MoreBeer’s Ball Lock Kegs Explained

MoreBeer has a bunch of ball lock keg options both new an used.  Most of those are self explanatory, but the used offerings can be a bit confusing.

• Used Cornelius Keg – Ball Lock 5 gal. KEG430 – these are raw kegs – no cleaning, no rebuild, sold “as is” < This is the keg that’s being reviewed in this post
• Rebuilt Used Corny Keg – Ball Lock 5 gal. KEG420 – cleaned and checked in house.  Gaskets are replaced as needed.  Pressure checked and guaranteed to hold pressure.
• Used Corny Keg Ball Lock 5 gal. – Pressure Tested KEG423 – these are cleaned, sanitized, de-labeled and refurbished by a third party service.  Pressure checked and guaranteed to hold pressure.
• Corny Keg – 5 Gallon Ball Lock Keg KEG415 – Brand new Kegland brand ball lock keg
• New Corny Keg – Ball Lock 5 gal. KEG418 – Brand new AEB keg – made in Italy
• Torpedo Kegs – MoreBeer’s own line of ball lock kegs available in a variety of sizes and configurations.  See: Hands on Review: Torpedo 10 Gallon Ball Lock Homebrew Kegs

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Rebuild It!

The keg offering featured in this review is the same keg featured in our step by step keg rebuilding and reconditioning how-to.

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Should I buy a New Keg or a Used Keg?

Used kegs are generally sourced from soda bottlers.  They are built with commercial use in mind and designed to last for many years of rough duty service.

Brand new ball locks may not be made to the same standards.  However… We also don’t generally put our kegs through the same abuse that a soda distributor would.

Not withstanding price.  I think both options are valid.  If you’re up for a little elbow grease and replacing a few parts, used may be the way to go, if you’re more interested in convenience brand new is a good choice.  Practically, at least as of this posting, I think price will cause many to go the used route.

Hands on Review: Used Ball Lock Kegs from MoreBeer

A look at the keg.  It looks quite good.  Dirty, stickers still on it, but overall it’s in really good condition.Top down viewCommercial ball lock kegs are usually used by Pepsi distributors.  Hey, look what we have here.  This hold Pepsi pre-mix.  Side note… Pin lock kegs are usually used by Coke Distributors.  See: Ball Lock vs Pin LockA look at the gas in post.  This has a 6 point post.  Lots more about posts and points in our Craftsman Deep Well Socket ReviewSide view of the post.  The little notches at the base are an indicator that this is a gas post.If you zoom in, you can see that this is a Spartanburg Challenger VI.  If you’re looking to get specific replacement parts for your keg, this is how you do it.  Look for the manufacturer and model imprint on the keg.  That will allow you look up the specific posts and poppets.  O-rings are the same for all standard kegs.  See: Bulk Keg Orings and Keg Repair Part Numbers.  Cornelius/Corny is kind of like “Kleenex”.  It is a specific manufacturer that’s name has become synonymous with the category.  When you get a Corny Keg, it could be from a number of manufacturers.  Note that this photo also shows a dent.  That’s as bad is gets on this particular keg.  If you buy a used keg, expect dings and dents.  Again… these are tough tanks, they were built for regular commercial use.You can see that the PRV has been vented.  This keg came under pressure… a lot of pressure.  It took several seconds to vent.  Kegs arriving under pressure is a great sign.  It means the keg is leak free.If you look at the top of the lid o-ring, you can see that it’s really grimy.  No surprise, this is a raw keg.  Plan on cleaning, sanitizing and replacing all orings when you buy a used/non-rebuilt keg.  See: Bulk Keg Orings and Keg Repair Part NumbersA look at the underside of the lidA look inside the kegAnother look inside the keg.  Hey… it’s Pepsi!  This does have residual soda in it, but looks great.

Conclusions

This keg was in great shape.  It held pressure and had only one small ding.  It does need thoroughly cleaned along with a new set of o-rings.  Obviously, used kegs are a bit hard to review.  Yours will be different.  This is a look at one example keg, MoreBeer’s cheapest option KEG430.

One great thing about kegs at MoreBeer is that they fall under MoreBeer’s $59 free shipping program.  Many shops exclude kegs from free or flat rate shipping programs.  That’s a big bonus.

Availability of these kegs varies.  Check links below for current availability, description and pricing.

• Used Cornelius Keg – Ball Lock 5 gal. KEG430 – these are raw kegs – no cleaning, no rebuild, sold “as is”
• Rebuilt Used Corny Keg – Ball Lock 5 gal. KEG420 – cleaned and checked in house.  Gaskets are replaced as needed.  Pressure checked.  Pressure checked and guaranteed to hold pressure.
• Used Corny Keg Ball Lock 5 gal. – Pressure Tested KEG423 – these are cleaned, de-labeled and refurbished by a third party service.  Pressure checked and guaranteed to hold pressure.
• Corny Keg – 5 Gallon Ball Lock Keg KEG415 – Brand new Kegland brand ball lock keg
• New Corny Keg – Ball Lock 5 gal. KEG418 – Brand new AEB keg – made in Italy
• Torpedo Kegs – MoreBeer’s own line of ball lock kegs available in a variety of sizes and configurations.  See: Hands on Review: Torpedo 10 Gallon Ball Lock Homebrew Kegs

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Special Thanks to MoreBeer for providing the unit used for evaluation in this review.

Price, promotions and availability can change quickly. Check the product page for current price, description and availability.

Make sure the components you use are compatible and rated for your intended application.  Contact manufacturer with questions about suitability or a specific application.  Always read and follow manufacturer directions.  review:b3blkeg tag:tpr