Keg Setup Recommendation

[BrewTech117]

Ok so with all the keg set ups out there im just wondering what you guys and girls have and what you would recommend.

My goal is to spend around 300 bucks and maybe more if i need to buy extra kegs. I don't have ANYTHING at this point but bottles are getting expensive, and I do save as many as I can... I think its time to upgrade.

Please list what you have, Where to get it, estimated price, and WHY you would recommend it. Im sure there is a thread like this but I couldn't find one that had details that i was looking for.

 

[philipCT]

Northern brewer has a two keg starter that I just bought and I'm very happy with. Caveat: they took two reshipmates to get the order right.

I got ball lock kegs because they're smaller diameter than pin locks. I also got a dual body regulator. Funny thing is they sent me the single body regulator first and it had a nice knurl on the control knob that I liked. But adjusting the pressure was maddening. It wouldn't hold. Anyway, when they eventuLly sent me what I ordered The pressure adjustment required a screwdriver and I was bummed. Turns out the pressure on this one was really easy to adjust: set it and forget it. So I'm glad I got to dual pressure gauge deal so I can run serving pressure to one manifold and use a different pressure for moving beer around the brewery as necessary.

Hope this helps. Also they went me a fifty bucks off coupon which didn't hurt. The whole package was two hundred bucks.

 

[BrewTech117]

Not a bad price - Did this include the Co2 tank as well - if so ill try to find it. I was just on N.B. and didnt see anything like that yet but still a lot to go thru

 

[Nagorg]

Check out Keg Connection and Adventures in Home Brewing. They have good prices and I've had great experiences with each.

The cost will depend on what all you want of course with the cheapest setup just being a simple picnic faucet. The more elaborate you get with faucets and regulators, the more you will spend.

Pin-lock kegs are generally cheaper and that's what I use. I have to say I like the positive locking nature of them and you cant mistake the liquid and gas lines.

Here's a 5 gallon setup with a picnic faucet for 99.00. And for ~250 you can get a double keg setup with shanks and chrome faucets for a kegerator setup. an extra 60 bucks gets you a 10# steel CO2 tank too.

Both pinlock and ball lock tanks work equally well. As phillipmeese say's, pinlocks are a little bigger in diameter but they are also shorter than ball locks too. To me the biggest advantage of ball lock would be that it's pretty much what all of the new kegs will be.

 

[BrewTech117]

So for someone who is brewing a lot and going to keep multipul kegs would it be worth it to go with a Ball Lock style? Rather than pin? I plan to keep a lot of cider stored and will need quite a few kegs between my buddy's bar and my home brewery we were hoping to get about 10 - 20 kegs eventually. Would you you still say Pin locks are the way to go ?

I am leaning towards Ball if everything im reading is correct and its on the internet so it must be! jk

 

[BrewTech117]

Also no i dont want to go cheep Id like to spend 300ish bucks but if i have to save a bit more and spend more to get better quality i dont mind doing so

 

[mcangeli]

I second keg connection. http://www.kegconnection.com/fridge/

I bought one of their four tap kits almost a year ago and its been excellent. Only thing I need to do over time is upgrade the faucets.

It also depends on what style you want...

 

[Nagorg]

If I were starting new I'd probably go Ball Lock. Mainly because there's just more availability. I bought a used Keezer that came with pin-lock so thats what I stuck with and it's been great and I've expanded on it.

One thing I'd recommend, use MFL "swivel nuts" on your disconnects as well as beer and gas lines. That way its easy to switch between ball lock and pin lock if required. You can save some cash by using pin-lock with no compromise in functionality. (Other than no pressure relief valves in the lid but that's honestly not a big deal!)

Your buddy's bar? Is it a home bar or a commercial bar? For the latter he's probably using Sanke connections and that's a whole different thing.

 

[gatsby174]

I would build a keezer to hold 4 kegs. I got a two tap kegerator, thinking it was big enough, and now i SO want 4 taps! I've only had my kegerator for a year too

 

[BrewTech117]

Sorry I should have said that it was a HOME bar. Its nice his whole livingroom is turned into a bar , equipped with dart boards, pool table, and seriously more booze than our local liquor store. He has been wanting to put a tap in and we talked since he is only 2 doors down i think ill supply the bar with my beer

 

[BrewTech117]

I think im leaning towards ball lock - And thanks for the recommendation on that website - i have been checking it out but seems ball lock is more expensive. which isnt a big deal just guess ill have to save up a bit more money before I order.

 

[Hello]

Why do you want ball lock?

