Yo Xerobull, how did the kegerator turn out? I'm in the market to buy one but needing someone to fill me on the info about buying one. I was looking at buying this one. http://www.beveragefactory.com/HBF05EBSS-2___15773.shtml
Worked out great. If you love beer, kegs are the way to go. Cheaper, less preservatives, not pasteurized, and best of all, on hand all the time. That's a nice setup. Keep in mind that you're going to have to fill the Co2 canister up (find a paintball place) and you're going to need to buy your first keg so you can have a shell to trade in...I paid $35 extra for my first one at a liquor store. The Co2 should last a long, long time. Getting your pressure just right is the real art. 10-12 psi is perfect to get a decent 1 inch head on your beer. You're also going to need to get a line cleaning kit after a few kegs. There's also a neat little keg thermometer that you stick to the side of the keg with hot water when it's new. It gives you the temp and the liquid level on a constant basis.
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I made my own for homebrew. A few important notes about the CO2: Mount it outside the fridge if possible, and drill out an opening for the hose. Use a one-size-to-small drill bit and place the hose in the freezer for an hour or so so it shrinks a bit. When it expands back it'll form a tight seal. I mounted the canister to the side of the fridge using some galvanized roofing plates. The inside has neoprene washers to seal the cold in. The reason this is important is... 1) The regulator can and will rust if you leave it in the fridge. 2) The CO2 canister can tip over in the fridge and liquid CO2 will seep down the line, and then expand like hell in the beer. This is known as "foaming the **** out of your beer." It sucks. 3) Generally speaking, a keg takes a lot of room in the fridge. Adding a CO2 canister in there can be a tight fit.
What is the advantage of the draft? I just checked and a beer I usually drink is only about 24 dollars cheaper by buying the keg from Specs. I am pretty sure that will be destroyed by energy to keep the keg cool and CO2 used not to mention initial cost of equipment and loss of beer while pouring. I could see a huge advantage for home brew guys.
Convenience, taste (less preservatives, not pasteurized), I couldn't go back to cans/bottles- all I could taste was chemicals. Also the hangover factor is less, and the cool factor with other alcoholics is through the roof. The Co2 cost is minimal. I'm surprised that you're only saving $24 on 165 beers. Maybe the kegs are overpriced at Specs?
You have no idea. Bottling is an epic pain in the rear. (Although I still do it every 3 months or so for other beverages)
