Putting together my first kegging setup on a budget.

[Yeast Farmer]

I'm just getting back into beer brewing after several years, and also preparing to make the move into all-grain and accumulating the stuff I need (which is surprisingly little, since I plan to start with BIAB). I've always wanted a keg setup eventually, but figured it was a long ways down the road. But I've had a bit of a windfall of Amazon gift card money of around $200, so I've decided to jump on the keg. I'd really love to not deal with 12 oz bottles anymore.

What I'm considering is a kit with one keg, a 5 lb co2 tank, and (I think) all the necessary hoses and hardware for $200. There is also another kit with a used keg for $189.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008CH1EC...olid=3VPLC6HT45Q0U&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_ithttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XZT9XU...d=3VPLC6HT45Q0U&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it_im
I'm wondering if these are any good and if they have everything I'd need, and also if I'd be better off buying the components separately. I'm somewhat limited to Amazon since my gift card funny money is what makes this purchase possible, but I'd consider buying individual parts elsewhere if they are significantly cheaper.

I wasn't expecting to be seriously considering buying this stuff so soon, and I've never put much time into learning about kegging hardware. Suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Yeast Farmer]

Anybody? That's what I get for posting late at night, lol.

One more question, if anyone is reading this: Is it practical to fill a growler from a keg and put it in the fridge as a way to chill the beer? I won't be able to refrigerate a keg anytime soon.

 

[Ale_Brewer]

That's a decent price but I don't know if it's decent equipment. A new 5lb CO2 cylinder will cost you around $100. A good quality regulator will be $50-85 and a used ball lock keg in good shape will cost you $50. New ball lock fittings are about $5/ea and tubing is about $0.50/ft. for the good stuff. If it were me (and I speak from experience) I would buy everything separate and new. It's always a dice roll buying used equipment without a visual inspection in person and a good quality regulator makes a huge difference. That being said, if this is your only option to get away from bottling, I say do it and maybe upgrade slowly in the future.

As far as refrigeration, how do you control the temp during fermentation?

 

[Yeast Farmer]

As far as refrigeration, how do you control the temp during fermentation?

I don't. I've never brewed when it was very cold or very hot, and never attempted a lager, but the six or seven extract batches I've done all came out excellent after fermenting at room temperature, whatever temperature that was at the time.

Thanks for the input on the keg kit. I'll probably take a chance on the one with a new keg, and upgrade parts as needed. I've found some places to get co2 nearby, but I don't know if they refill your tank or exchange it, so I don't want to buy an expensive one just yet.

 

[eric19312]

Hi @Yeast Farmer
Adventures in Homebrewing does a great job with entry level kegging systems. Here is a page of examples. Cornelius Keg Systems with Used 5 Gallon Ball Lock Kegs

Price looks good but I didn't do careful comparison. In any case they know their product well and have been selling these with satisfied customers for many years. Great reputation in homebrewing community.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Don't purchase the CO2 tank. Rent it and exchange it locally. Why? If it fails the pressure test, they will punch a hole in the bright, shiny tank rendering it useless.

 

[day_trippr]

Wouldn't any cylinder sold new have its original hydro cert stamped on it?
I bought three 5# Aluminum cylinders over the years and never had to have a hydro test out of the box to get filled.

Anyway, more insidious than an expired cert : unless one has already identified a source for on-demand fill and refills the odds are really high one will be waving goodbye to that shiny cylinder and taking a steel beater home.

Also....it appears everything in that picture is barbed. Not optimal - preferably you want the regulator output and all of the "quick disconnects" (aka QDs) sporting 1/4" MFL (male flare) threads, not barbs. That will then enable not using the pictured tubing but instead opting for a superior barrier tubing such as EVABarrier and keep the beer happy.

You can get a used keg from Adventures In Homebrewing and a Taprite reg with a flare valve from Keg Connection, both via Amazon if desired. Then decide what type of tubing and buy tubing, the fittings needed and with the disconnects at the same time and save on shipping...

Cheers!

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Each time I go to a local place to get the CO2 filled they pressure test the tank. So far, they don't care what's stamped on the tank. I personally know of another brewer whom received a nice shiny CO2 tank for Christmas only to have it ruined when it failed the pressure test on the 2nd refill.

Also, to the OP, a larger CO2 tank doesn't cost much more to fill than a 5 lb CO2 tank. In my experience, go for the larger CO2 tank.

 

[day_trippr]

Are they charging you for those extra certifications - or do you only refill every 5+ years?

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Around here they do all the time. Length of time doesn't matter.

 

[day_trippr]

What country are you in again?

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Yourself? I believe we are in the same, but, at this point, I am unsure why you asking.

 

[Ale_Brewer]

I don't. I've never brewed when it was very cold or very hot, and never attempted a lager, but the six or seven extract batches I've done all came out excellent after fermenting at room temperature, whatever temperature that was at the time.

Thanks for the input on the keg kit. I'll probably take a chance on the one with a new keg, and upgrade parts as needed. I've found some places to get co2 nearby, but I don't know if they refill your tank or exchange it, so I don't want to buy an expensive one just yet.

