Kegging starter kits. Good value?

[foxbat]

Has anyone bought one of the complete keg starter kits from Geterbrewed or Brewuk? They're about the same price when you take into account the free shipping at Brewuk:

Geterbrewed: https://www.geterbrewed.com/complete-keg-set-up-19-litre-corny-keg-starter-kit/
Brewuk: https://www.brewuk.co.uk/cornelius-1keg-starter-set.html

Do these kits represent decent value for someone who knows zip about kegging and would like to get started in the most foolproof possible way. Both of them say words to the effect of 'just add gas and beer and you're good to go'.

 

[-Bezza-]

These are brand new kegs so you could save a bit of money by getting a refurbished second-hand keg.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
There are a couple of things to think about:
Once you start kegging, you'll soon realise that one keg isn't enough. If you choose to go on to a second keg, you may want to look at a dual regulator, rather than the single regulator in the deal. You can run two kegs off one single regulator, but both kegs must be set at the same pressure.
The other point: many members have had problems with foaming when they have used a tap connected directly to the keg, as you get in the deal.
However, the deals represent a good introduction to kegging.

 

[foxbat]

These are brand new kegs so you could save a bit of money by getting a refurbished second-hand keg.

I'd rather stick with brand new at least for now while I find my feet.

 

[foxbat]

Hi!
There are a couple of things to think about:
Once you start kegging, you'll soon realise that one keg isn't enough. If you choose to go on to a second keg, you may want to look at a dual regulator, rather than the single regulator in the deal. You can run two kegs off one single regulator, but both kegs must be set at the same pressure.
The other point: many members have had problems with foaming when they have used a tap connected directly to the keg, as you get in the deal.
However, the deals represent a good introduction to kegging.

Do you have a link to some good value dual regulators? If there's not much in it then I might as well get one even though space constraints mean that it'll be just one keg for the foreseeable future.

 

[Dmet]

I priced it up yesterday using refurbed kegs from http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk/beer-wine-equipment-cornelius-keg-systems-c-2_25.html and it worked out at £117.00 for a similar set up.

 

[Bigcol49]

Do you have a link to some good value dual regulators? If there's not much in it then I might as well get one even though space constraints mean that it'll be just one keg for the foreseeable future.

Hi!
Angel Homebrew have one at £66 - that's £30 more than their single keg regulator, so not cheap.

 

[Alside101]

You could just get a secondary regulator of ebay for £30

 

[foxbat]

Thanks to some great advice from @Bigcol49 over PM I put together a 'starter kit' order myself from Angel Homebrew:

• 1x Reconditioned 18.9L Ball Lock Cornelius Keg
• 1x Stainless steel Ball Lock Gas Disconnect (MFL Thread)
• 1x Stainless steel Ball Lock Liquid Disconnect (MFL Thread)
• 1x Two Keg Dual Gauge Gas Regulator (allows carbonating one keg while serving another)
• 3x JG 3/8" to 1/4" FFL Adaptor
• 4m 3/8 hose

Cost was £169.54 shipped. To that I added an adjustable flow tap from ebay at 17.50. Those are the taps you see a lot on the continent where they dip the long outlet tube down into the beer while pouring to give a perfect head.

 

[Fil]

fwiw i bought a delux kegging kit from brew-uk which included 2x corny kegs a basic regulator a few meters of 3/8" ldpe beer/gas line and an attach to disconnect tap.

all pretty good vfm compared to the cost of the seperates, But the blurb indicating "ALL YOU NEED" was a bit of an overstatement,
1st of all a connect to keg directly tap is useless for serving at anything at any pressure, combined with my lack of a keg fridge, (still the case tho now i understand the impact of temperature) I poured nowt but foam for months before finding the online brewing communities..
(i now use either flow control taps or a length of restricting microbore 3/16" line between keg n tap to balance off keg pressure)
anyone wanna buy a useless shiney attach to keg sample tap, it looks good on the shelf..

 

[Bigcol49]

You could just get a secondary regulator of ebay for £30

Hi!
I use these secondary regulators - they come in at just less than £30, inc. postage.
After going down the secondary regulator route I wish that I had got a two-keg primary regulator in the first place.

 

[foxbat]

I poured nowt but foam for months before finding the online brewing communities..
(i now use either flow control taps or a length of restricting microbore 3/16" line between keg n tap to balance off keg pressure)

I was warned about this so I read up on it, found out about line balancing, decided that was a right faff and bought a proper adjustable flow tap.

 

[Clint]

Ultimately I would like to try cornies and maybe build a kegerator...it all seems a bit scary at the moment.
Would it be possible for seasoned cornie users to post up their set ups and the things to buy and things to avoid?

 

[Bigcol49]

Would it be possible for seasoned cornie users to post up their set ups and the things to buy and things to avoid?

Hi!
I've got a cheap welding regulator, two secondary regulators, two pre-used Cornies and a pub chilled display cabinet that I "found" in my local WMC.
I've drilled the sides to allow gas in and beer out.
At the same WMC I also "found" two beer dispense gizmos that clip onto the bar top and hold the dispense tap. I bought a couple of taps for £20 and bingo! - I've got a tap dispense system.
I used party taps before that and found them to be perfectly adequate for dispensing beer, just not as classy!
I'm very fortunate in that there's a CO2 supplier only 10 minutes away.

