Messages

376

Kegging and Bottling / Best place to buy kegs these days

« on: October 03, 2010, 11:52:44 AM »

OK so I've got 6 ball lock kegs and I need more.  Wheres the best place to get them these days?  Anyone recommend a good source with good prices?  In the past I've got them from learntobrew.com since he's one of my LHBS but he's really jacked up the prices recently so I'm reluctant to back unless that's still the best option.  So, where now?

377

General Homebrew Discussion / Just got my GABF 2010 tickets

« on: June 22, 2010, 04:47:48 PM »

8 tickets for Thursday night. Woohoo

378

Pimp My System / Re: My kegerator - keezer

« on: May 23, 2010, 04:30:57 PM »

some vinyl print company at a certain online auction website.  i think i just searched for brushed stainless vinyl, or something like that

379

Pimp My System / Re: My kegerator - keezer

« on: May 17, 2010, 03:44:24 PM »

Its a 15 cu ft freezer, so its about 48" wide x 20" deep x 44" high.  Ballpark.

380

Pimp My System / Re: My kegerator - keezer

« on: May 17, 2010, 12:33:42 PM »

Sorry guys, I must have missed a couple of replies a while ago.

The logo was made for me by a friend who works in the graphics dept of the office.  Cost me just a few beers.  Now I have the jpegs, and I can just use PowerPoint or something similar to print labels.  I've also had 20oz pilsner glasses laser etched with the logo.  I should post a pic of those too.
You cant drill through the freezer wall because you'll hit cooling circuits.  You could drill the lid and mount a tower, but I prefered the collar.  Gives some extra height too, which you need to give yourself some working room.

The hardware was a combination of Northern Brewer, and one of my LHBS, who I wont name because they've recently jacked their prices and adjusted attitudes!  I made the tap handle myself, there's a thread in the Equipment folder about it.
http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=2147.0

Thanks for all the positive feedback!

381

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Oklahoma Legalizes Homebrewing

« on: May 11, 2010, 01:58:17 PM »

Nov 1st will have to be a brew day for me now...

382

Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Boulevard Single Wide IPA

« on: May 07, 2010, 01:41:16 PM »

If you are looking for IPA's, my favorite non-imperial IPA is from Odell's. 

+1 awesome IPA.  Their 90 shilling is great too.  Cant get it in OK though...

383

Equipment and Software / Re: Custom Tap Handles

« on: May 07, 2010, 11:21:29 AM »

Buy table legs, a strip of 2"x1/4", and the threaded inserts from your local hardware store.  Buy the cheap 2"x3" photo frames from Wal-Mart.

Chop off the bolt from the table leg and round off with a router.
Drill a hole in the base of the leg for the threaded insert.
Insert the insert.
Chamfer the edges of the 2x1/4 such that it fits into the back of the photo frame.
Cut into 3" lengths.
Screw onto table legs.
Stain a nice color.
Print 2x3 beer labels, place in frames and slide over mount on the tap handle





I can add more step by step photos of needed, but I dont have them to hand

These cost $4 for the table leg, $1 for the frame, $.50 for the inserts and the rest (2x1/4 and stain) was already in the garage.  Better than $40 a tap online.

384

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: WLP 775 Starter

« on: May 05, 2010, 08:36:23 PM »

Cant speak for WLP775, but I've always used dry Lalvin EC118 Champagne Yeast.  Takes me from ~1.080 to 0.995, yeast drops crystal clear, and its wonderfully champagne dry and crisp.  Full recipe on request.

385

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Homebrew Legalization

« on: May 05, 2010, 04:05:04 PM »

I was just getting used to being an outlaw... Seriously though, that awesome news.  Brad Henry (D) is supposed to be fairly centrist, so with a bit of luck we should be good to go.

386

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Portable Keg Equipment

« on: May 02, 2010, 05:48:49 PM »

i saw a nice thread somewhere, where you take a lowes mini regulator for CO2, and a 9oz paintball tank, add a gauge and then you're good to go.  Thing is, the reg was more expensive than a normal one, and the tanks arent any cheaper, so you might as well buy another 5lb'er and a single stage reg for the road.

387

Pimp My System / Re: I pimped my carboys

« on: May 01, 2010, 07:51:51 PM »

Very nice looking.  I used etching cream and stencils on mine, but the vinyl looks great.

388

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Serving suggestions for Keg

« on: April 30, 2010, 02:32:44 PM »

a balanced system requires a number of things:

* temperature
* pressure
* height of tap from center of keg
* line inner diameter
* line length

without knowing ALL of these things you cannot balance your system, so all these posts [sorry to single you out mainebrewer] with just a line length and psi are useless.

to keep zee happy ,

temp = 38F +/- 2F
pressure = 13psi
height = 18"
inner dia = 3/16"
length = 9'

389

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Serving suggestions for Keg

« on: April 29, 2010, 02:48:04 PM »

I've always been a little skeptical of the 2lb per foot pressure drop advertised on 3/16" tubing.  I run 9' lines, and keep my system at 13 psi and 38F.  I have nicely carbed beers and no foam issues (apart from the line beer if its been a while).

390

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Portable Keg Equipment

« on: April 29, 2010, 02:45:55 PM »

I've run a couple of kegs using picnic taps and the mini CO2 cartridges with a ball-lock connector.  It works just fine, but when the keg is full, its hard to regulate the pressure (so go easy on the charger!) and you may be rather foamy at first.  Counter this with a longer serving line.  First time I did this I had 2' lines from the keg to the tap, and a lot of foam at first.  If you have the opportunity to test it out first somewhere else, I'd recommend that.  But go for it, every one loves draft homebrew.