I would highly advise getting some kind of temperature controlled environment for fermentation. You would be amazed at how much difference it makes in the product quality. That being said, if you ferment at "ambient" temp and then keg to carbonate, I would not advise going from keg to growler then into the fridge to chill. Once it leaves the keg and is exposed to oxygen the clock is ticking. In a growler it will go flat and stale surprisingly quick. The easiest way to get temp controlled fermentation is to score a free fridge or freezer on craigslist and then buy an old used analog temp controller on ebay.

 

[day_trippr]

Yourself? I believe we are in the same, but, at this point, I am unsure why you asking.

Now now, it was a long day and I'm old....ish Nothing sinister intended, it just so out there my brain assumed you couldn't be living in the USA.
Anyway, you must realize you're allowing yourself to be taken advantage of - and not in a good way. Might consider picking up a siphon tank...

Cheers!

 

[Zenmeister]

I bought my first CO2 tank with my kegerator, but just exchange my CO2 tanks at my local welding supply house. Never an issue or a question with testing.

Altho the parts shown in the picture appear to be quality (Tapright Regulator, Reconditioned Keg with gaskets, and accessories.) I am not familiar with the reseller. Thats not necessarily a bad thing, I just am not familiar with them.

Finally, don't forget to add on a tube of keg lube. You will need it, and it is not pictured on the amazon page.

 

[madscientist451]

What I'm considering is a kit with one keg, a 5 lb co2 tank, and (I think) all the necessary hoses and hardware for $200. There is also another kit with a used keg for $189.
[

I got all my kegging stuff used and found it using Craigslist, although these days it seems everyone is selling stuff on FB marketplace.
Used kegs go from $20-$35. Prices on tanks and regulators are all over the place from good deals to you don't know what the guy is smoking 'cause his asking price is just ridiculous. Its way cheaper per pound to exchange a 20 lb CO2 tank.

 

[Dr_Jeff]

I've never had them want to test any of my tanks.
Many times swapped a beater that I bought of CL for $20 or so for a shiny new looking tank.

I do business with NexAir

 

[jerrylotto]

If it were me (and I speak from experience) I would buy everything separate and new.

As said above (now that I've read through the whole thread) except for the 5# CO2 tank. It is always a heartbreak swapping out a new empty for a full but beat up old used one...

 

[eric19312]

Also....it appears everything in that picture is barbed. Not optimal - preferably you want the regulator output and all of the "quick disconnects" (aka QDs) sporting 1/4" MFL (male flare) threads, not barbs. That will then enable not using the pictured tubing but instead opting for a superior barrier tubing such as EVABarrier and keep the beer happy.

I noticed this too. If your motto is buy once cry once I'd agree and go with all flare fittings from the start. I'd also go direct to duo tight fittings and EVA barrier tubing and not buy one of these pre-assembled kits.

But in spirit of OPs question and the title on this thread getting into kegging at the $200ish price point is going to be hard to do without some sacrifices and these entry level kits appear to be a decent value.

 

[Yeast Farmer]

Thanks for all the replies. After taking in all of this information, I have decided... to bottle another batch or two.

 

[DuncB]

Keep your eyes peeled whilst you bottle and a bargain may come up somewhere. Might be worth trading the amazon voucher so you can get some secondhand recon kegs. You can always use them for pressure fermenting and could use one as a co2 generator instead of getting the CO2 cylinder and reg. Just a green thought.

 

[Yeast Farmer]

You can always use them for pressure fermenting and could use one as a co2 generator instead of getting the CO2 cylinder and reg. Just a green thought.

Now that's an interesting idea! I've already been looking into pressure fermentation as a way of using co2 more efficiently, but it hadn't occurred to me to to use one keg fermenter to supply gas to another keg.

 

[JAReeves]

Since you know what you are looking for, keep checking the sales on this site, Craig's list, and the National Home-Brew Stores for sales. Almost everything I have used/currently use has been either from someone getting out of home brewing, upgrading their stuff, or on sale. I have caught some incredible deals.

 

[bracconiere]

looked at the amazon link, before you ask why your beer is pouring foamy. pick up something better then what looks like 1/4" 6' serving line, either as others have said some EVAbarrier, which i've never used. or 10' roll of PVC 3/16"....only $5 at the hardware store...


when i got my first kegging kit it only had like 2' of 1/4".....

 

[SMD]

I can’t speak to the quality of the items in the ad, however I run a very similar set up. I have 2 corny kegs in my garage fridge and a 5lb co2 tank. I picked up everything on Craigslist except the regulator, which I got on Amazon. I’ve filled the tank once and it cost $17. It gets the job done so I don’t have to bottle.

 

[Beermeister32]

Spend your money first on a temperature controlled refrigerator on Craigs list. This will control your fermentation temperature and is highly desired for different beer types. Second is work your way into kegging. You can use the same refrigerator for both at first.

 

[dtashmore547]

I'm in south Africa so don't know if your available equipment is the same as here but I started with gtype polycarbonate kegs which are really cheap and if looked after can do many brews, I have moved into pressure fermentation after reading of it in this forum so my ale goes straight from my fermenter to my keg precarbonated, I chill it with a home made under counter glycol chiller. main costs were the gtype connector, gas cylinder and regulator. the cost of making the chiller was a fraction of a purchased unit and much better than that of a keggerator and much smaller, just a bit of work.