I want to start kegging and I found a kegerator on Craigslist. Good deal?

[chexjc]

Hey guys,

I'm going to flip through the FAQ and try and familiarize myself a bit more with how kegging works. I have a ton of questions, but to help me get started...I found this kegerator for sale on Craiglist.

http://imgur.com/JrRDgCv

Is that a good deal? I comes with "everything but the keg." I want to keg my 5-gallon batches. Assuming it is equipped for commercial (sanke) kegs, where should I start -- buying some sort of conversion kit and acquiring a corny keg OR buying a 1/6 sanke?

Are there any considerations I should make when/if I go to check this thing out? Will I need more/new lines, o-rings(?), etc? I need to do the research, but I also wants to jump on this opportunity before someone else does

Thanks for any guidance!

Jason

 

[yeastylad]

Seems reasonable if you only plan on having one beer on tap at a time. To buy new it would be a lot more, even to build your own from a dorm fridge, thermostat and tower would likely run you more and you'd have to build it yourself. Depends on whether you think you'll expand your operation long term - ie more than one beer on tap at a time etc. I personally got a 7 cu ft chest freezer brand new and built an STC-1000 thermostat for about the same price. I can store at least 3 5 gallon kegs in it. I haven't built a collar for taps yet, just use picnic taps, but I will build and improve it when I get time. Granted, I did have to buy kegs, lines, regulators and CO2, so it did add up, but really it depends on whether you think it will suit your needs.

Oh, and I'd make sure it's not just the tap their selling! The title says "beer fridge tap" - $200 for a used tap or tower is way too much.

 

[yeastylad]

And yeah, you could get a simple conversion kit for corny or firestone kegs. Check out somewhere like kegconnection.com.

 

[chexjc]

And yeah, you could get a simple conversion kit for corny or firestone kegs. Check out somewhere like kegconnection.com.

Thank you for the replies! So you think it's a better idea to buy a conversion kit and corny keg than buying a 1/6 Sanke?

I actually have a chest freezer + stc-1000 I use as my fermentation chamber, but I keep it at my parents lake house (also where I brew -- about twenty minutes away). In the future I will probably convert that into a duel purpose keezer/chamber, but for now I think a single tap would be nice while I'm apartment living.

 

[yeastylad]

I don't have much experience with sanke, but I think Cornelius and Firestone are the unofficial homebrew industry standards for kegging. Not sure how easy it is to rack to a Sanke? Just talking about my own limited personal experience.

 

[chexjc]

I don't have much experience with sanke, but I think Cornelius and Firestone are the unofficial homebrew industry standards for kegging. Not sure how easy it is to rack to a Sanke? Just talking about my own limited personal experience.

Okay thanks again! From the little research I've had time to do, it looks like Sankes are tougher to open and clean, but not by any unusable measure. I suppose I have a consideration of price and whether or not I might want to tap some commercial beers to make.

 

[thedon986]

I bought a kegerator similar to that one for $250. You might be able to nudge the seller down a bit more, that looks pretty well worn. If it fits a half-barrel (standard full size keg), then you should be able to squeeze two corny kegs in there. I got a double tap tower on here for very cheap. I've been using my kegerator this way for four years and still going strong.

Also, look into making a tower cooler with a mini blower fan. I had major foam problems until I made one. You will definitely want new lines. O-rings should be on the kegs so buy a corny with new o-rings or a you can buy a $5 rebuild set of new o-rings.

I think that's a good deal, just skip the 1/6 barrels and get cornys.

 

[wilserbrewer]

So you think it's a better idea to buy a conversion kit and corny keg than buying a 1/6 Sanke?

No, Myself and others prefer sanke over corny hands down. There is a slight learning curve required for removal and installation of the spear, but with a little practice it is a 20 second job. Since you will have equipment to serve sanke, my recomendation would be to source 1/6 or even 1/4 tall sanke kegs. You should be able to fit 2 1/6 kegs in that unit, I believe you could add a tap to the tower, source a dual tower, or just serve the second keg off a picnic tap (easiest and cheapest option)
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=64128

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZPfZ_AL380[/ame]

 

[thedon986]

Can you fit a bag of leaf hops through the hole in the top for dry hopping? The filter bags I use are probably 1 1/2-2" in diameter when stuffed with an ounce of leaf hops, that doesn't look like it would fit.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Can you fit a bag of leaf hops through the hole in the top for dry hopping? The filter bags I use are probably 1 1/2-2" in diameter when stuffed with an ounce of leaf hops, that doesn't look like it would fit.

