Are any of the "mini draft" systems worth it?

[blakelyc]

Hi Folks:

So as the summer BBQ season ramps up, I am looking for a way to get a small-ish quantity of brew from my house to other locations. I'd prefer not to haul bottles around, but I don't want to worry about a full-size corny either.

Are any of the miniature draft systems worth it? I have seen the tap-a-draft, party star, and even the three-gallon corny kegs that you bottle condition and use miniature CO2 charges for pouring. But, I'm not sure which ones (if any) are actually good.

Has any one tried to use SodaStream bottles for mini-keg serving? I would never use that for actual kegging, but all of my friends have sodastream machines. Guaranteed spare bottles at most summer backyards It looks to have a non-standard connection, though. Perhaps a part is available and a 3-gallon rig can be constructed?

-b

 

[rhamilton]

I've used the hand-held CO2 charger on my 5-gallon kegs with some success. While it did seal and serve the kegs, the cartridges are expensive and don't last very long at all. I would work much better with 3 gallon kegs.

I did look into 2-3 gallon kegs for a semi-portable keg system but the small kegs are hard to come by used (they are more expensive than 5 gallon) and are prohibitively expensive new ($100+).

You'd be looking at $400-$500 for a portable 3-keg (3x 3 gallons) setup. Not exactly cheap :-/

That would narrow down you choices to the tap-a-draft or party star which I did not look into -- I just decided to stick to bottles.

 

[AnchorBock]

I usually just bring growlers when I want to bring beer places. The smaller kegging setups just don't seem like they're worth the expense most of the time.

 

[bratrules]

i have i tap-a-draft system and i just got sick of using it. It pissed me off this weekend even more i had just tapped in to 3 liters of brew. So after i pour myself a pint i close my fridge door 10min later i got to get another pint all the brew had spilled all over the fridge. the stupid tap had opened cause of the pressure. man i was pissed i want to run out to buy a kegerator right then and there. so the tap-a-draft work pretty well when i got it now it just sucks. thank god am buy a kegerator soon

 

[Hauntedyards]

I have ten 1-gallon kegs and they are great. The CO2 tap is around $80 but works flawlessly.

 

[Polboy]

i remember the thread where someone converted fire extinguisher in to portable serving keg, its 2.5gal and looks cool, if i stumble upon SS class A extinguisher i will try that

 

[blakelyc]

Yeah, i had notice that the 3-gallon kegs were costly compared to the 5. Part of my thinking was that smaller kegs may fit in my current fridge, but if the system is at risk for leaking then it is a definite no-go. Looks like the 3-gallon kegs are the same diameter as the 5's, though, so even that wouldn't solve my problem.

Seems like the right thing to do is to convince the better half to let me get a kegerator and 5-gallon system. Damn... more beer toys. Life is hard!

 

[MrSpiffy]

bratrules, I think those draft systems have little locking tabs by the tap to prevent what you experienced. At least, the disposable ones for BMC beers do.

 

[david00001]

If you have a keg setup, have you considered a counter pressure bottle filler? I think that would be a good long-term investment. If you have one, you can dispense into any container and take it where you like (two liter bottle, growlers).

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/stainless-steel-counter-pressure-bottle-filler.html

 

[cardinalsfan]

No one has commented on the party pig yet. I use them (have 2 of them) and while I like them, I seem to have more problems than its worth. Filling and such is easy but heres what I dont like:

cost of pouches
depressurizing when beer is gone
one of mine leaks
getting carbonation right


sure, its cheaper and smaller than kegging and it fits my batch sizes perfectly (2.5 gals) but I think I'm going to stop using them when I run out of pouches and I'm going to save money to start kegging.

 

[oakbarn]

We use the 5 gallon corney and the small CO2 charger. We normally make sure we over pressure while transporting and lock the keg with the car seat so it will not move (jam against the dashboard). The small CO2 is great for serving as you do not need to bring along a CO2 bottle. We just recently obtained a small kegerator that will hold two 5 gallon kegs. We have yet to transport it but that will be more effort. We now take a large trash can and cool with ice.

As a side, we always have an extra picnic cobra tap setup along. We have had them spring a small spraying leak and having a spare can save the day.

Needless to say, showing up with a 5 gallon keg or two can make you the most popular guy at the BBQ.

We have a 3 gallon corney but it is always full of my grandson's homebrew rootBEER,