Kegging suggestions?

Donoroto · Mar 23, 2024

GDubs said:
Small plastic piece on the regulator???? Nobody told me anything. What am I missing?

A kinda-hard gasket. Plastic.

Ok, so I think we have carbonating covered?

Pressure transfers need only a few PSI, under 5 for sure. Gravity with a CO2 feed is almost as good, the goal being no oxygen.

The first pour might be more cloudy, but if so, the second will be too, but a little less. And the fifth. That suggested 1/2" is enough so the first will be visibly cleaner. But perfect clarity, sadly no. And the 6 oz left in the keg is mostly trub anyway.

Huh. What else? Dispensing pressure? I pull the relief valve until it almost stops hissing, dispense a pitcher, then repressurize. Most of my beers are at 12-ish psi. Alternatives include longer beer lines, or flow-control taps. One day I'll get to that.

Keg lube. The gaskets benefit from a little goop on them, helps them seal better. I use vaseline, works fine and is cheap. Not required though.

Am I missing something? I think we got it all...

Craigerrr · Mar 23, 2024

Donoroto said:
Store your kegs clean, purged and pressurized with a half gallon starsan. A good shake will coat the insides. Put a label or tag on them to show their status and to remind you to drain the starsan. Use a picnic tap to empty out the starsan

I use a a spare keg to store starsan.

After cleaning a keg I fill it to the brim with starsan, then push all of it back into the storage keg. This leaves the keg cleaned, sanitized, and purged with co2, ready to receive beer!

Donoroto · Mar 24, 2024

Craigerrr said:
I use a a spare keg to store starsan.

After cleaning a keg I fill it to the brim with starsan, then push all of it back into the storage keg. This leaves the keg cleaned, sanitized, and purged with co2, ready to receive beer!

That is perfectly fine as well. I just find it easier to handle a less-full keg. My brewing equipment is spatially diverse (it's all over the place...)