I recently purchased the KingKeg MK4 kegorator from my local homebrew shop and i am planning on kegging my next brew. i have never used a draft system before and wanted to know any tips or trick you guys and gals use. I am using the kingkeg gas regulator and a 5gal (19L) ball lock torpedo keg. Cheers.
There’s a whole lot of tips and tricks out there.
What angle are you looking for? Filling? Carbonating? Dispensing? Cleaning?
I’d start with researching how to purge your keg and do a closed transfer to fill it. That way, you minimize O2 ingress.
Beyond that, it’s all pretty straightforward but there are also a million questions to ask. Once it’s up and running, you’ll start to figure out what you need to ask and what you don’t.
Thanks. Ill start looking, I know there is a lot to know just wanted a good starting point.
The best info I’ve seen in one place on how to set a regulator, number of kegs a CO2 cylinder will dispense, temp and psi info, etc, etc: http://d163axztg8am2h.cloudfront.net/static/doc/71/66/acef50e52d6bf4b196b71a0bf233.pdf
This is the AHA guide: https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/attachments/0000/1312/Summerzym95-Kegging_How-To.pdf
Not to hijack the thread, but do you have a link on instructions on how to do a closed transfer?
https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=29237.msg385118#msg385118
Try this thread.
Thanks Joe! Much appreciated!!!
I hope it’s helpful. I didn’t reread the thread but I remember it.
If not, there must be others.
Basically fill your keg with sanitizer. Push it out with co2. Fill the keg through the liquid out post from your fermenter. I put a QD on the gas post when I fill. Some people just burp the PRV.
I use a couple lbs pressure to start the siphon and then gravity does its trick. I use better bottles. Pressurizing glass comes with all kinds of caveats.
I looked on YouTube and there’s a lot of videos. so i will be watching a lot of them to get a good idea. and thanks for the links
Closed transfer is great for reducing oxygen pickup but it wont do you much good if your serving all foam.
In order to get a good pour you have to balance your system with proper line length. The vol co2 the beer can hold is directly related to the temp its stored at.
https://www.drinktanks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/CARBONATION_CHART_DRINKTANKS.png
Once you find the PSI you need to keep your beer carbed at your kegerator’s temp you figure out line length to balance that pressure.
I’ve found this the standard formula for line length you’ll find gives results that are too short. This calculator is pretty good. I cut a few feet off by trial and error and have found a length that works perfectly for my system
Also for you first batch I’d definitely use the “set and forget method” for carbing. You set the regulator to the PSI from the cart and leave it until its carbed. There are other methods that gets things done quicker but have risks of over carbonating.