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Best Keg Set up

Kearnage

By Kearnage
in DIY Brewing Blether

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Kearnage

Kearnage

Posted
Posted

Ok, so maybe I should ask how long is a piece of string [crying]

I have just discovered my Tax refund cheque is going to be bigger than I expected, and much to my amazement, my wife is not totally against a keg set up ('Anything to get those $%^& bottles out of my living room!' were her exact words).

I have no experience at all (other than searching this forum etc) and know some of the regulars here keg, so I am hoping for some advice. I get the impression those who keg wouldn't go back.

Is it worth going over the top and getting a 'keg master 3' or similar (the wife may like the stainless fridge!) or is an old clunker fridge stripped down adequate? I assume the corny / cornelius kegs are best for home set ups. What else have I forgotten?

 

Look forward to your dream keg set ups [innocent]

 

Cheers

 

Dan

 

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Slurtis Staggersalot

Slurtis Staggersalot

Posted
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I just bought a house and it came with an old fridge that works just fine for keeping my bottled beer cold. I'm thinking that it would work just as well for keeping kegs cold. My problem is getting the equipment. It seems that the only places I can find that supply kegging hardware are in the USA (I'm in Canada) and the shipping cost always kills the deal for me. most of my hopes and dreams for a keg set-up come from ebay...

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Trusty1

Trusty1

Posted
Posted

my terrific in-laws just bought me a 2 keg starter pack off ebay, which was around the $250 mark. it included 2 kegs (obviously) a tesuco regulator, the black and grey disconnects, around 3m of 6mm tube with hose clamps and a beer tap (cheap considering the price of these if bought indivually). My Brother in;law who did all the digging and bought the pack also gave me his relatively new fridge (he and his girl just bought a brand new appartment and wanted new appliances to match) so I hooked it all up this morning and poured my first (half, it was 12.08pm) glass of coopers black. OH MY GOD (or OMG, depending on your YOB[bandit] )!!! Bloody tremendous! [love] I Filled the keg yesterday and used the instructions posted by Matt (I think) in aother post in homebrew haps, to do a rapid carb, left it half an hour and couldn't resist. By far the best homebrew I have tasted (of mine anyways)[rightful] .

 

I never really, seriously considered kegging. I'm very grateful my B.I-L went to the trouble and expense and went and bought it for me. The benefits of being a good son/brother in-law[biggrin] !!!

 

I have since found the supplier and am inquiring about an additional pack that caters for two kegs running at once, extra disconnects, more hose and a manifold set to get Co2 to two kegs at once to be able to pour from each keg without all the dis/reconnecting, again, considering the cost of each individual item, i think the pack is relatively cheap @ around the $120 mark, might even go for another couple'a kegs!!

 

I'd say, Kegging - JUST DO IT*

 

* - Disclaimer - if you have the space and $ - it will save you time, but probably make you drink more[innocent] !

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Slurtis Staggersalot

Slurtis Staggersalot

Posted
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The whole exercise of washing and sanitizing bottles is enough to drive a man to want a keg set-up [cool] That being said I'm sure that I would still be putting beer in bottles for transportability (I can't believe that word passed the spell check) I like to take a few home brews out to a friends house for a session or along for a disc golf match etc. etc...

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Muddy Waters

Muddy Waters

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I'm considering going down the "Kegmaster 3" track myself. Usually I'd like to start from scratch and build it myself but we are extremely short on space (our kitchen/living room is the size of a single garage). I'm not really sure I could even squeeze in a a kegmaster but I like the fact that it is very compact and still fits 3 kegs. Most fridges of the same size that I have seen would be lucky to fit 2.

 

kegmaster3.png

 

I'm still in the dreaming stage but after kegging a bright ale I made recently in my Brother in Laws fridge and finding that it tasted better than the same batch in the bottle (only 2 months in bottle) I am being swayed to the keg-side of the force [biggrin]

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MatR1

MatR1

Posted
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Check out this link for some ideas. Has everything from basic to pure beer porn.. [biggrin] http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=235

 

I have gone for a chest freezer with fonts on the top. By making it yourself you will save heaps of coin. You can then put more money towards better taps, fittings (John Guest) etc. They can also look heaps better than the bought ones.

 

I just picked up a F&P 215L slim line for $200 to replace the old 380L I had. Just need to install the font.

 

Also with the gas. Try and find somewhere that will mod a fire extinguisher for you. I paid $150 tested & filled. Costs me $25 to get it refilled. You don't have to worry about getting accounts etc.

 

 

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Muddy Waters

Muddy Waters

Posted
Posted

I was just looking through that thread (again) last night Mat. I'd preferred method would be to go the chest freezer way but I just can't fit it anywhere. Ideally I want 2 taps, room for 3 kegs and something as small as possible.

 

I'm a fair way off actually spending the money yet so maybe I'll find a small fridge or freezer that matches my needs..but I have been looking for a while now.

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Muddy Waters

Muddy Waters

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Yeah Mat - I'm keeping and eye on them. For some reason I've got the desire stuck in my head to be able fit 3 kegs in them and any I've looked at will only fit 2 (or 1 and a half [pinched] ).

 

But time is on my side. I like to research pretty thoroughly before I jump into something.

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Kearnage

Kearnage

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Posted

Part of the appeal of the Kegmaster 3 (is that from a Simpsons episode?) is that it holds 3 kegs + gas bottle but is bar fridge sized, it can be temp adjusted between 0 - 28 degrees, comes with almost all the bits and pieces and has a high WAF*.

I would love to convert my own fridge / chest freezer, but with a very small rugrat and no space to call my own, the wife seems much happier with a bit more initial outlay if it looks nice, is compact and doesn't interfere with my babysitting duties.

The tax cheque pending part helps a lot...

 

* WAF = wife acceptance factor

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Muddy Waters

Muddy Waters

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My WAF is a lot higher than anticipated and I don't expect to get much back from the tax man (note to self - do your tax this weekend). Maybe I should make a move to kegging earlier than inticipated especially as my dentist today informed me of my need for a crown for a dodgy tooth today (goodbye $700+) - ie. spend the money on a keg setup before the good wife fully realises the impact of my dental expenses [biggrin]

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MatR1

MatR1

Posted
Posted
THIS just went for $577!!

 

That's an expensive setup for what you get. Prob be ok if you got the cO2 with it. The taps look like the cheaper variety off ebay.

 

Then again it is easier to just buy something premade but I do like to make things!! [cool]

 

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