Make sure that you have the right type of keg coupler for the beer you're serving. You will need to make two holes in the refrigerator wall to run the lines in and out. With a keg system you can instead just transfer the beer to the keg, force carbonate and enjoy. Seal the keg and give it a good shake for a few minutes (a good seal is important or you'll get PBW everywhere) and then I hook that keg up to the fridge and I use the faucets to empty it. Step 1. The solution? With the flow control, you can easily add restriction to serve highly carbonated beers or even soft drinks. Grab a phillips head screw driver and go after the 3 screws on the back and the 4 screws under the rim of the door. This should get you to right about 2.4-2.6 volumes of CO2 depending on how well you shook the keg. To do this grab your CO2 tank and set it to around 30-40 PSI. Seriously if you wanted to use those you should have bought a different fridge. CO2 is a denser gas than O2 and will push it all out of the valve with no problem. My favorite is black cherry. If your comfortable with your method go for it, but I believe in safety first. You need to position it between the two kegs with the regulator set up so the adjustment screw is coming straight out at you and is essentially "upside down" (Seriously see the picture bellow or it'll just sound crazy. The CO2 keg tap kit … Push the tap system down on the keg valve, then twist the tap clockwise about 90 degrees. You can purge air by simply connecting the gas line, turning on the gas slowly without the lid on, let the gas run for a few seconds, and close the lid. on Step 11. By preventing oxygen exposure, beer stays fresh and carbonated. Nitro beers use a gas mix of mostly nitrogen to some parts CO2 to give the beer a richer, creamier body and head. Yeah it's pretty straight forward. But not when you don't finish the keg. With the flow control, you can easily add restriction to serve highly carbonated beers or even soft drinks. 11 years ago Line the notches up with the hole at the top of the keg. Great Instructable- for me, well I haven't got a large income, or a packed wallet, so I took an easy method. on Step 11. Take the dust cover off of your keg and connect the keg coupler. Call them on the phone and have them remove the shanks (these are tubes meant to go through the fridge door and connect a faucet too) and faucets. The 30PSI regulator gauge lets you control precise control of your serving pressure. You can refer to our compatibility guide to find which coupler is right for you. Dirty Beer Lines. Place the toggle shut off valve into the closed position (or upwards) and set it aside. There are a handful of coupler systems that go by different letter codes, covering … It starts paying for itself on the very first keg. Use the larger drill bit to make a hole the same size as your … To view all beer related keg tap products click here. BUT there's also "beer gas" which is a mix of Nitrogen and CO2, think Guinness or Boddingtons. Worst case scenario, you know why not to drill at the rear of the fridge, and you can draw a line 9 inches (give yourself some room please) from the back of the fridge and make sure your drilled holes don't cross this line. adroll_language = "en_US"; Limited Warranty and Return / Refund Policy, How To Tap a Keg Without Ruining the Beer. Mel Brooks, 94, makes first political endorsement In my setup I use a full refrigerator, three kegs on the inside and the CO2 tank and regulator on the outside. Filling the Keg. Tapping the keg properly will activate both the beer and the … Let the keg rest. Cold CO2 will run out of pressure before you have fully run out of the gas. And it's MUCH easier to force carb beer (or any liquid) when it's cold. Hook the tank up to the keg's gas in post and open up the valve. Our hole is going to go through the plastic lid, our support board, the metal top of the fridge, the foam insulation, and the plastic interior.So total what you need:Sanyo 4912 M Mini-fridge (the 491x line all should work)4x 10-24 2.5" Machine screws.4x 10-24 acorn nuts.4x washers that are as wide as possible. Step 2. If your keg could have opinions (it cannot), I would venture a guess that it does not care how leak free it was the LAST time you used it. Although carbon dioxide is a natural by-product of fermentation, the cylinder allows for constant and even pressure to be applied to the keg while it's tapped. Get the Right Tap. That means, if you don’t finish your keg right away, you can just tap it again later. Simply tap the keg, adjust the regulator to the desired pouring pressure and you’re ready to go! These introduce oxygen into your keg, which greatly speeds up the process of beer going bad. You'll notice a few open slits at the top of the keg and a ball bearing in the middle. Pull out on the coupler handle and push down; release the handle and it will lock into place. If you just screw the stripping back in the door wont seal properly, so what we did this time was use a dremel to cut out the part of the plastic insert that goes under the stripping to support it into the right shape, make sure to get it all in one piece if you can. The majority of Domestic beer kegs sold in the US use the … It's actually a very easy fix. Using a picnic pump, party pump or keg tap is a completely different situation. 