Just got these for free. Now what?

[progmac]

Just got these for free. How many steps am I away from being able to drink beer from them? I have no fridge or kegging equipment whatsoever. I will probably just have to sit on them until I have some more money... Did getting these free save me money or are they a dime a dozen? I got them from a family member who runs a restaurant...they've had these for years just sitting there since they switched away from pepsi products.

 

[ArcticBear]

You need a tank and a regulator and a hose with a tap on it. You can go the less expensive route and use party taps but you are still looking at over a hundred for a tank and regulator

 

[progmac]

definitely more $ than i have right now. thanks for the reality check! i'll just put them in the corner for now

 

[fluidmechanics]

If you started with this http://www.homebrewstuff.com/chrome-adapter-ffl-x-draft-faucet-coupler.html and http://www.homebrewstuff.com/keg-charger-co2-injector-with-ball-lock.html . Mixed in with a fridge off Craigslist, I see them for free all the time. You could be in business. I know this wouldn't be the best setup forever but if your short on dough it could work for around 50$. The deals on corney kegs are getting fewer, and fewer as they have become popular with homebrewers. used ones are going for 50$ regularly. So your friend hooked you up by giving them to you.

 

[wilserbrewer]

http://newlondon.craigslist.org/for/3043293758.html

offer 80-100....so for that money you have a functional 4 keg system...that's cheap and hard to beat IMO.

 

[fluidmechanics]

http://newlondon.craigslist.org/for/3043293758.html

offer 80-100....so for that money you have a functional 4 keg system...that's cheap and hard to beat IMO.

Your completely right there is a ton of better options, I was just trying to give the guy a cheep alterative.

 

[progmac]

a lot of food for thought. i think i'll wait until i can afford to do this right. i'm also thinking about how i can combine the fridge for this with a fermentation fridge...and how to package it in such a way that SWMBO doesn't freak

 

[duckredbeard]

You got them for free! It is hard to find good ones for less than $40 in any market. Reconditioned ones go for around $65 at the typical LHBS. Check Craigslist for "kegerator" or "beer fridge" or "tap fridge" and you are likely to find complete systems. I got an upright fridge that holds 6 kegs for $250. Included an empty 20# bottle (worth about $80), a regulator ($35), two Sanke taps ($20 each), two shanks and faucets that cleaned up very nicely (about $40 each). Do the math...$235 for the parts, so the fridge worked out to be about $15. I could have haggled him down, but I was so excited about the condition I just got too excited.

I have since added an external controller ($55) so I can control temps more accurately. If you want to serve ales at warmer temps like around 55, then you could ferment a lager at the same time. I am seriously considering doing this since summer is here and already brutal.

 

[Chefencore]

a lot of food for thought. i think i'll wait until i can afford to do this right. i'm also thinking about how i can combine the fridge for this with a fermentation fridge...and how to package it in such a way that SWMBO doesn't freak

Oh she's gonna freak no matter what. Once you get the first fridge, and especially after you ferment in it- you'll want another. It never ends. In a good way.

 

[DGibb]

If you started with this http://www.homebrewstuff.com/chrome-adapter-ffl-x-draft-faucet-coupler.html and http://www.homebrewstuff.com/keg-charger-co2-injector-with-ball-lock.html

You know, I just got a keg over the weekend for the first time, and I am in a similar situation. I think I am going to go this route for now, and once I upgrade will keep these fittings for the occasional bonfire in the backyard (or camping trip).

 

[divi2323]

Those look like they are in pretty good condition how many did you get? A tank, regulator, hoses and cobra tap, if you look for deals on craigslist, you can do it for under $100.

Cooling it is another story. You need a dedicated fridge or what a friend of mine does is he puts his keg into chest freezer for a few hours to cool it down before he drinks it.

Where do you live? I've actually got a few spare regulators that ill let go cheap.

 

[progmac]

i actually got four of them. i'll start looking out for for deals on CL

 

[cincybrewer]

Well if you are interested in parting a couple of them I could probably make a trade of sorts with you. I kind of forget what extra stuff I have but I know I have an extra regulator and a tower and facet setup. I even have two converted ball lock kegs that I'd prefer to switch out because they don't fit as well in my mini-fridge. I like having the extra regulator in order to carb up kegs without having to disconnect my current setup but I could part with it if you are interested.

