• Welcome to the new forum! We upgraded our forum software with a host of new boards, capabilities and features. It is also more secure.
    Jump in and join the conversation! You can learn more about the upgrade and new features here.

Starting my first kegerator with pin lock kegs. Advice on equipment?

jeep8589

New Forum Member
Joined
May 29, 2019
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
I have started to keg my beers, and want to set up a kegerator.  The problem that I have is that all of the pin lock couplers for the gas and liquid lines are cheap plastic, and don't seem to seal all that well.  I have new o-rings on the outlets, it just seems like there is a good amount of play when attaching the couplers  to the posts.  What couplers should I be using, and where is the best place to get them.  I don't want all of my co2/beer escaping while it sits waiting for me to drink it. 

Thanks in advance.
 
switch to ball locks ;)

honestly though o-ring replacement should take care of that. I prefer ball locks though. you can generally get post conversion kits via most homebrewing sites.
 
You can find keg re-build kits at almost any online (or maybe even your local) homebrew supply stores. https://www.kegoutlet.com/corny-keg-parts.html

I would advise that any used keg that you acquire you take apart and inspect and clean. I have a beer line cleaning brush https://www.morebeer.com/products/beer-line-cleaning-brush-14-36.html that I run through the liquid dip tube on my kegs regularly. You won't believe the gunk that accumulates in there! If they person you bought your keg from didn't keep that line clean and you just rinse out you keg and fill it with your nice fresh beer you will be drinking his old sludge.

Pin lock or ball lock whichever you chose to go with, keep all your kegs the same type. it will make your life easier.

Learn about balancing your lines! Otherwise you will be plagued and frustrated with foaming issues. http://beersmith.com/blog/2011/07/14/keg-line-length-balancing-the-science-of-draft-beer/

You will hear many techniques for carbonating the beer in your keg. Most of them from impatient brewers who want to start drinking it right away. I advise the set-it-and-forget-it method. Hook your keg up and set the regulator at serving pressure then walk away and forget about it for 5... 7... or even 10 days. Your beer will be perfectly carbonated and it will greatly benefit from the extra time spent conditioning. You will often hear people lament that the last glass of beer from their keg tasted better than all the others. That's because it had time to condition.

What PSI should you set your regulator? That depends on the style of beer you are serving and the temperature you set your kegerator. Scroll down this document https://www.morebeer.com/themes/morewinepro/kegging.pdf (which is a good overview of kegging in general) and look for the chart showing "Volumes by Beer Style". Look at English Pale Ale for example... 1.5 to 2.3 is the suggestion. Then look at the chart below that one called "Carbonation Chart". Let's choose 40 F on the left side of the chart. Follow that row until you find 2.2 (the volume I serve most of my English beer). From 2.2 go straight up to the top and it is telling you to set your regulator to 9 PSI.

Random thoughts: When transferring your beer from fermenter to keg take great pains to avoid splashing. You do not want to introduce oxygen/air into your beer. -When you seal your keg and hook up the CO2, pull the pressure relief valve on the lid a couple of times to purge the air out of the headspace. -When I first hook up the CO2 I do so with the lid not quite sealed... I wiggle the lid around as the keg is filling with gas and that upward pressure from below helps the O-ring find its best seal. -Check for leaks right after you seal the keg. I keep a spray bottle of StarSan handy and spray around the lid and around the posts ...and everywhere along the gas line from the regulator to the manifold to the keg.

Good luck!
 
Back
Top