Getting started with kegging - Beginner Guides?

[elproducto]

I've got 4 used ball-lock corny kegs on the way.

Now I have no idea what else I need for equipment, thinking of a 2-tap system.

I have a chest freezer I could turn into a keezer.
Can you dispense kegged beer from a corny without CO2? Picnic pump or something?

Looking for a guide or something for people who know absolutely nothing about kegging.. a Kegging for Dummies if you will.

 

[billtzk]

If you have 4 kegs on the way, you are off to a good start, but it is just a start. Best place to research is the Sticky-Kegging FAQs in this subforum. It's in the sticky section up at the top. There are lots of good links there to basic info.

Also look at the starter kits offered by reputable merchants, such as Keg Connection, Austin Homebrew Supply, Norther Brewer, Midwest Supplies, et. al. (there are many many more). And if you have an LHBS, check with them too. The direct personal touch can come in handy.

A good starter kit should include a CO2 tank, valve, hoses, kegs (you can get kits without the kegs), and at least a party tap. As you might imagine, there are various levels of kits that provide increasing options, up to and including shanks and faucets for permanent installations in a kegerator or keezer. I think it's best to start with a very basic kit and start enjoying some kegged beer while you figure out where you want to end up and how you are going to get there. Building an 8 tap keezer, for example, is a big effort and expense, and you won't be able to use prepacked kits to do it. Start small, read, study, plan, then buy what you need and build.

And read all the threads in this forum where people have asked similar questions. Before long, you'll have a general idea in your mind, and you'll be able to formulate more specific questions.

To answer your question about dispensing kegged beer without CO2, the answer is no, you can't effectively do that. Effectively is the key. If you naturally carb the beer in the keg by adding priming sugar like you'd do in the bottle, then you'll build up dissolved CO2 in the beer, and CO2 pressure in the head space. You'll be able to dispense beer until the pressure of the gas in the head space is too low to push out the beer. And your beer will lose carbonation along the way.

 

[jimmythefoot]

something i learned. i force carbed one of my kegs for 24 hours through the out line. because the CO2 was coming from the bottom up it foamed my beer pretty bad. after i kicked the keg upon opening it the inside was all frozen foam. quite a bit actually. not a problem to clean out but i will force keg from the in line from now on.

just my 2 cents

 

[elproducto]

Sorry all, didn't take the time to look at the sticky. Lot's of info in there!

What would be the bare minimum equipment to get started, without bulding a kegerator/keezer? Can I just get CO2, some disconnects, beer line and picnic taps and leave it in the fridge?

 

[billtzk]

Yes, if you can fit a keg in your refrigerator, usually by removing one or two shelves, then you can just do a simple setup inside your fridge. A keg needs to be upright because the liquid out dip tube goes to the bottom of the keg.

Take a look at these.

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Categories.bok?category=*Homebrew+Kegerator+Kits

There are several pages of both ball lock and pin lock setups there. Since you have ball lock kegs, make sure any kit you buy is for ball lock kegs. I believe all the kits there on Keg Connection come with one or more kegs. So maybe get one with just one keg or call and ask for a price without the keg. Other merchants sell turnkey kits with and without kegs too. There are lots of merchants you could buy from.

 

[billtzk]

This is a good basic ball lock starter kit you could put entirely inside a fridge, for under $150. You'll end up with another keg too, and you can never have enough.

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=325

You could very easily expand on this to accommodate as many kegs as your fridge will hold. Look at the air distributors / manifolds that Keg Connection sells.

Then when you decide to build out a keezer or a traditional kegerator, you'll be able to utilize all of your initial gear. You aren't compromising anything by starting with a simple kit. You just keep building on it as you go.

 

[elproducto]

This is a good basic ball lock starter kit you could put entirely inside a fridge, for under $150. You'll end up with another keg too, and you can never have enough.

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=325

You could very easily expand on this to accommodate as many kegs as your fridge will hold. Look at the air distributors / manifolds that Keg Connection sells.

Then when you decide to build out a keezer or a traditional kegerator, you'll be able to utilize all of your initial gear. You aren't compromising anything by starting with a simple kit. You just keep building on it as you go.

Great info, thanks! I'm in Canada unfortunately, but I'll source out my parts here.