Cheapest possible Corny setup

[Rowang]

Im slowly giving in to persuading myself to get a Corny set up - as im setting up with a temp controlled fermenting fridge.

What is the cheapest possible way of setting up a Corny?

Can it just be - Keg, S30 bottle, Tap ?

And does anyone know a good cheap source for them?

[barneey]

I think quite a few people on here get theirs from a guy called "norman" on ebay.

Personally I have always bought them from online homebrew shops for £48.00ish (fully tested) each and made the order up to get free postage. The private sale ones on ebay with postage normally go for that amount anyway (and you dont know what you are really buying) EDIT not talking about the "norman ones" just the private sale ones. I think everyone is more than happy with the "norman" cornies.

Initally when i bought my cornies, I went dow the cheap party flexi tap route with the small widget gas cyclinder(8gram), I soon discovered the actual cost of these small gas bottles and soon swapped over to pub gas tank / reg set up. Although the widget and party tap would come in handy if you were to take a corny to a friends house. (I`m lucky as I only live a mile from a gas refill place, another thing to think about).

Just my thoughts...

Cheers Clive

[branigan]

I have recently bought a corny off Norm (I am getting little bits at a time) & the cheapest way of setting up I have found is as follows;

Cornelius keg + 2 disconnects + 2m pipe (1m in + 1m out) £55 (cheaper if you get more than 1
Regulator - eBay £35
Party Tap - Norm £15
3/8 x 1/4 BSP Outlet Adapter Connector - eBay £2.50 (for connection from reg to Co2)
Co2 Fire extinguisher - free

all in for a little over £100.

[Kev888]

I'm not up on the latest prices but for info this is norms ebay page - he was cheapest for cornies when I got mine. He often doesn't list all his stuff (or even any at times) as I believe he sells by word of mouth and reputation mainly, but he's always had loads of cornies whenever I've asked. He can include the disconnects in his corny deal and thats often worth having, as they can be quite costly to buy separately.

I got my taps off ebay; this sort but they've gone up a lot since I bought mine so Norms taps could be not much more - he may be willing to do a deal on them if you buy a few things from him. I didn't get on with the party tap thing, too much foaming in my setup; I need a longer line to help restrict the flow.

The challenge for me was gas; I'm a bit too far from Norm's supplier to get his cylinders refilled and its not economical by post. The investment in a regulator and pub gas cylinder costs more up front than an S30 valve but is much cheaper for gas afterwards than the smaller cylinders, and a regulated supply is better for force carbonating and keggorator setups too. It took me longer than I expected to find someone locally who would sell and refill the cylinders without excessive rental rates - but finally I found a horticultural supplier locally who just charges a deposit so running costs are minimal.

Cheers
Kev

[boingy]

Contact Norm direct and ask about his "bargain" kegs.
These are kegs with a few dings in them but are still in perfect working order.
He typically sells them in pairs with one set of disconnects for about the £65-£70 mark, including postage.
I don't know where you are but he is in Sutton Coldfield so you might be able to save a few quid by collecting them if you are close enough.

I'll PM you his email addy.
Brace yourself for his reply. His keyboard only does UPPER CASE...

[alix101]

Hi can honestly say norms kegs are the best i think he sells them for £55 but with that you get the disconnects and some gas and beer line thats going to save you £20. and if you live close you could save another £10 on postage. i bought i few kegs off other people and ive since sold them and bought norms ones as they are in so much better condition.
as for the set up just bite the bullet, i also spent money on small co2 canisters etc but have since moved to a large co2 pub gas with regulator the gas isnt expensive, so i ended up spending double buying the other stuff first if you find a good source of gas that is . Regulators can be picked up for £20 or if you know someone in the pub trade happy days...oh and be carful i went through all the same crap buying my first keg, trying to find the best deal and cheap set up, only to find that the kegs multiply at an alarming rate before you know it you have six kegs and a kegerator to boot.

[Kev888]

Brace yourself for his reply. His keyboard only does UPPER CASE...

Heh heh, yes he does seem to have a special one - its often in red too.. Also (unless things have changed) expect the keg to be pressurised if/when you get one from him; I think he likes to prove that they seal but it can be 'a bit of a surprise' when you fiddle with the release..

Cheers
Kev

[barneey]

Just incase you cant get them from norm try here

[boingy]

expect the keg to be pressurised if/when you get one from him; I think he likes to prove that they seal but it can be 'a bit of a surprise' when you fiddle with the release..

Yeah, it does make your first cornie experience all the more memorable. I nearly shat myself when I attached the first disconnect...

[Hogarth]

If you're on a budget you can use whatever gas set-up you already have. I've got three cornies and I still use my old sodastream system to gas them up. (It's amazing what you can do with ptfe...) Obviously pub gas is cheaper in the long run, but it's not an immediate requirement.

[Kev888]

If you're on a budget you can use whatever gas set-up you already have. I've got three cornies and I still use my old sodastream system to gas them up. (It's amazing what you can do with ptfe...) Obviously pub gas is cheaper in the long run, but it's not an immediate requirement.

Thats a good point. If this is the intention its possibly worth doing it through an 'in' disconnect somehow to preserve the keg's integrety, or if you must go the converted-lid route at least getting a decently converted one; if someone has bodged a budget S30 combo valve into it then its safety vent could restrict you to budget PB-type pressures too. Not that I've ever used all 100-whatever PSI on my cornies, but I do see their higher pressure range as one of their advantages.

I nearly shat myself when I attached the first disconnect...

I'm glad it wasn't just me It certainly brought it home that we were now in a realm somewhat different to my King Kegs though..

EDIT: though I wonder if Norm may be away at the mo, its rare for him to have 'nothing' listed on ebay unless he's away on a buying trip or something.

Cheers
Kev

[Dack]

EDIT: though I wonder if Norm may be away at the mo, its rare for him to have 'nothing' listed on ebay unless he's away on a buying trip or something.

He is indeed away, until next week (I believe). He mentioned it before I bought my keg off him a couple of weeks back...

[Kev888]

Ah, thanks. Good to know.

Incidentally, I just noticed that barley bottom are doing the dalex taps at 'much' more reasonable prices than my ebay example. Though they have a slightly different size of pipe fitting.

Cheers
Kev

[froggi]

I got my taps off ebay; this sort but they've gone up a lot since I bought mine so Norms taps could be not much more - he may be willing to do a deal on them if you buy a few things from him. I didn't get on with the party tap thing, too much foaming in my setup; I need a longer line to help restrict the flow.

Kev, I have some similar taps bought off evilBay and also a couple of Norms cornies. Problem is, the product line is way too big in diameter to connect to the spigot on the tap. What's the size of reducer/connector needed so I can trawl same said auction site for the right kit, as the couple I bought are the same diameter as the hole in the back of the spigot
Hope you can help out mate
Cheers

[Kev888]

Its difficult to say unfortunately; you can get those taps in quite a variety of pipe fittings; did your ebay listing mention any sizes, at all?

Norm supplies 3/8" tubing, so at least that side of things is known. Other common sizes are 3/16ths and 5/16ths (amongst others) - you could have a look at the harmony hut on ebay, they do all sorts of fittings.

Cheers
Kev