Transporting Kegged Beer and This Setup

[Scut_Monkey]

I have been debating for a while if I want to keg. I realize the time savings and the fact that you can save time waiting for the beer to carbonate by force carbonating. But I have been reluctant to switch because I like to take my homebrew to parties and I feel that lugging around kegs would be a colossal pain in the butt compared to a cooler of bottles. However, I do get tired of watching people throw my glass bottles in the garbage.

So my question is what are some of the options for transporting smaller or full 5 gallon quantities on a keg setup? Do growlers work well for this?

Also, what would a setup like this be worth approximately.

Beer Tap System, all you need is the fridge.
Complete beer tap system, including [2] 5# CO2 tanks, [2] regulators, both Sankey & Hoff Stevens taps, drip tray, beer tap, hoses and all fittings.
This system will cut the cost of beer in half over buying by the case.

 

[Yooper]

I have been debating for a while if I want to keg. I realize the time savings and the fact that you can save time waiting for the beer to carbonate by force carbonating. But I have been reluctant to switch because I like to take my homebrew to parties and I feel that lugging around kegs would be a colossal pain in the butt compared to a cooler of bottles. However, I do get tired of watching people throw my glass bottles in the garbage.

So my question is what are some of the options for transporting smaller or full 5 gallon quantities on a keg setup? Do growlers work well for this?

Also, what would a setup like this be worth approximately.

Beer Tap System, all you need is the fridge.
Complete beer tap system, including [2] 5# CO2 tanks, [2] regulators, both Sankey & Hoff Stevens taps, drip tray, beer tap, hoses and all fittings.
This system will cut the cost of beer in half over buying by the case.

Growlers work great! I also have used 2L soda bottles, and now have a couple of 3 gallon kegs.

You'll need a coupler for the sanke fittings, if you're using corney kegs. I dunno want a "beer tap" is, if it's simple picnic faucets or if you're buying actual faucets.

For 2 5# tanks and 2 regulators, that might cost $200 or so new. Maybe less. Or, if I didn't need two (and I didn't when I started), I'd go to a good source like kegconnection.com and get just what I needed. I bought my tank, hoses, regulators, kegs, etc for about $200. It came complete, and with checkvalves and all the extras, as well as all put together. I could serve two kegs from that set up, and bought an extra keg. It worked well, and I'm happy.

If you want to piece it together, check out the pictures of what you'll need so you don't have any surprises when you keg your beer.

 

[purechaos]

i took a 5 gallon keg to a cookout this past weekend, i put the keg in my mash tun (igloo cooler) and packed it with ice. I have an extra co2 tank and a picnic tap.

loaded it on a wagon and pulled it down to my neighbors house

Good times were had by all

 

[Corey_James]

Check out biermunchers rolling keggerator.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/biermunchers-rolling-kegerator-byo-published-71719/

 

[wilserbrewer]

Go to kegging! If for no other reason. I feel that the quality of your beer will improve. I have found that there is nothing like time and temperature to properly condition your beer.

Filling bottles off a picnic tap is very easy, and you get sediment free cryatal clear beer. If you have the room, do a keezer, so you can have a couple kegs tapped and a couple in reserve conditioning.

 

[Scut_Monkey]

So I picked up the kegging system that I originally listed and I wanted to see peoples opinions on it. The guy I purchased it from said he originally bought the system 20 years ago for a kegerator and then purhcased another CO2 tank and another dual gauge regulator in 1999. Below are the components that came with it.

(2) 5#CO2 tanks with inspections every 3-5 years.
(2) Dual gauge regulators with relief valves and manual shutoffs
(2) Sankey taps
(1) Hoff Stevens tap
(2) 4" shanks
(2) Faucets
(1) Crappy drip tray
(2) Sets of both CO2 and Beer supply lines
Various o-rings, faucet wrench and pipe cleaner

I purchased everything for $80 which seems like a good deal to me. Granted everything is not in showroom presentation shape but everything is functional and the tanks/regulators are in rather good shape. I honestly don't care much about what it looks like so long as it's safe and works as it should. I will have to find some corny kegs though but at least I have a solid initial setup for two systems for $80...... Go Craigslist.

 

[GreggZ]

nice score and good luck

 

[Bobby_M]

Yup, and don't forget to get the quick disconnects that are specifically for corny kegs. Sankey and Hoff Stevens are completely different but it's good to have in case you need a 1/2BBL of Miller light for the masses.

 

[mrtrav]

Here's my traveling setup...

5 Gallon Keg - 45 bucks
24oz Paintball CO2 Tank - 25 bucks
The Adapter from Austin Homebrew supply - 15 bucks
Gas Line adapter w/ line - 5 bucks
Ball lock faucet - 35 bucks
Regulator - 50 bucks

Grand Total - $175

However most of this was pieced together over time. I had the spare keg and regulator laying around. So the actual total for me was well under 100 bucks.

 

[EdWort]

Here's mine.

Beer stays cold for the party long enough to blow the keg.

 

[KYB]

About how long does the beer stay cold with that? I'm thinking tailgaiting in the hot sun. Or has it never lasted long enough to find out.

 

[EdWort]

About how long does the beer stay cold with that? I'm thinking tailgaiting in the hot sun. Or has it never lasted long enough to find out.

I've tested it and it keeps beer cold for 3 hours or longer if you swap the ice pack. The beer never lasts that long. I used it at a local brew club summer picnic.

Many folks commented on how mine was the coldest beer there. I attribute that to the combo of the ice sleeve and the ball lock faucet. Every other beer had 5 feet of beer line exposed to the sun and heat. My keg was the first to blow at this picnic.

More details on the system can be found here.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/my-new-portable-keg-system-72105/