Setting Up A Keg For Home Brew

[stewills]

hi everybody,

just wondering if anybody can tell me how much it cost to set up a keg at home... i am fairly new to brewing but would love to set up a keg... so if someone can tell me what i need and approx how much it will be lots of help

 

[sluggerdog]

^ Me stands aside with pen and pencil waiting to take notes

 

[JasonY]

Depends on just how fancy you want to go. For me it cost $450 for a package from my local HBS which included 2 x 19L reconditioned kegs, 1 x Dual Gauge Regulator, 1 x Twist style tap which mounts through the fridge door, beer & gas line, 1 liquid disconnect, 1 gas disconnect.

Gas, well in WA BOC screw us about $130/yr for rent of a bottle and its about $30 a refil which you wont need that often. You can try anget a CO2 fireexctinguisher setup or some HBS over east seem to have great deals where you can hire a bottle for $30 or something.

You can probably do better than $450 if you shop around and grab the components where they are cheapest.

I now have 4 kegs, 2 fridge mounted pull down taps (morebeer.com) lots more disconnects etc

Health Warning: Kegged beer in the home leads to increased consumption

 

[Hoops]

stewills
cant't really help as you haven't filled out your location in your profile.
Let us all know where you are located and you might be able to get someone local that can help you out.

sluggerdog
I know a guy in Brisbane that may be able to get you most of the equipment you need.

Either way it is going to cost a couple of hundred, depending on what you want (new/2nd hand, how many kegs etc.)
Kegs will cost from $75 to $110 depending where you get them.
Regulator up to $100
tap/gun up to around $100
Quick Disconnects around $15ea (need 1 gas 1 liquid)
then CO2. ($100 to rent a year for 10kg cylinder, or BUY a 5kg CO2 fire extinguisher for around $100, or buy a 10kg cylinder for around $300?)

Hoops

 

[sluggerdog]

stewills
cant't really help as you haven't filled out your location in your profile.
Let us all know where you are located and you might be able to get someone local that can help you out.

sluggerdog
I know a guy in Brisbane that may be able to get you most of the equipment you need.

Either way it is going to cost a couple of hundred, depending on what you want (new/2nd hand, how many kegs etc.)
Kegs will cost from $75 to $110 depending where you get them.
Regulator up to $100
tap/gun up to around $100
Quick Disconnects around $15ea (need 1 gas 1 liquid)
then CO2. ($100 to rent a year for 10kg cylinder, or BUY a 5kg CO2 fire extinguisher for around $100, or buy a 10kg cylinder for around $300?)

Hoops

Thanks Mate, I'll get back to you about this once I am ready to move into keggin, still got more to learn before I take that next step..

Just wanna get a few more brews under my belt then i'll move onto keggin.

CHEERS

 

[Hoops]

Just wanna get a few more brews under my belt then i'll move onto keggin.

Sounds like good advice. No need to rush into these things. However kegging is one of the best things I ever did. Much easier to clean 1 keg than 30 bottles

 

[jimmysuperlative]

my keg system cost me about 10 kilograms over 18 months ...but to be fair, I was also giving up the durries at the same time!

one tip for newbie keggers ... check out your gas options carefully -don't rush into getting a privately owned cylinder (as i did) if noone around your area will refill it.

i paid for a 10kg co2 because the rental scene where i come from is ridiculous ...only to discover that BOC and Air Liquide wont touch it because its not theirs :angry:

this is the deal if you want gas for kegging in Central Qld:

'G' size CO2 $70.25 per refill
'E' size CO2 $40.20 per refill


'G' size cylinder $135.96 per year
'E' size cylinder $121.04 per year

Back to keg systems ....only way to go!!!

 

[vlbaby]

I got my keg setup form grain and grape in vic. Co2 bottle rental is $15 / year for a d size ( which is 9kg i beleive), and $30 a refill. Might be worth checking out if you in vic.

vlbaby

 

[Thunderlips]

I also got my setup from Grain&Grape. Can't really complain about the $15 rental fee. I'm not too keen on the Tru-Flow taps though. I don't know why I bought one of those and I decided to not use it in the end.
Stewills and Sluggerdog, look carefully at the kind of taps available. The Tru-Flow are one piece from the tap to the shank that goes through the door. I think you'd be better with snaplock style taps that can be disconnected from the fridge door for easy cleaning.

 

[Linz]

Jimmy

got a pic of the bottle????

 

[GMK]

GMKenterprises Keg Set up...

Dual Gauge Reg - brand new 12 months warranty - Harris 601 = 80.00
Andale Pull Down Rekitted Floryte Tap with fridge extension, snap lock fitting so that u can remove the tap and nipple = 75.00
beer line 4mm - 2.00 per m - need 5. = 10.00
Gas Line 6mm - 2.50pm need 2 = 5.00
4mm to 6mm splice for beer line disconect inc clamps = 5.00
Disconects 15.00 ea or 2 for 27.50 =1 gas and 1 liquid = 27.50
assorted clamps 2.50
Therefore, 210.00 plus freight.
U still need a keg - (For SA i can supply kegs) and a gas bottle.
Beats most HBS keg sytems - esp with the tap.

Fonts, kegs, pluto guns and lots of other shinny SS thingys are also available.

Buy now for Xmas....

 

[stewills]

Hi

thank you all for the advice.. I live in country NSW.. Albury to be exact.. the border of NSW and VIC. THere is a home brew shop here.. visted him a few times for a few things.. never really asked him for keg prices cause i reckon he is quite dear...

GMK: do you have pictures on the stuff you are selling?

i am fairly new to kegging so i am not even sure of some of the stuff you are talking about... but am keen to learn abotu it.. whcih i have been googling on..=)

yes.. i am trying to get a keg for christmas.. be a nice christmas present with warm weather reaching its peak around that time!

 

[jimmysuperlative]

Linz, need to borrow the work cam, but will come through with some pics of my "cylinder collection" tomorrow !!!

stewills ...if you do get into kegs you'll find the learning curve is incredible. It helps if you can find someone where you are who's already into it. Talk to your brew shop bloke -he should know someone (if he's not doing himself). It helps if you can see the gear you're about to invest in.

good luck

 

[Thunderlips]

Stewills, this is a Floryte Tap that GMK mentions in his list.
http://www.andale.com.au/category/tap1.html

 

[jimmysuperlative]

I decided to dust off the old "dodgy digi-webcam" ...sorry 'bout the quality.
here's the collection ...


1 x 10kg (grey one) my original
1 x 3.5kg (smaller red one) ex-fire extinguisher
1 x 15/20kg (?) ex- fire extinguisher (big, heavy *******)

...and 1 x soda stream not pictured (currently looking for fittings to connect and refill).


that, ladies and gentlemen is my collection ...my pride and joy!!! :wub: