kegging question

[tim1970]

I already have a kegerator at my house. So what would be involved (Cost and equipment) to keg my homemade brew instead of bottling it. Since I am going to have to buy bottles anyway, I was thinking I could just keg it.

Thoughts?

 

[Bobby_M]

You need a couple corny kegs ($20 each) and a set of gas in/beer out connectors for every tap you want running at the same time. That's it. If you can fit 2 cornies in your kegger, that's a total of about $50 to get started.

 

[sirsloop]

Is your current setup rigged for sanke kegs currently? I'm assuming you already have CO2, regulator, gas/beer lines, shanks, and faucets?

Depending on what you want to do, you'll need new ball lock/pin lock taps for cornie kegs, the cornie kegs themselves...

If you want to add on to your current setup, add on a gas manifold to T off the gas, more gas and beer line, shanks, and faucets. ...thats it...

Figure 30 bucks a keg after shipping, replacing the o-rings, and lubing, $12 a set for taps. Lines could run around 10 bucks, shanks are like 20 each, faucets are another $3-40 depending on what you get (cobra spicket, standard faucet, shirrons, etc).

 

[tim1970]

Is your current setup rigged for sanke kegs currently? I'm assuming you already have CO2, regulator, gas/beer lines, shanks, and faucets?

Depending on what you want to do, you'll need new ball lock/pin lock taps for cornie kegs, the cornie kegs themselves...

If you want to add on to your current setup, add on a gas manifold to T off the gas, more gas and beer line, shanks, and faucets. ...thats it...

Figure 30 bucks a keg after shipping, replacing the o-rings, and lubing, $12 a set for taps. Lines could run around 10 bucks, shanks are like 20 each, faucets are another $3-40 depending on what you get (cobra spicket, standard faucet, shirrons, etc).

yes I already have CO2,regulator,refrigerated box,gas/beer lines, shanks and faucets. So to keep it simple, and only run one keg at a time, all I would need would be the keg(obviously) and a tap for a cornie keg? and I could optionally replace my gas and beer lines? Anything I am missing?

 

[david_42]

The simplest thing to do would be to insert quick disconnects in both lines. That way you can switch between homebrew and commercial kegs with ease.

 

[kornkob]

Morebeer.com sells a sanky to corney conversion kit if you want a fast fix.

I used their quick releases for my beer lines and have been pretty happy with them. Mine's rigged up so I can swap in a commercial Sanky keg for those times I want to throw a quarter of commercial craft brew on tap for a party or some such.

 

[tim1970]

Another thing, after reading on this site and other places, it seems like all I would do after I keg, would be to place in coolbox and hook up co2 line. Let it sit at serving pressure for about a week, then I would be good to go. correct? If so I could get some type of
'T' connector for my tank and have one tank tapped, while a second tank is hooked up to the CO2, but not tapped. Then when #1 was empty, I would have keg #2 ready to go. By doing it this way, would there ever be a chance of over-carboninating?

 

[sirsloop]

good idea...

yeah just get taps, a cornie keg, and those quick disconnects. If you have a fridge large enough for a 1/2 keg you can probably run 2-4 cornie kegs in that same space. If one is enough for you, thats cool... but it sounds like you have room to run multiple beers at once.

 

[sirsloop]

You really should carbonate at serving temps. You will need higher pressures to get the same level of carbonation at room temps, which will require a secondary regulator. PITFA IMHO.

 

[tim1970]

You really should carbonate at serving temps. You will need higher pressures to get the same level of carbonation at room temps, which will require a secondary regulator. PITFA IMHO.

I was planning on carbinating at serving temps. What I would do is keep one keg in the box that is tapped, and then another non-tapped keg, but hooked up to the co2 line in the box to be ready for when the first runs out. That is why I was concerned with over-carbinating.

 

[sirsloop]

sounds good if you ask me...

 

[tim1970]

So is there any problem with over-carbonating by having co2 hooked up for extended periods of time at 10psi

 

[BierMuncher]

So is there any problem with over-carbonating by having co2 hooked up for extended periods of time at 10psi

If there is time between the first and second keg, I would prime the keg with priming sugar (like you do for bottling). Expect a 3 week wait and then hookup at serving pressure. You'll save some CO2 this way too.

 

[tim1970]

Would it be possible, to fill a keg, then purge off O2, then put in about 12 lbs of CO2, then unhook gas line, and store in my kegerator? keep it like this for 1 - 2 weeks until I am ready for it, and when the keg I am currently drinking goes dry, I can just hook up my CO2 again, adjust down to serving pressure and go. In other words, does it hurt to store a pressurized filled keg?

 

[sirsloop]

its actually a good idea to purge the 02 and put some CO2 pressure in there for storage. Pressure helps seat the gaskets.