New To Kegging

[dylan.temple]

Hey guys, really sorry if this is somewhere else on the board but I've had a pretty keen look. Bottled my home brew a few years a go and stopped doing it mainly because the bottling was a pain in the ass. So looking at getting into some kegging, got my 50th coming up in a few weeks and convinced the wife to hook me up with a kit. So far I'm looking at getting a kegerator (i know not the cheapest but saves the hassle and she's buying) CO2 bottle (should i buy or hire?), then tubing and the rest of it. Any tips on what to purchase that i might look past? But more so would love a basic guide of step by step from putting the fermented brew into the keg to tapping it? Have seen a lot of bits and pieces of information and a lot of contradictions so if someone could give me a hand it would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance
P.S located in Clifton Hill, Melbourne, happy to travel to a good homebrew store for the first time if there is somewhere in particular that offers great service just to get things going? cheers

 

[seemax]

Get the 3 keg version.... there is never enough kegs!

Long term , buying the Co2 bottle is cheaper, 2.6kg will last a while and refills around $25

You have a few shops in Melb who can get you setup.... otherwise check out the sponsors of this site.

Read the "articles" section of this site, there is loads of info on kegging.

 

[dylan.temple]

Get the 3 keg version.... there is never enough kegs!

Long term , buying the Co2 bottle is cheaper, 2.6kg will last a while and refills around $25

You have a few shops in Melb who can get you setup.... otherwise check out the sponsors of this site.

Read the "articles" section of this site, there is loads of info on kegging.

Appreciate the advice, and after having a look around on eBay this morning for keg setups i've some pretty impressive stuff with just a fridge. Is it as easy as it looks? And last thing, looking around at regulators there seems to be a fair disparity in price, seems like something you should probably play it safe with but would something like this be ok? (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-CO2-Regulator-4-CO2-Cylinder-Carbon-Dioxide-Bottle-/330593310677?pt=AU_Breweriana&hash=item4cf8e597d5)

 

[sean83]

Hey Magoo,

I have been kegging for a little while now, and have both made kegerators from a fridge a freezer and also have a commercial made keg king fridge. I found making your own was the cheaper option and it also does feel good to sit back and admire your accomplishment, however for ease and convenience the keg king is a great little fridge.

As for your regulator, I have purchased the one you have attached the link for from bay. It does the job but I have run into problems where it can leak gas which is a PITA. Nothing worst than coming home to have pint and finding there is no gas in your brand filled CO2 bottle. My humble suggestion would be a micromatic regulator. I got one of those with my first keg system. They are a little more pricey but I have never had a problem with it.

I would also invest in a non-return valve, just so you don't have any unwanted beer ending up in your regulator. Once that happens it is almost the death knell for the regulator, not always but why risk it in my opinion.

Have fun with kegging once you get it going you will love it - have a look at the kegging set ups thread on here, it is great, but also a trap because you become increasingly envious of the other set ups.

Hope this helps, and I am sure many others on here will give other sound advice to steer you in the right direction.

Cheers Sean

 

[Goomleader]

I have been kegging for 12 months, my setup up is 2 kegs in a fridge, I ferment the standard way, waiting about a week, than I transfer the brew to a holding tank for another 3-5 days to allow the slit to settle, than I transferr to the kegs, fill the kegs with c02, than burp it about 3 times to release the oxygen in kegs, than gas up for 24 hours at around 350kpa, after this I release the gas, than set it up around 5-8 kpa for pouring pressure, and I have a great tasting beer and clear.

 

[jello]

Definitely invest in a non-return valve (check valve).

 

[dylan.temple]

Hey guys really appreciating all the info, decided im going to make it from scratch, found a great fridge for a bargain. Looking for a set up and I've come accross this http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MICROMATIC-PRO-...=item45fc08218e, liking the look of it, just wondering if more experienced heads agree? Maybe just wondering about the adaptibility to get the tap on the fridge? Thanks again

 

[sean83]

Hey guys really appreciating all the info, decided im going to make it from scratch, found a great fridge for a bargain. Looking for a set up and I've come accross this http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MICROMATIC-PRO-...=item45fc08218e, liking the look of it, just wondering if more experienced heads agree? Maybe just wondering about the adaptibility to get the tap on the fridge? Thanks again

Mate the shank for that tap should go through a fridge door no problem, you may have to cut out some foam though depending on how thick your fridge door is though. I have one of those flow controller taps, it is not a Celli tap, however mine works fine. I have read a few brewers have had dramas with them due to poor chrome finishes on the inside of the taps, causing unwanted foaming. Probably luck of the draw being a chinese product. It is a good place to start though and as you upgrade with more taps (as you surely will) maybe look at investing in a different or better quality tap then depending on how this one works for you.

I personally like the basic crumby taps in the door or a plastic picnic tap for any party kegs I have but that is personal preference.

The package you are looking at buying looks pretty good though especially to get started, the other option would be to contact one of the sponsors and see if they can do a similar price.

Sean

 

[DU99]

could try keg king..all you need is the bottle
http://www.kegking.com.au/keg%20fridges.html

 

[flano]

I have a kegerator.
I have no complaints...my mates seem to like me more now as well.

my advice is to be patient at first...it takes a bit of time to get a grasp of all the gassing up etc.

Also ...get onto the Brew in a Bag method ( if you are not already an all grain brewer)

I bought a brand new 6kg-ish gas bottle ...has been on since April last year.. still going stong.

have fun.

