About to take the kegging plunge (how to never run out of beer)?

[BansheeRider]

I will be buying a kegerator soon and all the necessary equipment. My fear is running out of beer and not having another keg of beer carbonated ready to go. I will probably only have one CO2 bottle with two kegs. I would like to have one keg ready to go when I am about empty on the other. Most kegerators fit two 5gal kegs so no problem there. How can I carbonate a keg while still drinking off another? Will I need a special regulator? Maybe have two CO2 bottles so one is carbing while still drinking the other? I know this is a weird question but I want to go 100% kegging, no bottles while waiting for a keg to carb. I don't even know how I would bottle a few beers anyways if I had beer in kegs.

 

[Yooper]

If both kegs fit, just get a single regulator, and then a WYE fitting (y-fitting). Set it at 11 psi and keep both kegs on there. The "new" keg will take about two weeks to carb up completely, but the first keg should last that long anyway!

 

[sillbeer]

I bought a dual regulator for my bottle. One regulator will run a manifold with 3 faucets and the other regulator will force carbonate when needed. I can also use it for beers requiring a different serving pressure.

- Destin

 

[BansheeRider]

If both kegs fit, just get a single regulator, and then a WYE fitting (y-fitting). Set it at 11 psi and keep both kegs on there. The "new" keg will take about two weeks to carb up completely, but the first keg should last that long anyway!

Yeah but isn't 11psi a bit high for serving?

 

[brewinginnc]

Not if you lines are long enough. I use 10 ft 3/8 bev lines and 12-14 psi is no problem

 

[Revvy]

It's called a secondary regulator, you can have separate co2 levels for each beer. One bank per keg, or you can do what Yooper suggested, and split those banks.

 

[454k30]

It's called a secondary regulator, you can have separate co2 levels for each beer. One bank per keg, or you can do what Yooper suggested, and split those banks.

Brilliant!

 

[BansheeRider]

Those are nice but probably very expensive. It is nice to see that I have options though. I am trying to convert to kegging with a $500 budget.

 

[Revvy]

Brilliant!

Expensive though..shop around, look at ebay, and the various online lhbs, even craigslist, you could be looking at anywhere from 50 to 75 bucks per head on it. That one I pictured would be $150, new and retail. That's why you can always run splitters off of it, and just keep the kegs at a similar psi on each bank. You could do six off one of those if you planned it out.

 

[BansheeRider]

Not if you lines are long enough. I use 10 ft 3/8 bev lines and 12-14 psi is no problem

Good to know! The Y-valve is probably a cheap alternative to buying multiple regulators.

 

[PghMakesMeDrunk]

You could also use a beer gun, if you feel like spending $80 on one and bottle off a six or 12 pack or however many you want right from the tap. I kind of miss having bottles lying around to give to people, or to sample however long down the road.

I haven't tried yet, but I have all of the equipment to run 2 kegs off 1 tank and 1 regulator. I just have to keep them at the same psi. I only have 1 keg hooked up right now, and just got the shank, faucet etc. for the 2nd.

I also havent tried bottling from it yet. I don't feel like spending the money on the beer gun so I think Im gonna try a piece of tubing first and just jam it over the faucet and see how it goes.

 

[day_trippr]

Not if you lines are long enough. I use 10 ft 3/8 bev lines and 12-14 psi is no problem

Typo? I'm betting that's actually 3/16" [ID] line...

Cheers!

 

[Revvy]

Those are nice but probably very expensive. It is nice to see that I have options though. I am trying to convert to kegging with a $500 budget.

500? Really? oh oh....you're going to have to do some serious scrounging and shopping, I stopped tallying mine up after I broke the thousand dollar ceiling. including the $180 for my 7 cu chest freezer. It's got 3 taps though it can hold 5 kegs. I bought 4 kegs for about $140, Spent about $360 on on the co2 tank and regulator, and all the stuff necessary for the gas and liquid lines (including tap hardware and lines,) I spent about $160 for a secondary regulator. $30 for my Ebay Temp controller. Everything else was lumber, stain, insulation, sealer, silicone, and all the miscellaneous hardware and crap from home depot and harbor freight, including the electrical stuff for the temp controller..

