kegging

[kwaidonjin]

I am thinking about getting a kegging setup for fathers day.My local HB supply store has ball lock kegs on sale for 16.99-19.99, I have about 3 batches to bottle, could I buy these kegs now and store the beer in them until I get the co2 tank and everything else. I know you can naturally prime the kegs, will this keep the beer from going bad? Can you use Iodofor with stainless steel? it seems I read it was bad for concical SS fermenters, but not sure tha is for corny kegs as well. thank you.

 

[bgough]

Star San is cheap enough, I would just get that if I could.

Also, I would be worried about the head space being full of oxygen in the keg. Even people who naturally carb in kegs purge the head space with co2 I think.

 

[Paulgs3]

You can store beer, but you're going to need CO2 to "seal" the keg.

Edit: also, another bit of advice, scout out the CO2 refilling possibilities in your area before buying CO2 tanks. There are two places the re-fill fire extinguishers in my area but their hours are pitiful, and I honestly don't think these people show up to work. I actually went the exchange route because of this. If you're going to exchange tanks, buy the crappiest, dirtiest, cheapest CO2 tank you can find.

 

[nebben]

Iodophor is safe for plastic, stainless, glass, and just about everything except your tile grout and your clothes (It is horrible for ceilings, unless SWMBO doesn't ever look up at it).

 

[maxamuus]

Edit: also, another bit of advice, scout out the CO2 refilling possibilities in your area before buying CO2 tanks. There are two places the re-fill fire extinguishers in my area but their hours are pitiful, and I honestly don't think these people show up to work. I actually went the exchange route because of this. If you're going to exchange tanks, buy the crappiest, dirtiest, cheapest CO2 tank you can find.

This is good advice i wish i had read before buying a sparkling new tank.

 

[archiefl98]

You can store beer, but you're going to need CO2 to "seal" the keg.

Edit: also, another bit of advice, scout out the CO2 refilling possibilities in your area before buying CO2 tanks. There are two places the re-fill fire extinguishers in my area but their hours are pitiful, and I honestly don't think these people show up to work. I actually went the exchange route because of this. If you're going to exchange tanks, buy the crappiest, dirtiest, cheapest CO2 tank you can find.

Just make sure it's got a recent date stamp for hydro testing on it. (Unless you have an exchange place that doesn't check them)

 

[dan_the_frog]

... (it is horrible for ceilings, unless swmbo doesn't ever look up at it).

lololol!!!!!

 

[Sacdan]

Buy the cornys. That's a good price. Buy as many as you can. I have about 15 and I need more! Use Starsan instead of iodopher.

 

[Frank99]

The best thing you can do is buy a lot of cornies. This way you can build up a pipeline and you're forced to age them longer.

 

[moosetav]

What is the LHBS? Do they have a website? Would they ship cornies to Indy. That's a great price if the kegs are in decent shape.

 

[kwaidonjin]

What is the LHBS? Do they have a website? Would they ship cornies to Indy. That's a great price if the kegs are in decent shape.

http://www.homebrewing.org/5-Gallon-Cornelious-Keg-40Ball-Lock41-Single-handle_p_763.html
This seems like a good price, My place in toledo sells them for 19.99 a piece.
I am lucky. I have 3 pretty good LHBS all within 20 min of me.

 

[kwaidonjin]

what is a good amount of kegs to start with?

 

[fretsforlife]

what is a good amount of kegs to start with?

I suppose it depends on how much you brew, but a good rule of thumb is to buy twice as many kegs as you have taps. I bought a twin tap tower, so I got 4 kegs. This worked great for me, until I was asked to brew for a wedding and now I have 10.

 

[kwaidonjin]

o.k. thanks for the info.

 

[Frank99]

I have 2 taps and 8 kegs and that's about right for me as it gives me some flexibility with the brews that take a long time to age. (2 in the kegerator, 2 ready to go, 3 just kegged in last couple of weeks, 1 Belgian aging for longer). Apparently I drink a lot of beer...