I want to get started home brewing, but I need some advice. I have a kegerator that is setup for regular 16 gal kegs, so I want to keg the beer instead of bottling. What equipment would I need, and where would be the best place to get it?
beginner with no clue
- Thread starter brinker90
- Start date
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You have two choices: either try to maintain compatability with the 16 gallon kegs or dump them and go with ball or pin lock cornies. The five gallons kegs can be purchased with tapping setups that work with commercial (generally Sankey) kegging systems.
For converting your keggerator, you'll need some five gallon kegs. Since I don't know what type of keg you are set up for, I would recommend you forget about the 16 gallon kegs and get the standard ball lock kegs. Sabco is one internet source, but many homebrewing stores carry them. You will have to change the connector on your gas regulator and the line to the tap.
Post your location and some pictures of your setup and people can help more.
If you haven't brewed at all, check out How to Brew Intro
You have two choices: either try to maintain compatability with the 16 gallon kegs or dump them and go with ball or pin lock cornies. The five gallons kegs can be purchased with tapping setups that work with commercial (generally Sankey) kegging systems.
For converting your keggerator, you'll need some five gallon kegs. Since I don't know what type of keg you are set up for, I would recommend you forget about the 16 gallon kegs and get the standard ball lock kegs. Sabco is one internet source, but many homebrewing stores carry them. You will have to change the connector on your gas regulator and the line to the tap.
Post your location and some pictures of your setup and people can help more.
I am in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
I'm not sure how to post pictures of my setup, but I believe it is just a standard tap. I have the co2, regulator, and spout. I would like to convert it to a 5 gal setup. What would I need in addition to what I already have, including the actual brewing equipment?
I'm not sure how to post pictures of my setup, but I believe it is just a standard tap. I have the co2, regulator, and spout. I would like to convert it to a 5 gal setup. What would I need in addition to what I already have, including the actual brewing equipment?
croba50
Well-Known Member
i think what you need to do is go to your hbs and see what thay rec.
or you can buy online http://www.midwestsupplies.com/ thay have so cheep setup or call them thay will help you out.
there are others out there but thay have a good sale going on kegs right now.
or you can buy online http://www.midwestsupplies.com/ thay have so cheep setup or call them thay will help you out.
there are others out there but thay have a good sale going on kegs right now.
kornkob
Resident Crazy Uncle
I have recently added a minor bit of new plumbing to my standard keg tapper to accomodate ball lock kegs for home brew. Here's what you can do to make it easy to swap back and forth:
Get:
-ball lock 5 gal corney keg
-ball lock quick release for corney keg's air side
-ball lock quick release for corney keg's beer side
-length of air hose similar to what you are currnetly running from your CO2 tank to the sankey keg connector-- approx the same length as you have now.
-length of air hose similar to what you are currently running from the sankey keg connector to the tap-- approx the same length as you have now
-connector hardware for your tapper, identical to what you have now on the sankey setup
-Air line quick release (as is used for air powered tools in a garage) female You can get these at any hardware store. Make sure you get one for the size of line you are using for your CO2 line currently.
-air line quick release, male ---get 2 of these
-hose clamps
Cut the CO2 line that runs off your regulator to power your current beer system and install the air line quick release adapter, female.
Then on the beer system side of the hose you just cut, install a male air line quick release.
As is you can use it just as you did before to push commercial kegs through your system.
Take the new air hose you purchased and install a male air line quick release on one end. On the other end install the ball lock quick release, air side. This will connect your regulator and c02 source to the corney keg.
Then take the new beer line you purchased. On one end install the ball lock quick release you bought for the beer side of the keg. On the otehr end install the new tapper connector hardware. This will be used for connecting the corney keg to the tapper.
All in all there is little difference between the way a corney keg works and the way a 'normal' beer keg works. It's just handled with slightly different hardware. For relativley little you can get make your current kegorator work with either corney or standard commercial kegs. Using the quick release method makes it a pretty painless process to swap back and forth.
Good luck and have fun.
Get:
-ball lock 5 gal corney keg
-ball lock quick release for corney keg's air side
-ball lock quick release for corney keg's beer side
-length of air hose similar to what you are currnetly running from your CO2 tank to the sankey keg connector-- approx the same length as you have now.
-length of air hose similar to what you are currently running from the sankey keg connector to the tap-- approx the same length as you have now
-connector hardware for your tapper, identical to what you have now on the sankey setup
-Air line quick release (as is used for air powered tools in a garage) female You can get these at any hardware store. Make sure you get one for the size of line you are using for your CO2 line currently.
-air line quick release, male ---get 2 of these
-hose clamps
Cut the CO2 line that runs off your regulator to power your current beer system and install the air line quick release adapter, female.
Then on the beer system side of the hose you just cut, install a male air line quick release.
As is you can use it just as you did before to push commercial kegs through your system.
Take the new air hose you purchased and install a male air line quick release on one end. On the other end install the ball lock quick release, air side. This will connect your regulator and c02 source to the corney keg.
Then take the new beer line you purchased. On one end install the ball lock quick release you bought for the beer side of the keg. On the otehr end install the new tapper connector hardware. This will be used for connecting the corney keg to the tapper.
All in all there is little difference between the way a corney keg works and the way a 'normal' beer keg works. It's just handled with slightly different hardware. For relativley little you can get make your current kegorator work with either corney or standard commercial kegs. Using the quick release method makes it a pretty painless process to swap back and forth.
Good luck and have fun.
