kenbuzz

Forwarded from SD:



Target has a chainwide clearance sale going on on the T-Fal/Krups BeerTender home beer tap system. Regular price was in the $140-range, the most recent clearance was for $99, and stores have now got whatever remaining stock red-tagged at $74.98. But several stores are discounting this an additional 50% - they're ringing-up at $37.48.

I got the only one they had in stock at the Bloomington, IN Target. It was on an endcap, facing the wrong way, next to the pots and pans between a chocolate fountain and a fondue set. The box had a $74.98 red clearance tag on it and was a little beaten up, so I took it to the service counter to have them scan it for me. Sure 'nuff, it scanned at $37.48, and the manager knocked another 10% off because of the condition of the packaging. $33.73 plus tax.

This is clearly a YMMV sale, as the additional 50% markdown seems to be on a store-by-store basis.

This is for the discontinued model BeerTender. The newer model has a few more bells and whistles, but is essentially the same. This model has a temperature ready light, while the new model adds an adjustable temperature control with a digital readout and a 30-day "freshness" countdown indicator and volume indicator.

Both models take 5-liter minikegs containing:

• Heineken
• Heineken Light
• Newcastle Brown Ale

(the kegs are the same size, it's just the images that aren't)

Edited to add: Here are a couple of inventory checking links to see if your local store has any remaining stock:
http://services.rivernorthdesign.com/target/ (use your local zip and ASIN# B001D498I2)
http://www.target.com/gp/store-info/...sin=B001D498I2 (use your zip or city/state)

Note that the above links lag behind actual inventory be a few days. For discontinued items such as the BeerTender, actual in-store stock will be NO HIGHER than what these inventory links report. If a store says they're out, they're out. If they say "Limited Availability", they had one/some in stock a few days ago but they may be out.

dx23

Got the last one!! I've been wanting this for a long time and was even going to buy it for $100 when Linens N Things was closing, but they were sold out then. for $38 it was a no brainer. Thanks for the deal!

kenbuzz

I stopped by Kroger last night on my way home from Target, bought a Heineken keg, and dropped in in the BeerTender after I got it set up and plugged in. I've already enjoyed 2-3 very nice glasses of freshly-tapped brewskis.

story

I'll bite.

illdrinktothat

Hey, I purchased on of these from Target recently, but thought there would be more options then just Heineken and Heineken Light! Thinking about taking it back even for $38! Because if it's just those its only a glorified fridge! Please help a fellow beer drinker and let me know where and what kinds of beers come in 5 liters I could use this for? I live in Georgia so not sure that limits anything either! But I don't care about states, I have friends who live in other states, just want to know what is out there and how to buy it so I can enjoy the wonderful world of beers on tap at home!

kenbuzz

In the US, only 3 styles of beer come in the compatible 5L mini-keg size... those are shown in the OP. And you're right, this pretty much IS just a glorified fridge - but one with a tap. The big advantage (to me) is that it allows me to free up a lot of room in my fridge AND have cold on-tap beer whenever I want. For parties, I used put a cold minikeg on the countertop and let people self-serve. The downside was that it would start to warm up (albeit slowly) once it was taken out of the fridge. For home use, if I want to have on-tap beer, this is a relatively inexpensive solution without having to take up all that room semi-permanently in my fridge.

It's not for everyone, and it's certainly not cost-effective. But if you're in the market anyway, this is as inexpensive as it gets. And as I happen to like Heineken (heck, I like most beers) I'm okay with this "deal".

kenbuzz

BTW - When you tap a keg in the BeerTender, you must use a non-reusable plastic tube to connect the keg to the pouring mechanism. The device comes with 5 such tubes. A set of 10 replacement tubes sells for $11 + s/h on Heineken's site, and for much less on eBay.

You *can* resuse a tube if you want, but I wouldn't (messy, moldy, yuck!). Here's a tutorial on how to remove a tube without damaging it in case you want to stretch your tubage dollars:

http://www.zimbio.com/Online+Shoppin...ender+Tubes+10

clappj

I know I've seen Warsteiner in the 5-liter minikegs, but I can't confirm that they are compatible if they with the Beertender.

SethDLH

Great deal. Newcastle is greatness too

tofferman

In the Northwest, one can buy Widmer's Hefeweizen in 5L kegs. I've seen them for sale at Costco and Safeway, so there may be others out there as well.

illdrinktothat

Thank you guys for the tips! I didn't really know about the tubes either! But you're right, for the price and novelty of getting to have a home tap for the price you can't beat it! If you see any more places, like Costco for Hef. or some other places that sell 5 liter ones, please keep posting and letting us know! I would appreciate that, until then just remember if anybody asks.....I don't have a drinking problem, I drink...no problem!

story

I didn't bite fast enough. According to the OP's links, they're out of stock in my area.

kenbuzz

I did some checking, you'll want to make sure the kegs are compatible before buying one if you're intending to use it in a BeerTender. Many European beers come in 5L kegs, but they're gravity fed - spigot on the bottom, pressure relief valve on the top. You open the keg and the beer pours out the spigot. When it slows to a trickle, you pop the relief valve to equalize the pressure to allow more to come out. Here's what one looks like:



These types of kegs will NOT work with a BeerTender. It may fit, but it won't dispense. The BeerTender kegs are pressurized internally by a CO2 canister that help deliver the beer through the port at the top. Here's a diagram:


The non-pressurized 5L kegs are very very different.

illdrinktothat

Awesome, thank for the research! I tried looking too, but didn't find anything that detailed. I asked the guy at the local beverage store if those would work and he mentioned some people found or bought some adapter on the internet, possibly rigged or self built, but he didn't know anymore! Does this magical fantasy adapter exist?

JLB

Not at all. Doesn't have to be.

I used to brew my own beer and one of the #1 supplies for any homebrewer was/is B-Brite cleaner/sanitizer for your equipment.

B-Brite uses active oxygen to clean without chlorine or sulfites. Also, IIRC, when you mix it up, it has green glow to it. So you will know when you have removed all of the cleaner from your equipment.

Here's one random link I found on Google:

http://www.homebrewingsupplies.org/s...roducts_id=716

kenbuzz

Nice link.

For me, at about a buck a tube, I'll just get a new one each time. But it's nice to know about other options.

Fielding Mellish

Not to state the obvious...

But if everybody is clearing these things out (they're on clearance at my local Meijer, too)... doesn't that mean that they'll stop making "kegs" for it, if they haven't already?

$38 sounds like a lot to spend for a doorstop.

clappj

The minikegs were around long before the Beertender.
The Beertender was designed to use the minikegs; not the other way around.