Classy Party Setup

[Wortgames]

Hi all,

I've identified a need for a smallish, classy party setup - basically so I can take homebrew along to the GF's family gatherings etc without looking like a complete yob in front of Grandma. I currently have a 6-tap converted freezer and a 2-tap bar fridge, both of which are on wheels and mobile for parties and camping trips etc, but tend to overwhelm 'normal' people. :blink:

My options (as I see them) are:

1. a container, preferably insulated / insulatable, large enough for a single 3gal keg and associated fittings;
2. a miracle box.

The miracle box would be more versatile, especially if I put in two lines, as I could use it with 1 or 2 large or small kegs. However, it means squeezing through the relatives in the hallway with two arms full of beer dispensing gear, which will attract a lot of attention and probably look a bit sad if it turns out that I'm the only one drinking it and everyone else is sipping chardonnay.

So I'm leaning towards a self-contained option, big enough for a 3-gal keg and sodastream setup. Something I can walk in with, single-handedly, and place on the kitchen bench without frightening the old folks. I'm thinking rubber feet, a small classy tap, and maybe even a built-in drip tray. The question is what to use / how to finish it?

The possibilities I'm thinking of at this stage are a roadcase type finish (you know the kind of aluminium cases used for scientific and TV equipment etc - I can get hold of old cases & parts fairly easily), or possibly using timber or even stainless.

Any ideas, pics, suggestions?!

 

[Jye]

If you can get a gatorade cooler or some thing similar a 3G keg fits in perfectly. I know Ross and Batz have setups like this and Ross even has the sodastream cylinder in the cooler so nothing is on the outside except the tap.

I think they are posted here.

 

[Wortgames]

Thanks Jye, I was actually looking for that thread - I was searching for 'party + setup' though, which didn't turn up much as the 'party' emoticon returns a hit in search results...

I'm actually leaning away from the cooler idea though, thinking more of a fancier, custom-built type of thing. Was hoping some folks might have had some new ideas since then...

 

[Coodgee]

you could get one of those stainless/aluminium flip top waste paper bins and take out the foot pedal and replace it with a tap. that would look pretty good and you can carry it under one arm.

or maybe get someone to make you up a small oak barrell? that would be really cool.

 

[Velophile]

Something that won't attract too much attention, tasteful, low key etc?

 

[Wortgames]

Velophile, that's perfect.

OUT THE WAY YOU OLD BAG, BEER COMING THROUGH...

Coodgee the stainless bin is an interesting idea. A barrel would be great, but probably a bit too pricey to get one made - I've been keeping an eye open for a while on eBay but they don't seem to be around in that kind of size.

I'm thinking it might be a good carpentry project to design and build something from scratch - a neat little case with a removable front - but it might just be a bit of a stretch for my limited woodworking expertise :blink:

I could probably manage to adapt a roadcase if I can find something the right size though...

 

[Velophile]

An insulated roadcase with 2 part lid, one of which holds the font. Snap open the lid, fold up the font (over a built in drip tray) pour beer. B)

Something in timber would also look good.

http://www.woodsmithstore.com/steamertrunk.html

http://www.themetrunks.com/images/steamer%20trunk%201.jpg

http://www.themetrunks.com/images/closed%20dome%20trunk.JPG

http://www.themetrunks.com/images/closed%20trunk.JPG

 

[Nickb167]

one of those sunbeam beermate things look alright. im sure you could drill a few holes in it to take a sodastream bottle to get it off the o2.

They are pretty expensive but seem to be just the thing to pull out in front of the family.

 

[Bulmershe]

How about something like this ...

 

[RobW]

Maybe not so classy but neat & compact:



http://www.ibrew.com.au/html/equipment/tap.../tapadraft.html

 

[Wortgames]

Thanks for the good suggestions folks.

I think I've settled on a shortlist of 2 options, which one will actually happen will depend on time and resources.

Option 1 would be a really nice custom timber cabinet, with brass fittings and a removal front panel to reveal a Celli and a brass drip tray. The look would (hopefully) be something along the lines of a scientific instrument case from the 1800s. A lot of work, but a great 'back burner' project. The idea of a Celli really appeals too, as I can use a JG fitting straight into the back and use the flow restrictor to tweak the pour with minimal line length.