I also ended up buying an orbital sander and a saws-all.

I spent $44 on a 12" drip tray, and another $30 for a nice old time bottle opener and cap catcher for decoration.

It came out to be much more than I expected, but it's sweet.

 

[BansheeRider]

If both kegs fit, just get a single regulator, and then a WYE fitting (y-fitting). Set it at 11 psi and keep both kegs on there. The "new" keg will take about two weeks to carb up completely, but the first keg should last that long anyway!

You talking about one of these?

 

[PseudoChef]

I prime my kegs, so when one kicks, the next is already carbonated. Alls it needs to do is get cold.

 

[Yooper]

You talking about one of these?

View attachment 102243

Yep, that's it!

Or, like pseudochef said, you can prime it and leave it at room temperature, just as if you were bottling.

Remember that there really isn't any such thing as "carbonating pressure" and then "serving pressure".

Sure, you can burst carb at a higher pressure for a quicker result, but you still should maintain a balanced system. Turning the pressure up and down to carb and then serve, and then to carb again, isn't really a long term solution.

I have my system at 12 psi at 40 degrees for the vast majority of my beers. No foaming, no overcarbed beer, no undercarbed beer.

 

[sawbossFogg]

There are several options like the one you've pictured for Y type connections. It may be nice to have valves like the one pictured, but not necessary. You can get a simple T from Micromatic for $5. And of course priming kegs avoids having to carb and serve at the same time on the same line. Nonetheless, as was stated that really isn't problematic though. Like others I run serve my kegs at about 10 psi which also works well for carbing and I like my fridge very cold. Most fridges will hold three 1/6th barrels pretty easily actually, unless its a small cheap dorm fridge. In terms of long term savings you might want to consider an appliance that's not gonna be a major energy suck or just break soon.

 

[BansheeRider]

There are several options like the one you've pictured for Y type connections. It may be nice to have valves like the one pictured, but not necessary. You can get a simple T from Micromatic for $5. And of course priming kegs avoids having to carb and serve at the same time on the same line. Nonetheless, as was stated that really isn't problematic though. Like others I run serve my kegs at about 10 psi which also works well for carbing and I like my fridge very cold. Most fridges will hold three 1/6th barrels pretty easily actually, unless its a small cheap dorm fridge. In terms of long term savings you might want to consider an appliance that's not gonna be a major energy suck or just break soon.

Thanks! I'm thinking of buying this....
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002TKJTNI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Looks like good quality and I'm eyeing a cheaper one on CL right now.

 

[mkringii]

I see kegerators pop up on craigslist all the time.. nice ones for less than $275 with tank and regulator.. they hold half barrel(so it will hold two cornies) and all you have to do is ad another tap to the tower and wye adapter the regulator.. buy the cornies and disconnects/line and ur set.. i helped a buddy do just this for roughly $400... Got the kegerator for $180

 

[Vigo_Carpathian]

Chest freezer: $75 on craigslist

Kegerator conversion kit: $250
Includes tower, lines, and CO2 tank, connecters

Corny kegs: $60 each

Temp controller: $70

$500 is totally reasonable

 

[Demus]

Thanks! I'm thinking of buying this....
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002TKJTNI

Looks like good quality and I'm eyeing a cheaper one on CL right now.

Of you're trying to save $$$ definitely go Craig's list for the fridge or freezer. Also, 1 keg more than your setup is nice if you want to ensure never running out. They will "bottle condition" if the seals are good; just put a priming sugar charge right in the keg when you transfer and leave it at room temp for 10 days or so. No force carbing needed and ready to roll the instant one of your taps run dry.
Also, you might find you miss having a few bottles around. I usually bump up recipes to 6.25 gals and bottle a 12 pack on keg/bottle day using carbonation drops. They are little hard sugar chunks designed to carb one bottle each; they work great...