Kegging Pros And Cons

[Hatchy]

I reckon you've got yr answer (several times over). If you want to look for kegging cons, it'll cost you a bit to get started (my 5 kegs, co2 bottle, reg, beer line, taps, disconnects & non return valves cost about $800). Speaking from personal experience it's easy enough to empty a co2 bottle 3 times in 3 months if yr a bit thick but if yr not thick you'll struggle to empty it in under 12 months. With bottles you can count how many you have left, I've had kegs blow when I thought they were over half full. I don't find the portability to be an issue, I love taking kegs to mates places.

Having said that, the pros of kegging far outweigh the cons. I just figured I should point out that kegging isn't all beer & skittles. I've never played skittles with my kegs anyway.

 

[white.grant]

I'd like to emphasise speed.

I just kegged 25 litres of dunkelweizen and cleaned the fermenter while the steaks where defrosting in the microwave. Easy.

cheers

grant

btw - a 9 litre keg is marvelously portable.

 

[dashiznit]

That's it. I've been convinced. I'm going to get keg setup this weekend. I am truly sick and tired of bottling. It's stoping menceom brewing as much as I would like and it sounds like kegging is so simple. Just 1 big bottle.

Now, to check out the kegging setups thread.

 

[stef]

I'm going to be the lone voice for bottling on this one.

Doesnt take me too long- i usually have cleaned, santised and capped a batch in maybe about an hr or less? Which is a bit compared to kegging- BUT

1) i get through maybe 5 bottles a week. Not worth the outlay for the kegs
2) It allows for aging of smaller batches or comparisons- ie- putting a carton away to age, but being able to drink the rest when you want
3) I like to give away a reasonable amount of each batch i do- get feedback from family and occasionally close friends.
4) Easy to just chuck a 6 pack in the fridge
5) The missus doesnt attack me about it, which she would if i had to firstly spend for the inital outlay (plus gas etc) but also the physical room needed for it- particularly if you want to have several beers on the go at once.

It obviously comes down to personal preference, but i thought i'd stick up for the bottlers. Another side note is that i've never kegged, so maybe i dont know what i'm talking about.

Cheers

Stef

 

[Hatchy]

Good points there Stef, on the rare occasion that I bottle a batch it takes about an hour from starting to sanitise bottles to having them all put away capped & labelled. I do 35L batches so normally plan to bottle 2 slabs & keg the rest. Realistically though, given that I've constantly got empty kegs I haven't bottled for a while. I certainly won't be getting rid of all of my bottles though.

 

[Mattese]

Exactly... portability for me equals a trip to Dan's or one of the boutique bottlos around where i work.. my homebrew, stays at home. I'm greedy like that...i put in all this effort for MY beer i'm not about to go around someone else's place to give it away

Unfortunately I sold the idea of my kegging setup to SWMBO by with the old "Never buy beer again!!" routine. Of course what she doesn't know...

+1 to the 9 litre keg. I picked one up a couple of months ago. Love it!! Just learning to adjust batch sizes to 17 litres (1 x18 litre and 1 x 9 litre)

 

[Lecterfan]

I....well, I just don't know how to say this but....I'm a self-loathing bottler.

All of Stef's point are good...but I would still be able to do ALL those things while having 2 full kegs of a "house" beer in a chest freezer that is temp controlled so I could also CC in it.










sigh

 

[beerbog]

Stupid bloody question. :beerbang:

 

[porky]

I'm going to be the lone voice for bottling on this one.

Doesnt take me too long- i usually have cleaned, santised and capped a batch in maybe about an hr or less? Which is a bit compared to kegging- BUT

1) i get through maybe 5 bottles a week. Not worth the outlay for the kegs
2) It allows for aging of smaller batches or comparisons- ie- putting a carton away to age, but being able to drink the rest when you want
3) I like to give away a reasonable amount of each batch i do- get feedback from family and occasionally close friends.
4) Easy to just chuck a 6 pack in the fridge
5) The missus doesnt attack me about it, which she would if i had to firstly spend for the inital outlay (plus gas etc) but also the physical room needed for it- particularly if you want to have several beers on the go at once.

It obviously comes down to personal preference, but i thought i'd stick up for the bottlers. Another side note is that i've never kegged, so maybe i dont know what i'm talking about.

