The Kegging Conundrum

[SergeMarx]

Advancing I must be as a home brewer since last night when faced with the prospect of cleaning, sanitising, filling and capping another 50 or more bottles, I cried to the heavens "ENOUGH!"

I want kegs, I want to free my time and enable my drinking, I want what so many of you have.

However, what I have is a bar fridge for beery and an appearance of "that face" in Mrs Serge when I suggest a larger one. Coupled with my general small batch approach, I decided on 9litre cornys after dismissing tap a draft, mini kegs and that gas filled social swine as good long term invesments

After much research, a call to a very helpful chap at kegking, more research and small amount of weeping I realise that I am a wee bit befuddled.

So I'm told that you need to keep keg under constant pressure for serving, around 10PSI, and that without that constant gas top up, I'll get flat beer. So mini cartridge systems are out due to cost - but can you disconnect the tap and gas and keep the unfinished beer under pressure?

I also now understand that due to high pressure you need a long beer line to avoid getting too much head (*snort*) , so those straight to keg taps you see for parties are not gonna cut it.

I have a budget of $300, no room for 19litres cornys at this stage but need at least 2 9 litre jobbies. If anyone has some ideas, I'd love to hear them. Are the chinese cornys really bad?

I probably could have made that shorter.

Cheers.

 

[wereprawn]

You need to keep kegs under pressure to seal them. They can be taken off the gas and/or tap lines at any time and will stay at that carbonation level.AS more beer is poured from the keg more co2 must be added . If more gas is not added your beer will loose some of its carbonation as some co2 will come out of solution to equalize the pressure between beer and space in the keg.

 

[pk.sax]

You can prime the keg with sugar and hook up the disposable cartridges for dispensing. There are also half litre co2 bottles that turn up on eBay from time to time for about a 100 bux that would do 3-4 19L corny kegs.

 

[professional_drunk]

Slightly over $300 will get you a 2.6kg cylinder, plastic pluto gun, 1x 9lt keg, line and disconnects. This is what I started out on. The chinese kegs aren't pretty but they do the job. I still have mine for dispensing soda water 1 year later and it still works fine. Forget about smaller cylinders like sodastream. That stuff gets expensive quick. Get the proper cylinder and it will grow with you when one day you might want a kegerator.

 

[Dan Dan]

After only kegging for two batches, and seriously messing up with one of them, I can tell you it is still a billion times better than bottling. My initial setup (5 19l cornies, 6kg gas bottle and a fridge with an old school swing type tap) cost me $500, but it was money well spent as far as I'm concerned. I've since sold the fridge for $100, and upgraded to a fridge that was sitting on the side of the road with a sign that said "free"! The $100 went towards a new perlick tap and some other bits and pieces.
Bottling is a pain in the butt, but if you wanna start kegging, why not do it properly. Keep looking around, you may find yourself a bargain. Or do it bit by bit, find a cheap fridge, start with one cornie and a gas bottle. If it helps, my missus is actually happy with me having a beer fridge, because we now have an extra freezer.....

 

[wereprawn]

Maybe something like this? http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Keg-beer-wine-water-tank-20lt-/251472206634?pt=AU_Barware&hash=item3a8ce95b2a&_uhb=1


It is 20 ltr though and a bit expensive but there are options out there.

 

[kahlerisms]

19l kegs are cheaper (less than half the price) of the 9l guys - also, get the kegs with the rubber at the top and bottom - they'll last a lot longer. You don't need new 19l kegs - we all use second hand ones.

I'd anticipate you can get get a 19l keg, lines, a reg and a gas bottle for your $300. Might even stretch to a tap and shank. From there it's only a splitter and $65 or so for every additional keg.

Yes, your keg should maintain its pressure without the gas or beer lines attached, though at warmer temperatures the CO2 will come out of your beer.

 

[MastersBrewery]

I think the bigger kegging conundrum is slowly looming, as we slowly run out of used cornies they are getting pricey, to the point it is now cheaper by the liter to got with standard pub kegs (legal ones at that) and soon those prices will be on par.

