Kegging Shopping List

[naturals]

UPDATED

Below is a shopping list for a basic corney setup using a party tap. This list is easily upgraded to a regular system with proper taps. I ended up ordering from Keg Kingdom. Their shipping is a little dear (£7.20) but the prices for fittings were good, they were the only place which stocked everything I needed, plus there's a 5% discount code available elsewhere which you can find with a little googling.

Generic bits:
1x Chest Freezer (already bought on eBay, circa £20)
1x CO2 cylinder (Andover Patio Centre, circa £25)
1x Corny keg (approx £40 second hand)
1x STC1000 / Inkbird (£10-30 depending on what you choose)

Setup:
1x CO2 regulator (eBay welders regulator, £19)
1x 3/8 BSP to 3/8 Push Fit (Keg Kingdom, £3.50, connects gas line to regulator)
5m of 3/16 Line (Keg Kingdom, £1.75)
2x 3/8 to 3/16 stem reducer (Keg Kingdom, £3, one for the reg end, one for the keg)
1x Pair Corney disconnects (Keg Kingdom, £10.75, one will be spare as tap comes with one)

1x Foam reducing party tap (Keg Kingdom, £16)

[f00b4r]

Personally I would forget using a tiny bit of 3/8 and then a 3/8 to 3/16 adapter, just use 3/16 line and a 3/8 to 3/16 stem reducer straight in the JG disconnect piece instead.

Also try pm'ing jonnyconga on here (he is brewkegtap on eBay) and see what price he will do you direct on parts.

[Fil]

Personally I would forget using a tiny bit of 3/8 and then a 3/8 to 3/16 adapter, just use 3/16 line and a 3/8 to 3/16 stem reducer straight in the JG disconnect piece instead.

Also try pm'ing jonnyconga on here (he is brewkegtap on eBay) and see what price he will do you direct on parts.

+1


say hi to the guys at Andover Patio Centre, they insisted on carrying the bottle to my car when i last visited

Otherwise you seem well on your way, a small fan and controller like an stc1000 will help chill to a specific temperature more efficiently and as long as ambient temperature is always above your elected serving temp you shouldnt need any heating, but if serving bitters mid winter from inside an uninsulated shed you may need to consider a small heat source, the usual brewfridge 1 foot tube heater is ideal.. a 2nd keg is always useful for pushing cleaner sanitiser and rinsing washes through the keg with co2 pressure.

[orlando]

Another useful item and relatively cheap, is to get yourself a garden sprayer. Cut the lance part off and add a JG fitting to connect to your beer line. You can now push cleaning fluid and rinse water through your beer lines and tap.

[naturals]

Personally I would forget using a tiny bit of 3/8 and then a 3/8 to 3/16 adapter, just use 3/16 line and a 3/8 to 3/16 stem reducer straight in the JG disconnect piece instead.

Also try pm'ing jonnyconga on here (he is brewkegtap on eBay) and see what price he will do you direct on parts.

Nice! Thanks for the tip. I didn't even know such a thing existed.

a small fan and controller like an stc1000

Good shout - I already have some lying around but left it off the list in my haste.

Cut the lance part off and add a JG fitting to connect to your beer line. You can now push cleaning fluid and rinse water through your beer lines and tap.

That's a great idea! Are the JG push fits easy enough to take off once 'attached'? I'm familiar with standard 22mm push fit connects - are they a similar concept?

[gobuchul]

are they a similar concept?

They are exactly the sae as the standard plumbing fittings, just different sizes.

[orlando]

are they a similar concept?

They are exactly the sae as the standard plumbing fittings, just different sizes.

I just use a straight connector. Just remember not to pressurise until you have it attached to your tap.

[naturals]

are they a similar concept?

Just remember not to pressurise until you have it attached to your tap.

Which brings me on to another question. To carbonate the beer, presumably CO2 tank > line > gas in port (i.e. nothing at all on the beer port). In this configuration, if I were to disconnect the line, would the CO2 just piss out, or is there a stop valve in the disconnect to stop flow when it's not connected? Basic question I know but I've not seen it covered anywhere...

[AnthonyUK]

Which brings me on to another question. To carbonate the beer, presumably CO2 tank > line > gas in port (i.e. nothing at all on the beer port). In this configuration, if I were to disconnect the line, would the CO2 just piss out, or is there a stop valve in the disconnect to stop flow when it's not connected? Basic question I know but I've not seen it covered anywhere...

Inside the post is a poppet which has a tiny O ring and spring which keeps the pressure when the quickconnects are removed.
Most good sellers ship their kegs under pressure so you know it isn't leaking when it arrives still pressurised.
It might be worth adding a few spare parts to your shopping list especially O rings.

[Fil]

the disconnects also seal on removal from the post, but dont rely on a disconnect to retain a bottle of gas overnight etc. if you pull the gas disconnect and dont replace it remember to turn off the co2 too.

[naturals]

Can anyone tell me how high above the top of a corny the disconnects will come one fitted? I'm trying to figure out how high to make my collar. I have a fridge, corny and CO2 but no disconnects!

[Fil]

its not just the disconnects, you may also have some JG adaptor adding height AND more importantly the beer, and gas lines which will stand off at an angle are a semi-rigid plastic ?ldpe? And the JG fittings while Brilliant do not respond well to sideways sheering pressures, so closing the lid to squash gas and beer lines in is a VERY bad idea..

Probably best to get the kegs work out the plumbing arrangements, and then judge for yourself the best height of collar to employ to give you ample headroom without any problems..

also with a chest freezer be aware there is no natural drainage for condensation to exit as they are not designed to work at liquid water temperatures, a towel can be used to soak up any condensation and easily remove it with a regular exchange, leaving water to pool may allow it to access the insulation and feed fungal growths.
might have mentioned that already

[orlando]

also with a chest freezer be aware there is no natural drainage for condensation to exit as they are not designed to work at liquid water temperatures, a towel can be used to soak up any condensation and easily remove it with a regular exchange, leaving water to pool may allow it to access the insulation and feed fungal growths.

These or if you can afford to this. I have used the rechargeables for a few years and although they are OK it's only up to a point. I would go for the proper unit.

[orlando]

also with a chest freezer be aware there is no natural drainage for condensation to exit as they are not designed to work at liquid water temperatures, a towel can be used to soak up any condensation and easily remove it with a regular exchange, leaving water to pool may allow it to access the insulation and feed fungal growths.

These or even better this. I have used the rechargeables for a few years and although they are OK it's only up to a point. I would go for the proper unit.

[naturals]

My kegerator build is nearly complete!! Quick question on tap shanks though - I bought a set with tails from Keg Kingdom, jubilee clips around the ends to secure the beer line however they leaked like fury. Jubilee clip off and they're fine.

Any top tips for a better sort of clip to use to hold them secure without pinching the line into a weird shape which allows leaks?