Trying to get into kegging.

[drat]

All- I always find so much help and experience on this site... I hope someone can give me some advice. I'd like to get into kegging after doing this for long enough with bottles. I'd be looking at doing 5 gallon batches at the most. A couple of questions:

1 can I do a 3 gallon batch in a 5 gallon keg or will I have issues with that?

2 I'm considering just doing a refrigerator with a picnic tap. How would this be http://www.cornykeg.com/catalog.asp?prodid=688453&showprevnext=1http://www.cornykeg.com/catalog.asp?prodid=688453&showprevnext=1.

3 also considering the ease of a kegorator. How would this be. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kegorator-Beer-Dispenser-Mini-Barrel/5679263.
The bonus is that it includes a regulator and 2.5 gallon co2 tank (obviously going to plan on upgrading the tank fairly quickly).

4 finally, is there a major difference between ball and pin lock kegs if I'm just doing the homebrew route? Thanks!

 

[mytommygundont]

You should be able to do 3 gallons in a 5 gallon keg. Just make sure you purge with gas immediately.

Most pin lock kegs come with lids that don't have pressure release valves. A gigantic negative. Also if you are dealing with clearance issues, the connectors are taller. On the plus side, I found them much easier to connect to the posts than ball lock. Also, in general, they are much cheaper than ball lock.

 

[davekippen]

My input:
1) I do this all the time. In fact, I rarely brew a full 5 gallons. No problems, except the kegss blow faster
2) I did exactly this before I built my keezer. It worked great. Probably the best way to start, as you will begin simple and really gain an understanding of kegging without worrying about plumbing up a dispensing system
3) Personally, I would convert my own fridge or freezer. For that price I think you can set up a multi tap system. Its really not hard to do at all!
4) No real difference, but once you choose its easiest to only go with one style.

 

[b-boy]

1 can I do a 3 gallon batch in a 5 gallon keg or will I have issues with that?

No problem with this. I do it all the time. In fact I'd say get 5-gallon kegs. They are usually cheaper than the smaller kegs.

2 I'm considering just doing a refrigerator with a picnic tap. How would this be http://www.cornykeg.com/catalog.asp?prodid=688453&showprevnext=1http://www.cornykeg.com/catalog.asp?prodid=688453&showprevnext=1.

Picnic taps are fine. They do tend to leak sometimes, so that's a down-side.

4 finally, is there a major difference between ball and pin lock kegs if I'm just doing the homebrew route? Thanks!

It really doesn't matter that much. You just need to keep them all the same so you don't have to buy multiple fittings.

 

[drat]

You should be able to do 3 gallons in a 5 gallon keg. Just make sure you purge with gas immediately. Most pin lock kegs come with lids that don't have pressure release valves. A gigantic negative. Also if you are dealing with clearance issues, the connectors are taller. On the plus side, I found them much easier to connect to the posts than ball lock. Also, in general, they are much cheaper than ball lock.

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but why is a pressure release valve so important?

 

[duboman]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but why is a pressure release valve so important?

So if you over carb your beer you can release the excess pressure with out having to open the keg

 

[drat]

So if you over carb your beer you can release the excess pressure with out having to open the keg

So with a pin you have to actually open the keg to release the pressure? Why would anyone want a pin keg?

 

[ChefRex]

So with a pin you have to actually open the keg to release the pressure? Why would anyone want a pin keg?

You can use something to depress the inlet poppet to relieve the pressure on a pin lock

 

[davekippen]

Just make sure you depress the gas in post and not the liquid out post! Not that I would have ever taken a beer shower, I swear. I heard someone else... er... mention it.

 

[Fordmi]

I have to agree that for the cost of that kegerator you could convert a fridge yourself. It would likely be a better option because I wouldn't expect a $300 kegerator from Walmart to be very good. I had a cheap model. It was terrible. I now have a nice one and for what it cost me I could have built a keezer. And bought a bunch of kegs. And a new brewing set up. And made a car payment. You get the point...

One thing to note is that ball locks and pin locks are slightly different sizes. Pin locks are shorter and wider. This could work better for certain refrigerator models. For example, due to a "hump" at the top of my kegerator, I can only fit 2 ball locks in, because they hit the hump. Pin locks, however, are just short enough to fit under so I can fit 4 of them in.

You can also buy (or diy) pin locks that have been converted to ball locks. This is the way I went since I had bought ball locks before I realized pin locks may have been better.

So... You have options. Many of them.

 

[drat]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I think that it sounds like www.cornykeg.com/catalog.asp?prodid=668630&showprevnext=1 Which is a pin lock converted to a ball lock might be the way to go based on the size.

If anyone else has any opinions, please keep them coming. I appreciate everyone's opinion!

In addition, I will take other advice from this post and wait on the kegorator. Start with the keg and then build from there. Hey, it's close to wintertime in Wisconsin, I can just leave the keg in the garage and wait for a good price on a frig or freezer to convert...

 

[m3n00b]

I split a batch of hefe with my uncle. Bottled 2.5gal and kegged 2.5 gal. The kegged beer tastes great.

 

[BigFloyd]

I've seen some reports about the temp control on those Wal-Mart kegerators being problematic (resulting in frozen beer). I would avoid those and set yourself up with a fridge or freezer controlled by an STC-1000 or something similar.