Keg Equipment - Where to buy??

[friscobeerguy]

Where do you guys recommend I purchase my keg setup? I already have two used cornellious kegs, but would like to purchase one more used keg along with the other amenities to use all three kegs. I'm thinking 5lb co2, keg, ball locks, hose, regulator, spigots, etc..

locally I can purchase this equipment for around $195.. any online shops you guys know about that can save me some money?

Also, does anyone have experience with utilizing plain gas hosing parts from say lowes to help cheapen things up? I looked tonight, and it seemed like I could probably cut accessory part prices in half by trying this...

 

[arachnyd]

In general, online stores can charge lower prices because they don't have all the overhead of brick and mortar. Of course, many online stores are extensions of brick and mortar, so it is not a hard and fast rule.

When you are buying something like gas bottles, think of the weight - what you save in purchase price may well be spent on shipping - and then some.

Shop around a bit - sometimes you can find used equipment at discount prices - but it takes time to find these deals.

Check fire extinguisher companies - not Lowes, but the places that recharge them - they are a good place to buy your CO2. Many will sell you a bottle of CO2 and charge a deposit for the bottle itself.

Have fun - it sure is nice to take a keg to a party - a great chance to bask in the approval of your friends and family

 

[Janx]

Lately I've been buying tap/keg parts from morebeer.com. They have darn near everything you could want. I don't know about prices compared to yours, but their goods are quality.

Also, you may want to rethink buying a CO2 tank. I bought one when I got started, and would take it in and get it filled whenever. One time I took it in and its inspection was out of date. The guy there was cool and swapped me mine for one with a good date.

I have since moved and the only place near me wants to do tank swaps exclusively. So you'd buy a shiny new tank and then swap it out for a beater filled tank.

I just got into pushing some beer with nitro/CO2 blend. I was going to buy a bottle, but passed. Instead I got an account with the local gas suppliers and I lease a bottle for very cheap and just swap it out to fill.

Anyway, it's up to you, but that's been my experience. Also, I'd get a 15 pound tank in any event. It'll last a lot longer and you don't need to worry about getting it filled.

Janx

 

[friscobeerguy]

What type of gas supplier do you mean? Like TXU or the Californian equivalent?

I just got into pushing some beer with nitro/CO2 blend. I was going to buy a bottle, but passed. Instead I got an account with the local gas suppliers and I lease a bottle for very cheap and just swap it out to fill.

Janx

 

[Janx]

It'll be the place where welders go to get gas and things like that. Up here in Humboldt, it's called Eureka Oxygen, I'm sure there are a ton of them in the Bay Area. Check the yellow pages ubder gas or oxygen maybe?