how many taps do you have and how many do you want?

[ndinh]

Initially bought a 2 tap kegerator for the family room. Realized I needed another 2 tap kegerator for my office. We turned my office to a baby's room so now the 2x2 tap kegerators sit side by side in the family room. Suddenly the taps are getting taken over by all IPAs for some odd reason. Goal is to have the 4 taps going through a wall for a more professional build.

 

[Brettomomyces]

I've got 4, and I've had 2 for the last 8 years or so, so the novelty hasn't worn off yet. but I really want a stout faucet...

 

[sputnam]

seems that 3 is in the majority so far. I definately agree with the variety statements, that's why I chose 3 gallon batches.
I had an idea for a tap dedication and would like to know what y'all think...my wife does not like beer, she drinks vodka tonics. I was wondering if I could put some vodka, water, and lime juice in a keg. I know it's not tonic but she likes sparkling water too.
I enjoyed reading all the responses and at least feel pretty comfortable with my 6...

 

[day_trippr]

I have a six faucet keezer, and a cold-carbing fridge that holds five more kegs that can be hit with a picnic tap if I get the urge. I'm good with all that.

IMO, one needs to consider rate of consumption when deciding how many beers to have on tap, lest some of them age beyond their prime before they're kicked. We manage to just stay under the fed limit <cough> and the pipeline matches the dispensing capacity pretty nicely...

Cheers!

 

[Brettomomyces]

seems that 3 is in the majority so far. I definately agree with the variety statements, that's why I chose 3 gallon batches.
I had an idea for a tap dedication and would like to know what y'all think...my wife does not like beer, she drinks vodka tonics. I was wondering if I could put some vodka, water, and lime juice in a keg. I know it's not tonic but she likes sparkling water too.
I enjoyed reading all the responses and at least feel pretty comfortable with my 6...

Well, you could make a keg of tonic! There are some recipes out there, it's not super complicated.

http://pinchandswirl.com/2013/08/homemade-tonic-water-for-the-ultimate-gin-and-tonic/

 

[ol-hazza]

not enough and more

 

[sputnam]

Well, you could make a keg of tonic! There are some recipes out there, it's not super complicated.

http://pinchandswirl.com/2013/08/homemade-tonic-water-for-the-ultimate-gin-and-tonic/

i really appreciate your looking that up for me, I might actually try it! For some reason it never even occurred to me to make my own....duh! that's what i do!

 

[glick]

I currently have 3 and it is working out well.

 

[ShockedHop]

I started with a mini fridge conversion with one tap. That quickly got swapped out for a 3 tap keezer. 3 is good for me as I am the one that mainly drinks it and I get to have a variety for myself, or anyone that comes over...... But mainly for myself&#128556;. My old kegerator is now at my brother in laws house and we recently added a second tap to the tower. One wasn't enough for him either.


Keg #1 - Brewers Best American Ale
Keg #2 - Brewers Best Kolsch
Keg #3 - Dos Barrachos (Mexican Cerveza)
Keg #4 -
Primary #1- Winter Ale
Primary #2-
Secondary #1-German Oktoberfest
Secondary #2-Irish Red Ale
Yeah I do kits!

 

[ShockedHop]

Here is my updated beer list


Keg #1 - Octobeerfest
Keg #2 - Irish Whisper ( Irish Red)
Keg #3 - Winter Ale
Keg #4 -
Primary #1- IPA
Primary #2- Dos Barrachos
Primary #3- Irish Stout

 

[Transamguy77]

I have 4 taps but can only use 3 due to the fridge I use, I LOVE the fridge it's 75 years old and works great and looks super cool but I can only fit 3 ball lock kegs in there. When it breaks I'll make something bigger.

 

[CA_Mouse]

In the process of building my collar for my keezer. I have 2 taps ready to go, The keezer will hold 6 kegs, so I will have a total of 6 when it is all done.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I have zero taps. Unless you count gravity poured polypins, in which case I've had as many as two at once but could theoretically have 10. But there I usually do no more than two batches at a time, and usually 3 one gallon pins per batch (with the rest ie a case or so bottled), and usually only tap them one at a time since they need to be consumed quickly (ie within a couple days) after tapping.

If I had my way, I'd have an 8 tap system, one for soda, one for nitro, 6 regular taps, configured to allow multiple combinations of high (3ish volumes), moderate (2.3-2.5ish volumes) and low (maybe 1.6-1.8 volumes) levels of carbonation. I priced out my dream system the way I'd want to build it, and I'm looking at ~$4000 including massive stock of kegs, so while I can't do it where I'm living now, I'm chucking money in the savings account for when we eventually move.

I'm also planning on doing a smaller set up with a beer engine for proper cask ale. Given that that'll be a fraction of the cost, I'll probably go that route first.

 

[paperairplane]

I have 3 taps and can hold 4 kegs. While a nitro would be nice, 3 ready to drink is about all I can keep up with.

 

[TAK]

I have 4, and I'd like 8.

I started with one picnic tap that my lovely SWMBO bought me for my birthday. I quickly bought another before my next bottling session. I think at about the same time I bought 2 taps and a tray. Didn't think my fridge could hold more, but it didn't take long to mod it and upgrade to a 4 tap setup.

