Kegging

[Mike Neilson]

Looking at doing a keg set up, Is it cheaper and easyer to go with the brew craft setup or designing your own set up, and getting the bits from the likes of Craft brewer, etc?
Whats your thoughts?

[jt]

I agree Stu, overated, only ever had two leaks in the fridge.

One was a JG fitting on the back of a tap, must have leaked litres of beer into the door cavity until one day .... never a John Guest fitting in my fridge, ever again ...

The other was a piece of crappy gas line that was bent a bit too far for too long that split ... and empties a gas bottle ....

both sad stories in their own right

[James P]

They mix well just like bourbon and dry....

[Reviled]

I know! And to think how many half glasses I tipped down the sink before I realised this :o(

[James P]

Just don't change them over when you have bourbon and coke in one keg and beer in the other..... or maybe....

[MrC]

OK guys. I've been gathering some info on kegging and associated prices and at this stage I will most likely be buying kegs from Hallertau and the rest from craftbrewer.

For anyone who has been following this thread from the beginning and wants to know the answer to the question:
Is it cheaper and easyer to go with the brew craft setup or designing your own set up, and getting the bits from the likes of Craft brewer, etc?
I beleive that the answer (at the time of writing this) is "I depends what you want". If you want what the standard homebrew shop kegging system provides, then buying from DMH for $432 is you best option. If you want something slightly more or different, then I believe you're better off planning your own and buying the various bits yourself.

What's my plan for a startup kegging system?
Two beers on tap.
Both at the same level of carbonation.
Each keg will have it's own picnic tap.

So I have some questions for all you keggers out there:
1. How many kegs should I buy, 2 or 3?
2. What is involved in reconditioning kegs, is there something I need to buy?
3. I was planning on buying the rest from Craftbrewer. What will I need?
- Two picnic taps
- Regulator
- Two gas disconnects
- Two beer disconnects
- Gas lines
anything else? a T-connector for the gas lines? Clips?

[Mike Neilson]

I Wish I got 4 kegs. You will need this to reco the kegs https://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=886 as well as some PBW to wash out the kegs (Great stuff) Acetone to clean stickers off, steel wool, polish and elbow grease. If you can buy a couple of poppet valves while your there 1 of mine is partial and a vent valve thing. Oh and a t connector for your 2 gas's into keg and a non return valve. and bobs your uncle.

[Glynn Foster]

The list looks good to me. I opted for getting a 3 way gas manifold - I like having a bunch of options on tap, though haven't yet figured out my re-fridgeration setup (likely something that is going to hold 3 kegs and a C02 bottle). I went for non-MFL connects. I ended up buying 3 O-ring replacement kits, but I may not need them given that the seals on the current kegs are in good nick. Also bought a new pressure relief valve, as one of the kegs had an old school one (which probably still worked fine). Unfortunately CB were out of picnic taps at the time, so may end up ordering those from DMH.

[Glynn Foster]

(and thanks to Stu for sanity checking the order)

[James P]

If you are only going to have two on tap at any one time, and are happy to wait a couple of weeks for a spare brew to be available and carbed up, then three is fine. I would say four would ensure you have all your bases owned.

I'd go for one or two of these splitters as the T's, however buy it from aircontrols. I would run three gas in disconnects on the gas line, two on tap and the third for carbing up a spare keg.

Aircontrols have the non return value too, for about NZD $27-30+, which is a MUST! If you are buying from aircontrols, they do gas line for about $1.50+ a metre, in FOUR colours! Must better than clear from CB.

Also look into one of the soda stream adaptors, and invest in a spare soda stream canister for when / if you run out of CO2... eh Stu!

That means three gas in, and two beer out disconnects.

[JoKing]

James has some good info on here. Good work James: very helpful.



Mr Cherry... get 4 kegs. You wont regret it. You can stand them up in most fridges. Rotate stock, and never wait for conditioned, carbonated beer. The kegs are the cheap part!

[MrC]

So if I've followed this correctly, to recondition a keg I need to buy a keg $70 plus delivery, buy seals, releif valve and poppet valve (total 33AUD). Grant total approx $120NZD (plus polish & elbow grease)

It would be cheaper to buy a reconditioned keg from GE for $110.

Am I missing something here?

[Reviled]

Yep, not all the kegs need to be recond, its a bit of a gamble with the cheaper kegs but 95% of the time theyre sweet as.. I got two and ive only replaced one seal on them...