel like it makes the beer taste better too. Is this fact or just because of my perception that kegged beer is better?

 

Your expectation that kegged beer is better is all it takes to make it a fact my friend! Welcome to the wonderful world of kegging.

 

No, not a perception at all...kegged beer is typically perfectly carbonated, and benefits from long term cold storage...haha...and you think the first pint is good, just wait till you enjoy the last pint, as that is the best beer in the keg quite often...although a fresh pint has its merits, the last pint typically would be my choice more often than not...

 

And then there is that heartache when you pull the actual last pint that fills with yeast and such and your heart sinks cause the last one was just so darned good....

I totally agree. The last clean pint is almost always the best. It's the clearest, the most aged, and just awesomely good!

 

With a sanke keg, you get a clear gurgling warning noise and the last pint is truly the last pint yeast free! Love the sanke kegs! The smaller dip tube on a corny keg likely sucks up the yeast...

 

I now find myself in a paradox. I look forward to the last pint because of how good it is going to be but do not want it to come because it will be the last pint. Looks like I better brew another batch or 2...maybe 3.

 

Yeah, I can watch the tubing when I know the keg's about to kick and sometimes I can catch it by the color change and stop the pour in time.

 

After 50+ batches of bottling I finally took the plunge and got set up for kegging. I pulled my first pint about a month ago and I can only say that kegging has been a liberating experience. This has been a positive move on many different levels.
1. Better beer - The beer that comes out of the keg is (IMO) vastly superior to the beer that comes out of the bottle. Carbonation is always spot-on. The beer has been kept cold for days (perhaps weeks) and is clear as it can get. And the flavor seems better to me.
2. Storage space - No need to store cases of bottles, either empty or full. Everything fits in the fermenter or kegerator.
3. Time/hassle - It takes about half an hour to sanitize a keg, rack the beer from the carboy to the keg, charge the keg with co2 and then clean up the carboy. Compare that to 3-4 hours cleaning, sanitizing, filling, capping and labeling bottles. Huge time savings!
4. Planning - I have a better idea of how long a keg of beer will last so I can schedule brew sessions to anticipate demand.
5. Minor long-term cost savings - No more need to buy or store caps, priming sugar or bottles.

The downside to kegging is initial cost and a certain amount of maintenance for the system. However, once you bite the bullet and get it done, the whole process of brewing, packaging and serving becomes seamless and, aside from co2 refills and beer line cleaner, almost cost free.

 

Pulled the trigger on a 2 tap tower system today from Ontario Beer Kegs...painful initial cost to swallow but cannot wait for it all to arrive and build my kegerator! Slowly eliminating all the parts I hate about homebrewing (mostly cleaning) from my process and can't wait to not have to deal with bomber bottles all over the place and cleaning them all the time!!

 

My guess is that in a month or so you'll be feeling like an emancipated inmate!

Cheers!

 

I don't prefer bottling, but I agree with your last sentiment. If I'm pouring a small sample, I like to clear the lines so I'm not drinking the beer that's been sitting in the lines. This, to me, is one annoyance of kegging versus bottling. But it's rarely an issue, because, I almost never want just a small sample. I usually want a full pour. The only time I really take samples is early on after I keg a beer to check carbonation and clarity.

 

What's the problem with the beer in the lines?

 

Depending on system design it may not be "chilled."

Also, it might leave a "plastic" taint or taste in the beer due the lines being PVC.

You can purchase Polyethylene lines instead to solve the problem.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/beer-line-tests-solution-plastic-taste-60380/

 

What GeneticBrew said. A small 2oz sample of the beer that has been sitting in the lines tends to taste a bit off. Try it next time you pour a beer and only pour a very small sample, taste/smell it, then pour another sample and see if there's a difference. For me, there is.

 

I wonder when I am going to get a beer from my kegs that were long term cold stored. So far I am finishing them off much faster from the kegs. The last one is best though.

A note on the growler fillers. For the Perlick ones, they will fit the 525's but not the new 630's. I have both taps, so for now if I want to bottle one I have to switch a line off the 630 to one of my 525's.

 

Just a couple months ago I made the jumpo and am glad I did. I have since bought 2 more kegs and an extra regulator and 5#er of CO2 so i can have beer on deck and not have to wait.

its nice having 2 taps running with different beers so you have a choice. and I have friends that prefer one or the other so its really fun.

