New to Kegging

[Crusader-Rob]

YO,

I am currently installing my kegging system, in my garage. Now I have 2 taps, but only a single  valve regulator, this will get me running, but what do people use for a second keg, an double reg or just a manifold to allow multiple gas outlets?

Just trying to figure out the best way to go about it.

[Martin Bridges]

You don't need a second reg, unless you want to have different kegs at different pressures. I just have a manifold & run 4 kegs off one reg.

[Crusader-Rob]

How often do you need different pressures? It's pretty much just force carbing right?

[Brett Soanes]

Different beer styles need different pressure you can daisy chain 2 single regs if u have another and run the second one at a lower presure. I would recommend listening to brew srong on kegging and carbonation heaps of info on the brewing network. Shot

[Peter Smith]

I have 4 kegs thus 4 regs,  you don't want to be moving stuff around that much if you can help it IMHO  as you add a keg get another reg....  that way you can just adjust the reg as required, label white keg connectors with a big number 1-4 etc or coloured cable ties....     Simple = better. otherwise you will one day try to serve a nice carbed beer with 35 psi and get foam....   sure if you had two kegs you could keep swapping levels and connectors from one reg but this is a PITA

I am assuming you want to be able to force carb etc etc...

[Barry]

Out of my single regulator I have:

1. line
2. A no-return valve! <-- John Guest
3. More line, into the fridge
4. A two way splitter <-- John Guest
5. 2 bits of line
6. 2 T's <-- John Guest
7. 4 bits of line
8. 4 gas in quick disconnects <-- John Guest

There's room in my fridge for 4 kegs so this is all I've ever need. I've never had the need for different pressures, but that's because my personal taste is at the low end of carbonation.

I mention John Guest a lot because you should spend the extra and get them. Seriously.

[Peter Smith]

agree BUY JOHN GUEST I got a lot of stuff from brewshop.co.nz and also brewerscoop had john guest push/pull type connectors !!!   I like a long 5m length of small ID beer line to provide some choking resistance (also have a plan to mount taps above laundry sink in house about 4m away from fridge)

[Crusader-Rob]

Yeah, my thoughts are go get another reg addition, and that way if I ever need a different pressure, its all sorted, the guy here in chch Kenny Beverages, suggests, using a t piece and running your serving pressure off 1 reg, and force carbing with the otherreg, 

[Barry]

What are the beers you're finding you need 2 serving pressures for?

[Crusader-Rob]

I haven't finished setting up the kegs yet, so I'm yet to christen it. brew day is still another week away yet.

They basically told me, that use a double regulator, and run 2 kegs off one reg, then force carb with the other section of it.

[Barry]

Well the way it works in practice is, let's say you have a keg (or more than one) on tap that has reached equilibrium (fully carbonated to balanced according to the pressure it's set at and the temperature of the fridge) and is sitting at serving pressure.

Then you keg another beer from the fermenter and want to add it to the fridge and get it carbed up.

Let's call these 2 kegs the "drinking keg" and the "new keg".

I personally would:

• pull the disconnect off the drinking keg.
• attach the new keg
• crank the pressure up to 300kPa for 24 hours
• and the end of 24 hours disconnect the new keg and vent it's head pressure
• then connect up both drinking keg and new keg
• turn gas back on to serving pressure
• enjoy your new selection of beers on tap
• now they're both "drinking kegs".

If you need to pour a pint off your drinking keg during this 24 hours, you'll get a couple of pints off just using the head pressure in the keg. Once that runs out, just disconnect the new keg, back the pressure off at the regulator, and connect the drinking keg up for a second to pour off your pint and top up the head pressure. Then swap again and crank the pressure back up.

Seriously, the only time you're going to need seperate regulators is if you're completely anal about serving pressure to the extent that even if you have a wit beer on at the same time as an ordinary bitter and can't meet in the middle lest your palate be offended.

Save yourself the $100 and buy another keg, you'll get way more use out of that.

[Ralph]

I have one reg and a 4 way block with shut off valves for splitting. I usually run all my beer at one pressure. If I want to force carb quickly by having the pressure high I just shut off the valve to the beer that is already pressurised, turn the reg up and force carb. Once carbed it is back to having same pressure in both.

[Crusader-Rob]

Thanks so far guys. Now that you mention it, the majority of my beer is bottled up at around 2.3-2.5 co2 volumes, which really means i don't need to have an additional reg. 

so apart from getting beer faster, what exactly is the point of force carbing, if any? does it do anything else to the beer?

the first beer will be force carb, to get my beer line lengths correct.

What psi are people putting their serving at? and what sort of temperature?