This mini keg with ball lock system uses the same ball locks that a standard homebrew keg does.
The best part about this is you can reuse mini kegs you bought at the store or new ones. Also, they are very compact at 5L (1.3 Gallons) so they don’t take up a lot of space.
For this to work you are going to need a few things. Most items you can get online or at a local hardware store. Below I will try my best to link to everything.
A mini keg with ball lock tap system will use components of a standard keg but some creativity was required to only use one hole for the gas in and liquid out.
For this to work I used a threaded tee pipe and with that piece I was able to build around it to complete the system. Without it nothing works.
Equipment needed for mini keg system:
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- Mini Keg (Paid Link)
- Ball Lock Disconnects (Paid Link)
- 1/4 inch Threaded Tee (Paid Link)
- 1/4 inch Nipple (Paid Link)
- Keg Regulator (Paid Link)
- Rubber Bung (Paid Link)
- Vinyl Tubing (used for dip tube) (Paid Link)
- Gas and Liquid Line (This link comes with Ball Locks) (Paid Link)
- Party Tap (Paid Link)
- Co2 Tank (Paid Link)
- Plumbers Tape (Paid Link)
Once you have all of the pieces now you need to put them together. Here is how to assemble the Mini keg with ball lock tap system:
It is very simple once you understand it.
Here is how to put it together:
- Starting with the threaded tee attach both ball lock posts
- The ball lock post threads should be wrapped in plumbers tape
- One ball lock goes in the top, the other out the side of the Tee
- Insert a piece of the vinyl tubing through the bottom of the Tee
- Measure the vinyl tubing to the length of the mini keg
- Attach the “gas in” to the side of the Tee
- Connect the Liquid line to the top of the Tee
- Attach the 1/4 nipple to the bottom of the Tee (Use plumbing tape on threads)
- Put the rubber bung in the top of the keg
- Push the nipple through the rubber bung so tap system is on top of the keg
Final thoughts for the mini keg system
The system works by forcing C02 into the keg but nothing comes out until you open the tap.
I found this system to work great but you need to test it first.
Before you put your delicious beer in it try some water first. Then using the C02 check for any leaks.
You can do this by using some soapy water and a brush. Brush the threaded tee and around the bung with soapy water. If you see bubbles tighten the system.
Once you’ve found and fixed the leaks then it’s time for your beer. Check out some of my recipes here: https://homebrewtutorials.com/how-to/beer/
It can be used just like a regular keg however, I have never added more than 20 PSI and usually stick to the 15 PSI range.
Be sure to check the manufacturer of the keg to verify how much PSI it can handle.
Other than that it’s good to go!
Please let me know if you enjoy this content and share your brewing stories in the comments.
Drew
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