 

[Nagorg]

I would build a keezer to hold 4 kegs. I got a two tap kegerator, thinking it was big enough, and now i SO want 4 taps! I've only had my kegerator for a year too

LOL I obviously dont brew as much as a lot of folks on this forum. I find it hard to keep two different beers on two faucets. I thought about adding a 3rd faucet cause I have room but, I dont think I could brew enough to keep 3 beers being served. And I've been doing only 10G batches for a while now...

Or, maybe I drink it faster?? Or maybe SWMBO is having beer parties when I'm at work?

 

[BirdmanBrewingCo]

Ok so with all the keg set ups out there im just wondering what you guys and girls have and what you would recommend.

My goal is to spend around 300 bucks and maybe more if i need to buy extra kegs. I don't have ANYTHING at this point but bottles are getting expensive, and I do save as many as I can... I think its time to upgrade.

Please list what you have, Where to get it, estimated price, and WHY you would recommend it. Im sure there is a thread like this but I couldn't find one that had details that i was looking for.

This might be a good fit BrewTech: http://www.birdmanbrewing.com/keg-kit-2-tap-fridge-homebrew/

Thanks for checking us out.

 

[BrewTech117]

This might be a good fit BrewTech: http://www.birdmanbrewing.com/keg-kit-2-tap-fridge-homebrew/

Thanks for checking us out.

Just what im looking for! Im gona do some research and probably be ordering tonight - Thanks for the info - I am gona go with the 2 ball lock kegs and the Co2 Tank in 5 pound = puts me right at 300 where i wanted to be!

Would you recommend adding anything else?

 

[Otis1031]

I recently bought kegging accessories from RiteBrew.com. I paid $303 for tubing, shanks, faucets (Perlick 630 ss)and all connections shipped for a 4 tap Keezer. I have a 14.8 cu ft chest freezer, so plenty of room for future expansion. Bought my ball lock kegs from another member here and paid $50 each.

 

[BirdmanBrewingCo]

J
Would you recommend adding anything else?

For a few bucks more you can add a faucet wrench and some keg lube. But that's really all you need. Cheers!

 

[BrewTech117]

Why do you want ball lock?

Well im hearing that all the new systems coming out use ball lock, and (I may be wrong but it seems Pin lock is going away) I want something that i can build on later by adding more taps and kegs to the system.

I may be entirely wrong but it seems most people recommend ball lock for expanding reasons. Also i noticed more ball lock upgrades than i did pin lock.
Is this because pin lock is an older style or because ball locks have problems?

Still debating but leaning towards ball....

Was there a reason i shouldn't?

 

[Hello]

Ball lock is more scarce actually thus the price difference. I went ball lock because it meant I got one extra keg in my keezer. Otherwise what I've spent on ball locks, I could have 4 more pin locks easy.

 

[Kee]

Just what im looking for! Im gona do some research and probably be ordering tonight - Thanks for the info - I am gona go with the 2 ball lock kegs and the Co2 Tank in 5 pound = puts me right at 300 where i wanted to be!

Would you recommend adding anything else?

Just be sure that you have a convenient place to refill the 5 lb. CO2 tank. I have a welding supply nearby that refills 20 lb tanks but not 5 lb. I have to drive across town to get a 5 lb. bottle refilled (for the same price).

 

[paperairplane]

I have a magic chef 6.8 freezer and I can get 4 pin locks - just make your collar tall enough so a keg fits on the hump.

I have no issues with pin locks - they are cheaper and I found a steal on a dozen of them that needed cleaned and rebuilt. Traded a few for a 20# tank.

I got a 3 tap setup from kegconnection, a scratch and dent freezer, found a local deal on a CO2 tank, made a collar from a 2*8 - so nothing fancy, spent my money on a 3 way manifold and Perlicks.

Take your time, save money and scrounge for deals. I was really frustrated by the cost involved, but it's really worth it once you get it done.

 

[BrewTech117]

Yes I do have a place to fill and or exchange Co2 (Live in a mining town) so there are a lot of Welding stores in this town - ill eventually go to a 20 pound and keep the 5 as a back up is what i was thinking.

So it seems i need to do some more research on ball lock vz pin .

 

[paperairplane]

Ball locks are popular because they fit better in mini fridges. They also have a pressure release valve, where on a pin lock you have to take the gas connector off and vent (takes 1 second extra) no big deal.

Most importantly, pin locks were used by Coke and ball locks by Pepsi - that right there tells you which are better.

(Neither are better - do exact same thing, just different connectors)

 

[BrewTech117]

Most importantly, pin locks were used by Coke and ball locks by Pepsi - that right there tells you which are better.

(Neither are better - do exact same thing, just different connectors)

Well in this case i better stick to Ball Lock or ill be in trouble with Grandma - She has been a life long pepsi fan .... "Coke is made by the Devil!" lol.