Updated September 18,2024
This post will walk you through rebuilding your homebrew keg, step by step. From de-labeling to cleaning to replacing warn out parts.
Limited Time Availability Info… VB’s Universal Poppets are Back in Stock!
Universal Poppets via Valuebrew
More Info
From the product description, check product page for current description, price and availability:
A Valuebrew Exclusive! Stainless Steel Universal Replacement Poppets with our Food Safe Silicone O-Rings.
These work with all standard Ball Lock and Pin Lock homebrew kegs.
Ever wonder what other universal poppet o-rings are made of? Us too, after all this is one of the most high contact o-rings in you draft beer setup. We took matters into our own hands and worked with our suppliers to source a 304 Stainless Steel + Food Grade Silicone option. Stainless steel construction on all the metal parts and premium quality food grade silicone for the o-ring.
Our pledge to you… Let’s face it, the stainless pieces in most universal replacement poppets should last a long, long time. How about the o-rings? Not so much… lost, broken, cracked, off smell. This is where our pledge comes in… we’ll always carry replacement o-rings for these universal poppets. No need to guess what size replacements to buy or completely replace your universal poppets because you don’t have a reliable source for replacements.
I use universal style poppets exclusively when rebuilding kegs. Finding the right OEM specific replacement poppets can be a chore. Beyond finding the right part number, these can be prohibitively expensive. Paying $10 to $14, or more, for an OEM poppet isn’t fun. In fact, if you really had to pay that, it may not even make sense to keep the keg.
I’ve long advocated to tossing OEM o-rings immediately. You don’t know what they’re made of, and you can’t get replacements. Replacing them immediately with a known quality o-ring and known part number before trimming to fit means you’ll be using the right materials and have a source for replacements.
Well… finally there’s an option that comes with quality o-rings made from the right materials out of the box! Beyond that, Valuebrew has pledged to always carry replacement o-rings, so you’ll always have a source when the time comes for replacements. Available in 5 and 10 packs with the option to add on a pack of replacement o-rings.
Back in stock! These have been out of stock for months. We’ll the full story is they came back in stock a few weeks ago, but sold out so quickly that I wasn’t able to get a post up. So, as of this update… they’re back in stock after months of being sold out! Get them while you can.
Universal Poppets
What Does Reconditioned/Rebuilt Mean?
The short answer is probably… nothing. I think reconditioned/rebuilt/refurbished are basically synonyms and there is no standard definition for any of these terms.
Here are the different definitions I’ve seen from different retailers via their offerings:
The short answer is probably… nothing. I think reconditioned/rebuilt/refurbished are basically synonyms and there is no standard definition for any of these terms.
Here are the different definitions I’ve seen from different retailers via their offerings:
- The keg is untouched, but is in okay shape and holds pressure. In this case, reconditioned means… the keg works.
- The keg has had been tested and had faulty parts replaced. In this case, reconditioned means, we did the minimum to get the keg working.
- All o-rings have been replaced and any faulty parts have been replaced. In this case, reconditioned means… reconditioned.
- All o-rings have been replaced and any faulty parts have been replaced and the keg has been cleaned. In this case reconditioned means reconditioned and cleaned.
Examples of Keg Conditions from MoreBeer
The takeaway is that it’s important to read descriptions when it comes to reconditioned/rebuilt/refurbished kegs. The post walks through a complete rebuild process.
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5 Gallon Cornelius Keg, Ball Lock (Used)