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Now that you have jumped in to home beer brewing, you have hit the point that you want to make the jump to kegging your beer. Besides the kegs themselves, what other equipment do you need to get started?First, you need a place to store your kegs. This place needs to be somewhere that you can hold your kegs and maintain the proper, constant temperature. Kegerators are a great option since these are specifically designed for beer distribution. Professional kegerators are built for use in restaurants and bars, so they are built to be tough and to last. The only drawback is that they are expensive. You can search local restaurant supply stores or craigslist and usually find some used kegerators. However, even the used kegerators will still cost a good bit of money, anywhere from a few hundred dollars up to a thousand dollars. Because of this, most home beer brewing choose to go the do it yourself route. If you already have an old fridge or freezer, then you already have the perfect makings of your very own kegerator. You will need to purchase a conversion kit because fridges and freezers aren't designed to be used as kegerators. However, they can be easily converted. If you do not have an extra fridge or freezer already, it isn't that difficult to hunt one down. You can look at home supply stores for sales or slightly damaged models, Goodwill, eBay, Craigslist or even try yard sales. Perhaps one of your friends or neighbors has one they aren't using. You can also opt to buy a new freezer at the home beer brewing supplies store. These make perfect keg boxes for home brewers and aren't too expensive brand new--you can usually find ones that are perfect for home brewing purposes for around $300 or less. The main thing you will need for the conversion is a temperature control kit. This will ensure that you maintain the proper temperature for storing your beer.You will also need to purchase a CO2 tank and regulator to carbonate your beer. The regulator helps you dispense your beer at the proper pressure and temperature, and will also let you know when you are getting low on CO2. Next, you will need hoses and connections. You need to connect your CO2 tank to the kegs and faucets. Finally, you will need to be able to dispense your beer via a tap. You can opt for a tower tap system, or you can simply attach taps to your kegerator. A cheaper option still is to use what are known as picnic taps, which are hoses attached to the kegs with a dispenser on the end. If you have ever been to a keg party, then this is what was used to dispense beer. They don't look as cool as actual taps, but they get the job done. This whole set up will set you back anywhere from a few hundred dollars upwards and even over a thousand.It really comes down to a matter of personal preference and how fancy you want your set up. Be sure to look at online home brewing supply shops as well as home brewing forums. You will find complete kegging equipment to get you up and running, and at the forums you will find many different do it yourself kegerators that can save you money and get you to kegging your home brew much faster and cheaper. For more information please visit our website: home beer brewing equipment
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