Kegging wannabe wonders: Is this a good deal?

[natewv]

http://www.homebrewing.org/Ball-Lock-Keg-System-with-Faucet-and-Shank-TR-_p_2159.html?AffId=160

It doesn't include a tank, but still it seems $130.00 is not bad...?

 

[scrambledegg81]

Better bet: http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=463

With a Cornie keg going for $50 (not included with that kit) you're saving $10 & shipping is only $7.95 right now. Obviously you'll need a CO2 tank for dispensing, but KC has them cheaper than that site & they're also in-stock.

(Also...just making sure you know, but avoid pin-lock systems unless you really enjoy dismantling and cleaning.)

 

[natewv]

Better bet: http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=463

With a Cornie keg going for $50 (not included with that kit) you're saving $10 & shipping is only $7.95 right now. Obviously you'll need a CO2 tank for dispensing, but KC has them cheaper than that site & they're also in-stock.

The homebrewing.org one has a shank instead of picnic so that's where some savings might be, but that's not a big deal at the moment anyways. shipping is good on that one.

 

[TheTooth]

I wouldn't bother buying a CO2 tank from an online source. They can only ship it empty, so you'll need to find a place to fill it anyway. And once you find a place to fill it, you may find that they have a great deal on used CO2 tanks and/or a great exchange program.

 

[day_trippr]

I wouldn't bother buying a CO2 tank from an online source. They can only ship it empty, so you'll need to find a place to fill it anyway. And once you find a place to fill it, you may find that they have a great deal on used CO2 tanks and/or a great exchange program.

+1 particularly because most places only do tank exchanges now, and it would be a shame to kiss a brand new tank good bye...

Cheers!

 

[natewv]

Ok so taking your all's advice and if we go with scrambledegg's suggestion...i.e, don't get the kegs or tanks...is $70 a good deal for the regulator, disconnects, and tubing?

 

[h22lude]

Ok so taking your all's advice and if we go with scrambledegg's suggestion...i.e, don't get the kegs or tanks...is $70 a good deal for the regulator, disconnects, and tubing?

Yeah it isn't a bad package. A typical reg will cost you between $50 and $60. The hoses, picnic tap and disconnects shouldn't cost you no more than $15.

I would build your own set up, personally. 5 feet of beer line is typically too short. Most people find 10 feet to be the right length. So right there you might be getting a beer line that you don't like and have to pay more money for another one. Plus you are spending money on a picnic tap but it sounds like you want a faucet set up.

Since it seems like you don't have anything yet, I think you need to figure out which direction you want to go (i.e. picnic tap, tower unit with faucets or faucets out of the kegerator). And most importantly, how much you are willing to spend. Then you can figure out what you want to buy. Me personally, I wanted perlicks, SS shanks and fittings, a good amount of beer line to figure out the best length, MFL fittings on the disconnects, ball lock kegs. So I decided to buy everything separate instead of a package. Just something to think about.

 

[scrambledegg81]

Craigslist will most likely (depending on location, of course) have Cornies & CO2 tanks at decent, if not better, cost.

 

[natewv]

Craigslist will most likely (depending on location, of course) have Cornies & CO2 tanks at decent, if not better, cost.

yea i'm trying, i have rss feeds for brew and keg keywords in 2 metro areas. haha i'm probably not the only one but I'm trying. So should I bite the bullet and invest in a dual pressure gauge day 1 vs just a single or dual gauge regulator that only does one pressure?

I am thinking a kit of some sort (not including kegs or tanks) is the best idea for a noob since it will contain ALL the parts I need. Right?

 

[h22lude]

yea i'm trying, i have rss feeds for brew and keg keywords in 2 metro areas. haha i'm probably not the only one but I'm trying. So should I bite the bullet and invest in a dual pressure gauge day 1 vs just a single or dual gauge regulator that only does one pressure?

I am thinking a kit of some sort (not including kegs or tanks) is the best idea for a noob since it will contain ALL the parts I need. Right?