6. July 24, 2015 at 8:12 pm. I see. on Introduction. The cooler temp allows for better gas absorption into the beer, meaning a smoother carbonation process and less foam. Rotate the tap clockwise, threading the tap into the keg. The QuikTap greatly simplifies everything so you can spend more time enjoying the party and your beer with friends. Now hook up your 2.5 inch hole saw and set it into position and cut through the plastic lid, pull the circle you just cut out off the top, and do the same for the wooden board underneath. Allow Gas to Flow to Coupler. You still may be able to enjoy the contents of your keg rather than just sitting around looking at it and drooling. Imports will use the European ‘S’ system or a number of other less-common systems. You want to make sure that the regulator is pressurized before tapping the keg to prevent your beer from flowing back into the air lines when you tap it. Pressurised CO2 in the keg's headspace maintains carbonation in the beer. If there has been excessive agitation during transportation, allow the keg to settle for 1 to 2 hours before tapping. so you can put the taps along the back of the fridge to make it look nicer. I tend to crank the pressure up to around 60 PSI and shake it until I hear the regulator (mostly) stop hissing. I'd would also like to see photos. Turns out that the only problem is the bottom shelf on the door. a Beer tap line to serve your beer. Make sure the keg coupler is locked in the downward position. Before you tap Identify the type of tap. A lot of the time I hear about people's threaded connectors leaking. Using CO2, we would traditionally target about 10-12 psi on our regulator to achieve the 2.2-2.8 volumes typical for our beers. Most of these online suppliers are regular stores that just have a nice website to go with it. I've found that you don't have to kill yourself shaking.Carbonating soda has an advantage over carbonating beer in that over-carbonation is less of a problem. If you haven't tried brewing your own beer I strongly recommend you give it a shot.Recently we decided that we were tired of bottle conditioning our beer ( a 1 to 2 week process that gets you carbonated beer) it's long and boring and we were sick of it. A keg coupler, also known as a keg tap, is a vital piece to your draft beer system. Every time. Regardless of the type of tap, most need to be removed for cleaning or to replace the keg. With the gas line disconnected roll and shake the entire keg for at least 45 seconds to dissolve the gas into the beer. Use a bicycle pump with a needle used for blowing up sports ball to replace the CO2. A: You tap a keg by using a keg coupler. I just bought the DAR440BL and I noticed two things.. 1. there is a light on the top of the fridge.. wouldn't drilling a whole mess this up?2. It's a great hobby that results in a product you can share with friends and family. Store both kegs in the fridge and be able to remove the smaller keg whenever you like to take with you to a BBQ or just into the house from the man cave. Reply The Draft Brewer Flex 5-gallon keg system features two Ball Lock kegs, double body CO2 regulator, two beer and two gas lines. Of course air doesn't foul soda like it fouls beer so my method might not be sufficient. … Then use a 3/16th inch drill bit to make yourself a whole right down the center of the top. What You Need: • The keg of beer • A tap system (make sure you have the right one, different kegs may require different taps, so double check here) • Ice. adroll_pix_id = "NFPQ7MCRJZE5HFTRQ5SSQU"; Simply pull out the bottom shelf that runs the length of the fridge and the door will close just fine.Alternatively you can turn the shelf sideways so that it's flush with the black plastic of the door and it'll fit just fine. Therefore, CO2 taps or CO2-Nitrogen systems are the much-preferred methods as far as tapping is concerned. Remove the cap from the top of the keg. The 30PSI regulator gauge lets you control precise control of your serving pressure. This should be an 8" by 11" area. Although carbon dioxide is a natural by-product of fermentation, the cylinder allows for constant and even pressure to be applied to the keg while it's tapped. The 2 keg fridge conversion kits come out a lot cheaper than buying everything in parts. Most hole saws have a center bit to them, and we can use this whole as an initial gide for that bit to make sure we're centered properly. Give the beer at least 30 main to settle down before dispensing your first glass.To clean the kegerator there's several specialty cleaners you can use, I prefer just using PBW (which you can get from most brew supply shops and websites) making about 2 gallons of it and