Looking to go into kegging. Questions inside

[pricelessbrewing]

So here's the situation.
Just got done bottling for a wedding, holy crap that was time consuming.
400 bottles. Never again.

I have a chest freezer, plenty big enough for at least 6 kegs.
BUT I'm in an apartment, 2nd floor and the SWMBO will murder me if I put it in here. Basement storage room does not have a power outlet

So I'm looking to get some pin lock kegs off craigslist (30 each, dunno if deal or not), and a perlick 520 PC with shank for (20, also pretty much the same as new cost but shanks included?).

I'm thinking it's pretty good IF the kegs include disconnects ($10/keg right?).

Otherwise I think I'm going to pass and just wait and get some from AiH/Kegconnection on their next sale.

Onto questions:
How difficult is bottling from a keg? Force carbing takes about a week using Brulospher's method which is greatly appealing.

Does the keg need to be hooked up that whole time, or just hookup for a bit then remain chilled?

How expandable is a 3-way manifold? Not at all? Cheap, or better to sell and buy a larger one? Should I just buy a huge one now?

http://www.kegconnection.com/3-faucet-fridge-homebrew-kegerator-kit/?revpage=3#reviews seems pretty solid for pricing. Anything I need besides some kegs and a method to keep it cool?

Why doesn't AiH offer any kits besides picnic taps?...

Could you please explain how a manifold, and regulator works?
I understand the regulator sets the gas out pressure from the tank to the system. Does the manifold then set the gas in pressure from the system to each of the three kegs? Or are they all the same pressure, and it's just a three way splitter?

If I wanted to keep two kegs on tap, and carb 2 more kegs is that possible with a 3way manifold? Could I set the psi to double the normal setting, then use a splitter so that each of the two kegs are set to the proper pressure to be carbonated or is a secondary regulator required for this?

I think that's everything maybe.

 

[chickypad]

Though I'm not as familar with the going prices for pin locks $30 sounds in the ballpark. Bottling from the keg is not that hard, many folks use a beer gun or Biermuncher's bottle filler (see the "we no need no stinking beer gun" sticky). Kegs need to be hooked up to gas continuously to carb. Once fully carbed you can disconnect and they will remain at that level provided there is no leak. Most manifolds can be easily expanded, for example on the one you linked you would just remove the plug on the end and connect another. Although if you know for sure you are going to upsize might as well just go big now. Manifolds do not regulate the pressure other than usually having on/off valves, so all lines are going to see the same pressure. If you do set and forget carbing you can have multiple kegs serving and carbing without the use of a secondary. If you want to carb or serve at different pressures then you will need a secondary for each additional setting.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Oh I see, thank you. What about a dual body three gauge primary regulator?
Would that allow carbing and serving different kegs simultaneously?

 

[chickypad]

Yes with a dual body you can run 2 different pressures, and could further add secondaries downstream from each if you wish.

 

[weirdboy]

How difficult is bottling from a keg?
It's pretty easy if you use a bottle filler that you can plug straight into the tap. There used to be a guy here on HBT selling them, although I don't know if they still do. However, I have heard that you can find them on ebay and maybe AHS. Look for "Perlick bottle filler".

Does the keg need to be hooked up that whole time, or just hookup for a bit then remain chilled?
I assume you mean carbonate, then unhook, and carbonate another keg, etc. You can do this, so long as you don't have any leaks in your keg.

How expandable is a 3-way manifold? Not at all? Cheap, or better to sell and buy a larger one? Should I just buy a huge one now?
Generally speaking you can expand manifolds pretty easily, as they are usually just a bunch of pipe fittings. In fact you may look into building your own manifold just to see if you can put one together cheaper.

Anything I need besides some kegs and a method to keep it cool?
I also keep a container of keg lube around. If you don't keep star san and PBW around, you'll want those, too.

Also, that kit optionally includes a CO2 tank. You will, of course, need a source of pressurized CO2. Around here at least, most places will not refill a tank you bring in, but instead swap it out with one of their own. So, a shiny brand-new CO2 tank is not worth getting unless you get a really good price on it compared to your local CO2 suppliers.

Why doesn't AiH offer any kits besides picnic taps?
Can't help you there.

Could you please explain how a manifold, and regulator works?
The regulator controls the gas pressure coming out of the outlet. The gauge on the left in the photos measures the gas pressure coming from the tank. The one on the top measures the pressure coming out of the regulator. A manifold is just a fancy name for a bunch of pipes all stuck together. It allows you to take that one source of pressurized CO2, and distribute it to multiple kegs. If you want to individually control the pressure in different kegs, you will need additional regulators and gauges.

If I wanted to keep two kegs on tap, and carb 2 more kegs is that possible with a 3way manifold? Could I set the psi to double the normal setting, then use a splitter so that each of the two kegs are set to the proper pressure to be carbonated or is a secondary regulator required for this?
Unless you use the "set it and forget it" method and carb at serving pressure, which takes a bit longer but still works just fine, you would need at least one more regulator to do what you are describing. Personally, I have a regulator for each tap. That way I can adjust the pressure for each beer depending on the style, etc.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Alright thanks for the help! Sounds like a dual body primary regulator and a 3way manifold is what I'm looking for.
My lhbs fills c02tanks so I'll have to call and see if they fill or exchange.

One more question
If I used one body of the primary to carb a keg, let's say to 2.8 volumes, and the other body is attached to two kegs carbed up already and are serving at whatever serving pressure is for 2.1 vol~. Then after the 2.8keg is carbed appropriately, at time after connecting to the three way manifold can I expect it to remain carbed more than the other 2?

Would it be a couple days, a week, more?

Not that concerned if it's not a viable option, more curious than anything.

 

[hottpeper13]

They will balance unless on separate regulators. You should get the manifolds with built in check valves because if you don't and you put a higher carbed keg in line it will bleed into the lower ones causing great head for a time.

 

[Yourrealdad]

Priceless,
I would maybe check out a secondary regulator such as http://www.beveragefactory.com/draf...683ST_three_product_secondary_regulator.shtml

My set up has a dual primary into that linked secondary. You could easily just go single primary into the secondary, just know your primary would always have to have the highest psi setting, i.e. you have a wit, ipa, and porter on tap. The primary needs to be set to the wit level, then you use the secondary regulator to drop the pressure for the ipa and porter. This way you can regulate each lines' psi. With the manifold you can only do what the line into it allows.

 

[chickypad]

I don't see the use in carbing to a higher level then not keeping it there for serving. How fast it decarbs would depend on how much you are drawing off. My concern would be problems with bubbles/foaming in the line, which can happen if there's not enough CO2 counter pressure in the headspace to keep it in solution. That's one of the reasons I prefer set and forget carbing, no chance of overshooting. If you're really interested in serving at multiple carb levels then I agree a secondary as linked above would be better for you. It's not that big a deal to me, so I run 6 lines off my primary that I keep at 2.5 vol which is fine for my pales, ambers, IPA's, wheats, Belgians, etc. I only use a single secondary to carb kegs for my stout faucet and for the beer gun, that one stays at about 4-5 psi.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Was just curious, an extra $150 is more than I'm willing to spend just to keep different pressures. Not that concerned, all three will be at same pressure than

Still getting a dual body so I can carb and serve simultaneously though.