Kegging

[The_Dutch]

Hey guys it’s been a while since I’ve posted.
I recently took a break from brewing due to a busy schedule, but I’m getting back into brewing again. Well a friend of mine recently moved and while packing his wife made him throw out some kegs. Well before he tossed them I snagged 3 of them and they are in great shape..a little bit of cleaning and they will be ready to hold some beer.

Before I used to just bottle so this is totally new to me..I’ve been meaning to get into kegging, but I don’t know anything about it. If anyone can point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it..the more information the better..I need to know everything about it. Thank you guys so much.
Happy brewing

 

[jdauria]

More Beer has a decent guide:
https://www.morebeer.com/content/kegging-homebrew

Also BYO Magazine sells a stand alone Kegging issue you can order on their website.

Basically you need a CO2 tank, a regulator (I recommend TapRite), a manifold to pass the CO2 to the three kegs is you are using them all at once. An old fridge to use as a kegerator, or lot of people build kegerators out of chest freezers.

The actual process of kegging, is not that different then bottling, except you are using one giant bottle.

 

[Jtk78]

I would suggest breaking your research into parts: how you'll store the cold kegs, the gas side (CO2) and the liquid side.

Things you'll need to determine will include:
- what type of kegs are they, ball lock, pin lock or sanke?
- you'll need a CO2 cylinder and regulator
- you'll need to split the gas to the three kegs, either with a 3 way regulator, or a 3 way manifold. Regulator allows for different pressure to each keg, manifold has same pressure to all kegs
- where will you keep 3 kegs cold. A lot of people convert a freezer for this. Could also use a kegerator or refrigerator
- how will you dispense (pour) the beer? Picnic tap (cheep, but requires opening the fridge/kegerator for every pour), or an actual faucet through the fridge door, collar for chest freezer, tower out of a kegerator.

Asking "Teach me everything about kegging" is too broad in my opinion. Pick an area, do some research on that part, then you can ask some specific questions. Hang out in the "bottling / kegging" and the "DIY" sections of the forum.

It can be overwhelming, but doesn't need to be.

 

[The_Dutch]

Ok so a little change here haha..I just received the kegs and when I was told they were ball lock my friend was a little wrong..they are half barrels..well I don’t think I’m totally equipped for this so I may be out of luck. 1 I don’t know the set up. 2 I am not prepared for that kind of volume

 

[mongoose33]

But you have at least begun the process. Kegging doesn't have to be overly hard to begin with. Below is how I started kegging. A keg, a regulator (taprite is a good brand, there are others), a CO2 tank, a picnic tap to serve, a couple of connectors to attach the tubing to the keg, a few worm clamps, and a little tubing.

IMO this is a good way to start--you figure out some of the parts, how the regulator works, how to connect things....and it's not a huge investment especially if you're patient and find some used equipment. I have a torpedo keg there, but also own a number of used kegs with the black rubber top and bottom.

New, what you see is a 5# CO2 cylinder (~$60), regulator (~$50), Quick Disconnects (~$7-10 for both), Worm Clamps ($2), Picnic Tap ($8 from LHBS), line for connecting CO2 to keg (~$2-5), and the keg ($90).

You can find all of that stuff used, though I'd get new QDs and Picnic Tap. Used corny kegs that are ball-lock can be had for $50. I just missed a Craigslist ad that had a tank, regulator, and keg for $100. Intended to buy it for a friend, someone beat me to it.

Here's the For Sale forum on Homebrewtalk: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/forums/for-sale.16/ It's amazing what's for sale there and what it costs. If you're a bit patient, you can get a setup like mine below for under $100 (used keg, not new). And there you are--kegging beer and it cost you only about $100. Who knew?

BTW, that initial setup led to the second pic below, but that's down the line a bit.

 

[Jtk78]

Ok so a little change here haha..I just received the kegs and when I was told they were ball lock my friend was a little wrong..they are half barrels..well I don’t think I’m totally equipped for this so I may be out of luck. 1 I don’t know the set up. 2 I am not prepared for that kind of volume

Cut the top off of one of those kegs and make it a 15g brew in a bag kettle. Could do 10g batches in it if you ever wanted.

 

[mongoose33]

I'm going to extend the previous post. I felt moved to check on Craigslist--starting at Dubuque IA--to see what there is.

In the Quad Cities: https://quadcities.craigslist.org/for/d/new-5-gallon-keg-ball-lock/6638865525.html NEW 5-gallon corny keg for $50. I'm about 90 minutes away, just too far to do it. Wish I knew somone going through there.

Sun Prairie: https://madison.craigslist.org/for/d/beer-tapper-cold-box-and-co2/6609064697.html Regulator, tank, tapper, $80. Down from $100, probably would take $70 or $75. BTW, with used tanks, you have to be sure they're still within certification (every 5 years), which locally costs in the $30 range to recertify. Had a $10# cylinder recertified and filled a year ago for $38.

Iowa City: https://dubuque.craigslist.org/app/d/keg-fridge-with-c02-tank/6629862599.html A kegerator setup, new never used, $300. Set up for commercial kegs, wouldn't take much to change that.


Some of this is like fishing....you just need to keep at it, you'll get nibbles here and there but when you do a little research on what things cost, you'll know a good deal when you see it. Then, you can set the hook and reel it in.

And finally, maybe the deal of the day, in Schaumburg, IL: https://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/app/d/kegerator/6636568186.html $100 for a kegerator. Tank, regulator, tap, refrigerator. If I were closer....

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Everybody has their own experience here's mine. I started out with a 5cf chest freezer as a fermentation chamber. Got a 15 gallon kettle so I could do 10 gallon batches and found the chest freezer was too small for 2 brew buckets. Bought a bigger chest freezer and turned the old one into a 3 keg keezer. Took the freezer to the home brew store I had been frequenting for a couple years, on an afternoon when they weren't busy, and basically had the entire staff helping me pick out parts and pieces and verifying nothing was missing. ( hint: if you tip the freezer on its side, be sure to return it upright and let it sit 12-24 hours before you turn it on to ensure the Freon returns to the bottom of the system and you don't pump air bubbles through the compressor.) Made a collar out of 2x6 lumber, secured it to the top of the freezer with construction adhesive, screwed the freezer lid to the top of the collar ( hint: size the collar so the INSIDE of it aligns with the inside of the freezer so the lid seals will work). Drilled 2 taps on the front of the collar ( hint measure how far inside the shanks will extend, and verify you can still get any one keg out without removing the other 2. I didn't do that, now I have to do a beer dance whenever a keg kicks. In retrospect I probably should have mounted the taps on the short side) got a pressure regulator with 2 zones so i *could* set one at a higher pressure for burst carbing the on deck keg. Since it takes me a looooong time for me to drink a keg, i just set both zones to serving pressure and let it carb for 3-4 weeks.