Five things must be done to maintain the quality of
the keg refrigerators.
1. The first is to prevent
oxygen from entering the keg .
If
your keg is going to last more than two days
you must use CO2 to pressurize the keg. Hand pumps
are
not OK for anything other than one night long parties.
We have tried ....and it doesn't work.
2. Second, the beer must be consumed in a
reasonable amount of time.
Draft beer is generally only good for 45 days after
it is filled. Don't buy a keg to save money if you
cannot consume it in a reasonable amount of time,
you will be doing yourself a favor to only buy as
much beer as you can consume in a week, two at the
most. 1/4 bbls and 1/6 bbls can be a good solution
to this. Actually KegBooty.com recommends buying smaller
quantity for the time between the parties that you
need less than a full keg in a week.
3. Third, the beer must be kept cold.
The
45 day expiration date usually assumes the beer will
be kept below 40 deg F. Higher temperatures greatly
accelerate spoilage. The entire system must be kept
cold, from the keg to the faucet. A
good rule is to treat beer the same way you would
treat milk.
4. Fourth, the system should be cleaned after
every keg or every two weeks, which ever is longer.
Line cleaning kits for home systems are available
and usually
cost under $50 - $80.
5, Fifth, you must keep the glassware in very
good condition. (For the true beer connoisseur)
If you do not use cleaner designed for bar glasses
then beer glasses should be cleaned especially
well and rinsed very well. Always allow them to air
dry, do not towel dry. If
(god forbid) you freeze your glasses, don't put them
in the freezer 'til they're dry.
If you
are interested in a kegerator
conversion kit please click here.
