I have a little bit of money kicking around and have decided I don't like bottling anymore so I will be getting a large mini fridge to set up a kegerator. So the question arises whats the best way to go about getting kegs and all the parts. If I remember the local metal recycler had a small stack of used kegs they were selling for $25 a piece, if they are in good shape is that a good enough price to get to restore?
Looking at setting up a Kegerator
- Thread starter NateG
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carlisle_bob
Well-Known Member
Hi
There's an outfit in Florida selling "syrup kegs" for $28. They are ball lock corny's and the ones I've gotten from them are in pretty good shape. Shipping is $40, but it's the same amount up to like 7 kegs. Buy a bunch at once and it's a pretty good deal.
Bob
There's an outfit in Florida selling "syrup kegs" for $28. They are ball lock corny's and the ones I've gotten from them are in pretty good shape. Shipping is $40, but it's the same amount up to like 7 kegs. Buy a bunch at once and it's a pretty good deal.
Bob
roadymi
Well-Known Member
If you have the space you can often buy a decent older full sized fridge for the price of a mini. Gives you more room for 6er's, lagering, extra kegs.....etc. Bonus I have my extra freezer space full ground beef.
Yeah that's not going to happen, we already have an extra side by side and upright freezer in the garage so it will have to be a mini fridge off the end of the lathe bench. I was looking at midwest supplies and they have a pin lock kit for $200 which is a great deal but I was also reading that it can be a bit of a challenge to get pin lock kegs in a mini fridge. I haven't figured out if I want to just go all out and start right off by getting and tap tower and everything or just live with hand dispensers for a while.
When I moved to kegging I bought a kit from my LHBS which included a keg, 4lb CO2 tank and regulator. I really wished I had saved the money by piecing it together myself. For the mini fridge I just had to remove the shelves on the inside of the door, replace the seal and bend the freezer tray out of the way. Good to go.
philrose
Well-Known Member
Hit up keg connection, or one of the bigger online homebrew shops, replacement parts aren't too tough to find. 25 is a pretty good deal these-a-days.
carlisle_bob
Well-Known Member
Hi
I think you will find that once you get up to the cubic feet needed to fit kegs inside, a small chest freezer actually is less floor space than a small fridge.
Bob
I think you will find that once you get up to the cubic feet needed to fit kegs inside, a small chest freezer actually is less floor space than a small fridge.
Bob
I've seen the small chest freezers but where the thing will have to go I don't think a freezer will work. I was doing some searching and it looks like there is a Frigidaire mini fridge that is pretty popular to convert that should fit the space well and provide the option to mount a tower at a later date. I am going to go see if the local Pepsi distributor will sell me some used kegs today and I might run by the local LHBS and see what he's got for kegging supplies.
I went and picked up a fridge today, no one locally has any kegs though so I think I am just going to order the twin keg system from Midwest Supply that they have for $250. Also looking at it now I don't think I will be doing a draft tower just by how much room I have to work with, I will just have the party faucets inside.
I ordered a kit from Midwest Supply today total cost so far is just under $500. I am going to order a couple beer kits and some star san from Northern Brewer now, one side is going to be American Wheat and I think I am also going to try the ESB kit.
I apparently had the fridge set too cold, two of my remaining bottle of Nut Brown Ale decided to blow their caps off and make a good old mess inside the fridge. Turned it down and cleaned up the mess, not too bothered since I wasn't too impressed with the way the turned out nut brown anyway. I am currently working on putting the two suspect bottles of Hefeweizen out of their misery 
Can't wait for the kegs to show up, my two beer kits will be here this week as well, I got another Hefe and an American amber so I will get the American Amber brewed this Friday and next week I will transfer it to the carboy and brew the hefe ferment it in primary for two weeks and keg them at the same time
Can't wait for the kegs to show up, my two beer kits will be here this week as well, I got another Hefe and an American amber so I will get the American Amber brewed this Friday and next week I will transfer it to the carboy and brew the hefe ferment it in primary for two weeks and keg them at the same time carlisle_bob
Well-Known Member
Hi
Fill up a 1/2 gallon milk jug with water and put it in there. Grab a digital thermometer and check it from time to time. You *do not* want to freeze an expensive keg of beer. I'd target 36 to 38F as cruising temperature for the setup if you will have commercial kegs in there.
My *guess* is that you won't be able to get it much above 45F without modifying the controller. For home brew ales that may or may not work out...
Bob
Fill up a 1/2 gallon milk jug with water and put it in there. Grab a digital thermometer and check it from time to time. You *do not* want to freeze an expensive keg of beer. I'd target 36 to 38F as cruising temperature for the setup if you will have commercial kegs in there.
My *guess* is that you won't be able to get it much above 45F without modifying the controller. For home brew ales that may or may not work out...
Bob
carlisle_bob
Well-Known Member
Hi
Nudge a little, wait a while (like a couple hours) then nudge a little more. Taking notes sometimes helps as well. You may want to set it at 40 for something you pick up in the future...
Bob
My kegging equipment and beer kits came today, it was like Christmas. One of the kegs had some brown liquid in the bottom and no sticker on the side so I think I am going to have to shoot an email to Midwest supply and see whats up.
I filled my kegs up with hot water and oxyclean and let them soak for a couple days, the one that was clean came out fine but the other keg still smells a bit and I also pulled the gas and beer posts and they were both dirty and the orings are smashed quite bad. So for good measure I ordered 4 sets of seals from Northern Brewer and will replace them on that keg at least. I also got my CO2 bottle filled as well today for $10.