 

[Nick JD]

+1 on the return valve to stop beer going back up your gas lines and into your regulator.

Also, if your bottle is outside of your fridge - do the "rubbing alcohol and cornflour" technique to find where to drill. The alcohol will evaporate and you can clearly see the coolant lines positions.

Use John Guest fittings. They're more, but they are worth it.

A spare gas quick-disconnect is really handy to have on your gas line (just off your regulator, after your non-return valve) for burping just-filled kegs, and for force carbing on the floor without having to pull half your system apart every time.

Do the soapy water leak test on the whole system. You might be lucky and have no leaks, or you might not and it'll cost you a bottle of CO2.

Your local fire extinguisher reconditioner place will have CO2 at about $7.50 a kg, and will usually fill while you wait - especially if you take them a few bottles of your best.

 

[dylan.temple]

How do I go about contacting the sponsors of this site? Seems like they might be a bit more unbias than a store, and am happy to put in a few more dollars if its going to work out better in the long run. Also all this talk of kegerators working well is confusing me again, i switched to the fridge idea for two reasons, being cost and also worrying that all the components provided with the kegerator like the regulator and fonts would need to be replaced sooner rather than later.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Click on the link, which will take you to their site.

Click on "contact us" on the site, or browse for your items.

I know with craftbrewer, they give some good descriptions to help out with decisions.

 

[peterbulger]

Hey Magoo,

I have been kegging for a little while now, and have both made kegerators from a fridge a freezer and also have a commercial made keg king fridge. I found making your own was the cheaper option and it also does feel good to sit back and admire your accomplishment, however for ease and convenience the keg king is a great little fridge.

As for your regulator, I have purchased the one you have attached the link for from bay. It does the job but I have run into problems where it can leak gas which is a PITA. Nothing worst than coming home to have pint and finding there is no gas in your brand filled CO2 bottle. My humble suggestion would be a micromatic regulator. I got one of those with my first keg system. They are a little more pricey but I have never had a problem with it.

I would also invest in a non-return valve, just so you don't have any unwanted beer ending up in your regulator. Once that happens it is almost the death knell for the regulator, not always but why risk it in my opinion.

Have fun with kegging once you get it going you will love it - have a look at the kegging set ups thread on here, it is great, but also a trap because you become increasingly envious of the other set ups.

Hope this helps, and I am sure many others on here will give other sound advice to steer you in the right direction.

Cheers Sean

Make sure you go for aa double clock reg straight away. I usually gas my kegs for 36 hours at 300 KPA. If you only have a single clock reg it makes it a pain to have a beer while a keg is gassing. With a double clock reg you can be gasing at 300 KPA and drinking at 20 KPA without interupting tthe gassing process
Peter

 

[Jeff Margrie]

So far I'm looking at getting a kegerator

I have one for sale here and other bar brewery parts. Can help & advise with all the bits you need as I'm in the process of upgrading my bar.

Cheers WoolBrew :icon_cheers:

 

[ben_harvey]

Make sure you go for aa double clock reg straight away. I usually gas my kegs for 36 hours at 300 KPA. If you only have a single clock reg it makes it a pain to have a beer while a keg is gassing. With a double clock reg you can be gasing at 300 KPA and drinking at 20 KPA without interupting tthe gassing process
Peter

Just on this, I only have a single reg and it's fine. Personally I don't think you need a dual pressure one (also I think they're about double the price too!). To each their own though...

For force carbonating I just disconnect any kegs I'm serving from, wind up the reg to about 250-300 kPa and force carb the fresh keg. It only takes a couple of minutes. Then turn the reg back down to serving pressure and plug the other kegs back in. A quick spray of your favourite no-rinse sanitiser on the keg posts first helps.

Do a search for "the Ross method" or "quide to keg forced carbonation" or something similar, there's a good article on it.

Also +1 on the non return valve. I screwed up one time beer went about half way from my keg towards the regulator then stopped! It definately saved me from having to buy a new reg.
Also +1 on Celli taps (or any adjustable tap really)

Ben

Edit - I've noticed a few of you guys serve at a lot lower pressure than I do. Goom67 says 5-9 kPa and Pweder says 20kPa. I serve at about 100kPa! (used to be ~60-70 but I wound it up). DO you guys have issues with beer going flat towards the end of a keg? My tap is about 1 m higher than the centre of the keg. Sorry for the hijack

 

[dylan.temple]

Edit - I've noticed a few of you guys serve at a lot lower pressure than I do. Goom67 says 5-9 kPa and Pweder says 20kPa. I serve at about 100kPa! (used to be ~60-70 but I wound it up). DO you guys have issues with beer going flat towards the end of a keg? My tap is about 1 m higher than the centre of the keg. Sorry for the hijack

Think some people might be mixing there units between KPa and psi, about 1:7 approx although 20KPa seems to be strange. Given that I've never had experience and only seen from the articles I've read I don't think there is too much weighting to my thoughts.
Furthermore though I have decided to go down fridge track, going to bar a bar fridge and temp mate as well so I can make some lagers, really trying to get the set up perfect to start, because once it's in place i'm generally one leave it assuming its doing its job. So I've contacted Ross from Craft Brewing and hopefully here back an appealing price from the 15 or so things I've listed, thanks for the help everyone, and ill be probably updating and asking more questions once its all arrived. thanks again!