Corny newby kit?

[suffolkbeer]

I’ve never kegged before and would like to try.....

With Xmas on the horizon now would be a great time to ask Santa for a complete set up!

What do I need to get to start kegging? Does anyone sell a complete starter outfit?????

 

[Bigjas]

I have used Malt Miller for their Corny set up. You can see a break down of what's needed here....

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/complete-used-keg-setup/

The kegs I have got from them have been very good quality considering they are second hand.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
Good post, @Bigjas
@suffolkbeer : you can see the keg, the disconnects for gas and beer, the gas and beer lines, the party tap and the CO2 regulator. All you need to add is a pub gas bottle. For many, this is the stumbling block - in some areas getting pub gas is tough.

 

[shaw26]

I get my gas from BOC. Suregas is what I use, I paid £40 ish for full bottle but you have to pay £3 a month for hire of the bottle. Seems a tad unfair but getting gas is always guaranteed. Also they open a account for you so you pay by direct debit so you never have to worry about cash when collecting.

 

[Ghillie]

You might be cheaper piecing together the equipment for yourself - I seem to remember a lot of the starter kits being quite expensive as they come with brand new cornies, not reconditioned ones. Might be wrong though. You'll also need a fridge to put them.

For a complete setup, you'll need the following (assuming 2 kegs):

-Fridge (big enough for at least 2 kegs)
-CO2
-CO2 regulator
-2 corny kegs
-Beer and gas lines (3/8" is what I use; length depending on personal requirements)
-2 gas quick disconnects with John Guest push fittings
-2 liquid quick disconnects with John Guest push fittings
-2 beer taps
-2 4" tap shanks
-2 John Guest 3/8" push fit to 5/8" BSP thread
-John Guest Y splitter

I pieced mine together for <£200 in total. Fridge was second hand from GumTree at £25 and the CO2 cylinder was a surplus fire extinguisher from work. The 2 cornies I got from The Home Brew Company in Ireland, as they were the best priced A grade reconditioned kegs available at the time ~£100 for the pair. I also kept costs down by replacing the typical gas manifold (~£35) with a Y splitter (splits the single gas line to feed both kegs)

Everything else was new from Home Brew Online. The guys on the phone were really helpful and even advised on beer line length (3-4m per keg).

You could keg a beer for dirt cheap, i.e. keg not refrigerated, picnic tap dispenser, a cheap regulator with CO2 bulbs, etc. But it would be *****. You'd end up sticking all that gear in a box somewhere just to then go out and buy nice taps, a good regulator, etc. So my advice would be to do it once and do it right. If you can source some CO2 then you're laughing really. The ODL regulator as seen in the Malt Miller starter kit is really good by the way!

 

[Honk]

I second (or third) recommendation for maltmiller. Getting the gas was what put me off for ages as I couldn't find anything local on the internet. When I asked on our local homebrew group i was amazed how many places there were nearby. Ended up sourcing from a place less than a mile from my house which was a lot cheaper than expected. (Prices vary enormously) i paid about 15 pound plus 25 deposit.

 

[Gerryjo]

I’ve never kegged before and would like to try.....

With Xmas on the horizon now would be a great time to ask Santa for a complete set up!

What do I need to get to start kegging? Does anyone sell a complete starter outfit?????

Would certainly recommend the homebrew company and if you buy three again it's cheaper plus there's 5% discount using the forum code.
http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk...-corny-keg-19lt-ball-lock-grade-a-p-3669.html

 

[LeeH]

I get my gas from BOC. Suregas is what I use, I paid £40 ish for full bottle but you have to pay £3 a month for hire of the bottle. Seems a tad unfair but getting gas is always guaranteed. Also they open a account for you so you pay by direct debit so you never have to worry about cash when collecting.

Shop about, you should be paying 15. 20 max.

 

[pottsworth]

I bought the keg kingdom kit a while ago, and it's been great. Only thing I'm going to change is adding some 3/16 beer line to reduce foaming.

https://www.kegkingdom.co.uk/collec...ator-cnversion-kit-double?variant=11204292483

My biggest challenge turned out to be the fridge, as most modern fridges have more insulation than older ones so are narrower inside for the same outer dimensions. I ended up making 2 cardboard cutouts of the size of a corny (the round bottom) to try in every fridge in currys with no luck, but eBay sorted me out with a nice old one with not much insulation!

 

[Ghillie]

I bought the keg kingdom kit a while ago, and it's been great. Only thing I'm going to change is adding some 3/16 beer line to reduce foaming.

https://www.kegkingdom.co.uk/collec...ator-cnversion-kit-double?variant=11204292483

My biggest challenge turned out to be the fridge, as most modern fridges have more insulation than older ones so are narrower inside for the same outer dimensions. I ended up making 2 cardboard cutouts of the size of a corny (the round bottom) to try in every fridge in currys with no luck, but eBay sorted me out with a nice old one with not much insulation!

How long are your beer lines? On the assumption that they're 3/8" OD, 3-4m in length and coiled on top of your kegs; you shouldn't have foaming issues. That's the setup I use; as recommended by the guy I spoke with at Home Brew Online; and it's good for pouring pints anywhere between 5-15PSI.

I had the same problem as you did with modern fridges. I bought two cheap ones off GumTree and none of them were suitable. I ended up going with a cheap £25 used Beko fridge freezer as it was big enough. The freezer compartment is great as I store hops and ice in it. It won't win any beauty contests, but for a garage kegerator it's fine.

I also managed to flog the unsuitable fridges for more than I initially paid

 

[pottsworth]

I also managed to flog the unsuitable fridges for more than I initially paid

View attachment 16631

Good work!

My lines are only a metre long, so I figured I’d try replacing a section first, then if that doesn’t work extend then

 

[Ghillie]

My lines are only a metre long, so I figured I’d try replacing a section first, then if that doesn’t work extend then

Might be just as cost effective trying to replace the whole lot? On the premise that two reducers and a length of 3/16" tubing doesn't help.

http://www.home-brew-online.com/equipment-c40/john-guest-3-8-tubing-1m-p3110

http://www.home-brew-online.com/equipment-c40/john-guest-fitting-3-8-5-8-tap-connector-p3114 - these are good

http://www.home-brew-online.com/equipment-c40/john-guest-fitting-female-adaptor-3-8-1-4-ffl-p3107 - I like these too.

You'd be about £20, but I'd bet you someone else's wages you'll get the results you want. The bulk of that is the JG fittings, but they really are superb.