putting it into a keg. Lots of stuff you can do to customize it. 8 years ago So there you have it – an all-in-one portable keg tap that is extremely convenient, simple to use and easy to clean up. 12. With your keg pressurised, you can now test it for leaks. on Introduction. NOTE: You will hear the keg pressurizing. This came into use to emulate the … Store the larger keg at room temp (cooler the better though) and fill the smaller keg as needed to chill and carbonate. The 30PSI regulator gauge lets you control precise control of your serving pressure. These Kegco Co2 Taps come in both single and double faucet models and are easy to install and use. This is the step that makes kegging simplicity itself — just siphon your beer from your fermenter into the keg. You just need to get it sloshing around and you'll hear your regulator hissing away. For ultimate control, the QuikTap-SS comes with a Perlick 650ss flow control faucet. You can remove it by pulling the plastic stripping aside and unscrewing it from the frame. The final alteration is that you'll have to remove the plastic insert of the doorway that holds pop cans, it's to big and will prevent the door from closing properly. Add holes in the refrigerator, if needed. Although you make a very good point that it's imperative to avoid liquid making it back to the regulator. For most ales (including pale ales, IPAs, ambers, etc.) Either have someone hold the lid in place, or screw it back in to make sure it doesn't move. A keg pump introduces oxygen into the keg, which causes a bacteria reaction that will make the beer go bad in 8-12 hours. If for some reason you haven't already done it and have a set of 2 batches waiting, go brew two batches of beer. An easy to do and easy to fix problem is a poorly seated keg lid. You make good points. a CO2-In line to get co2 into the PET bottle. To view all beer related keg tap products click, on How To Tap a Keg Without Ruining the Beer, Converting The 12oz Refillable CO2 Regulator To Accept 74g CO2 Single Use Gas Cylinders, Let’s Party: The Ultimate Guide to Hosting a Superbowl Party. GOP-led Senate panel advances judge despite Dem boycott. Nicely put together. Would it help to lay down a layer of masking tape on the top of fridge and drill through that? To help ensure a perfect pour the Keg Smith’s 8 … Rotate on/off valve hand 1/4 turn clockwise to open beer and CO2 ports in keg. Step 3. on Introduction. Beverage Factory carries a huge selection of Co2 Party Keg Dispensing Systems from Economy to Ultimate. This amounts to shoving the line onto the barb and crimping it in place. dennis says. When we press on the tap of a keg at a party, or when we order up a pint at the bar, we take it for granted that beer will flow forth with just the right proportions of foam, carbonation, coolness and flavor. The adjustment screw will fit just fine resting on top of one of the kegs. I also just bought a DAR440BL. Tap Keg. A kegerator works by applying carbon dioxide pressure on the keg in order to push the beer upward and out of it. Didn't know that it would be this straight forward. Turn the keg coupler handle 1/4 turn clockwise; the coupler is now secured to keg. You're about to “screw” the tap into place. I know a guy that left the plastic lid off of his setup and made a nice stained wood one with room for his drip try. I had to tape it into position first to make sure it wouldn't drop out of position while I was flipping the plastic lid over again and putting it back into place on the fridge. I see on my door that you can pull back the stripping to unscrew the soda bottle insert thing.. but not sure if I understand what you mean by using a dremal to cut away the sides for support.If you are ever in LA you are welcome to unlimited taps from my keg brotha!! Great instructable. You'll see a section of the fridge will dry fast than the rest, and amazingly it should be a single line running parallel to the back of the fridge about 8 inches away from the edge. Step 1: Attach one end of the air line to the CO2 regulator and the opposite end to the keg coupler. You can get these from multiple online suppliers. Keg Tapping. If this is all in order, it is time to check the condition of your beer line and fittings. Step 1: Ice Your Brew. Occasionally the CO2 gas is … I was curious once i tap a keg with CO2 can i keep the co2 off but leave my tap connected ? First start by disconnecting the CO2 from the keg coupler. Midwest Supplies did this for us and I've heard of other places doing this sort of thing for other people as well. Go relax and have a home brew! One important piece of research before you plan to tap a keg: identify the type of coupler system of your keg, and acquire the correct tap/coupler/pump type. Do yourself a favor and don't order off their website. 