To Keg or Not to Keg?

So, you've gotten the hang of this brewing thing and you're thinking the hobby might stick. You're brewing good stuff, you're getting good feedback, and even saving money over buying craft beer. The only thing that you just can't stand is bottling. I have never met a homebrewer who enjoyed bottling day. Most see it as a necessary evil at best. Is there any hope of deliverance from the torturous tedium of bottling day?

The answer is YES! If you've picked up the hobby and enjoy beer, chances are you've at some point fantasized about having your own beer on tap any time you want. Salvation from bottle-covered counter tops and beer covered floors lies within that very fantasy. This shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Intuitively it is far easier to put 5 gallons of beer into one keg than 50 12-ounce bottles.

So you may be wondering why there is any question of whether or not you should switch to kegging. Well, before you go and throw out your stash of empty, label-free bottles, we'll go through some of the pros and cons.

PROS

Easy cleaning: No more scrubbing of 50 individual bottles or sanitizing caps.

Easy transfer: One vessel to sanitize, fill, and seal.

Beer on draft: I mean, come on, who doesn't like a fresh pint poured straight from the tap? You'll be the envy of all your friends, and find it much easier to convince them to hang out at your place.

Force carbonation: No more priming solution, or waiting a fortnight for the beer to bottle condition. While there is a bit of an art to this process, it is possible to cut the carbonation time down to days instead of weeks. Plus you never have to worry about putting too much priming solution in and making bottle bombs.

No yeast cake: You understand that there's nothing wrong with a little bit of sediment at the bottom of your bottles, but convincing your friends isn't quite as straightforward. Whether you pour it straight from tap to glass or bottle from the keg, you no longer have to explain to friends that they should leave a quarter inch of beer in the bottle to avoid getting that sediment.


CONS

Cost: Probably the biggest con of kegging vs. bottling. Bottles are basically free, and the cost of caps and everything else to execute a bottling day is very minor. For a lot of people, the upfront cost of a keg system can be prohibitive. At minimum, you need a keg, CO2 tank, regulator, lines, faucet, and a way to keep it cold. I'm not sure that there's a ceiling to how much you could put into a draft beer system.

Loss of portability: This has never really stopped Hacksaw or me, but I thought I'd throw it in for the sake of completeness. When you have 50 bottles just sitting in the basement, it is easier to just grab a six pack when you head to a party. With the keg, there has to be a bit more foresight, either to fill some bottles or growlers, or actually mobilize the keg.

So there you have it. Really, the biggest downside is the upfront cost. If you are going bare bones and trying to score an old minifridge, put one keg with a picnic tap in it, and call it a day, you're still probably looking at a couple hundred bucks. That being said, having made that transition myself, it is so worth it. Whether you buy a commercial kegerator, or convert a craigslist buy yourself, it is wonderful to have fresh draft beer on demand.

There are hundreds of ways you can set up your kegging system. If you've got the budget, the only limit to how many kegs to get is how much space you have and how much time you have to brew. For starting out, getting a system as a whole, like this one, with as many kegs as you need is a good way to go. This ensures you get the right connections, lines, regulators, etc.

The 5 gallon Cornelius kegs, especially the ball locks, have gotten a bit more expensive since I built my kegerator, but I have nothing but good things to say about the used soda kegs, and even have some upgrades planned to add a few in the near future. Another quick note. If you do get old soda kegs, don't worry if they're a little beat up, or even have some syrup still inside. A good cleaning and a couple of batches of beer will take the smell of Cherry Coke away in no time!

At the end of the day, a kegging system is a fantastic investment for the regular brewer. We will post something with more emphasis on a kegerator/keezer build in the future, but for now if I've sold you on the idea, check out sites like homebrewtalk for ideas and help with your particular build or buy.

Cheers!
Jacob