First time Kegger, but low on budget...

[FrankieBoy007]

I picked up a couple of kegs at an estate sale recently, $10 for the pair, and they are in excellent condition! I have 2 batches of brew fermenting as we speak, a lager and an ale (which should be ready before the lager). My question is this:

Can I naturally carbonate in the keg for 2-3 weeks, pick up a pin lock connector along with a picnic tap and get the same results?

Also, using the same pin lock and picnic tap setup, would I be able to sanitze the pick up tube inside the keg and drain through the picnic tap without Co2?

Just a temporary situation until I can pick up a Co2 tank and regulator.....

[akueck]

I've never kegged, but....

When priming in the keg, use less sugar. I think you only need 1/3 the amount you'd add if you were bottling. There's less headspace in the keg so you don't need to generate as much pressure.

[slothrob]

Also, I've heard of people using kegs without CO2, by tilting them on their side and allowing them to gravity feed after carbonating with sugar. This can be used to deliver cask conditioned beer, but the beer will quickly spoil (a few days or so) due to the oxygen that will be drawn in to replace the removed beer.

You won't be able to deliver beer with the keg vertical without a pressure source, CO2 being your best option. You can get these handheld CO2 chargers that will add CO2 for around $20, if you don't want to get a tank, yet. You'll need an appropriate pin-lock connector, as well.

[brewer13210]

Frankieboy,

The only problem is that you'll need a dose of CO2 to pressurize the keg, seat the gaskets and seal the keg. You can still let the beer naturally carbonate with priming sugar, but that alone won't seal the keg properly.

Todd

[FrankieBoy007]

Looks like I am in business! A friend of ours brought by a couple of used oxygen tanks, and the oxygen supply place said I could just bring them in and exchange them for co2 tanks, so I just need to get the connectors and line..Thanks for all the advice!