Keezer.

[HappyHax0r]

So I recently had the good fortune to come into some extra cash I didn't need for the wedding. I've cleared it with SWMBO and i'm allowed to use it to start purchasing parts for a keezer.

Since I haven't really looked into this, and several of you have, I'd really *really* like your input here.

I have 4 pin lock kegs, so I'll have to get pin-lock gas and liquid post connectors. Other than that I was thinking I'd like to have 4 taps, and a seperate regulator for each tap so I can charge kegs at different PSI's.

I have no idea who has good prices on taps, or what's involved in using them. I also have no idea where to get any of this stuff.

This is a call to the great ones on here...

HELP!

[Chris Craig]

So I recently had the good fortune to come into some extra cash I didn't need for the wedding. I've cleared it with SWMBO and i'm allowed to use it to start purchasing parts for a keezer.

Since I haven't really looked into this, and several of you have, I'd really *really* like your input here.

I have 4 pin lock kegs, so I'll have to get pin-lock gas and liquid post connectors. Other than that I was thinking I'd like to have 4 taps, and a seperate regulator for each tap so I can charge kegs at different PSI's.

I have no idea who has good prices on taps, or what's involved in using them. I also have no idea where to get any of this stuff.

This is a call to the great ones on here...

HELP!

You can start with this: http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=440
Upgrade to Perlicks: http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=509
4 secondary regulators: http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=472

The best bet is to email them and tell them what you're doing.  They'll price up a kit for you.

[HappyHax0r]

Chris,

I'm assuming theres duty and taxes on this, since it's states side?

[HappyHax0r]

Should I go whole hog, or should I cheap out and get the 4 tap basic keg kit for now and upgrade to faucets and 4 regs after the wedding? hmmmm.,... I can easily afford the 4 tap basic keg kit and still have plenty of the "extra cash" left over, which I could put toward a grain mill..., and some totes...

Thoughts? .

-- Edit --

I just realized I don't usually drink that much beer, so I could go with the two tap cheapo kit and save even more cash for the moment, get the grain mill, some totes, and put some cash toward a brew-shack so I can brew more easily in the winter and have a place to store my grain/hops/keezer/do fermentation etc... I think I might actually do this for now.

[Ian Grant]

There's a site in Ontario that's good.  We get a discount code that Richard can tell ya.  If it was me I'd get one reg with a 4 port manifold.   Carbing at different rates I find is hard cause when the keg is full my beer seems to be flat, when it's half full it's perfect and as it get close to empty its over carbed.

[Chris Craig]

Should I go whole hog, or should I cheap out and get the 4 tap basic keg kit for now and upgrade to faucets and 4 regs after the wedding? hmmmm.,... I can easily afford the 4 tap basic keg kit and still have plenty of the "extra cash" left over, which I could put toward a grain mill..., and some totes...

Thoughts? .

-- Edit --

I just realized I don't usually drink that much beer, so I could go with the two tap cheapo kit and save even more cash for the moment, get the grain mill, some totes, and put some cash toward a brew-shack so I can brew more easily in the winter and have a place to store my grain/hops/keezer/do fermentation etc... I think I might actually do this for now.

$16 extra upgrades to 2 Perlicks. I don't see why you'd wait...

Shipping is $7 flat rate to Houlton.  You'd have to pay the HST at the border, but they don't charge sales tax when shipping to Maine.  

I bought my kit from them, except I upgraded to a dual product regulator for another $35.  I think it was around $175 shipped.

[Chris Craig]

There's a site in Ontario that's good.  We get a discount code that Richard can tell ya.  If it was me I'd get one reg with a 4 port manifold.   Carbing at different rates I find is hard cause when the keg is full my beer seems to be flat, when it's half full it's perfect and as it get close to empty its over carbed.

I haven't had that experience at all unless you're charging the keg at 30psi for a couple days.  I like having two pressures.  I serve pale ales, IPAs and the like at 2.5 volumes, and some stouts, bitters, etc at 1.7 to 2 volumes.  I find the carbonation consistent from the first to the last pour.

[HappyHax0r]

The reason I'd wait is because the kit I need from them would be about $400.00 (slightly more actually) which prettymuch eats up the pot of extra money. If I go for the cheapo option I can get to kegging sooner + get a grain mill which means I can start getting in on grain buys.

Just milling some thoughts over.

I just got off the phone with Richard and he says he's never had any problems with his picnic tap setup, and the upside of going that route at first is that I would have a couple picnic taps left over for future projects (like a rolling keggerator).

Hmmm

[Chris Craig]

It's all personal preference, isn't it?  Just make sure you're not spending money on something you're going to replace in 6 months.

[Kyle]

You can now get chrome plated Perlicks that still have the good design, from places like Austin Homebrew Supply (Texas), if you are looking to save a bit over the stainless. This option is hugely preferable to getting the standard bar taps that will stick-up if not used all the time. Also, the perlicks deliver a smoother (less foam) pour in general

The core message I have is to buy quality once, rather than crappy and always upgrading (ask me, I know, I "saved" a bit, and then spent more in the long run)

Getting one of those kits that CC brought up is a good way to take some headache out of the "ok... what do I need" process. If you do go with a kit though, they tend to have 5 foot hoses, which is just fine if you serve at fridge temp (about 4 degrees C). However, I like to serve at about 7-10C, which necessitates longer (12 to 15 feet) hoses

Also, if you host a meeting or just have some of us over, I know we can provide you with hands-on help in setting up the system.

[Richard]

Got picnic taps, a single regulator, and the cheapest stuff money can buy. No problems - at all.

[HappyHax0r]

Kyle, it's funny you should mention "hosting a meeting" .

My end goal is to build a big enough brew-shack that I could actually host a meeting in the summer-time without being in and out of the house and driving my wife batshit insane ... This likely won't happen this year, but possibly next year. I have to get build permits, pour a slab, actually
design the brew-shack (working on that in Google Sketchup btw, which is an amazing piece of software).

End goal is to have my propane setup in a shack that I can brew in in the winter time, without being frozen to death. Running water, electricity, keezer, space for my carboys/gear, space to sit and have a "meeting" ...

While I agree with "buy quality first..." what I'm thinking (now that I'm thinking picnic taps for now) is that the freezer, the controller, the kegs, the lines, the regulator (main), and the pin-lock connectors are all reusable in the later "keezer II" as it were are they not? I mean clearly I'd be replacing the picnic taps with actual faucets, but I'd have to buy those anyway, and if at a later date I decided I wanted to go 4 faucet that means I only have to buy two pin-lock gas lines, a 4 port manifold, the faucets, and the 4 regulator unit if I want different serving pressures .

Decisions decisions.

[Kyle]

yeah, you can certainly do generations of keezer v1.0... 2.0...

As long as you don't try to save a few pennies on substandard equipment that could otherwise be re-used, go for it!

[HappyHax0r]

yeah, you can certainly do generations of keezer v1.0... 2.0...

As long as you don't try to save a few pennies on substandard equipment that could otherwise be re-used, go for it!

Yeah no, I wouldn't be buying equipment that couldn't be re-used. IE if I go with the 2 picnic taps Im not going to get a seperate set of regs for each line... I'll do that when I go faucets (otherwise I'm pissing away $).

Good, I've got some options, and I've gotten some confirmations...

Now the next obvious question, since I'll likely have enough left over to buy a grain mill, does anyone have any recommendations? I hear the Barley Crusher is popular?

[Richard]

Go with the barley crusher - hop dawgs have a good price.