Kegs + Accessories

Introduction to Kegging Your Home Brew

Kegging your homebrew is a transformative experience that shifts your brewing from good to great. This method offers numerous advantages over traditional bottling, from convenience to improved flavor stability. Whether you're new to brewing or looking to refine your kegging process, understanding the types of kegs and their benefits is essential.

Keg Beer: The Basics and Benefits

Keg beer is not just for commercial breweries. Homebrewers can reap the same benefits of kegging that large-scale operations do. Using kegs, especially Corny kegs, allows you to carbonate your beer uniformly and serve it more efficiently without the risk of oxidation and contamination that can occur with bottling.

Corny kegs, originally used by the soft drink industry, have become a popular choice for homebrewers. They are easy to clean, easy to fill, and even easier to maintain. They come in various sizes, but the most common size holds about 5 gallons, perfect for the average homebrew batch.

Keg Home Brew: Setting Up Your System 

Setting up your keg system for homebrew involves several key components. The keg itself, a CO2 tank, a regulator, and appropriate tubing are the foundational elements. Assembling these parts into a coherent system ensures your beer is dispensed at the perfect pressure and temperature.

The process begins with choosing the right keg. For many, the Corny keg is ideal due to its manageable size and user-friendly features. Next, connecting a CO2 tank with a regulator to your keg allows you to control the carbonation level precisely, giving you the power to tailor the mouthfeel and fizz of your beer to your preference.

Kegging Home Brew: Efficiency and Quality 

One of the main reasons brewers switch to kegging is efficiency. You can carbonate a whole batch of beer in the same time it would take to bottle just a fraction of it. Moreover, kegging reduces the risk of introducing oxygen during transfer, which can spoil the beer's flavor and shorten its shelf life.

In terms of quality, kegged beer often tastes fresher and maintains its intended flavor profile longer than bottled beer. This freshness is particularly noticeable in highly hopped beers or styles that are sensitive to oxygen exposure, like IPAs or light lagers.

Choosing the Right Corny Kegs 

When it comes to selecting Corny kegs for your home brewery, consider the space you have available and how much beer you typically brew at one time. Corny kegs come in different sizes, with the five-gallon / 19 L. variety being the most popular among homebrewers. They are also available in smaller sizes, 2,5 gallon / 9 L. which are perfect for experimental batches or smaller brews.

Advanced Kegging Techniques for Home Brewers 

For those looking to elevate their keg beer game, advanced techniques such as pressure transfers and closed-system carbonation can further improve the quality and consistency of your keg home brew. Pressure transfers minimize the exposure of your beer to oxygen by transferring your beer from the fermenter to the Corny keg using CO2 pressure. This technique is especially beneficial for preserving the aromatic qualities of hop-forward beers.

Closed-system carbonation involves adding precise amounts of CO2 directly to the sealed Corny keg over several days. This method allows for better control over carbonation levels and results in a more evenly carbonated keg beer. Implementing these advanced techniques can make a noticeable difference in the stability and professional quality of your keg home brew.

Maintaining Your Kegging Home Brew Equipment

Proper maintenance of your kegging home brew equipment is essential to ensure that it performs well and lasts for many brewing sessions. Regular cleaning and sanitizing of your kegs, lines, and connectors are crucial. You should disassemble your Corny kegs periodically to clean the valves and replace the rubber seals to prevent leaks and contamination.

It’s also important to check the CO2 tanks and regulators for any signs of wear or damage. Ensuring that all fittings are tight and the lines are free of obstructions will help maintain the correct pressure and prevent any gas leaks.

Keg Accessories That Enhance Brewing 

To further enhance your kegging home brew setup, consider investing in additional accessories such as keg insulators, tap handles, and drip trays. Keg insulators help maintain the optimal temperature of your keg beer, especially useful if you're serving outdoors or in warmer conditions. Custom tap handles can be a fun way to personalize your home bar or brewing setup, while drip trays keep your serving area clean and professional-looking.

Digital keg monitors are another valuable tool for serious homebrewers. These devices can track the volume of beer left in your keg and monitor the temperature, helping you manage your beer inventory more effectively.

Exploring Mini Keg Options 

For those with limited space or who prefer smaller batches, mini kegs like the Oxebar are an excellent choice. These kegs offer the same benefits as their larger counterparts but are more compact and portable. Mini kegs are perfect for small batch brewers or for taking your brew on the go to parties and social gatherings.

Kegging: A Path to Better Homebrew 

Embracing kegging home brew as part of your home brewing process not only saves time but also elevates the quality of your beer. With the right equipment, maintenance, and techniques, kegging can transform your homebrewing experience, making it more enjoyable and yielding better results with each batch.