Cheers

Stef

Mate, you just don't drink enough.
It will come with time

 

[Rotgut]

There's your answer! Love it! 5 years ago 'everyone' was against it! Cheap (after setup), fast & easy. Lines are a closed environment - no possibility for infection - only clean when they start to look brown!!

 

[pcmfisher]

I know its debatable, but I think my beer is better on tap than in bottles.

 

[drsmurto]

Hey Guys,
I'm thinking about getting into kegging so that I don't need to be cleaning bottles all the time.
Just wondering if anyone can give advice and any pros/cons?
I have a mate that said you need to clean the lines all the time if you don't pour a beer regular enough. Is this true?
Cheers.

I clean my lines every week. Very easy to do, i have a keg of sanitiser under the beer so simply connect that up to each tap and run it through working the taps a bit. Takes me a minute or 2. I do this as i tend not to drink during the week so the beer will sit in the lines (outside the fridge) for a few days. If you drink every day and your lines are in the fridge this is less of a concern.

I'm going to be the lone voice for bottling on this one.

Doesnt take me too long- i usually have cleaned, santised and capped a batch in maybe about an hr or less? Which is a bit compared to kegging- BUT

1) i get through maybe 5 bottles a week. Not worth the outlay for the kegs
2) It allows for aging of smaller batches or comparisons- ie- putting a carton away to age, but being able to drink the rest when you want
3) I like to give away a reasonable amount of each batch i do- get feedback from family and occasionally close friends.
4) Easy to just chuck a 6 pack in the fridge
5) The missus doesnt attack me about it, which she would if i had to firstly spend for the inital outlay (plus gas etc) but also the physical room needed for it- particularly if you want to have several beers on the go at once.

It obviously comes down to personal preference, but i thought i'd stick up for the bottlers. Another side note is that i've never kegged, so maybe i dont know what i'm talking about.

Cheers

Stef

1. Assuming you mean 5 longnecks i am not too far from that. Maybe 6-8 pints a week, more if i have company. Plus i have sparkling mineral water on tap.
2. I have a keg of RIS ageing and will be ageing all my big beers in kegs from now on and bottling via CPBF.
3. I give away my beer as well, fill from the keg via a CPBF.
4. Bugger, i can only fit 4 kegs in my fridge so I'll give you that one
5. Wont comment on others better halves, mine is happy with my setup but then once i got setup i haven't spent the rest of my time and $ upgrading every part of it. My brewery and bar hasn't changed in years. That's not normal around these parts.

Yes, very much personal preference. I bottle special beers as well as cysers etc so not completely adverse to bottling. I also bottle an entire batch via CPBF each case swap.

 

[stuchambers]

I too looking at moving to a keg system
I have found these that seem to be good value can I please have your thoughts on this as a basic system
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/XPERT-TESUCO-KEGGIN...0#ht_2709wt_907
I have a fridge so all I need is gas and looking at converting a Fire extinguisher

Cheers Stu

 

[DanRayner]

I too looking at moving to a keg system
I have found these that seem to be good value can I please have your thoughts on this as a basic system
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/XPERT-TESUCO-KEGGIN...0#ht_2709wt_907
I have a fridge so all I need is gas and looking at converting a Fire extinguisher

Cheers Stu

Hey Stu, it seems like this is all you need to kick off (plus a gas bottle)

looking at places like Craftbrewer (top store!) and Kegking you might expect to pay the following

1 x Long shank draft tap, that can either be mounted in your fridge door or hand held. Not a budget plastic handle! = $50
1 x TESUCO Dual gauge single stage CO2 regulator = $50-80??
2 x 19L Cornelius kegs which have been cleaned and pressure tested so no leaks! = $100
3 metres of 6mm BARFELL gas/ beer line = $7?
1 x Grey Cornelius gas disconnect = $10
1 x Black Cornelius liquid disconnect = $10
2 x Spare post seals (the keg already has 2 fitted, so these are just spares) = $1
4 x Hose locking clamps = $2?

So - it isn't a bad deal and it's organised for you and ready to assemble...

 

[flano]

kegging for me.

I wouldn't even bother using bottles.

I fill maybe one or two long necks per brew......and 3 months later they still don't taste as good as one day old kegged beer.

 

[mkstalen]

I do both.

2 kegs for the "house" beers, and bottles for the specialities. Currently got a mid strength Lager and a Galaxy Ale on tap, and in bottles I've got a stout a ginger beer, and some bottles from what didn't fit in the kegs and some bottles of leftovers from before I got the kegs.