going keg; please help

[HoppyDaze]

So I started reading the kegging FAQ and well, I dont have four days to cover all of that material. I really want to get the ball rolling today. This simply means I want to buy a kegging system and while I wait for it to arrive I can read all about the ways of kegging. Any advise on which system to get...ball lock vs. pin lock and which online store has the best prices.

any help is appreciated and I understand that all this stuff has been covered extensively on this site but I have time retraints today.

Thanks!

 

[JesseRC]

Well, you really should read some kegging stickies b4 you order. Will you be building a kegerator, how much do you want to keep in your supply line. Wall taps, Tower, or picnic taps? 3gallon vs 5 gallon cornies. Give us some input as to what you want. Are you a DIY'r? What ever the decision, my vote is for Kegconnection.com . Let us know some of your preferences and we'll see what we can recommend.

 

[Arkador]

Kegconnection and Midwest would both treat you right! As Jess stated, a little more information is probably needed to help you make a proper decision.

I just put Brew Logic Dual Tap Draft System- with Reconditioned CO2 Tank :: Midwest Supplies Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies in my spare fridge on Thursday. Everything is inside the fridge at this point, which is a good starting point for me. As i improve, I will move to a chest freezer, mount taps, and get my CO2 tank outside of it, but this is a pretty decent starter kit.

 

[HoppyDaze]

Ok...the reason Im doing it is because I am sick of bottling.
I am not a DIYr...I am a busy professional who likes to spend off time brewing and fishing. My plan to start is just to buy a cheapy extra fridge for tha garage to hold the kegs...maybe convert later. I have been watching out for kegerators and nothing seems to be that good of a deal. So basically I will be opening the fridge to draw my beer unless I find a kegerater stat.

In the meanwhile...can I rack some beer into a corny keg until I figure out what to buy? I have some beer that desperately needs to be bottled or kegged

thanks again

 

[JesseRC]

So you'll be using some picnic taps, nothing wrong with that. Sometimes its best to use those than to spend money on cheap faucets , just to upgrade to perlicks later. If you use the picnic taps , look up the epoxy nozzle sticks, they can go in your line and help get a good pour by reducing your pressure at the pour.

 

[SchizoFilly]

PERLICK FORWARD SEAL FAUCET WITH SHANK @ Williams Brewing

If you think about going full on kegerator conversion you can get the perlick pretty cheap on the above link. Craigslist is usually a good resource for corney kegs, but some people on the forum also sell them. The regulator is one of your most expensive pieces along with the co2 tank. I have found that my local paintball shop is the cheapest place for me to buy a 20lb co2 tank. Depends on the amount of time you want to spend looking for pieces versus the amount of money you want to spend.

 

[Arkador]

Ok...the reason Im doing it is because I am sick of bottling.
So basically I will be opening the fridge to draw my beer unless I find a kegerater stat.

In the meanwhile...can I rack some beer into a corny keg until I figure out what to buy? I have some beer that desperately needs to be bottled or kegged

That's what i did. I already had the spare fridge.

I wouldn't move beer into a keg unless you had the CO2 and regulator to seal it. If you need to do something with it today, bottle it.

 

[HoppyDaze]

Im going to buy this fridge I think....Unless you guys think its a rip off

50's Vintage G.E. Fridge

 

[ClutchDude]

Agreed with Ark. You need a tank, regulator, line and a connector to properly fill and seal a keg. If you just fill and close the lid, you'll get oxygen on top of the beer or just fail to seal the keg.

Since a picnic tap + beverage line + liquid QD is a paltry sum compared to the gas side, you might as well spring for that. Considering the only thing you lose if you go to perlick faucets is your $4.50 picnic faucet....

 

[ClutchDude]

Im going to buy this fridge I think....Unless you guys think its a rip off

50's Vintage G.E. Fridge

Aieeee! A black cat! Don't get it.....

Looks neat, especially that retro look. I'd make sure it cools low enough with only 3 kegs or so in it. Also, what is that brown stuff on the bottom when the door is opened?

 

[HoppyDaze]

thanks for that^^^^

I found a much nicer fridge this weekend for $50!

So when I get my new keg...whats first? connect it to the CO2 and check for leaks?

no leaks, then rack my beer?

I can't wait!!!

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

For a fridge setup I would get:

1 - 10# CO2 tank (the bigger the better)
1 - CO2 Regulator - dual pressue is great for carbing and serving at the same time, but single pressue is just fine.
4 - Ball lock corny kegs
4 - Gas Side Quick Disconnects (gray)
4 - Beer Side Quick Disconnects (black)
4 - 10' sections of 1/4" beer line (40 feet total)
5 - 3' sections of 3/8" air line (4 for kegs, one for Regulator->Distro Block)
1 - 4-way CO2 distribution block (with individual shutoffs)
LOTS of stainless steel hose clamps (or Oetiker set if you want a cleaner look)

Either:
4 - Picnic taps
or
4 - Tap shanks (make sure they come with tailpieces, nuts, washers, and covers)
4 - Taps of your choice (perlicks are popular, but spendy. I use the cheap $15 ones and they work great for me YMMV)
4 - Tap Handles


As others mentioned, kegconnection.com offers some very nice setups. The one below has picnic taps and a 5# co2 cylinder, but you can upgrade the cylinder for a total kit price of $355.
http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=87

 

[Trubadour]

+1 on Kegconnection. You won't be sorry.

 

[daveooph131]

midwest is pretty solid too. I got a dual gage regulator / 2 cornies / co2 tank / and picnic taps. Everything I needed to start kegging and it was $220 including shipping. Also, received it in 2 days!!!

 

[Arkador]

So when I get my new keg...whats first? connect it to the CO2 and check for leaks?

My kegs from Midwest arrived with about 15 pounds of pressure in them, so i was confidente of no leaks the moment i took them out of the box. Just wash, sanitize, and apply keg lube to the lid oring, and fill it.

first thing would be wash, sanitize, fill with beer, and add pressure. If you are going with picnic taps, nothing more!

Find you a nice bungi to secure the CO2 tank in the fridge so it stays standing up. the kegs aren't topheavy and will not accidentally tip over on you.

midwest is pretty solid too. I got a dual gage regulator / 2 cornies / co2 tank / and picnic taps. Everything I needed to start kegging and it was $220 including shipping. Also, received it in 2 days!!!

Same here, except I live 1 day further away. Shipped same buisness day.

Keg Connection and Midwest both have a great reputation for selling good products, and standing behind them. I cannot recomend one over the other.