Kegerator/keg questions

Yes, you could carb up a corny keg, and then swap it out with another. The carbonation will hold until you tap it again. Or, you could just get a dual regulator to control the pressure in 2 separate kegs. But then you'd need a dual tap if you dont' want to keep switching the beer line from one keg to the other. Start simple though. A kegged homebrew will be drinkable for a very long period of time. Depends on the style, but because it's being refrigerated the conditioning time (flavor development) will be much slower than if your beer were sitting at room temp in a keg or bottles.

I don't know of any good kegerators but I can tell you what not to get: a Vissani. I own one (my dad gave it to me for free so why not?). You will want a kegerator that gets very cold - 36F or below. The Vissani doesn't get close to that temp unless you do some modifications to the thermostat (which I did), but it's not one I'm going to keep for years to come.

Others may be able to chime in here on a good kegerator. Another option would be to build one from a chest freezer, which I hear can save a lot of money. Good luck with it all!

 

Cool, just a suggestion!

 

Google or YouTube some DIY keezer builds. It's not very difficult and you can adjust perfectly for your space.

 

My short answer, get this EdgeStar Full Size Triple Tap Kegerator with Digital Display - Black http://a.co/fZd2qXG
and get 3 Perlick flow control taps and be done with it. The diff between having 2 kegs and 3 kegs is greater than 1 keg. That's just my 2¢. I purchased that kegerator in Jan and still love it. I saved for a year or 2 and do not regret it.

Also, as long as your sanitation is sound and you store partial kegs under co2, you should be fine. Just understand that a 4% hefe will not take the warm time as good as a bigger darker beer, generally speaking.

 

I review extensively before big purchases. For me, that kegerator was maximum kegerator and assumed reliable quality for the price. I cut the sanke taps off and traded them for some Homebrew supplies at my LHBS. I'll never need anything other than Homebrew taps. Ymmv. This is the single greatest purchase I've made in this hobby. I was using picnic taps in a fridge for a long time. This upped the homebrew game for me.

 

What is your budget?
If you are looking to keep it under $500, don't bother. You really get something usable at about $700, an that is bare bones. If you want two faucets for your brew that costs more of course.

You really, really do not want to buy a budget kegerator. Take a look at UBC. Perlick and Beverage Air very good. The Bev Air BM23 is the bench mark.

This one is going to be moved over to the Home Bar forum, where we geek out about kegerators. Search in that forum, because we have posted a lot of info for buyers previously.
Cheers.

 

You may find some good deals at your local restaurant equipment supply. You won't get a new pro-grade appliance for that money, but you can get something that still has 30 years of life in it. I think like most business the restaurant supplier doesn't want to pick up junk and will only stock decent equipment. And restaurants and bars close all the time. So there is quite a bit of used stuff out there.

That and CL, though the vast majority of people selling and using kegerators are bone-heads and will be of little help or value. Still, you do find bargains sometimes. My company builds and sells these occasionally so I try to be on the look out for local equipment.

Still. UBC, Beverage Air, Perlick, True. You won't go wrong with those brands.
Others around here have favorites too.
Cheers.