Kegging

[tshank]

I have two C-kegs and would like to start using them but do not have a C02 bottle or regulator yet. (I do have a ball lock hose with cobra type tap and a ball lock gas hose assembly.) I was wondering if those Keg Charger devices that use the small 12 gram C02 cartridges will be sufficient to use my kegs until I get all of the rest of the equipment I need. Also What is the best procedure for priming and then racking beer into a C-keg? Thanks for everyone's help! This forum is great. Tom

[danno]

Tom, welcome. I have a couple of those little co2 chargers, and while they're nice for dispensing on the road, it's not very efficient for carbonating. it usually takes 2-3 of the cartridges to dispense 5 gal, so figure (for 2 vol of carbonation) at least twice that many if you were trying to force carb. since a dozen of the cartridges runs ~$10, it'll get expensive in a hurry...

if you're not sure where to shop for tanks and regulators, look in the yellow pages for fire extinguisher companies, and also carbonic gases. you most likely want to buy your tank locally, since they can't be shipped full...

rack into a corny the same way you rack into a secondary. I use co2 to push, but there's no reason you couldn't also siphon.

for priming, use half the DME or sugar that you'd use for bottles...

Northern Brewer (http://www.northernbrewer.com/docs/html/corny-keg.html) has a pretty nice documantation of the entire kegging process, it's worth a read...

[tshank]

Danno, Thanks for the quick reply, I won't be force carbonating my beer until I get a C02 setup, just wanted to know if the small chargers would be o.k. for dispensing beer in the mean time. Also thanks for the link to NB's kegging instructions, I had run across it a while back and couldn't remember were I read it. Thanks, Tom

[YamahaXS]

i got to get me one of those pistol CO2 chargers...

are the all the same?

[toneyc]

I think that the ones you get from the homebrew store have a different thread than the ones you can get from the bicycle store, but other than that, yes, they're all the same.

:)
Toney.

[Fast_Eddy]

I love the little charger dealies...also useful to just leave one on the CO2 connect if you have a leaking poppet.

[danno]

if you've been an exceptionally good boy this year, maybe Santa will bring you one of the morebeer mini chargers with a built in regulator (http://www.morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=18311)... that'd be nice...

[Fast_Eddy]

Originally posted by danno
if you've been an exceptionally good boy this year, maybe Santa will bring you one of the morebeer mini chargers with a built in regulator (http://www.morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=18311)... that'd be nice...

Man that is swank!