keg basics

[tennesseebrewer]

I'm thinking about moving up to kegging but I have a couple of questions. #1. Do full pressurized kegs have to be stood on end, or can they be laid on there sides? #2. Will temp fluctuations from traveling with a keg (cold storage, hot car, room temp...etc) affect the beer or possibly harm the keg due to pressure fluctuations?

[Bugeater]

Pressurized kegs don't have to be kept upright for storage or transport. In fact, when cold conditioning, some folks like to keep their kegs on their sides in the fridge. Particulate matter doesn't have as far to drop that way. Even carbonation goes faster that way due to increased surface area exposed to the CO2 in that orientation.

Temperature fluctuations won't bother the beer much, if at all, during transport. Just don't let it get to extreme highs such as leaving it in the trunk all day in the hot sun. Basically the beer will be happy in temperatures in which you are happy.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

[ZZ]

You need to have the keg upright when serving because you'll never get all the beer out. The dip tube was designed to work with the keg upright.

[Bugeater]

Since you are just getting ready to get into kegging, you will need to start thinking about carbonation levels and keg balancing. Here is a good, short discussion on how to handle that and other kegging concerns.

http://www.shagg.net/brewing/?p=10

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

[J.Brew]

Nice Bug. Just picked up a few tricks to fine tune my keggerator. Always helpful brother!