 

[-Bezza-]

Related to this and the dual regulator point, my understanding is that the kegs hold pressure whilst not connected to the CO2 supply, so if you're looking to supply two kegs with different pressures, why would you not just disconnect from one and connect up to the other?

I'm assuming beer is dispensed at the same pressure, i.e. just enough to force the beer down the beer out pipe, which would suggest a simple 4-way manifold is all that is required to run 4 kegs alongside each other in the Keezer.

So the only scenario I could foresee a need for a dual regulator is when force carbing two different beers at the same time. In saying this, I assume one would normally keep the CO2 valves open to force carb. Is that correct? And is that necessary as I had thought one could pressurise and disconnect, although the beer will absorb the Co2 and the pressure will therefore need topping up from time to time until the beer is 'saturated'. On that last point, I'm assuming the beer will reach the desired carbonation level after a period of time (how quickly??) and then the pressure will remain unchanged.

I feel I must be missing something though as this all seems a bit simplistic.

 

[Bigcol49]

which would suggest a simple 4-way manifold is all that is required to run 4 kegs alongside each other

Hi!
All that you say is spot on - however, I force carb by setting the pressure and leaving the CO2 on so that the pressure in the head space doesn't fall as the beer absorbs gas. I don't want to be running out to the brew shed every hour to top up the headspace. Assuming that you've used a carbonation chart and set the pressure accordingly, most commentators suggest two weeks to fully carbonate a keg of beer.
Don't forget that @foxbat is setting up his system with only one keg. I'm suggesting that a two-keg regulator gives him room for expansion without going down the road of secondary regulators/manifolds.
I wish that I had got a two-keg regulator in the first place - it would have saved a lot of "faff" later on.

 

[-Bezza-]

Hi!
All that you say is spot on - however, I force carb by setting the pressure and leaving the CO2 on so that the pressure in the head space doesn't fall as the beer absorbs gas. I don't want to be running out to the brew shed every hour to top up the headspace. Assuming that you've used a carbonation chart and set the pressure accordingly, most commentators suggest two weeks to fully carbonate a keg of beer.
Don't forget that @foxbat is setting up his system with only one keg. I'm suggesting that a two-keg regulator gives him room for expansion without going down the road of secondary regulators/manifolds.
I wish that I had got a two-keg regulator in the first place - it would have saved a lot of "faff" later on.

Hadn't appreciated that the pressure in the headspace would fall that quickly or that the carbonation would take so long. Makes sense to have a dual reglator in that case!

As for @foxbat setting up a one keg system, if I understand correctly, he may think he's setting up a one keg system but will soon realise that there is no such thing! :thumb1:

 

[svenito]

This thread is perfect for me, as I'm planning a similar setup further down the line. Thanks for everyone contributing here

 

[Fil]

I was warned about this so I read up on it, found out about line balancing, decided that was a right faff and bought a proper adjustable flow tap.

Its a bit of a faf when setting up, and involves 2 more jg fittings (2 x 3/8" to 3/16" adaptors) and a length of upto about 2m of 3.16" mircobore line.

Not all flow control taps are equal, and most are fine at lower pressures - upto 6-8psi in the keg (Mine @ 8psi(by my reg) and higher are impossible to set at the sweet spot requiering a fiddle every pint) but @6psi and lower (ideal for bittres and ales with a low to medium level of condition) they are a dream,, For the more lively pints lagers and in my case more often than not a ginger beer served @ upto 15psi i use the simple microbore solution for serving.

the goal is a nominal 1-2psi pressure difference at the tap/release point as a higher difference can stimulate a foam out..

I manage most of the year without any active chilling as my kegs sit in a well shaded out house that abuts onto the back of the kitchen, But come summer i need a shelf chiller to pipe the beer through as otherwise its foam city..
And i need to adjust the serving pressure and vent before most sessions to accommodate changes in the weather, and mid winter EVERYTHING IS FIZZY, and by the end of spring its tricky to contain highly conditioned brews..
A brewfridge if you have the room is a godsend, unfortunately they have yet to make one 34cm wide

So depending on the style of beer your after pouring you may want to look into investing in a short length of microbore..
The reason its a bit of a faf is that the metrics are all a bit fluffy, at the low pressures we are talking about reading regulators with gauges intended for larger pressures can be a bit of a challenge, but iirc the metrics are that the microbore line will reduce pressure by one to two psi per foot length, closer to one ps1 to start with growing exponentially or logarithmically with each further foot till about 20feet when its closer to 2 psi restriction per foot length.

So if your pour is just too slow with your first best guess at how many feet to use,
you just need to decouple the keg open the tap to release the pressure and lob off a bit more length..

Also be mindful to use a sharp blade and cut beerline square, dont be tempted to use scissors or shears as they will deform before cutting and the resulting cut can create neucleation points when inserted in jg fittings to stimulate a foam out in the beer line before the tap point is reached.

 

[Clint]

Hmmm...so how do pubs manage to serve lots of beer at the same time with what seems like minimal fuss?