Kegs Setup

[Mark Jackman]

Hi guys, long time browser, first time poster.  I have been looking into getting myself a twin keg, beer gas setup.  Ive got a fridge just big enough to hold two 19L corny kegs but obviously don't want to run into problems refilling the appropriate gas bottle.  I have been looking at a couple of options:

 

http://www.brewcraft.com.au/wawcs0141821/beer_keg_system.html

I am pretty sure that this is the option available at Brewers Coop and I would prefer to give Mike my business but I will need to sort out a regulator for NO2 (will I?) and also get a gas bottle.

 

http://kegresources.co.nz/keg01/products/kegerator-kits.html

This sounds like a good setup, pretty much the same as the Brewcraft one but I can opt out of the CO2 regulator and get a Nitrogen one for about an extra $90.  Would this be sufficient to run a beer gas setup or would I need a different bottle?

 

Thanks for any help you can offer, I'm based in Pakuranga, Auckland and would prefer not to have to travel out of Auckland to refill my gas bottle although that shouldn't be a problem.  If anyone can give me any more advice I would appreciate it, the setup is looking like it will cost around $950 if I upgrade the regulator and the CO2 is still suitable to use.

 

Cheers,

Pommy

[Richard Jack]

FYI, Grey Lynn guy is still only $200.

 

So, I have a question - I've got all my kegging bits aside from the lines to hook it all together, where do people think is best for beer / gas lines (are they both the same?) and how much of it will I need? I'll have two taps mounted through the fridge door and also a picnic tap for playing around with RTDS (gin and tonic on tap, here we come (alcoholism, here we come)). Eventually I'd like to have four kegs hooked up.

 

Any advice? I've heard you need "lots" to prevent foaming.

[Richard Jack]

Ah, found a link in the library - just hadn't been searching for 'balancing'. Never mind!

[JoKing]

Ron Minkhorst on here sells all the tap gear on trademe too - I think he trades under "dispense". His prices are great.

[Druid]

If you ring Peter at BrewCraft in Mt Eden Rd at 377 1544, he can get you a converted fire extinguisher with a gas fill for $140.  I said I'd put the word out here as it appears to be the best deal that I've seen.

[Richard Jack]

farrrrrrk just paid $200 for one of them! Although pressure check did say to just bring it back for free refills "for a while" as "you blokes normally cock it up" while learning to keg :)

[Reviled]

lol @ pressure check

 

When i brought mine the guy told me I'd be lucky to get 2 kegs worth out of one cylinder :oD lol, explained to him this wasnt the case when I went back for my first refill - 10 months later haha

[Matt Smith]

Dang that's cheap...I'm currently paying $16.66 per month from BOC, exept more like $26.66 per month cos I'm useless at keeping track of the direct debits and keep getting bank charges for failed payments haha...drag ! How do you go about getting this filled, do you take it back to brewcraft or will a place like BOC do it ?

[Druid]

Not sure about BOC - if DG gets his from there, I'm assuming it must be food grade CO2 otherwise he'd be seeing the effects?

 

In Akl, you can get food grade Co2 from Nova Fire Saftey in Westmoreland St, Grey Lynn.  Maybe Pressure Testing do refills too?

 

You could ask BrewCraft - they tend to be franchises though I think - so it will vary depending on the branch I'd say.

[Richard Jack]

the grey lynn guys said there was a place in greenlane that would do it too, but I'll be going back there to collect my free fills for a while, it provides an excuse to peruse the beer selection in the vic park new world :)

[Druid]

peruse the beer selection in the vic park new world :)

It's pretty good eh - I just about broke the bank there just before Christmas stocking up for camping...

[Reviled]

"stocking up for camping..."

 

Why not take the kegs camping with you? haha, no joke, its awesome!! I took 3 kegs away on a NYE camping trip once, it was so so wicked, chilling out at a campsite, cold beer on tap - doesn't get much better than that!!

[Druid]

That's exactly what I'm going to do this year - bur I hadn't started brewing AG back then. 

I do a bit of sailing so the ultimate for me would be to set up the boat fridge like a kegerator so that I can take kegs away with me.  Luxury :)