In The Market For A Kegerator

[suchidog]

Hey Guys,

I have been trolling through the forums reading peoples stories about purchasing kegerators.

For the most part I have noted that people have had to:

a. Replace fault/cheap parts
b. Upgrade cheap parts
c. Make modifications to improve pressures or temperatures
d. Play phone/email tag with sellers to get problems fixed

Can anyone recommend a kegerator that "just works" straight out of the box? Anyone had a good news story with a purchase?

Cheers,
Ben

 

[Cocko]

May help..

Plenty out there!

 

[suchidog]

May help..

Plenty out there!

Hey Cocko, thanks for the reply.

I read this thread, but it seemed that it took almost 2 months for SpeedMeades to get his kegerator up and running.

Was hoping to just pull one out of a box, put the beer in and hook up the gas and pour a beer!

 

[Cocko]

Welcome to the boards BTW!

Where are you? I am sure Craftbrewer or other site sponsor could supply an 'out of box' solution! You will still need to know how to carb etc... have you read up on all that?

Or research a little and work out exactly what you need/want and put it together yourself... probably the best way IMO.

:icon_cheers:

 

[clean brewer]

I know someone that loves their Kegmate with 3 Tap Font.....

Its not me though....

:icon_cheers: CB

 

[suchidog]

Welcome to the boards BTW!

Where are you? I am sure Craftbrewer or other site sponsor could supply an 'out of box' solution! You will still need to know how to carb etc... have you read up on all that?

Or research a little and work out exactly what you need/want and put it together yourself... probably the best way IMO.

:icon_cheers:

Thanks Cocko, there seems to be a wealth of information on here.

I am in Sydney. Still need to lookup carb etc but http://www.thebeerfactory.com.au/ have told me they can give me heaps of help.

 

[suchidog]

I know someone that loves their Kegmate with 3 Tap Font.....

Its not me though....

:icon_cheers: CB

Did they have minimal probs with setup?

 

[clean brewer]

Found a link with a review, or in the Search under Google, punch in Kegmate and a few Topics will pop up.....

By the way, he loves it, so no issues AFAIK...

:icon_cheers: CB

 

[suchidog]

Found a link with a review, or in the Search under Google, punch in Kegmate and a few Topics will pop up.....

By the way, he loves it, so no issues AFAIK...

:icon_cheers: CB

Great thanks clean brewer!

Anyone seen or used this model? http://www.thebeerfactory.com.au/keg_systems.html

 

[Cocko]

Thanks Cocko, there seems to be a wealth of information on here.

I am in Sydney. Still need to lookup carb etc but http://www.thebeerfactory.com.au/ have told me they can give me heaps of help.

What about their system, seems over priced to the power of extreme but if you were gonna brew on site with them maybe you could screw them down a little and milk them for support till you find your feet?

Or read, read, read and work out what you need and how to work it and build up the gear for half the price....

I guess it is a question of convenience VS price.

Your coin, your kegerator....

Only real solid tip I have for you is, get brewing HB and all will be good in the world!

 

[suchidog]

What about their system, seems over priced to the power of extreme but if you were gonna brew on site with them maybe you could screw them down a little and milk them for support till you find your feet?

Or read, read, read and work out what you need and how to work it and build up the gear for half the price....

I guess it is a question of convenience VS price.

Your coin, your kegerator....

Only real solid tip I have for you is, get brewing HB and all will be good in the world!

I did a pit of pricing on a cheaper setup and I came up with these figures from ebay, mostly from the seller brewbeeronline2

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Dual-Kegerator-Beer...=item3a558dc511


Kegerator 499.95
Postage 90
CO2 Cylinder 199
Gas 29.95
Keg Coupler 59.98
Empty Keg 50L 130

Total 1008.88

I was thinking if I could get a 50L beer included in the sale from the Beer Factory which costs about $155, plus the Beer Factory said they would discount it to $1400 then $235 isn't too bad for on-call help.

Although I still think $1400 is a lot of money! Would need to drink a heap of beer to recoup my costs!

 

[clean brewer]

I did a pit of pricing on a cheaper setup and I came up with these figures from ebay, mostly from the seller brewbeeronline2

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Dual-Kegerator-Beer...=item3a558dc511


Kegerator 499.95
Postage 90
CO2 Cylinder 199
Gas 29.95
Keg Coupler 59.98
Empty Keg 50L 130

Total 1008.88

I was thinking if I could get a 50L beer included in the sale from the Beer Factory which costs about $155, plus the Beer Factory said they would discount it to $1400 then $235 isn't too bad for on-call help.