I think you may have found the only drawback to using sanke kegs...I use some narrow hop bags but they can be tricky to remove once pellets swell. Sanke dry hopping is similar to hopping in a corny, but slightly larger opening.

 

[chexjc]

I bought a kegerator similar to that one for $250. You might be able to nudge the seller down a bit more, that looks pretty well worn. If it fits a half-barrel (standard full size keg), then you should be able to squeeze two corny kegs in there. I got a double tap tower on here for very cheap. I've been using my kegerator this way for four years and still going strong.

Also, look into making a tower cooler with a mini blower fan. I had major foam problems until I made one. You will definitely want new lines. O-rings should be on the kegs so buy a corny with new o-rings or a you can buy a $5 rebuild set of new o-rings.

I think that's a good deal, just skip the 1/6 barrels and get cornys.

Awesome, thanks for the advice. I shot him an email offering $175. I'm thinking I will do the same in time -- add a double tap tower, that is. I've ordered a reconditioned ball lock corny and I'll look into making a tower cooler. I'll wait til I get the thing to assess the shape of everything and pick up the new lines, possibly new o-rings, lube (what exactly is that for anyway?), etc.

Any other guidance is appreciated! Now I'm not looking forward to the batch I need to bottle tonight!

 

[wilserbrewer]

Any other guidance is appreciated!

8-10 foot serving line, NOT 5 foot as originally equipped. Double / tripple check for gas leaks before you lose your first co2 tank to the kegerator gods. If force carbing, 30 psi for 36 hours on cold keg, slightly longer on a warm keg as it chills. Shaking force carb methods suck IMHO.

Try and source a couple extra spiral rings if using sankes, an inexperienced user can bend the ring and lead to frustration trying to reinstall.

 

[bondra76]

I think you can - I have seen people use zip ties to hold the hop bag to the spear

I love my sanke kegs. The vast majority of folks use the home-brew kegs, but I would never ever switch.

I will say the first few times you open up a sanke it is for sure frustrating. But once you get the hang of it, it's freaking awesome.

My best advice for a sanke is to get a very small and very durable flathead screwdriver. I finally found one (maybe a $5 screwdriver at most) and it's the most valuable tool in my entire equipment collection. I can disassemble my sanke in 10 seconds.

 

[chexjc]

No, Myself and others prefer sanke over corny hands down. There is a slight learning curve required for removal and installation of the spear, but with a little practice it is a 20 second job. Since you will have equipment to serve sanke, my recomendation would be to source 1/6 or even 1/4 tall sanke kegs. You should be able to fit 2 1/6 kegs in that unit, I believe you could add a tap to the tower, source a dual tower, or just serve the second keg off a picnic tap (easiest and cheapest option)
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=64128

I didn't see this post before I placed my order! I'm told (by a salesperson at MWS) that I'll only need to buy the disconnects and possibly tailpieces and new lines to hook up a corny; none of which look very expensive. Is that right?

EDIT: And thanks for the advice on the length of the line. I keep seeing that. What is the benefit of longer lines?

EDIT #2: And the advice on carbing! I don't think I'll have trouble waiting a few days after waiting weeks for my bottles!

 

[wilserbrewer]

What is the benefit of longer lines?

Less issues w/ foaming. You can always lower the glass to create a nice head, not so if you pouring foam....

Longer lines will pour slower, not a big deal at the homebrew scale, not like operating a concession stand or busy bar

I didn't see this post before I placed my order! I'm told (by a salesperson at MWS) that I'll only need to buy the disconnects and possibly tailpieces and new lines to hook up a corny; none of which look very expensive. Is that right?

/QUOTE]

Yes it is not difficult or that costly to convert to corny, my point was that since you already have a sanke tap, I suggested using sankes as IMHO they are superior, that's all. I feel the sanke coupler is much less prone to leaks then the corny system...JMO cheers!