Extra kegs worth having

[doornumber3]

New to kegging and have a dual tap kegerator and 2 kegs. Is it worth it to buy 2 more kegs as extra?


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[Rockn_M]

I have a dual tap kegerator as well and have 5 ball lock corny kegs. This keeps me from running out. If you can get more always get more.

 

[hopjunkie26]

Agree with Rockn...I have 4 taps and own 7 kegs. The extra's are expecially nice when you have a beer that you want to age a bit (Barley Wine). You can transfer to the keg and let it age there.

And once you start to figure out how frequently you go through kegs, you can schedule your brews so you have a new beer ready to go when one goes dry.

 

[negativereaction]

I don't think any sane homebrewer has ever said 'boy, I wish I didn't have so many corny kegs'.

I think the rule of thumb is to buy as many as you think you need, double that, then get a couple more just in case.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

MOAR KEGS!!!

But seriously, pick them up when you can. If you get at all into kegging you will generally wish you had more. Buying one keg is a gateway habit to owning all of them. Pretty soon you will be building a new cold storage building just to hold all your kegs. Be careful and good luck.

 

[dadshomebrew]

I started with one keg. When that baby kicked i wanted to cry. I'm up to 4 now serving 2-3 at a time. The spare gets filled, chilled, carbed and conditioned. So yes you will want to get more. Just buy them as you need them or as a deal pops up.

 

[mtnagel]

Same as you, I'm new to kegging. I also have 2 kegs and a 2 tap kegerator. I've been looking for some deals on another corny, but right now I haven't found a need due to what I've been brewing. It basically has been and will be for at least a few months - keg an APA or IPA, then do a smaller batch where I do 1 gal experiments (did 3 gals of oatmeal stout: 1 gal as is, 1 gal with coffee, and 1 gal with chocolate), then keg an APA or IPA. So for me it's worked out where the first keg will be gone by the time I need it. But I can see the need if you wanted to keg something that required a bit more aging, but I'm just planning on bottling those. It's worked for me so far.

 

[dpatrickv]

Short answer? Yes.

Long(er) answer - I have 4 picnic taps but 6 kegs. I keep one full with starsan and the other one can be filled/carbed and swapped in as needed. Having at least 1 extra keg full of starsan makes line cleaning so much easier and to me is worth it just for the time factor.

If you can afford more kegs, then I would buy them.

 

[dyqik]

The aging use for kegs upthread also applies to lagering, not just really long term things like RIS. You can carb in the keg, then lager cold, before serving.

 

[Clonefan94]

As others have said, definitely get more. I would at least get 2 more, that way you always have a spare, ready to go on when the others kick. I have 3 on tap and 2 usually waiting in the wings.

When I fill a fresh keg, I usually hit it with 30psi of CO2, then set it aside. As I remember, usually every other day or so, I hit it again with CO2, just pop it off another keg from the kegerator and slap it on the new one until the hissing stops. Because they are at room temp, they never get fully carbed, but it definitely takes a lot less time for them to fully carb than just throwing on a fresh keg.

Having extra kegs definitely takes the anxiety out of brewing. It's really nice when you know a keg is getting low, that you don't care, because you've been waiting for a chance to put that new one on tap.

I also have an extra CO2 tank and regulator, so I've been known, for summer parties, to hook everthing up and get them chilled to make sure I have fully carbed kegs ready to go.

As others have said in here. It can be an addiction. I've got a great balance right now with 5-5 gallon kegs and 2-2.5 gallon kegs that I haven't found myself in a situation of actually needing more. I'm always tempted to pull the trigger on two more though, to justify aging some beers long term.

 

[NTXBrauer]

Yes, you should get a couple extra kegs to have on hand as spares. As mentioned above, you can use an extra keg for aging a beer, to store starsan in, or just have one queued up ready to fill when one runs dry. It is also beneficial to have a keg readily available to pull parts off of whenever you may need.

 

[KegWrangler]

What's an extra keg? Every time I get a new one, I have just enough...or still need another.

 

[Hello]

I actually figured I would only need 5 if I have 5 taps. well, I'm thinking not. I want at least two extra. Having one filled with star san has been great.

 

[doornumber3]

Ordering 2 today. Won't be able to carb extras but can age and just switch kegs when one is empty. Thanks


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[Hello]

Ordering 2 today. Won't be able to carb extras but can age and just switch kegs when one is empty. Thanks


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Carb using priming sugar. I've done it and it works great.

 

[butterpants]

2 taps, 8 cornies in the house.

I use the spared for aging/oaking and just plain ole swappin out when I get bored of what's on tap.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

I just bought a 10 gallon ball lock. So now I have (1) 10-gallon, (10) 5-gallon and (1) 2.5-gallon.

When I was starting I dreamed of this day. Now I just want more. They are just crack in stainless form with carry handles.

 

[CraigKing]

Where is a good place to watch for good deals on corny kegs? I see them on Amazon for $60ish.

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

I have let's call them 'a lot' of kegs, and I still buy them when I can get a good deal.

 

[Puddlethumper]

Where is a good place to watch for good deals on corny kegs? I see them on Amazon for $60ish.

About the best deal I've found for kegs is Adventures in Homebrewing. Here's a link
http://www.homebrewing.org/5-Gallon-Cornelius-Keg-Ball-Lock-Used_p_70.html

 

[CraigKing]

About the best deal I've found for kegs is Adventures in Homebrewing. Here's a link
http://www.homebrewing.org/5-Gallon-Cornelius-Keg-Ball-Lock-Used_p_70.html

Thanks for the link Puddle.

 

[CraigKing]

I keep one full with starsan and the other one can be filled/carbed and swapped in as needed. Having at least 1 extra keg full of starsan makes line cleaning so much easier and to me is worth it just for the time factor.

I don't understand the part about having a keg full of StarSan. I know what starsan is, and I use it, but why store 5gals of it? Is it cheaper to buy 5gals of it at a time? Do you need 5gals of it available at a time when you sanitize?

 

[fuelish]

I don't think any sane homebrewer has ever said 'boy, I wish I didn't have so many corny kegs'.

I think the rule of thumb is to buy as many as you think you need, double that, then get a couple more just in case.

haven't gotten into kegging...yet....but that advice works well for fermenters as well, especially when dealing with meads, my beverage of choice as of late....never enough fermenters (good thing we have a large basement or my wife would have cow)

 

[dpatrickv]

I don't understand the part about having a keg full of StarSan. I know what starsan is, and I use it, but why store 5gals of it? Is it cheaper to buy 5gals of it at a time? Do you need 5gals of it available at a time when you sanitize?

Personally, it just makes it easier to sanitize lines. Thats pretty much all I use it for. Hook up the co2, hook up the beer lines and pour. Voila, lines sanitized.


Everybody has their own method for doing it, I just prefer this way.

 

[doornumber3]

I second adventures in home brewing. Bought 2 from them and just ordered 2 more.



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[patthebrewer]

kegs are always a good investment if for nothing else, than their versatility. Obviously, for dispensing beer.....but also are great as fementers, brite tanks (with diffusion stone or with out), extra tank for filtering, lagering vessels, storing cleaning solution for quick line cleaning and if you have kids like mine making soda