 

[SergeMarx]

19l kegs are cheaper (less than half the price) of the 9l guys - also, get the kegs with the rubber at the top and bottom - they'll last a lot longer. You don't need new 19l kegs - we all use second hand ones.

Yes, true and annoying, but 9 litres will fit in my fridge, full size will not. I know, get a bigger fridge, and eventually I will - at which time no doubt I'll also have some larger kegs to go with it. at this time however, I'm going the smaller ones. Brand new higher quality ones from kegking are $110 when they get here later this month - they are the rubber bottomed ones.

Slightly over $300 will get you a 2.6kg cylinder, plastic pluto gun, 1x 9lt keg, line and disconnects. This is what I started out on. The chinese kegs aren't pretty but they do the job. I still have mine for dispensing soda water 1 year later and it still works fine. Forget about smaller cylinders like sodastream. That stuff gets expensive quick. Get the proper cylinder and it will grow with you when one day you might want a kegerator.

You're right about the 2.6kg cylinder of course, but I can swap sodastream bottle in multiple places in central victoria - yet to discover a local source for co2 refill. Still looking though! if I'm just using the sodastream for dispensing it should last a fair while on a 9 litre keg? Less head space after all.

Thanks all for help - getting there

 

[mr_wibble]

Are you saying a 19litre "corny" keg absolutely will not fit into your bar fridge ?

There are two sorts, pin lock and ball lock. The pin lock ones are typically shorter and fatter than the ball lock.
Have you measured ?

As kahlerisms says, the 2nd-hand kegs are much cheaper than new ones. I'd love a bunch of 9 litre kegs, but they're priced out of my market.

It's also possible (but expensive) to change over the keg post types (pin <-> ball) in a pinch.

-kt

 

[Tahoose]

Still might be a possibility of getting in on the bulk buy for kegs which is currently happening for Melbourne people.

9.5 ltr kegs are $70 brand new and are expected to be here at the end of the month, these are the keg king ones

 

[dago001]

For me, if I was in your situation I would probably be thinking along the same lines as you are. Also remember that the 9 litre kegs are much more portable, so if you are out for a bbq, then take one with you. Consider them an investment for the future. As you say, at a later date you can upgrade your fridge and get larger kegs, but by buying the quality 9 litre kegs, you will always have a smaller portable keg. Same goes with the soda stream adaptor. Not he cheapest option long term, but it is a short term solution that gets you going. Plus you will always have it. Me, I hire a 6kg bottle, not the cheapest option, but the easiest in my situation.
So for a set up that you require, assuming that you will purchase it all from keg king, whose prices seem pretty good. Assuming that you have the soda stream bottle.
2 x kegs - $218
1 x soda stream adaptor - $23
1 x regulator - $60
1 x Gas QD - $7
1 x Beer QD - $7
1 x Picnic Tap - $4
4m hose - $4
4 x clamps - $2
Total $325
Dont think I missed anything. The picnic taps are pretty good. One of the best pouring taps around.
You would have to prime the keg to carbonate it, as the Soda Stream bottle won't cut it there.
Hope this helps a little.
Cheers
LB

 

[Doug2232]

Just did the same set up mate. Only have room for the 2x kegs in the bar fridge at the moment. Will go a keezer and 19l in future and keep the 9.5's for picnics or over a mates place for the footy one night.

Kevin at Kirrawee Home Brew hooked me up with it all for $450.

2x 9.5ltre corneys
regulator
2.6kg co2 bottle
lines
3 disconnects
stainless steel pluto gun

Can not tell you how good not having to bottle again is.

 

[SergeMarx]

Have popped a request on the bulk buy thread so fingers crossed! Appreciate all the tips, thanks esp to those running the same set up as I'm considering - glad to know it's meeting expectations.

Now, can I leave that ESB on the yeast cake a few more weeks to avoid having to bottle.... (rhetorical)