My keggorator was as bad as it could be, getting it in my basement. So, there it will stay. I swear I'd cut it in half to remove it before trying to get it upstairs again in a functional state. So, that will be my main deterrent from upgrading.

My ideal set-up is:

1 for stout on nitro,
1 for something pale on nitro,
2 for big beers that will only get sipped and can age in the fridge,
1 for an IPA rotation, and
2-3 for whatever styles are flowing through the pipeline.

 

[Newsman]

I have one. My home-built kegerator will hold 2 kegs, so I'm looking to upgrade to a dual-tap tower. Anyone got one they want to get rid of?

 

[brewmcq]

I have four taps, with enough room in my keezer for 10 kegs (I store bottled beer and, in the summer time, Gatorade and bottled water in it as well).

I supposed, ideally, that I should add just one more tap and be happy with it. I'm making the move to 10-gallon batches in the very near future, so a double brew day will net me 20 gallons.

I brew 14 different beers. Some I like, others I don't. Some I brew solely for other people (my Dad LOVES my blonde ale, for example). So my tap lineup would look something like this:

Blonde, Pale, Red, Brown, Porter

However... I would very much like a 6th tap for "special" or "seasonal" beers. People around here go all apey for pumpkin ales in the fall... maybe have a stout for St. Paddy's. Maybe an IPA for summertime... my Yule ale always goes over well.

However, due to scheduling conflicts and a host of other issues, we don't have nearly as many people over as we used to. Our last party was SWMBO's b-day party back in August. 5 people showed up (we invited 30). I did a ton of brewing leading up to the party to ensure that I had a wonderful sample of homebrew on tap. Granted, now, we get to drink it all, but I do love sharing my homebrew with others. Their loss.

Anyway..

So.. no clue.

 

[b-boy]

3 taps plus a keezer/ferm chamber in the garage with 2 taps as a backup. I usually use that one for the occasional commercial keg I buy - like Celebration Ale.

 

[NickTheGreat]

i really appreciate your looking that up for me, I might actually try it! For some reason it never even occurred to me to make my own....duh! that's what i do!

I had never even considered a keg for gin and tonic. That would be the best idea and worst idea ever!

 

[fixitoscar]

This is a good thread. I have acquired a fridge that I plan to convert and have the parts for a 1 tap. After reading these replies, I think 3 is going to be ideal for my pace of brewing. If I had more time to brew it would be higher.

 

[sumbrewindude]

I've two picnic taps, keezer holds 4. Every now and then I think about adding one more tap, but I'm content with 2 serving, one gassing, and one lagering.

 

[jekeane]

Brew schedule and space / $ should drive your decision. Here is a bad photo of my setup. It is the Maytag 14cf at HD (With a sale it was $325) the CAD drawing in this forum shows it can hold 10 kegs because the compressor hump is in 1 corner. Currently it holds 6 ball locks with 10ft picnic taps a 5# tank, in the blue basket is saved yeast and some hops, and under the basket are 6-10 assorted 6 packs. If I want I can fit a 20# tank or more kegs or even lager. I have a hard time imagining I will outgrow this setup unlike my previous 7cf.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

One problem is that two of my friends that drank a LOT of my beer both moved out of the area. My turnover is much slower now.

Time to start daydreaming...

Put up a listing on Craigslist, strictly platonic.

"Looking for two cool dudes to come over and drink my beer"

I'd bet you have about 3 dozen emails/phone calls in about 10 minutes.

 

[BBBF]

I'm happy with three.

I drink a lot of beer, but I drink few styles that benefit from age so three taps are plenty for me.

I'm in the same boat. My kegerator holds five cornys or four 1/6 sankes, but only has 3 taps. Sometimes I wish I had a 4th, but it would be under-used. During those times, I keep a picnic tap in the fridge.

 

[63belair]

I have 2 (currently using a minifridge) and I honestly I'm ok with 2 taps, but I wish I had more room for kegs so I could have one carbed and chilled on standby for when one kicks.

That being said I think the perfect number of taps would be 3 or maybe 4 based on our current consumption patterns.

That that being said, the wife has stated that when we buy a house she wants to relocate the minifridge kegerator to the bedroom and then build a keezer for the bar, so I suppose that would put us at 5-6 taps!

 

[fj605]

Is the addage "If you build it they will come" apply in this case? I'm definitely not gonna ever make the assertion I don't drink a ton of beer (short bursts on Fridays where I'll down a bunch of research materials). Once your friends find out you have beer on tap regularly do they all of a sudden just start showing up a lot?

I know I could keep two full all the time and still feel like I'm letting whatever is in it get too old particularly if I make a hefeweizen or other wheat ales.

Luckily, most of our friends also have beer on tap too so it evens out.

I have noticed my landlord and in-laws coming by more often though.

 

[rainmanak44]

I have 8 spots but only filled 5 of them so far. I keep blowing kegs faster than I can brew!

 

[30Bones]

I have 5 and sometimes I feel it's excessive. Other times it's perfect when I have the inventory. I don't see myself adding more and I won't take any away even if they aren't being used for long periods of time. Good time to disassemble and clean them on rotation then.

 

[airdog_47]

I have three. Keg fridge holds 4. I'm happy with 3 taps.

 

[TwoGunz]

6, 2 of which are nitro. I'm all set with 6 and could live with a couple less at times but I do like variety.


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