I’m looking into getting a kegging system because I’m not really happy with the carbonation I get from using corn sugar. I would really like two 5 gallon kegs and a single fridge for both but am finding the price of all this to be too high. My budget is around $400, is this even possible?
Yes but just barely. It is possible to purchase an economy 2 keg system on sale for under $300. Add a $125 fridge. Build a few things like your own tower if you want one. Convert the fridge yourself and you are in for right there at $400. Buy used or discount fridge to save some more.
I built mine 3 years ago for about $350. Converted a new fridge. Built the tower. Shopped for the best deal on a conversion kit with everything I needed. My budget faucets need more involved cleaning and stick if not used regularly (like that ever happens) but they perform and still look new.
Be sure that 2 kegs will fit the fridge you buy. That was my biggest problem when looking for a smaller one.
Completely possible, if you are comfortable using Craigslist and live in a fairly densely populated area. The cheap way to go is to buy a used chest freezer ~$100, CO2 bottle and regulator ~$100, 2 kegs $30 each, and a temperature controller from Amazon ~$40. You will need some hoses, but you can just use party taps until you want to build the tower.
This is how I started out. Brand new energy star rated chest freezers can be had for $150ish, new kegs for $70 apiece from AiH when they go on sale. Then you just need an external temp controller, CO2 tank, regulator and picnic taps.
Now that I have a real-deal kegerator, the chest freezer is a full time fermentation chamber.
The guy said it can fit two 5 gallon kegs of there the tall and slim kind but can it be made to have two taps up top?
I ain’t seen used kegs for $30 in quite some years. I thought prices were coming down, but the LHBS still wants $60 for used reconditioned kegs. AiH sometimes has sales where you can get them for around $40 but you need to clean and recondition on your own.
IMO your best deal might be the $70 new kegs mentioned by erockrph. Or go with pin lock as you can get them cheaper. Just be aware they are fatter and it may be harder to fit two in a minifridge.
A buddy of mine bought a bunch of kegs from a yard sale for $15 each. I bought 4 from a co-worker whose friend was selling his, I ended up with 4 at $10 each. All needed cleaning and gaskets, but such deals do still exist. Some folks want them gone fast, and will pay to get them gone.
Any body know if that fridge can actually fit two 5 gallon kegs and be converted to have two taps on top?
If you could fit a quarter barrel or two sixth barrels in there, it should fit two cornies.
As far as two taps, you’d want to pull that tower and replace it with a two tap tower.
Easiest way to know for sure is take two cornies when you go to look at the keg. From looking at it, it looks more spacious than a typical minifridge which will hold two cornies just fine.
I don’t have any kegs yet but the seller says it should fit two kegs but do you need two co2 tanks in there as well? I hope that would still fit it all.
You can run two kegs off one CO2 tank. You just need to put in a splitter on the gas line.
That looks like a retail kegerator. Should hold a 1/2bbl. Might be able to hold 3 kegs, 2 shouldn’t be an issue.
Thanks for all your help. I bought that fridge plus a keg and tubing. As soon as my bourbon barrel stout is finished I’ll go ahead and keg it up.