52 replies to this topic

[neddles]

My local HD has a Magic Chef 6.8cf chest freezer on sale for $126.00. That seems like a real good price to me. I should be able to get 3 or 4 kegs in there. I don't really need another project but they seem pretty simple to build. I currently condition and serve out of a spare fridge and picnic taps. How do you guys chill and serve your beer? Is a keezer the way to go? 

 

[Poptop]

My keezer holds 3 which is plenty and I still picnic after a couple years.  I keep threatening to add nice taps.

[SchwanzBrewer]

I don't like keezers, but that's a pretty good deal. My bet is 3 beers will fit.

 

My only beef with them is that a fridge is designed to work at the temps you serve at. Freezers are designed to keep things frozen. 

 

That being said, there are a TON of build threads for them on HBT. And some of them are really beautiful.

[Big Nake]

I have a small 4.3cf fridge for lager primary and then two 4.4cf fridges for serving. Each of those has 2 kegs and one 5-lb CO2 tank in it (split with a "T"). These are small, efficient fridges that may have run me between $100 and $125. Then I also have a big, old fridge that can hold 5 kegs, a 10-lb CO2 tank along with hops and yeast. In that fridge I force carb kegs and then store them as my "on-deck" kegs. I do not have a freezer/keezer but when I was thinking about my setup, I did consider one. Also, I use no temp control of any kind. In the big fridge, the temp is just set to about 35° using the fridge's internal controller and on the lager primary fridge, I just futzed with that controller until a pitcher of water in the fridge read 48° and I just leave it there. I think the $126 7cf freezer sounds pretty decent. Oh... Craigslist is a good source as well.

[positiveContact]

on the occasion where i serve out of my freezer i just use picnic taps.  the rest of the time it is for ferm control and cold storage.  often times it's just off.

[neddles]

I have a small 4.3cf fridge for lager primary and then two 4.4cf fridges for serving. Each of those has 2 kegs and one 5-lb CO2 tank in it (split with a "T"). These are small, efficient fridges that may have run me between $100 and $125. Then I also have a big, old fridge that can hold 5 kegs, a 10-lb CO2 tank along with hops and yeast. In that fridge I force carb kegs and then store them as my "on-deck" kegs. I do not have a freezer/keezer but when I was thinking about my setup, I did consider one. Also, I use no temp control of any kind. In the big fridge, the temp is just set to about 35° using the fridge's internal controller and on the lager primary fridge, I just futzed with that controller until a pitcher of water in the fridge read 48° and I just leave it there. I think the $126 7cf freezer sounds pretty decent. Oh... Craigslist is a good source as well.

Ken, how do you get your carboys and kegs in those things. Every small fridge I have looked at has a hump on the bottom/back so it is not flat and they aren't tall enough inside? What brand/model are yours, do you know?

[positiveContact]

Ken, how do you get your carboys and kegs in those things. Every small fridge I have looked at has a hump on the bottom/back so it is not flat and they aren't tall enough inside? What brand/model are yours, do you know?

 

i have a sanyo 4912 i think.  you can fit 2 cornies in there with a 5lb c02 tank behind them.

[neddles]

i have a sanyo 4912 i think.  you can fit 2 cornies in there with a 5lb c02 tank behind them.

Crap. Looks like that one was discontinued.

[positiveContact]

Crap. Looks like that one was discontinued.

 

there are other similar models out there.  it helps to find dorm fridges that don't have a freezer as a start.

[Big Nake]

The Sanyo 4912 was one that was very popular for awhile. The two serving fridges I use are Danby models which both accommodate two kegs without issue and the CO2 tank stands on the hump. The trick is to make sure that if you get a small fridge like that, there is NO freezer compartment and if there is a light or anything else on the ceiling, there is enough clearance for a keg. I have seen numerous models with a nice price tag and thought HEY! but then realized that the dimensions weren't right or there was a freezer that got in the way. You normally can't take the freezers out either because the capillaries run through the freezer and the fridge. Check out Danby. They used to sell a flat door liner as well which made converting it so easy but they discontinued that. The last one I bought had to have a piece of plastic sheet cut to the right size for the gasket, etc. which is a PITA but it works.

[gnef]

How is your back? With the chest freezer option, be careful lifting full kegs. If you plan on a collar, even more so as the height is increased, and it becomes awkward avoiding the shanks and tubing.

