Keg Purchase Advice

[Benjamin Morehu]

Kia ora y'all. Been a while. Santa has promised me some kegging gear for Xmas and I thought I'd seek some advice from those in the know.

This is what he was planning on getting me.

- Used Corny

- Middle of the range reg

- Picnic tap (Will get better ones when I do a keezer. Will use spare fridge for now)

- Regular connectors not SS

- Cylinder will be rented

What do y'all think about that for a start? Should I upgrade the reg and connectors? What else will he need to purchase e.g cleaning gear?

 

[Sam DT]

Looks good to me,

I've got six of their cornies and have found them good.

I bought one of their cheaper regs but ended up sending it back - kept drifting all over the place - probably just a single unit issue tho I'd assume. I would check what pressure the relief valve is set at as well - I like to do 40psi for 24 hours for a quick carb but from memory it had a 30psi limit.

I've just been using plastic ball locks (didn't even know there were metal ones). Admittedly I've cracked a couple over the 18 odd months I've had my setup now but that's more down to rough handling on my part.

I'd make sure you have a spray bottle of starsan ready for leak testing - I think most people lose their first bottle of CO2 pretty quickly (I lost two) before you sort all your leaks. Once I'm carbed up I still leave the tank turned off just in case.

Anyway have fun, as santa will find out kegging isn't cheap to get started but when you fill that first keg in 10 minutes flat you'll be wondering why you didn't do is sooner - it really is the dream!

[Benjamin Morehu]

Thanks for the response Sam. I'll remember to keep an eye out for leaks.

Lucky for me Mrs Claus is pretty keen on getting this setup too

[Peter Smith]

i get better seals from my plastic keg connectors then the brewshop stainless ones..   have had issues with the beer out side.   fixed it by plug and serve technique and a cleanup sponge.

[Benjamin Morehu]

Cheers for that Peter. Stuck with the plastic because I'd never really noticed the SS ones on anybody else's

[Norrii]

A bottle of LLC (Liquid Line Cleaner - same crew that make Star San) for cleaning the kegs and lines.

[Benjamin Morehu]

Cheers Norrii. I'll grab one when I do the next brew

[Darren Wood]

I did this earlier in the year. I created a shopping list along with links...

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yyb-1otdilJ20y8e953AWMvE-D0...

[Genghis]

Nice work Darren.

I've been scribbling things down etc to try and work out a set up.

Still need to save the money up first though.........

[Benjamin Morehu]

Good stuff Darren. The setup I listed plus some lube was $240. I've hired a CO2 bottle for now. That's $10 a month. Will purchase one in the not too distant future.

[Benjamin Morehu]

Thanks for your input folks. Went with the setup I listed plus some lube for the O rings. Renting a cylinder from a local place for now.

Have to say how impressed I've been with Brewshop too. My last two orders have been placed at about 9pm and have arrived early the next arvo. They also sent a nice set of instructions for a first time kegger.

[bazza]

I got most of my kegging gear through brew shop and found the service to be good. however unless they changed I don't think there setup instructions are very good. there beer line is too big and there method is to turn down the serving pressure to suit the beer lines. over time the beer will end up under carbonated. better to set the carb level and adjust the beer line length to get a good pour. 

here is a good calculator for your carb level

http://www.brewersfriend.com/keg-carbonation-calculator/

if you fridge is 4 degrees you'll run about 13psi for a typical carb level. you then balance you beer line length to suit this pressure. google and read up about balancing lines but basically the bigger the line diameter the longer it needs to be.

to carb your beer you can either shake the keg as brew shop suggest or set the pressure at 30psi for 24 hrs then turn down to the pressure you want and wait another day or so. the benefit of this is the sediment settles.

 enjoy. kegging is great

[Peter Smith]

I like to use John Guest fittings and thinner beer lines for this reason, I use about 8-10m of line per keg but it is thin and coils easily with cable ties. I don't like hose clamps on this stuff,

I get mine from either   brewerscoop   or   http://www.hoseshop.co.nz/newsite/

I also like the ability to take everything apart and clean it easily

Whatever you do get the non return things to protect your regulators.