Although I still think $1400 is a lot of money! Would need to drink a heap of beer to recoup my costs!

$1400 would get you a nice Chest Freezer, multiple Perlick Taps from the U.S, Gas Bottle, Lines and fittings probably.... And maybe a much better set-up....

:icon_cheers: CB

 

[suchidog]

$1400 would get you a nice Chest Freezer, multiple Perlick Taps from the U.S, Gas Bottle, Lines and fittings probably.... And maybe a much better set-up....

:icon_cheers: CB

as tempting as that is I don't really have the space for a chest freezer and I want a package that will just work. Knowing my luck it would take me 6 months to get my dodge home job working hahaha

 

[EZE-09Z]

www.keg2.com.au

this is where i bought mine and it hasnt skipped a beat yet..........

i paid $890 for the complete unit with 2 corny kegs and also paid $45 to have it delivered and setup and shown how to use it.


hops that helps.


pictures of my setup are below

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...&start=1240




Ernie

 

[mxd]

I was thinking if I could get a 50L beer included in the sale from the Beer Factory which costs about $155,

I have only just started and what I am enjoying is having different beers on taps, so if you go with a 50 lt keg (you would want 2 so when 1 is empty you connect the other and brew again.) you only really have 1 tap, if you go for a "good" kegerator with a 3 tap font and 6 kegs you could have 3 different beers on tap at a time.

So you could brew at home or if you go to a keg brew place, brew 3 x 50 ltr kegs. Then each 50ltr will goto 2 cornies and a slab for takeaways.

If you speak to Ross (craftbrewer above no link), I sure he could set something up and post it down.

good luck.


N.B I recommend doing the brewing at home it's easy (I still screw it up) but I found the most enjoyable part in going to a LHBS standing there and thinking what shall I try, at the moment I am running stout, irish red, english brown, blonde, pale and Coppers lager.

 

[Peteoz77]

A local Mob in Queanbeyan (right next to ACT) Sells a complete Kegmate.. and I mean complete.. with EVERYTHING. Gas bottle and regulator, 2 cornie kegs, Chrome tower and 2 taps etc etc, for $899 (I think that's even delivered to qbyn and ACT)

http://www.kegmate.com.au/

I have not seen a better price anywhere.. and it will hold 3 kegs.

If I didn't already have 6 taps on my fridge, I would definitely think of getting one of these.

 

[brettprevans]

IMO your better off making one yourself. even a tooltard could cope. that way you customise evrything

of course if your set on getting an out-of-the-box kegerator then my 2c would be to buy it off a reputable dealer. your going to get what you pay for. buy an ebay cheapy and you'll probably have issues with something.

 

[Damian44]

I went the Evilbay way and couldn't be happier. $540 got me a 3 keg fridge, duel font, gas bottle and a regulator. I sold the couplers that came with it for $50 aswell. I had a few concerns at first and a few teething problems but its all good now. My bro had a similar experience with a different seller.

TYVM Damian

 

[suchidog]

www.keg2.com.au

this is where i bought mine and it hasnt skipped a beat yet..........

i paid $890 for the complete unit with 2 corny kegs and also paid $45 to have it delivered and setup and shown how to use it.


hops that helps.


pictures of my setup are below

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...&start=1240




Ernie

Thanks Ernie!

I have looked at those Keg2 setups on ebay and at their website. I was just a little uncertain when I read a thread on this site taking about how it looked like the manufacturer had stolen his pictures from another site.

But it sounds like you are very happy

 

[suchidog]

I have only just started and what I am enjoying is having different beers on taps, so if you go with a 50 lt keg (you would want 2 so when 1 is empty you connect the other and brew again.) you only really have 1 tap, if you go for a "good" kegerator with a 3 tap font and 6 kegs you could have 3 different beers on tap at a time.

So you could brew at home or if you go to a keg brew place, brew 3 x 50 ltr kegs. Then each 50ltr will goto 2 cornies and a slab for takeaways.

If you speak to Ross (craftbrewer above no link), I sure he could set something up and post it down.

good luck.


N.B I recommend doing the brewing at home it's easy (I still screw it up) but I found the most enjoyable part in going to a LHBS standing there and thinking what shall I try, at the moment I am running stout, irish red, english brown, blonde, pale and Coppers lager.

thanks for the good tips mxd!