We’re new to kegging. We have a kegerator. The tap locks have not worked out that well–the key just broke off in one of them!
I was considering as an alternative to locking the taps I could disconnect the taps from the kegs and then lock the fridge itself shut. Then the taps would not work until the door was unlocked and the hoses were reconnected to the kegs.
Is there a reason why I shouldn’t do it this way? (Maybe the hoses will leak?)
Sounds like a reasonable solution.
My friend has a trail cam on the wall of the basement pointed at the bar. Won’t physically stop them but the threat of getting caught deters his teenagers.
I’m generally an outlier when this question comes up.
I calmly explained to my four what was in the kegerator (I’ve brewed most of their lives) and that it wasn’t anything they’d like. Then when they asked for a taste we gave them one and it always proved to them that “little kids don’t like beer”. My son was 24 years old before he even thought about drawing a beer for himself. I admit I was starting to worry my beer really sucked if college kids wouldn’t drink it. 8^)
They could all draw a perfect beer by the time they were 6. 8)
I’m not trying to brag or be smug, everyone’s kids are different. With ours, I asked them to respect our wishes and they did, just like we always tried to be open and honest with them. It worked for us but might not work for everyone. I always try to give it shot first though.
YMMV, IMHO and all that jazz.
Paul
Like Paul, I let my son help around the brewery, especially with capping bottles, once he became old enough (mid-teens). He tried beer as a high school student, but was in 3 sports, so he had a no-drinking pledge for participation and he honored that. He still drinks only moderately, so I tend to think that some of being around beer while he was growing up, went towards it being less of a sinful taboo and therefore not a big deal.
Everyone can try their own style of influencing behavior, but for my kids, my disappointment was something that they didn’t want to see, so they played things pretty straight. Maybe I just got lucky. Regardless, good luck with the kegerator security plan - disconnecting hoses seems to be the easiest approach!
My grandson is a mess! He gets into everything and likes to twiddle the knobs. I even have to put the fire extinguisher away when he’s here!
What I did was disconnect the taps and put picnic taps on my kegs. I could also put a strap hasp on the fridge, but he doesn’t seem to be interested in getting in it, just making a huge puddle of beer.
At some point he will mature (or I’ll beat him to death!) and I can reconnect my taps. Until then the picnic taps work fine.
Charlie
You didn’t really explain if the issue is mess or preventing consumption. I’m assuming mess. One thing I’d suggest is Intertap faucets with a return spring. That way, as long as the wee one isn’t TRYING to make a mess, letting go would instantly stop the flow. It also makes the levers more difficult to actuate to begin with. The fact that they’re excellent and versatile faucets is a nice bonus.
I would consider installing a solenoid valve in the beer line. Then, lock the door of the kegerator. You want beer? Unlock and open the door, flip the switch that opens the solenoid valve and pour the beer.