Getting into kegging cheap

[Brew Cat]

I notice a lot of people on the fence about kegging. Winter is a great time to start at least in the northern states. Cellar and garages are the right temperature for chilling and lagering kegs so no need for a keezer. You can also keg at room temp and fill bottles off the keg at your leisure.I see some awesome deals for kegging setups around $100. Any other ideas out there?

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

your going to need a regulator with hoses and fittings for ball lock, then a CO2 tank like this pic, I would also get a auto siphon

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/281236395 ... -l1000.jpg

 

[EbonHawk]

I'm about to make the switch, but I doubt seriously that I could get started for that cheap. Just don't see how it's possible with CO2 tank, regulator, tubing and taps, a refrigerator to keep it cold (don't have a cellar; coolest inside temp is 71°, so a kegerator/keezer would be required).

And the cheapest reconditioned keg I can find is $50, and the cheapest 5# CO2 tank I can find is $50. That's the $100 limit right there.

Where are you seeing these "awesome" deals?

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I'm about to make the switch, but I doubt seriously that I could get started for that cheap. Just don't see how it's possible with CO2 tank, regulator, tubing and taps, a refrigerator to keep it cold (don't have a cellar; coolest inside temp is 71°, so a kegerator/keezer would be required).

And the cheapest reconditioned keg I can find is $50, and the cheapest 5# CO2 tank I can find is $50. That's the $100 limit right there.

Where are you seeing these "awesome" deals?

I would buy a new but cheap 7.2 chest freezer, roughly $200 to $2.50 ,it holds 4 kegs if needed, reason is their not much more than the 5 and those only hold 1 keg, then a stc-1000 115v version, you can google how to make a diy set up to control the freezer, I have mine set to 34 but can change it to anything any time

 

[Brew Cat]

http://www.homebrewing.org/product.asp? ... HwodYZgFjQ

Still need a tank though. You could use a 1litre paint ball rank

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I wouldn't recommend it, you have to carb as well as serve, the initial cost of a 5lb aluminum tank is roughly 55 to 70 then I have my local shop trade it out every 6 months or so and its just a $15 refill, you'll run out of those paint ball dispensers way to fast and will only make you mad when you need one and don't have it

 

[Brew Cat]

I agree probably need to spend closer to $175. I probably spent about that when I started and used an old fridge I had. I built up from there. I'm just trying to debunk the rumor that you need hundreds of dollars to get into kegging. If you need everything new and shiny yes.

 

[EbonHawk]

Not necessarily just shiny and new, but also with a time consideration... As in, you can spend a few months, a year, or more just collecting cast-offs or acquiring random pieces of equipment from brew buddies, or family members who don't want this or that, but if you want it to start kegging within say, a month, then you're also going to have to spend some dough. Also, not everyone has an "extra" freezer or fridge to dedicate to brewing. Or have a cellar to store stuff cold in.

It would take considerably more for someone like me to get into kegging, but it will happen sooner or later... most definitely.

 

[Brew Cat]

Not necessarily just shiny and new, but also with a time consideration... As in, you can spend a few months, a year, or more just collecting cast-offs or acquiring random pieces of equipment from brew buddies, or family members who don't want this or that, but if you want it to start kegging within say, a month, then you're also going to have to spend some dough. Also, not everyone has an "extra" freezer or fridge to dedicate to brewing. Or have a cellar to store stuff cold in.

It would take considerably more for someone like me to get into kegging, but it will happen sooner or later... most definitely.

http://www.homebrewing.org/product.asp? ... HwodYZgFjQ

This ^^ setup and a tank about $175. Carbonate at room temp with co2 or add sugar to the keg and let it carbonate at room temp. When it's ready put it in a bucket of ice to chill and serve. You have to use your imagination. If you are really short on cash get a used keg at the above vendor a picnic tap and a gas fitting and also one of those little cartridge chargers. Sugar prime and serve , when it starts to loose pressure give it a couple shots.

 

[EbonHawk]

Hmmm.. this is looking more and more promising every minute.

What about the depressurizer, and things like the post removal socket? I don't know enough about kegging setups to even know if I would benefit from, or even need, those.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

beware, unlike drinking from bottles, kegs pull from the bottom, gravity always pulls all sediment to the bottom, some times fast other times very slow, either way your drinking unwanted sludge, "solution" get a cheap hand pipe cut off tool and trim the dip tube 1" from the end, you have clearer beer in the end

 

[Brew Cat]

Hmmm.. this is looking more and more promising every minute.

What about the depressurizer, and things like the post removal socket? I don't know enough about kegging setups to even know if I would benefit from, or even need, those.

To de pressurize on a pin lock all you do is unhook the gas fitting from the post( they just twist) and depress the poppet. You can remove the posts with a box wrench or adjustable. By the way that's how I take kegs on the road, ice bucket and mini charger. I do have gas so I co2 carb but I have sugar carbed kegs. Just use half the sugar for a 5 gallon batch than you would for 5 gallons of bottles.

 

[Brew Cat]

beware, unlike drinking from bottles, kegs pull from the bottom, gravity always pulls all sediment to the bottom, some times fast other times very slow, either way your drinking unwanted sludge, "solution" get a cheap hand pipe cut off tool and trim the dip tube 1" from the end, you have clearer beer in the end

That's true but I don't trim mine I just dump the first pint or two. Some times I push the beer to another keg when it clears so I want to get it all out.

 

[EbonHawk]

beware, unlike drinking from bottles, kegs pull from the bottom, gravity always pulls all sediment to the bottom, some times fast other times very slow, either way your drinking unwanted sludge, "solution" get a cheap hand pipe cut off tool and trim the dip tube 1" from the end, you have clearer beer in the end

That's true but I don't trim mine I just dump the first pint or two. Some times I push the beer to another keg when it clears so I want to get it all out.

I knew that about dumping the first couple of mugs, since I kegged ONE time and watched several other keggings/tappings.

Just for clarity, can you trim the dip tube with a hacksaw? and then file it with a very fine circular file?