Kegerator feedback

[mission419]

Looking to buy my first kegerator. I know yall probably have the best possible knowledge I could come across. So that being said, what brand do you reccomend? Looking for a 2 handle setup that can hold at least 2 1/6 barrels... I know kegerator.com has edgestars priced fairly decent... Are they good kegerators to start with? I've been wanting on for a long, long while, and had been throwing the idea around of just building a keezer... With Christmas coming, I may have the chance to finally get one... My buddy has a Haier he bought used off a friend of his that had sold the original tower that came with it... He ended up buying a single handle tower that I'm not sure how he insulated, but I know he gets alot of foam on first pour. I know from research I did a while back that you get alot of foam on your first pour if you don't have your tower setup the right way... I'd like to avoid that, and it would give me the "mines superior to yours" argument that every man likes to have over one of his buddies... Any advice anyone could give me on brand choices, and possible mods that I can do or should look to do would be greatly appreciated!

 

[sikkingj]

I have a two tap tower and I love it, Criag's list is your friend.

My only suggestion is to go for a three tap capacity and use perlick faucets,they make a difference.

I wish I had a three tap tower, two is good, but it would be nice to have a session, IPA and stout on tap.

 

[mission419]

Most kegerators only hold 2 kegs tho... I would someday love to get home brewing, would be nice to have 2 name brands and a home brew on tap... but hafta start somewhere ya know? I'd personally rather have something new than used tho

 

[mission419]

I'd like to have a 3 tap setup, but 2 seems like a good place to start... would still like to know which brands are the best to look for

 

[Beer-lord]

2 1/2 years ago I was gifted a single tap kegerator (bought at Sams). I was planning on building one but since it was a gift, I had to use it. But, it holds 3 corny kegs so I got a tri-tap from Birdman Brewing and it's still working fine. It's great to have 3 different beers on tap at all times.

 

[mission419]

So still no name brands to look for or avoid?

 

[dk21]

I have a three tap Beer Meister. It's fantastic. I get no foam on my pours @ 10 psi. I also like that a human being answers the phone when you call.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

I got this KegCo earlier this winter through beverage factory after the Haier I had on order was discontinued because of some government required energy efficiency standard failure. I haven't had ant first pour foams, and it holds three cornies so I can serve two and have one chilling in the on-deck circle.

Also note that I declined the regulator (or upgrade) that comes with it and got a two product, three gauge from kegerator dot com.

The only problem I have now is trying to deal with how awesome I am for having the most amazing beer on tap in my own house.

 

[mission419]

Where did you purchase it?

 

[Gavin C]

I wish I had got better faucets.

Built my own and didn't do my research on the faucets so got the base model. Get perlicks. They are on my Christmas list. So is a drip tray so not sure if I will be in luck.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Where did you purchase it?

 

[MarkKF]

2 1/2 years ago I was gifted a single tap kegerator (bought at Sams). I was planning on building one but since it was a gift, I had to use it. But, it holds 3 corny kegs so I got a tri-tap from Birdman Brewing and it's still working fine. It's great to have 3 different beers on tap at all times.

I've heard that logs are similar in size to coke corny kegs. I have pepsi corny kegs which are taller. Do they fit upright in most kegerators?

 

[purplehaze]

I cant comment on name brands but foam on the first pours are usually due to the beer in the line being too warm. There are mods to correct this, some use a computer fan to blow cool air into the tower. Others including myself install copper tubing around the beer lines in the tower to keep the lines cool. Spray foam insulation is used around the pipes to keep them in place and of course insulate. There are plenty of threads on these subjects.

Your beer lines should also be 3/16" ID and about ten feet long and good faucets like the "perlick" are the way to go.

 

[mission419]

I've read alot about the 10' Lines, but I dont understand the concept of it, do you just curl them around your kegs? I like the idea of tubing around the lines... The one I'm currently eyeing up is this one: http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/kegerators/dualkegerator/Kegco_K309B-2_dual_faucet_kegerator.html it is a bit more than im looking to spend, but I like the space inside compared to most others i've seen, I can save like 10 bucks ordering from amazon, but I dont think i have the option of customizing my parts... Seems like its worth it to pay the $65 to upgrade to stainless tower with perlick faucets... Would probably later on upgrade the regulator so i can control pressure on each keg... Anyone have any feedback on this digital model kegco?

 

[purplehaze]

That is an awful lot of money for a kegerator. HD had one for sale for close to half that, e-bay also had one real cheap with free shipping. Its just a refrigerator, don't be in a hurry and look around the deals are out there. You can always upgrade in the future if money is tight.

If your a DIYer you could build one with used parts for even less. Lots of threads here on that also.

Yes, just coil the line up with a couple of zip ties and lay it on top of the keg. It comes down to resistance in the line keeping the CO2 in solution instead of coming out as foam.

good luck

 

[dk21]

I've read alot about the 10' Lines, but I dont understand the concept of it, do you just curl them around your kegs? I like the idea of tubing around the lines... The one I'm currently eyeing up is this one: http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/kegerators/dualkegerator/Kegco_K309B-2_dual_faucet_kegerator.html it is a bit more than im looking to spend, but I like the space inside compared to most others i've seen, I can save like 10 bucks ordering from amazon, but I dont think i have the option of customizing my parts... Seems like its worth it to pay the $65 to upgrade to stainless tower with perlick faucets... Would probably later on upgrade the regulator so i can control pressure on each keg... Anyone have any feedback on this digital model kegco?

There are a lot of factors that go into determining beer line length. Google something like kegerator balancing to learn more. My lines are 5' and are fine, probably due to the vertical run to the tower, which adds resistance. Also, you can just keep the kegerator colder, which helps since colder liquid holds on to co2 better. I lager in my kegs so I keep mine at 35. You can always let a poured beer sit for a few minutes to let it warm to proper serving temperature.

 

[dk21]

Check Beer Meister out as well. Mine has been awesome.

beermeisters.com

 

[Beer-lord]

I've heard that logs are similar in size to coke corny kegs. I have pepsi corny kegs which are taller. Do they fit upright in most kegerators?

Most kegerators will tell you what size kegs and how many can fit in their boxes if you check their website or call them. I'm guessing yes.

 

[mission419]

I ended up pulling the trigger on that Kegco and ordering it... It was a few bucks more, yeah... But with the upgraded faucets, and the 2 keg regulator, im pretty much ready to ro right out of the box, and shouldnt have to do any dicking with it... I just liked the size on it, can fit 3 cornies in it if i ever start homebrewing, plus it fits all the full sized coors, miller, and rubberized ones (do people even still drink that piss?), who knows, maybe ill throw a party someday... Till then, i can have my kegs of craft deliciousness on tap... Now heres hoping they can get it here from Cali before friday...

 

[mission419]

And the other kicker was honestly, the warranty... 1 year parts and labor, 5 years parts on compressor and sealed system... BM's ultra value only came with a 90 parts and labor, 1 year parts... The homebrew ones that were slightly cheaper than what i paid were still only 1 year unit, 2 for compressor...