Kegerators

I know someone who has one, but all of the local breweries are down since the hurricane. I will ask how useful it is normally.

I would think, however, that if you are going to have a keg around all the time it would be worth your while but otherwise no.

 

My friends have one, but it's not one you would buy from a store.

it kind of looks like crap, in fact I think they made it themselves. Got a nice tap on the door though. (like a bars)

 

You could buy a "Craigerator"

http://www.craigerator.com/home.htm

 

A buddy of mine has one in his garage, along with a pool table. They're great. It only takes a few minutes to hook up the keg and then PRESTO. Endless beer.

 

My girlfriend's uncle has one and he always hosts the 4th of July, Memorial Day, etc. parties. It's great. I have even thought about getting one.

 

Always wanted one......for Guiness. Samsclub.com has one for $444 from Haier that looks pretty sweet.

 

You can't keep beer in a keg very long though right? I mean, won't it go flat? Or have we just been using crappy taps?

 

I bought one for my father's 60th birthday a couple of years ago. It's for 5 gallon kegs of home-brew though. It's much better than store-bought beer. It's like candy, the best beer you will ever have in your life. It's incredible. Make me stop.

 

Kind of. You have to keep it pressurized.

 

i've had several kegerators over the years (store-bought and "homemade.") if you drink beer, it's worth it. the beer doesn't go "flat" because you're keeping it pressurized with co2. keg beer goes flat at parties because you're keeping it pressurized with "atmospheric" air through the hand-pump. the beer slowly oxygenates when exposed to oxygen.
get one. or, make one.

 

I got one from a friend, he bought it at best buy. Its amazing. Good luck finding a place to refill ur C02 canister though. Academy wouldnt do it. You have to find some crazy welding place...

 

My dad has one in his game room with a pool table. I think he bought it at Home Depot a couple years ago. It's awesome, I'm gonna get one someday when I have a room like that.

His holds a pony keg, not full size.

 

If you're in Houston, you can go here for refills:

Defalco's Home Wine & Beer Supplies
8715 Stella Link Rd, Houston, 77025

http://www.defalcos.com

 

Me and some of my buddies went in on one together during my senior year at U.T. We went up to Cosco and were able to get the whole set-up for about $500, the whole thing was pretty easy to set up - all we had to do was supply the CO2 & filled beer keg. If you're aware of a homebrew supply store nearby, you can get them to fill the CO2 canister. Also, we went through a place that refilled fire extinguishers (don't know where you would find one though) to get it filled up a few times, too.

Of course after spending $500+ on the kegerator, $20 for the CO2 (per fill), and the $60+ on the beer keg, the costs can really add up, but over the long haul, it is cheaper than getting five dollar draft beers at a bar or pub.

The beer kept really well, as I remember (The longest we ever had one keg in there was about a month). If you like drinking a nice cold one on a fairly regular basis, without having to shell out bucks for one at a bar, there couldn't be any better way to do it. Although since we all graduated, the idea seems really silly and there is no way I'd keep one around these days. You do have to clean the pipes and dispenser from time to time, as well, but usually they'll include a cleaning kit with the kegerator when you purchase it.

Anyway, it was really fun while it lasted and at least now I can say that I did at one time have draft beer at my disposal anytime I wanted. Hope everything works out well for you.

-Turbo