What Equipment Is Needed?

Conal · May 2, 2020

Hi guys,

I'm wanting to transition from bottling to kegging and just wanted a proper rundown of all the equipment that would be needed.

I brew in 23L batches so I would want a 23L keg (or as close as I can get - preferably higher rather than lower). I've seen a few websites that sell 'whole kits' but they seem to be around the £250 mark and I just wanted to know everything that I would need so that I could price up buying them individually, but I don't want to forget about a certain connector or something that I might need!

If you're wandering height etc for a kegarator, that is not an issue for now, that's more a bridge to cross when I get there!

Thanks,

Conal

Snoop · May 3, 2020

Well corney kegs are 19l. So you'd need Sankey kegs for a 23l brew. They are more expensive. What you need is quite simple tho. A keg, a coupler (to attach beer and gas line to the keg), beer line and a tap. Gas line to a regulator which is attached to a gas bottle. FWIW I have a mix of Sankey and corny kegs and prefer the cornies. Most people are the other way around I think. The equipment is mostly the same but you don't have a coupler you have 2 plastic disconnects. One beer and one gas.

£250 should get you a full setup with 3 kegs I expect. Perhaps more kegs if you source second hand couplers and a co2 regulator. though if you want fancy taps they aren't cheap. I'd decide what type you want tho and stick with it. Having a mix is a bit of pain. Not the end of the world.

Session · May 3, 2020

Conal said:
Hi guys,

I'm wanting to transition from bottling to kegging and just wanted a proper rundown of all the equipment that would be needed.

I brew in 23L batches so I would want a 23L keg (or as close as I can get - preferably higher rather than lower). I've seen a few websites that sell 'whole kits' but they seem to be around the £250 mark and I just wanted to know everything that I would need so that I could price up buying them individually, but I don't want to forget about a certain connector or something that I might need!

If you're wandering height etc for a kegarator, that is not an issue for now, that's more a bridge to cross when I get there!

Thanks,

Conal

You may think this is too much of a pain in the bum but could you scale your batches down to 19L so they fit into a corny keg? Whilst I have never used a sankey, I imagine getting parts/new spears etc to be more difficult as they seem less popular over here than in the US. They also look like a ballache to clean as they have such a tiny access point as opposed to a corny where you can get your whole hand in.
Just a thought!

Conal · May 12, 2020

Cheers guys,

I think I'll go with the Corny Kegs and bottle whatever I can't fit in so I've got a few bottles at hand too! I've watched a few YouTube videos and kegging seems easy enough so I think it's a worthwhile investment to not have to bottle (quite as much...) Anymore!

Graz · May 12, 2020

Conal said:
Cheers guys,

I think I'll go with the Corny Kegs and bottle whatever I can't fit in so I've got a few bottles at hand too! I've watched a few YouTube videos and kegging seems easy enough so I think it's a worthwhile investment to not have to bottle (quite as much...) Anymore!

That's exactly what I do. I only brew kits and most of them are 5 gallon / 22.5L so I take off about 7 x 500ml bottles before dumping the rest in the Corny. I'm sort of hoping I can keep a back catalogue of the beers I've brewed in bottles to give some variety at Christmas or if I get desperate!

If I brewed extract or all grain though I'd scale down to 19L.