 

I use a chest freezer for conditioning and things that I don't have space for on the walk-in that I want to test or keep a closer eye on without having to go in to the walk-in. I am very careful lifting kegs in and out.

 

I actually built a wooden gantry crane on wheels that goes around the chest freezer, but I only use that when moving the 15 gallon fermentor in and out of the chest freezer. Those are heavy!

[Big Nake]

Here is my fridge lineup... The big one is my "on-deck" fridge. The small black one on the floor is the lager primary (a cheap Black & Decker 4.3cf) and the two Danbys are on the low table I built so that I could run the tap lines out the top and straight to the shanks. Very easy to load and unload kegs with the Danby fridges. I have to lift the kegs up about 12-14".This is the inside of one of those Danbys (when I had a tower on it and it was in the bar). Note the flat door liner so you can get more inside the fridge.This is the bar the way it looks now... 4 shanks which are served by the two Danbys... 2 kegs and one CO2 tank in each one.

Edited by KenLenard, 23 January 2014 - 07:56 PM.

[neddles]

I like your setup Ken. Do those lines go right throughout he wall and into the Danby's?

 

For those of you who don't like keezers, what kind of simple setup do you like for 3 or 4 kegs? I get the difficulty lifting into the keeper thing but what have you seen that works better. Building a walk-in is not an option for me.

[Big Nake]

I like your setup Ken. Do those lines go right throughout he wall and into the Danby's?

Yeah, the Danbys have a hole cut in the top. The beer lines go through the top and right to the shank nipples. That short amount of exposed line is wrapped in insulated tubing and I don't seem to have any issues with foaming, warm beer, etc. as a result of that.

[neddles]

I am resurrecting this thread as I recently got a good deal on a GE 10.6cf chest freezer through home depot. What I want to know is this… for those of you with keezers or other serving systems what are the do's and don'ts of setting up a system? How would you do things differently? I don't want to repeat anyone's mistakes. I am not afraid to spend a little extra dough to get this right the first time. 

 

Need info on...

 

1. Taps... ventmatics or Perlick 650ss?

2. resources/suggestions to properly balance the pressure in the lines/kegs

3. Best gas and liquid lines to use

4. places to buy all this stuff at best cost

[HVB]

I use Perlick 425's but they are no longer made.  If I was to do it again I would go with the flow control ones.

I have not looked for co2 stuff in a while but Rite Brew seemed to have good prices https://www.ritebrew...gory-s/1829.htm

 

As for hose I have always used regular beverage hose to dispense from.  I found 50 feet of bev-seal ultra I bought a while back and will be giving that a try this week sometime.  I just got the John Guest fittings in for the ball locks yesterday.

[neddles]

I use Perlick 425's but they are no longer made.  If I was to do it again I would go with the flow control ones.

I have not looked for co2 stuff in a while but Rite Brew seemed to have good prices https://www.ritebrew...gory-s/1829.htm

 

As for hose I have always used regular beverage hose to dispense from.  I found 50 feet of bev-seal ultra I bought a while back and will be giving that a try this week sometime.  I just got the John Guest fittings in for the ball locks yesterday.

Thanks. Where did you get the John Guest fittings? I need to look into what they are and how they work/why they may be better.

[HVB]

https://www.farmhous...ush-to-connect/

 

the Bev-Seal is a very rigid hose and a PITA to get on barbs.  it can be done and I have to do it for my shanks but got the fittings for the disconnect end.

[neddles]

https://www.farmhous...ush-to-connect/

 

the Bev-Seal is a very rigid hose and a PITA to get on barbs.  it can be done and I have to do it for my shanks but got the fittings for the disconnect end.

 

I'm going to stop by Farmhouse on my way to Chicago for Thanksgiving so I'd best get my list  of goodies compiled.

That link looks like a great way to go. They are for liquid only?

 

What is the best method for gas connections? Barbed connections and oetiker?

[HVB]

I'm going to stop by Farmhouse on my way to Chicago for Thanksgiving so I'd best get my list  of goodies compiled.

That link looks like a great way to go. They are for liquid only?

 

What is the best method for gas connections? Barbed connections and oetiker?

I use barbed with oetiker for my gas.  For some reason I started with 5/16 ID gas line so I just stuck with that.  I go from a regulator on the tank to a 4 way manifold and then to the kegs.  One of the runs on teh manifold has a "T or Y" so I can get 2 hoses off that one.  I also have a second tank that goes from a regulator to a 2 way manifold that I use for carbonating or when I use a beergun.