Kegging Newbie

Brewing Processes
1

My 1st batch of beer is ready to be bottled or kegged.

Ive decided for convience that I want to keg my homebrews, plus I like new toys (kegs, gas tanks, gauges etc…)

I want to buy something thats good quality and going to last a long time. Can easily be converted to use with my chest freezer kegarator once I build it. A C02 gas tank that can run several 5g corneys.

Any recommendations on a setup to buy would be great appreciated. Theres a lot to choose from out there and I want to be sure im spending my $$ wisely.

Another question.

I should have had this already, but thought I would be bottling. Is it cool that the beer stays in the fermenter another week untill what ever I buy arrives? Beer began fermenting on Feb 10 it is now done. From my understanding it will just continue to age in the fermenter so do not think there is a issue leaving it for another week. Sorry for the newbie questions.

2

Your beer will be fine for a couple of weeks after reaching FG so don’t worry at all about that. 
Any CO2 tank will run 5 or 6 cornies, all you have to have is some sort of manifold so you can split the gas hose for each keg.  I prefer a manifold like this:http://morebeer.com/view_product/16388/102238/Gas_Manifold_-_2_Way.  You can add as many as you need, I run 6 kegs off one tank and a 6 way manifold.

3

Cool, good to know on the manifold.

And if I understand correctly, because im using the C02 there is not a need to prime the beer like I would if I was bottling. The C02 will force carbonate the beer, correct?

Man this stuff is fun! Already invisioning a work shop and bar…

4

you can go either way on carbonating…either prime with sugar or force carbonate…both work ok.

5

Correct. There will be no need to prime the beer with sugar as the CO2 will force carbonate the beer to the prescribed volume.

I recently purchased a 10# CO2 tank because the cost to refill is only $1.00 more for ten pounds than it is to refill a 5 pound cylinder at my local gas distributor.

Here’s some kegerator kits.

http://www.kegkits.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=DBKK

6

I got a double body co2 regulator, so I can run two pressures, one for force carbing and one for serving.  That way you can stay ahead of the game.  Two manifolds and you’re set!!

7

Two good places to fill tanks while you wait. Natwell welding supply on Culebra and I-10 or A1 Fire and Safety at  203 E. Rhapsody.

Avoid Amerigas on I-35. They’re complete jerks and also won’t fill while you wait.

8

I’m getting ready to pull the trigger on a CO2 tank, probably this weekend.  I’m leaning towards going the exchange rather than the fill route because I haven’t found a good place nearby that will fill, but Robert’s Oxygen right down the road will exchange.

And with that purchase I will finally have all of the components necessary to fill and pressurize kegs.  Still no serving freezer yet but I can get started.  Get ready for the stupid questions…