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Author Topic: Best type of keg for a party somewhere else?  (Read 11677 times)

Offline richardt

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Best type of keg for a party somewhere else?
« on: July 21, 2011, 01:43:46 pm »
People are always asking me to bring some of my homebrew to a party.  And I'm happy to oblige. 
Personally, I don't want to bring bottles.
I have several 5-gallon corny kegs and a 5-pound CO2 tank.
I often use a tall upright plastic kitchen trashcan to hold the keg and 10-20 lbs of ice.
The QDs make quick work of hooking up the 5-pound CO2 tank and Cobra tap.

But, it is a lot of gear to bring.  Sometimes I bring 10 gallons, and other times, I don't necessarily want to bring all 5 gallons due to the size of the party.  Sometimes, I want to be able to carry all the gear with just one trip from the car and/or offer more than one beer type.  Keeping the keg in the trash can looks kinda redneck, especially for a great craft beer.  So, aesthetics/classiness counts, too.

Are there any simpler systems that would work?  What has your experience been with them?  Here are some that I've been looking at online:

http://morebeer.com/view_product/18311/102290/Mini_CO2_Regulator_Kit          Cost:  $134.95
http://morebeer.com/view_product/18301/102290/CO2_Injector_Ball_Lock           Cost:  $  22.95
http://morebeer.com/view_product/18291/102300/Tap-A-Draft_Homebrew_Setup  Cost:  $  69.95
http://morebeer.com/view_product/16404/102233/Draft_Box_-_Two_Faucet          Cost:  $289.95
http://www.keglove.com/product_details.php?category_id=3&item_id=55             Cost:  $  51.95

Offline Slowbrew

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Re: Best type of keg for a party somewhere else?
« Reply #1 on: July 21, 2011, 02:14:52 pm »
My solution is probably still a little "red neck" but it works really well.  I cut a corny keg sized hole in the top of am Ice Cube cooler with wheels.  All I need to carry in is the 2.5lb CO2 bottle, cobra tap and pull the cooler behind me.  It keeps the keg ice cold for days (even in temps like we've been having this week) and fits right in with any other coolers that might be sitting there.

I have seen people do the same type of thing other coolers that can hold 2 kegs.  People also use paintball CO2 bottles to make the outfits lighter.

I used to have a Party Tap and 5L kegs but they were too small for most parties and I'd have to haul in 2 or 3 anyway.

Paul
Where the heck are we going?  And what's with this hand basket?

Offline Tim McManus

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Re: Best type of keg for a party somewhere else?
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2011, 03:07:49 pm »
Here is someone who did a nice job with a portable keg setup.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/my-new-portable-keg-system-72105/

If you strap that bad bear onto a hand truck, the whole thing becomes elegantly portable.
Tim McManus
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Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Best type of keg for a party somewhere else?
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2011, 03:23:33 pm »
The tap-a-draft always seemed a little expensive to me.  For $70 you could probably get a 2.5 or 3 gallon corny on e-bay, and they're a bit more mobile than a 5 gallon.

I typically just bring growlers over to the neighbors.  But if they run out, I can dash home across the street so it's not that big of a deal.

Unless you're willing to build something like a portable cart, your best bet just might be a rolling cooler.

Ain't nothing wrong with a little redneck every now and then.

I did the trash can thing just this past weekend for our block party.  I had it on a furniture dolly with the gas in a milk crate.  Everything held together with bungee cords.  It was redneck but effective.
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Offline oscarvan

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Re: Best type of keg for a party somewhere else?
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2011, 08:58:58 pm »
Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/WSBW/WSBW_All_grain_Setup.html
I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....

Offline euge

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Re: Best type of keg for a party somewhere else?
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2011, 11:54:18 pm »
Here is someone who did a nice job with a portable keg setup.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/my-new-portable-keg-system-72105/

If you strap that bad bear onto a hand truck, the whole thing becomes elegantly portable.

This is probably the most minimal setup yet that I've seen. Perfect in my opinion. Elegant solution indeed as aforementioned.

However, I have seen pictures of kegs fitted into those cylindrical Gott coolers and a cobra tap on a hose coming out of the lid
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Offline phillamb168

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Re: Best type of keg for a party somewhere else?
« Reply #6 on: July 22, 2011, 01:31:13 am »
Here is someone who did a nice job with a portable keg setup.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/my-new-portable-keg-system-72105/

If you strap that bad bear onto a hand truck, the whole thing becomes elegantly portable.

I do exactly this, except with 9,7 litre kegs. They're pricier, but really, really useful for smaller parties. Plus you can bring two different beers for the same weight as one 20-litre corny.
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Offline euge

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Re: Best type of keg for a party somewhere else?
« Reply #7 on: July 22, 2011, 02:14:53 am »
Tom is that the 2.5 gallon keg? I got a 2.5 and a 3.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

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Offline phillamb168

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Re: Best type of keg for a party somewhere else?
« Reply #8 on: July 22, 2011, 03:05:36 am »
From Phil it's 2.5 gallons :-)
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Offline richardt

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Re: Best type of keg for a party somewhere else?
« Reply #9 on: July 22, 2011, 08:26:03 am »

Offline richardt

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Re: Best type of keg for a party somewhere else?
« Reply #10 on: July 22, 2011, 08:27:27 am »
Here is someone who did a nice job with a portable keg setup.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/my-new-portable-keg-system-72105/

If you strap that bad bear onto a hand truck, the whole thing becomes elegantly portable.

That's the way I'm leaning, but wanted to know what other potential solutions have been created so far.

Offline Slowbrew

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Re: Best type of keg for a party somewhere else?
« Reply #11 on: July 22, 2011, 09:24:26 am »
Where the heck are we going?  And what's with this hand basket?

Offline euge

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Re: Best type of keg for a party somewhere else?
« Reply #12 on: July 22, 2011, 11:48:55 am »
From Phil it's 2.5 gallons :-)

Uh sorry Phil. I was a little PUI last night. Wondered why Tom had gone metric... ;D
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline richardt

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Re: Best type of keg for a party somewhere else?
« Reply #13 on: July 22, 2011, 12:01:57 pm »

Offline Will's Swill

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Re: Best type of keg for a party somewhere else?
« Reply #14 on: July 23, 2011, 09:41:11 am »
Maybe my friends just drink faster (probably), but I just take a keg without anything to keep it cool.  It stays cold all by it's lonesome.
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