What size CO2 tank for dispensing 3 Sankes?

[kombat]

As I've mentioned in another thread, my sister is getting married this summer and has put me in charge of ensuring there is beer available at the reception. I'm planning on ordering 3 full-size Sanke kegs (15 gallons each). The brewery provides a hand-pump for dispensing, but being a perfectionist, I'd rather dispense with CO2 to ward off oxidation. The question is: What size CO2 tank should I bring? The beer will obviously already be carbonated, so a fully-filled 5 lb CO2 tank should be more than enough to dispense 3 Sanke kegs' worth of beer, right? I also have a 10 lb tank I could bring, but would that be overkill? I usually work with smaller 5 gallon Corny kegs, so I've no experience with how much CO2 it takes to get through a Sanke.

Any experienced Sanke users out there? What size CO2 tank should I bring to dispense 3 Sanke kegs?

 

[smcinco]

5# will be fine, a lot more convenient than lugging around a 10#. Will dispense 10+ kegs.

 

[Photopilot]

I think you are just looking for an excuse to buy a #5 tank.

If so then yes anything else would be overkill.

 

[kombat]

I think you are just looking for an excuse to buy a #5 tank.

LOL, I already have two 5 lb tanks and two 10 lb tanks. Just trying to figure out which one to ship home (wedding is 1,000 miles away from me), i.e. which one I can do without until my parents can find a way to get it back to me.

 

[wilserbrewer]

If you can and it's not too much trouble, I would bring both so as to have a back - up in the event of a tank leak. Not a bad idea to have hand pumps as back up.

Overkill yes, but the thought of 100-200 people and no way to get beer served makes me nervous....

edit...just saw your traveling for the venue. That being considered the 5 lb tank is plenty. I would get the 3 hand pumps just in case, they don't cost anything, just a deposit usually....

 

[sandyeggoxj]

I always show up to a venue with 2 co2 tanks. It used to be a 20# and a 10# but I bought a 5# specifically for a backup. I am planning to get another 5# so that I can go with 2 small tanks. But that is just me. If you have hand pumps that would serve as a backup to get you by.

On a different note... Are you using a jockey box or buckets of ice?

 

[kombat]

I was planning on buying some of the plastic laundry tubs from Wal-Mart and surrounding the kegs in ice. Probably a little pricy, but it should do the trick.

Regarding the traveling, the wedding is near my parents' house. My parents are driving to visit me in April, and I'm planning on sending everything back with them for the wedding in July. That means I have to have everything I need figured out and put together by Easter weekend, since I'll be flying down for the wedding (pretty sure I can't bring a filled CO2 tank on the plane, even as checked baggage). As for how to get everything back on my return, I'm not sure yet. Maybe if I drain the CO2 tank, they'll let me bring it on the plane? Haven't figured that part out yet - my main concern is making sure I have everything I need to dispense the beer.

I bought 3 Sanke "D" adapters, the barb shanks, beer nuts, washers, 30' of gas line, 30' of beverage line, hose clamps, and a bunch of picnic taps. See anything I'm missing?

 

[sandyeggoxj]

The ice works just fine. What are the shanks for? If you are doing buckets with ice why not just use picnic taps?

 

[kombat]

The shanks are (I believe) to connect the beverage line to the Sanke adapter. The adapters have one barb jutting out at a 45° angle (which I believe is "gas in"), and a threaded post at the top, to which I believe I'm supposed to attach the barb (using the beer nut?), so I can attach the "beverage out" line. Does this sound accurate, or am I messing something up?

 

[maffew222]

IMO a 5# tank will be more than adequate, but because you're building this system up, you might want to get party pumps anyway in case it leaks severely. Always have a KISS solution. And bring at least one extra adjustable wrench.

As for the rest of it, at the risk of sounding like captain obvious, you'll need a regulator, and a 3 way gas distributor in addition to all the parts you listed. And yes, the gas lines comes in at about 45° and beer lines comes straight in from the top. Most couplers come with a Thomas (one way) valve to keep beer out of the gas line but for a one/two day setup it's not totally critical. Bring extra hose clamps as well. And bring way more ice than you think you need. And FWIW a 15 gallon keg fits in those buckets but doesn't leave room for much else.

Oh, and you ordered domestic beer, right? Afaik Anchor Brewing is only one of the few breweries using something other than a regular sanke coupler but Europe is another story

Out of curiosity, how many people are attending? (I co ran a beer bar for the last 2 years and always wonder how much beer people consume relative to a bar)

 

[kombat]

Domestic beer, yup, from a craft brewery in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Garrison Brewing). The wedding is for about 125 people. We'll be getting 2 full size kegs (15 gallons) and 1 smaller keg (5 gallons).

 

[sandyeggoxj]

I've found that about 5 gallons/25 guests is a good starting point. Now if the crowd is known to be heavy drinkers that changes a bit. My baseline is with other options like wine for the weirdos that show up. Who doesn't prefer beer?!?

I have also found that having "just a little bit extra" adds a nice comfort level. So an extra hose clamp, wrench, tubing, ice, and whatever else you end up bringing.

 

[Photopilot]

I like the KISS idea. Go with one fully charged 5 lb bottle, rent one hand pump for back up. Check for leaks. If the CO2 somehow runs out the committed drinkers still around the keg will be willing to pump for another beer.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Check with your airline on the CO2 bottle..........I know you can ship Scuba tanks, but doubtful on a full, pressurized bottle.

You might be able to ship it home empty, and be advised: My experiences in the past with Scuba tanks is that they will remove the tank valve, and look inside for contraband.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Check with your airline on the CO2 bottle..........I know you can ship Scuba tanks, but doubtful on a full, pressurized bottle.

You might be able to ship it home empty, and be advised: My experiences in the past with Scuba tanks is that they will remove the tank valve, and look inside for contraband.

They take it apart? What is wrong with the x-ray doodad?

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Powerful X-Ray doodad needed I guess, for penetrating the metal.

Every time I've been to Grand Cayman to dive, I've shipped tank empty with the valve open, and the valve has to be "torqued down" after a visual @ the dive shop, before filling it.