Option 2 would be to find a roadcase of the right general configuration and to customise it, with a removable front (lid) to reveal a chrome (or black plastic) tap and a plastic or stainless drip tray. Not quite as fancy as the timber, but much quicker to do and with a good scrub could probably look half decent.

Whichever I go for, I'm really keen for it to fit a 3gal keg, as I have some of them already and I use them regularly - which would make it much less of a 'hassle' than finding / modifying a smaller pressure vessel and having to decant specially. I suppose I could look at getting a tap-a-draft setup and building a nice case for it, but that would still come up pretty expensive and it leaves me with a cheap-looking tap mechanism.

At the moment my biggest inconvenience seems to be my regulator size - a SS cylinder with any commercial reg on top is actually quite large, so I'm on the hunt for mini regs if anyone knows of anything.

Ross, if you're reading this - what's involved in your right-angle SS adaptor? Is it just a F>M of the SS thread or is it actually a female sodastream to male regulator thread?

 

[Wardhog]

Tap-A-Draft

I've been looking at getting one of these, as a small step towards kegging. Anyone with good/bad/indifferent experiences/opinion they'd like to share?

 

[Shunty]

At the moment my biggest inconvenience seems to be my regulator size - a SS cylinder with any commercial reg on top is actually quite large, so I'm on the hunt for mini regs if anyone knows of anything.

I'm looking at picking up one of the soda stream regs off this site - look nice and small http://www.toolsonline.co.nz/html/engineering1.html

No pressure gauge supplied, but it shouldn't be too hard to either add one with a t-piece, or add a temp gauge to set the pressure and leave it at that

No affiliation etc etc

 

[DarkFaerytale]

I've been looking at getting one of these, as a small step towards kegging. Anyone with good/bad/indifferent experiences/opinion they'd like to share?

there was a small discussion on them on grumpy's not long ago

http://www.grumpys.com.au/phorum/read.php?...1,6856#msg-6856

-Phill

 

[Wortgames]

Shunty, I don't think those regs are any smaller than say a Harris 601. I found a better pic of them here.

I already have a 601, which wouldn't be too bad with a couple of 30mm rear-entry gauges, and even better if I can get a shank machined up to go straight onto a SS cylinder without all the brasswork currently involved. I reckon there has to be a nicer option though.

 

[Bulmershe]

At the moment my biggest inconvenience seems to be my regulator size - a SS cylinder with any commercial reg on top is actually quite large, so I'm on the hunt for mini regs if anyone knows of anything.

Small enough? ...

Here is the link to the details on it... mini CO2 regulator kit

 

[Bulmershe]

I am pretty sure it is a leland regulator
see http://www.lelandltd.com/regulating_valves.htm

They may be even have a connection that could fit the sodastream.

I just bought this sodastream adapter which is quite compact too.

Hope that helps.

 

[bonj]

I've been looking at getting one of these, as a small step towards kegging. Anyone with good/bad/indifferent experiences/opinion they'd like to share?

I had/have one. I've lost the head unit in one of the 3 moves I've done in the last year (finally in my own place!). One thing I noticed is that the bottle lids don't always seal too well. I've had a few overflows from them. Not too bad, but still messy. That was bottle conditioning, I was not game to force carbonate with co2 bulbs. One advantage is that you can use 1 co2, and 1 nitrogen(creme) bulb for dispensing stouts. I never got around to it (had the stout in the bottles, but the missing head unit put a stop to it. I only used it in a fridge, and it worked a treat.

I suspect the head unit was thrown out, as I had put it in a plastic bag... which may have been mistaken for rubbish.... expensive mistake.

 

[fixa]

What about using one of those jiggas that use c02 cartridges? I've seen them around, you put the canister on the QD, and just give it a quick hit when pouring pressure is low.

 

[KoNG]

What about using one of those jiggas that use c02 cartridges? I've seen them around, you put the canister on the QD, and just give it a quick hit when pouring pressure is low.

agreed, would an innovations CO2 charger be an easier option just for dispensing pressure.?
you'd probably only need 1-2 bulbs for the 3gal keg