Will you be brewing a lot of low carbed beers like porters or stouts? If so then I would say yes invest in a dual reg set up so you can carb/serve your ales at 10 to 12 and carb/serve your stouts at 3 to 5. Unless you are going with beer gas in which gas you would have a reg for your co2 (for ales) and a reg for your beer gas (for stouts)

I recommend not going with a kit. Like I said earlier, the kits will give you short lines. A lot of people on here have problems with 5 feet of beer line.

This is what I recommend:
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_271_129_371&products_id=1274 (get the ffl fitting option)
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_271_275_373&products_id=1273 (get the ffl fitting option)
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_271_275_272&products_id=13045
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_271_129_369&products_id=12120
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_271_129_368&products_id=11230 (get the fitting kit option)
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_128_380&products_id=1212 (as much as you think you will need)
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_128_380&products_id=1210 (12 feet per faucet so you can trim away until you get the perfect length)
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_128_381&products_id=1213 (remember, 2 per hose)

That is everything you need besides the kegs and CO2 bottle. Instead of the dual reg you can get a single reg. I have a single reg and would love beer gas but it would be much cheaper for me to just get an upgrade to make mine a dual reg. If you don't want to spend the extra money for beer gas, I would go with a dual reg at first. If you don't think you are going to brew a lot of low carbed beers, get a single reg. Stouts are my favorite beer so I would like to be able to serve both stouts and ales without messing with the PSI on my single reg.

 

[natewv]

Will you be brewing a lot of low carbed beers like porters or stouts? If so then I would say yes invest in a dual reg set up so you can carb/serve your ales at 10 to 12 and carb/serve your stouts at 3 to 5. Unless you are going with beer gas in which gas you would have a reg for your co2 (for ales) and a reg for your beer gas (for stouts)

I recommend not going with a kit. Like I said earlier, the kits will give you short lines. A lot of people on here have problems with 5 feet of beer line.

This is what I recommend:
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_271_129_371&products_id=1274 (get the ffl fitting option)
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_271_275_373&products_id=1273 (get the ffl fitting option)
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_271_275_272&products_id=13045
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_271_129_369&products_id=12120
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_271_129_368&products_id=11230 (get the fitting kit option)
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_128_380&products_id=1212 (as much as you think you will need)
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_128_380&products_id=1210 (12 feet per faucet so you can trim away until you get the perfect length)
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_128_381&products_id=1213 (remember, 2 per hose)

That is everything you need besides the kegs and CO2 bottle. Instead of the dual reg you can get a single reg. I have a single reg and would love beer gas but it would be much cheaper for me to just get an upgrade to make mine a dual reg. If you don't want to spend the extra money for beer gas, I would go with a dual reg at first. If you don't think you are going to brew a lot of low carbed beers, get a single reg. Stouts are my favorite beer so I would like to be able to serve both stouts and ales without messing with the PSI on my single reg.

Ok, so I am getting a great deal from an awesome hbt'er that includes a tank a couple kegs a reg and disconnects and gas line. I need to buy beer line and posts for the (non perlick) faucets i got for free from another awesome hbt'er. Now I wonder:

what's beergas

what does it cost to upgrade a regulator

can i get that beer line from home depot?

 

[day_trippr]

Ok, so I am getting a great deal from an awesome hbt'er that includes a tank a couple kegs a reg and disconnects and gas line. I need to buy beer line and posts for the (non perlick) faucets i got for free from another awesome hbt'er. Now I wonder:

what's beergas

what does it cost to upgrade a regulator

can i get that beer line from home depot?

o Beer gas is a 75/25 mix of Nitrogen and CO2. Probably not what a rookie would be looking for - unless you're planning on running some wicked long beer lines (which would need more than just beer gas to be successful).

Stick with straight CO2 for now, then later if you get into brewing Stouts, or just want to make a random beer look all "stoutish", or you decide to locate your faucets a looong way from your chiller, you can add a tank of beer gas.

o Upgrade a regulator? From what to what? A single to a dual? That shouldn't be much more than $10-15.

o You'll probably want 3/16" ID beer line in a good quality to avoid off flavors. If you don't have a local home brewer store, I'd order a good quality beer line from an on-line store...

Cheers!