Getting_Started_In

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Home Brew Kegging

Getting Set-Up

Determine how or what method you are going to refrigerate or chill your keg.
Are you going to keep the keg in a refrigerator or converted freezer? Or is your keg for party use only, chilled or iced down right before use?
If you plan on Kegging for party use only, the next decision is, do you want to have Co2 drive for 'Portable Use Only' or for 'Force Carbonating' the keg. Force carbonating will require a Co2 tank, Co2 Regulator and hose that will connect to the keg. 'Portable Use Only' will need only a Co2 portable charger. Most 'Party Use Only' set ups will have a hand faucet or a direct draw faucet.
If you plan on keeping the keg in a refrigerator or converted freezer, make another decision. Will the Dispensing faucet be mounted on the door of the refrigerator, lid of the freezer or no drilling and just a hand faucet only.

The Keg

We sell 5 gallon Stainless Steel Kegs that have been rebuilt. After fermentation is complete your beer is then transferred into the SANITIZED keg. See Sanitizing We always recommend that a secondary fermentation is done to have less sediment in the keg. The keg should be completely disassembled washed and sanitized before each use. See: Formulas and click on Force Carbonation for methods of carbonating your beer.

Co2 Drive

The Co2 regulator has (2) gauges The gauge on the left tells you the amount of pressure that is remaining in the Co2 tank (0-2000PSI). When your Co2 tank is filled by the required weight, filled average pressure is 900 psi. As you use the gas, the pressure will decrease. At 450-500 psi. the amount of liquid Co2 in the tank will be gone and only gas will remain. With no more liquid Co2 to boil off to gas, the gas pressure will drop more rapidly.

The Co2 gauge at the top is the 'Set Pressure' This is the actual pressure that is pushing the beer. Most system will only need 5-8 psi.

The Nut on the Right side of the regulator is the inlet that connects to a Co2 tank. The nut will have a washer inside that is checked before each changing of the Co2 tank for cracks or if it is missing. If the washer is missing the Co2 gas will leak out with in a few hours.

If you plan on Force carbonating your beer. You will want a Co2 tank due to the increase volume needed.

Co2 Charger

This Mini Co2 Injector - uses the same Gas Ball Lock fittings for the Stainless steel tank. The 16 gram Co2 cartridge will push out the beer, but will not carbonate it. The Keg must first be primed and conditioned just like you would a bottle. Two of the cartridges will push out the beer. This is a great way to have your kegged beer portable or if you want to have the the beer chilled in a refrigerator but you Do-Not want to drill any holes for the Co2 line.

Dispensing

No matter if you are installing a draft tower on a small dorm frig. or converting an old refrigerator. Make a decision how you want your Home Brew to be dispensed. If you plan on having your Kegged beer cold at all times. Then the Converted refrigerator is a great way to go. The Beer box kit # 16790 contains all the equipment you will need. Most older style refrigerators with the freezer Not-Frost Free, are perfect. They will have the refrigeration coils exposed that makes for easy installation. But Frost Free refrigerators will have the cooling coils in-side the walls. Never drill a hole in the side walls or back side of a frost free refrigerator. If you do, it's new home will be the Dump. The cost of repairing and old refrigerator normally is not worth it.

So go for the Door, it's easy to judge and easy to install. One simple hole for the faucet shank assembly. Even converting a used freezer is easy. Again NO Holes in the side walls. Add a spacer or mount a valve or tower on the lid. See: Converting a Freezer

Beer Keg Kit # 16792 This kit is for those that do not want to have a draft faucet. But, you still want Co2 drive? You can use a simple hand faucet or go a little bit fancier

Check the dimensions inside the refrigerator or converted freezer you are going to use. Make sure the height inside is 28" high x 18" wide and 18"Deep. This is the minimum for TWO five gallon kegs.

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