Keg System

[Shauno89]

Hi Gents,

Looking to setup a keg fridge for the back yard and start off brewing beer through a company such as u-brew-it (is that frowned upon round here? :unsure: ).

The setup I was looking to run is as per the link below, u-brew-it brew in batches of 50L so I would have a spare keg at all times.

Eventually once I've got a system up and running, I'd like to look into brewing my own beer, this would only be to get myself started.

What's the thoughts on the kit? Other than purchasing a fridge off gumtree, would there be anything else I need?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4-x-19-L-Used-Pin-Lock-Keg-Kegerator-Kit-2-6Kg-CO2-Bottle-Regulator-Homebrew-S-/112165712153?hash=item1a1d98f119:g:k9gAAOSwmLlX~w0Z

#help

Shaun

 

[mstrelan]

I haven't heard too many good things about U Brewit. Maybe see if any LHBS sells fresh wort kits? As for the keg setup, most people seem to prefer ball lock over pin lock so something to be aware of, probably a non issue. Otherwise that should sort you out but likely cheap Chinese quality. Are those stainless taps? Lots of folks prefer push fittings rather than those clamps too.

 

[Coldspace]

You can make better beer, but if you have no brewing experience, and want some resonable beer on tap fast, then using one of those companies such as brew by you or you brew it or whatever possible will get you off and running.

You can then read over the forums and learn to brew kits etc while still having beer on tap. Some of the ones I've tried have been ok to good, some not so good. But I'm proballly comparing it to some top quality craft beers, but I know a few guys who love the easy of dropping and picking up kegs for their shinny kegerator at home and are not interested in learning to brew, just quick beer on tap,

That set up will get u up and running but you will need a fridge.

I'd look at either, getting a fridge, pluto gun, 6 kg gas bottle as they are only a few bucks more than a 2.6 kg and refills are 20 bucks more for more than double the gas. Pluto gun works excellent, great for home and parties I use mine all the time on my portable setups, will be easier for you with a pluto gun till you get experience in keg beer, then if you go taps down the track the pluto gun will always be used for other things.

Couple of kegs, maybe 3, ball lock not pin lock, I think most brew by you places use ball lock anyway, just check with them,

Go old fridge of chest freezer with temp controller,

Gas manifold with non return valves,

This will get you running with an easy little set up ,

Go to a good quality home brew shop, and speak to the owners and get the right gear from them for a set up. Learn kit brewing, some kits done right can rival some grain beers, especially if the brewers skills are upto speed.

As above, fresh wort kits are easy as, and usually turn out excellent, but temp control is key,

A novice guy I know went this path, he's got a keg king kegerator and started getting beer kegs from a local brew by you mob, he's had a few resonable batches , got beer on tap pretty much straight away, now he's learning the trade of brewing, which in essence is not really to hard these days to brew great beer. Especially with the info in this forum....

He's bought a cheap fermentation fridge, which is a must if you want to get resonable beers, local brew shop sell Morgans kits which mimic diff styles, good sanitation by cleaness and spray sanitiser , mix up kits, good stir with good old paint stirrer , buy good yeast and pitch 2 pkts and cold crash and then keg and you will get great beer.

Start small and easy if no experience, get a set up , get beer on tap through one of these mobs, read these forums heaps and ask lots of questions, start with kit and one batch at a time,

You'll soon become an addict like the rest of us.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I got a KK kegerator S3 from gumtree. There was a glut of them a couple of months ago.

Big advantage for me is that SWMBO likes it (or at least tolerates it) in the house. Fits three kegs at a tight fit and the 2.6kg gas bottle. I think that I got it at a bargain, by the time I offloaded the kegs and the bits I didn't need.

If you can't get one, and you go down the bog standard fridge or keezer line, I highly highly highly recommend the plastic picnic taps. They are cheap and offer a pour that is easily the equivalent of a good quality fridge tap (I think maybe even better). My first system used it and I reckon I felt more in control of the pour when I had them, than the perlicks and intertaps I have now.

Speaking of which, if you need new taps that are actually taps, I highly recommend the intertap ones. Only proviso is, that a good pull apart and a lube up of the o-rings will ensure no sticking, which I got after a couple of keg lots through.

Short answer is, if you only are running 2 or 3 kegs, grab a 2nd hand kegerator cheap. If not, go to keg king and grab a brand new S4, which is free delivery if you live in capital city.

If you don't, cobble together the bits cheap. Don't cut corners, except using plastic black taps. Use ball lock, not pin lock - there is a reason why they hold their value better. I took my time and grabbed what I could from gumtree and I'm pretty much doing wonderfully with that. If patience isn't your virtue, scour gumtree for a complete system or grab kegs from it, and grab the s4 as above.

Grab a FWK and ferment that at cheaper than a ubrewit. And better quality.

(He says, after enjoying a few pints from his well earned kegerator). Sorry if I rambled ;D .

 

[Leyther]

I bought my CO2 from that company (they are in Clayton, VIC) $199 for 6KG new Full CO2 which is as good as I could find, however I got my keg setup from here http://www.cleverbrewing.com.au/ which is in Moorabbin, VIC which is a more specialized brewing company, the eBay one is basically a Chinese import company.

The kegs from Clever are used corny kegs from the Soda industry but come with new seals and fully tested. I'm very happy with my setup and I don't think I paid that amount for it. You would need 3 corny kegs for 50L, if your running 3 kegs at the same time you would also need some splitters or additional regulator setup.

I used u-brewit (before it became u-brewit) in Heatherton and to be honest I was quite impressed with the beer I brewed there myself, I've only recently started to brew my own and at the moment I'd say the u-Brewit beer was probably better than mine but I'm only on my 2nd brew and I like the idea of doing it myself and playing around with different stuff, I put a LCPA clone on a couple of weeks ago and was disappointment with the taste after 10 days in the fermenter so I chucked in 30g of Mosaic hops in a bid to improve it and I'm happy to report its now getting to where I want it, you can't do that at u-Brewit.

All the best with it, I'm looking forward to the big red fella arriving as he has a long 'requirements' list of brewing gear and books for me to get stuck into.

 

[Grott]

To get yourself up and running U Brew It can be a start and will give you an idea of processes. Also for starters you can achieve decent brews with kits and there is plenty of info here about that.

Agree with comments above about looking for a good used set up either as a fridge, kegerator or kezer, in doing this the hard work is mostly done and you just have to hook kegs up (after sanitation).