Brewing equipment on a bench

Brew log

Moving to a keg system

A keg is one vessel, one gas cylinder and a new cleaning list. It is not a personality upgrade.

Bottles teach you priming. Kegs teach you gas. The move is worth it when you are tired of capping and you already trust your gravity readings.

You need a keg, disconnects that match its posts, food-grade line, a regulator you can read, a secured CO₂ cylinder, and a fridge that fits. You also need the patience to clean posts and o-rings.

Transfer cold, finished beer. Purge if you can. Set a pressure and wait rather than shaking the keg like a fizzy-drink dare. The long version is the kegging guide.

CO₂ is not a toy. Ventilate. Secure the bottle. Depressurise before you open a lid.

The beer that comes off the tap is still alcohol. The NHMRC 2020 guidelines travel with you from the bottling bucket to the picnic tap.

Questions people actually ask

Do I still need to finish fermentation before I keg?

Yes. A keg is a package, not a hiding place for an unfinished ferment.

Full kegging guide

Posts, gas and safety are spelled out at /kegging/.

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