Keg vs bottle questions

[YoDadio]

This is my first posting to this site, but I have been checking out the keezer porn for a while. In fact, I am seriously considering making a keezer (on wheels, 2-4 commercial sixtels, faucets through the collar) but I have a few questions about kegs.

1) How long does a keg stay fresh once tapped, assuming it is properly refrigerated?

2) Bevmo.com (store chain in CA & AZ) indicates a nominal savings between a half keg and bottles per 12 oz serving: Bud light 0.72 vs. 0.73, Fat Tire 1.00 vs. 1.25, Sam Adams Boston Lager 1.03 vs. 1.25. These prices do not include co2, keg deposits, fees for glass/cans, etc. Assuming my math is correct, by purchasing bottles I am essentially paying someone less than $40 to clean, maintain, and haul around a 160+ lb keg for me. Sounds like a no brainer, what am I missing?

3) Is there a preferred/standard height for through the collar faucets?

4) Anyone know how many sixtels will fit in the 7.0 cu ft. GE freezer at Home Depot?

I thank you all in advance for your assistance.

 

[carlisle_bob]

This is my first posting to this site, but I have been checking out the keezer porn for a while. In fact, I am seriously considering making a keezer (on wheels, 2-4 commercial sixtels, faucets through the collar) but I have a few questions about kegs.

1) How long does a keg stay fresh once tapped, assuming it is properly refrigerated?

2) Bevmo.com (store chain in CA & AZ) indicates a nominal savings between a half keg and bottles per 12 oz serving: Bud light 0.72 vs. 0.73, Fat Tire 1.00 vs. 1.25, Sam Adams Boston Lager 1.03 vs. 1.25. These prices do not include co2, keg deposits, fees for glass/cans, etc. Assuming my math is correct, by purchasing bottles I am essentially paying someone less than $40 to clean, maintain, and haul around a 160+ lb keg for me. Sounds like a no brainer, what am I missing?

3) Is there a preferred/standard height for through the collar faucets?

4) Anyone know how many sixtels will fit in the 7.0 cu ft. GE freezer at Home Depot?

I thank you all in advance for your assistance.

More or less in reverse order:

You will get two and at most three 1/6 barrel kegs in a 7 cubic foot freezer. The key thing to check is the inside width. If it's under 16.5" (and it probably is) you will get zero 1/4 barrel standard kegs in there. Something in the 8 to 9 cubic foot range is generally a good idea if you are looking at commercial kegs.

The taller the collar, the easier things are to manage. Six to twelve inches is a good range to think about. Of course you can also do a tower and forget about the collar.

Savings on a keg are very dependent on your local tax situation. Bottles and kegs may or may not be taxed the same way. Check with your local store to get accurate data. The real key is that the beer is *much* better on tap

The kegs I get claim to be good for 120 days from date of manufacture. That's the brewery talking, so they may know what they are talking about. If you are using CO2 and running 36-38F in the keeper, tapping makes no difference at all. It will keep the same amount of time sealed up or tapped. One might also mention you do need to keep things *clean*.

If you are really after something in the 4 kegs and up range, the next step up is about a 13 to 14 cubic foot freezer. The 7's run about $200. The 8's are about $300 and the 13's are about $400. Yes indeed I have at least one of each ...

So little time and so much to drink ...

Bob

 

[Hammy71]

I agree with bob. Only thing I would add is about the fresh keg lifespan. It really depends on the brew. I've had high alcohol Imperial Stouts on tap for almost a year with no ill effects. But most of your commercial kegs (Coors, Bud, Sam Adams) say 3 months.

 

[YoDadio]

Wow, thanks for the quick replies!

I figured that since sixtels (1/6) kegs are essentially the same size as a corny keg I might be able to get three of them and a 5# co2 tank (two on the floor with co2 & third keg on the hump) into the 7.0 cu ft unit but was hoping someone could confirm that. Based on the “lifespan” of commercial kegs and my consumption rate I doubt I really need more anyways.

Based on your comments I have to assume that others with 6+ faucets somehow manage to go through a lot more beer than me or that a significant portion of their taps have fairly high abv.

I have to say that I am still stunned that I have to get a half keg of commercial beer to save money over the cost of simply buying bottles (even after adding in California Redemption Value, State sales tax is a flat $0.20 per gallon regardless of how it is sold). Right now a simple well stocked fridge is looking like a more cost effective and hassel free alternative.

A long time dream is dying on the vine, somebody please talk me down from the ledge!

 

[BrewThruYou]

I haven't bought a keg in a while, but it's surprising that the cost of bottles is that close to the price of a keg.

If you are the only one drinking it, then yes, you probably don't need one of the big keezers. The people with 6+ faucets usually have multiple consumers of the beer (I hope).

 

[zachattack]

The 7 cubic foot GE can fit 4 ball locks on the floor very tightly and another on the hump. Not sure if that extends to sixtels...

 

[carlisle_bob]

Hi

A *lot* depends on the ABV of the beer in the kegs. If you are running stuff that's in the 3 to 5% range things are very different than if everything is up above 10%.

Some basic math:

Two people living with the setup. Two 12 oz beers (per person) each night. That's 48 oz a day. A gallon is 128 oz, so you are running 0.375 gal a day / 2.6 gallons a week / 10.5 gallons a month. In the 3 months that a keg is likely to last, you'll go through two 1/2 barrel kegs, four 1/4 barrels, or six 1/6 barrels.

All that assumes that you don't have any friends over to "help" over the three month period. If you have several beers on tap - trust me, you will have friends to help. Figure they will drink at least half the beer...

Bob

 

[kpr121]

A long time dream is dying on the vine, somebody please talk me down from the ledge!

1. Single? Girls love guys who have a kegerator (it’s a fact, check the interwebz). Blue Moon optional but preferred.

2. Married? Its much easier to tell the wife your pouring another “half-glass” before bed than it is to crack an entire bottle.

Okay heres some serious ones:

3. If you are looking into homebrewing at all, it is MUCH easier to keg than bottle.

4. A lot of microbreweries and/or brewpubs will fill your keg if you ask nicely. This is where you can gain some savings because they are usually drastically reducing the cost of overhead by skipping middle men and directly selling product (if its legal in your state).

5. Don’t have to worry about cleaning up/recycling bottles all the time.

With all that being said, YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO SAVE MONEY BY KEGGING*. Trust me on this, especially if you plan to throw parties every once in a while. The amount of beer that gets consumed out of a keg is astronomically larger than if you are serving bottles. It’s just the way it is.

*-Please note that this statement should never be allowed to be read by SWMBO. If for some reason she does, refer her to #5 above.

 

[carlisle_bob]

With all that being said, YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO SAVE MONEY BY KEGGING.

Hi

Indeed ....

Bob

 

[YoDadio]

Thanks again for all of your input, particularly the "beer math". A bit more volume than I thought, which would help with getting variety and keeping things fresh... If I were a home brewer I would definately get a ginormous keezer set up (4-6 on tap with a like amount in the pipeline, with maybe a soda or sparkling water on tap as well), otherwise I fear that for commercial beer drinking the combinatino of start up costs, maintenance, and having to pay more for the same beer is a deal breaker.

 

[carlisle_bob]

Hi

Even if it's commercial beer, it's *better* from a keg. I've got a perfect example right here ... oh, it's empty ... oh, it's full again

Bob