Are Kegs Worth the Cost?

[beersk]

I guess Im the one person here who likes bottling more than kegging. I hated cleaning kegs. I hated if I didnt drink for a bit I had to pour out half a beer to clear the lines.

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.

 

[mtnagel]

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

 

[GeneticBrew]

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.

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

 

[beersk]

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

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.

 

[kh54s10]

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...

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.

 

[UglyDude]

So I have the opportunity to get 4 corny kegs, a 2 or 3 tap hose and picnic tap dispensing set up, freezer, and CO2 tank for around 400 dollars. My question is, is it worth the money. My fear is that I wont drink the beer fast enough and it will go bad. I may have one beer when I get home from work and maybe 3 or 4 on the weekend. I know some beers can stay fresh for years in bottles but I'm getting tiered of how much time I spend having to collect, clean, sanitize, and fill the bottles. I realize I am the only one that understands my finances and that I am the only one that can truly answer this question. I'm just looking for some input from others who have a similar drinking schedule who have made the jump.

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.

 

[mtnagel]

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.

https://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 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.

 

[403Brewer]

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.

 

[TheCanisDirus]

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.

 

[solbes]

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.

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:
https://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.

 

[DPBISME]

Oh Ya they are....

The time and energy saved is well worth it.

DPB

 

[Setesh]

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.

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).

 

[NickTheGreat]

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

 

[403Brewer]

The DIY beer line cleaner is here:
https://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.

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

 

[jbaysurfer]

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.

 

[Puddlethumper]

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.

 

[cdog127]

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

 

[Spookgolds]

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.

 

[solbes]

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.

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.

 

[NickTheGreat]

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

 

[OleBrewing]

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.

Yep. Pushing starsan and pressurizing kegs with star san is what I do. There is no reason to waste co2 if not needed.

 

[EyeHeartBeer]

Worth every penny IMHO!
$400 sounds a little high to me, but market conditions vary with location etc....

$400 for that much equipment sounds like one hell of a deal to me! Lol, a twin keg system anywhere else will be around $300 and he gets a freezer too, that's a big bonus


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