Party Source rents co2 tanks and charges something like $11 or so to fill it up. I'd use their tanks unless you find something on CL.

 

[Dunerunner]

I may have missed whether the kegs are clean or not, but the first thing I would do is clean them....

Then do all that other stuff a little at a time. Craigs list is a good source if you are in a large Metro area. You can search online. Keg Connection and Keg Cowboy are good sources as well as eBay.

Good Luck

 

[zachattack]

Keg Connection and Keg Cowboy are good sources as well as eBay.

Keg Connection maybe, Keg Cowboy definitely not.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f173/kegcowboy-com-274258/

 

[stratslinger]

Also, keep in mind that serving temperature and fermentation temperature are two very different temperatures!!! You're not very likely to be able to use one fridge to do both - though if it's big enough, you can certainly cold crash in you kegerator / keezer.

A couple folks have cited $100 or so for a CO2 tank... Do yourself a favor, before you go and purchase a tank. Search your local area for a beverage supply place. Hell, ask the folks who gave you the kegs who they use for their beverage supplies... I found a place near me that offers a CO2 tank "rental". For a $50 deposit, they give me one of their 15lb CO2 cylinders, which costs $14 to fill. When it's empty, it's another $14 to swap out with another full one (I don't have to pay to have them recertified every few years, like I would if I owned my own tank). If I ever decide I don't want the tank any more, I take it back and get my $50 back. Not a bad option, and you may find something similar near you. I even lucked out and the guy hooked me up with with the ball-lock quick disconects and a gas manifold, free of charge.

 

[RDWHAHB]

If you are jonesing to get kegging, you can always sell 3 kegs @$50/each, then take the $$ and buy a tank/regulator/faucet:http://www.kegcowboy.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=133

Then buy more kegs as you want and have money for.

Jeff

 

[H-ost]

Just an FYI, If you aren't going to be able to afford to start kegging with them yet you can still use them for things like fermenters or maybe if you need a keggle you can sacrifice one. They were free after all.

 

[roadymi]

As far as SWMBO is concerned............much easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission. I have around 30 yrs experience in perfecting the art.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

In on Cincinnati thread.

If you or the other guy don't want them, I might be interested in buying, though I just bought 5.

If you want to get a whole kegging setup, cornykeg.com is located in Cincinnati and has good prices especially without shipping. They have kits, and the stuff you need to hook them up and serve (not from a kegerator) is probably 120-150.

 

[carlisle_bob]

Hi

Watch Craig's list for jockey box setups. I've found some with a couple of CO2 bottles, a regulator and a really junked out box. Nobody seems to want a box that's rotted out. The tanks and regulator are just what you need ....

Bob

 

[evandena]

Keg Connection maybe, Keg Cowboy definitely not.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f173/kegcowboy-com-274258/

Agreed.

All my legging supplies come from Ritebrew.com. I can have my order in my hand the next day. Also cheap hops.

 

[zachattack]

Agreed.

All my legging supplies come from Ritebrew.com. I can have my order in my hand the next day. Also cheap hops.

That's good to know, it's hard to find a good supplier of leggings. Sometimes you just want to wear leggings but don't want to wait more than a day or two.

 

[evandena]

That's good to know, it's hard to find a good supplier of leggings. Sometimes you just want to wear leggings but don't want to wait more than a day or two.

Just browse the forums for 5 minutes and you'll see that typo all over. Blame Apple.

 

[carlisle_bob]

Just browse the forums for 5 minutes and you'll see that typo all over. Blame Apple.

Hi

I *really* love talking about keeper every time I want to talk about keezer courtesy of Apple ...

Bob

 

[mlib64]

Personally, I like beveragefactory.com. Very please with their stuff.

 

[carlisle_bob]

Hi

The nice thing about the internet is that you can comparison shop a lot of places without wasting any gas. Keg Connection (for most stuff) and KegWorks are my two favorites at the moment. I probably have bought stuff from a dozen different places in the last three months though.

One thing to watch - shipping. Most of these places do nearly flat rate shipping. You pay a lot less for the 10th thing into the basket than for the first. Several big orders are a lot cheaper to ship than a dozen small ones. It's the delivered price that matters. (Unless you are thirsty and *really* need that part )

Truth in advertising - KegWorks is right at the distance where they get me stuff next day for standard shipping cost. I get thirsty from time to time...

Bob