Im very happy i made the change.

 

I have taken small samples and I haven't noticed anything. But I've only kegged one beer so far and it was a black rye IPA so there was a lot of other stuff going on in there.

 

Just kicked my first 2 kegs (top to bottom in same night....friends like the draft concept) and I couldn't be happier with the move to kegging. Instead of cleaning 50+ bottles in the morning, I rinsed out the kegs and filled with PBW...10 minute cleanup. Some initial headaches with some leaky CO2 and one liquid line I couldn't get to seal right but other than that its so worth it. Only "problem" now is I think I might be brewing/drinking a lot more.

Question: When you have emptied the keg, what do you do with the liquid lines while they're not in service? I flushed with water but didn't know if more should be done.

 

Kegs are cool but i'm a bottle guy personally. I like have dozens of types of my beers at temp ready for consumption. I REALLY wish there was a affordable home canning option... id leave bottles (sub 750mL) in a heart beat and would have no desire to keg again.

 

I rinse out my recently kicked keg a couple of times. Then fill with Oxyclean solution and warm water. I hook it up to the gas and pour until I'm sure the Oxy is all the way in the lines. Pull out the keg and let both the keg and lines sit in Oxy for 24 hours (to clean).

The next day I use a DIY beer line cleaner that has a ball lock fitting (with hand pump) to flush with warm water. Then I refill the beer line cleaner with StarSan and pump that through. I may let that sit for awhile if I think the lines were dirty. I just keep pumping air until its just a little foam left in the lines. And I let them sit like that until I hook up a fresh keg.

The DIY beer line cleaner is here:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/diy-beer-line-cleaner-226497/

Initially I just used CO2 to push the warm water rinse and Star San through. It takes longer and either uses a lot of Star San or CO2. If you are committed to kegging the beer line cleaner is gold! If you don't keep up on cleaning and sanitizing your keg lines, eventually they will start to affect the taste of your beer.

 

Oh Ya they are....

The time and energy saved is well worth it.

DPB

 

I have a keg that always has Starsan in it. Whenever I kick a keg I hook the line up to the Starsan keg and run until it is clear, then leave it overnight. Then I purge with CO2 and that's it. Before I tap the next keg I hook the line back up to the Starsan keg, run it till no more air pockets, then let sit a few minutes. Then I hook up to the new keg and run until the beer runs clear (sediment in the first pint or two).

 

Take it from me, don't just leave them on the basement floor for a few months . . .

 

Haha actually made one of these yesterday to pump out my lines...its a real PITA for me to get CO2 so wasting it is not an option

 

It takes very little CO2 to push cleaner and then sanitizer through. You don't have to run a full 5 gallons of each. You just run for 10-20 seconds of cleaner, stop it and let it contact the lines for a few minutes. Run another 10-20 secs. Then do the same with sanitizer. It probably takes a whole .10 of co2. You're not trying to forcecarb the caustic/PBW/Sanitizer. Just move it through the line for a few seconds.

Edit: the above is far more thorough then the hand made pumps too. And the hand made pumps don't last long. Fickle, and one more thing to futz around with.

To each their own. I just think the idea that you're paying for the parts to make the hand made pump to try and save a few pennies/ounces of c02 is misguided.

 

If you own an air compressor you can push liquids through with air. Save the co2 for purging the tank before filling, for carbing and for serving.

 

kegging was the best thing I did. I still bottle some batches though becuase sometimes nothing beats that nice hiss you get followed by the aroma after cracking a bottle cap open.

When in doubt, do both

 

I brew 10 gallon batches. Keg 5 and bottle 5. Each has its pros and cons, but for me the pros on both outweigh the cons.

 

I guess I disagree with you a tad, but maybe you had a hand pump go bad on you? The hand pump seems plenty robust (I can't see anything going out on it for 10+ years). And it's really quick and easy to use. How is filling a keg more thorough than the hand pump?

The point of it is that you don't need 5 gallons of Starsan solution to clean your lines. Or if you put in 1 quart, you don't need to pressurize 4.5 gallons of empty keg to push the 1 quart of Starsan. I guess I have no idea how much it costs to pressurize a nearly empty keg, but I'm sure it adds up over the years. Agree, to each their own. Works either way really.

 

If I get another keg, I'm going to put BEER in it.