12 years ago With such a short draw, it wastes almost nothing and takes only a few minutes to clean up with the QuikTap Cleaning Kit (for sanke D type kegs). This way everything will fit in there just fine. Tapping the keg properly will activate both the beer and the CO2 pressure line. One important piece of research before you plan to tap a keg: identify the type of coupler system of your keg, and acquire the correct tap/coupler/pump type. Most domestic beers use a D-system keg coupler but you may need something else if you're tapping an import or home-brewed beer. Grab your iced down tap and ensure it is not “engaged.” The lever should be in the up, unlocked position. Poorly seated keg lids. You'll hear the gas moving into the keg easily, when it stops close the valve, and pull the pressure release valve on the top of the keg. For other flavors I go to http://prairiemoon.biz/homemadesoda.html for flavor concentrates. KEG IT! There's tons of information out there as to how to modify various mini-fridges. Grab your iced down tap and ensure it is not “engaged.” The lever should be in the up, unlocked position. This will allow gas to enter the keg and beer to flow out of the keg. Imports will use the European ‘S’ system or a number of other less-common systems. One is fast and a big cheat (That I highly support). The reason we're going to be going right down the center of the top is because there's a cooling line running from one side of the right to left sides of the fridge along the top. a Beer tap line to serve your beer. You're method is surely more exact than mine.If you like Cream Soda then you can make easy and ridiculously cheap soda. 2 Remove the … How you tap a keg greatly affects how long the beer will stay fresh within the keg. That's right, we're cutting the lines. You can now set the CO2 tank to the correct PSI (as from the slow method) and hook everything up and in your fridge. All beer has CO2 in it, whether or not its added artificially, even nitro pours. Then, soak the faucet parts and keg coupler in a solution of beer line cleaner and warm water. Search for 'soda fountain' instructables, and theres a basic system you can make using an electric two way pump. The CO2 pressure varies depending on the amount of CO2 already in the beer and the keg storage temperature. Plus it's great bragging rights when someone comes over and is enjoying a glass and wants to know where you bought it. Additionally, a cooler temperature reduces the foaming of the beer in forced CO2. We're removing the sections to the front and rear in order to use a longer board so that when we pull or push on the tap handles there's more working against the leverage. Whether you’re tapping a keg as a vendor at a beer festival, restaurant or bar, or just setting up for a backyard BBQ, QuikTap is clearly the best way to tap a keg and not ruin the beer. Then leave it setting in the fridge overnight before shaking for a fast carbonation? Which while nice wont even fit into this fridge. it inspired me to do this.. The reason I stress disconnecting the gas lines so much when force carbonating is because the line can catch on something (like your hand or your foot) and possibly injure you. Rotate the tap clockwise, threading the tap into the keg. You will need to purchase the correct coupler to match the brand of beer keg you have. You'll notice a few open slits at the top of the keg and a ball bearing in the middle. I simply rest the keg horizontally on my knee and roll it back and forth not more than maybe five inches. Party kegs usually use a portable keg tap with a hand pump to push air into the keg. With this keg system we've expressly NOT done this. You put the cartridge into the sleeve in the opening. I took a photo of this, but it didn't come out very well. You'll also have to be really careful when using the hole saw on the top of the fridge or it'll scratch up the top. Share it with us! We used the same mini fridge to make a "kegerator" under my one friends' bar. You end up with 2 types of beer, more volume of beer, and it tastes better too.The downside? Do you make your own soda from a kit? This isolates any "vibrations" in the lines from shaking from getting to the regulator and tank because the line goes through the fridge wall. So be sure to follow all instructions for what your using and talk to your home brew supply shop about what should work for you. Reply Give them a call on the phone. It starts paying for itself on the very first keg. Should you do the 40psi - oxygen purge first thing? If you finish the cut and don't see anything that looks like a pipe split or cracked in the foam, then your set and the fridge will still work when we put it all together. 6 to 10 inches of the smaller tubing; Cut one end of the 2 and 3 above at a sharp angle to help you get it through the holes in the cap. Ensure the lever on the pump is pulled up, then seat the pump into the opening on the keg valve. Poorly seated keg lids. For lagers, a regulator set between 10 and 14 psi works best. Compare that to the cost of most 6 packs and realize that what your making with home brew is typically higher quality, and is going to taste better than most store bought beer and it's a clear win.