My version of Brewit2it's "Cheapest New 2 Keg Keezer"

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heyjaffy

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Jan 28, 2011
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Location
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Having only recently begun brewing my own, I quickly tired of bottling and spent too many hours admiring the kegerators and keezers many of you have built. After cracking my piggy bank open, I found Brewit2it's thread titled Cheapest new 2 keg keezer - those were some key words that I liked to read, so I set forth to acquire almost all the same kit that he had. Check out his thread, and see my version:

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How's it going man? I can't see any pics in this thread or in mine. Is there a third place to look? Can't wait to see it.

Kevin
 
How's it going man? I can't see any pics in this thread or in mine. Is there a third place to look? Can't wait to see it.
Kevin

The images are in an album here on HBT, I can see them whether logged in or not so not sure why they don't display for you. Maybe I should put them in a gallery - I'll see what I can do
 
The images are in an album here on HBT, I can see them whether logged in or not so not sure why they don't display for you. Maybe I should put them in a gallery - I'll see what I can do

Probably because I'm not premium. Gonna try to fix that shortly. How about hosting them somewhere free like Flickr then linking like I did. That way non-premium wll see them as well.
 
Probably because I'm not premium. Gonna try to fix that shortly. How about hosting them somewhere free like Flickr then linking like I did. That way non-premium wll see them as well.

I see them even when I'm NOT logged in - just visiting as anonymous user - regardless - I'll push them over to Flickr tonight
 
I see them even when I'm NOT logged in - just visiting as anonymous user - regardless - I'll push them over to Flickr tonight

Sweet Bro, it might be because I'm at work. I knew they blocked Porn, but blocking my Brew Porn is just not right:eek:
 
Looking good:mug: I like the tile. I see with your wider board you were still able to use the original hinge holes with your washer trick.

I will have to post pics of how I attached the CO2 valve selector thing. I used the 2 sided tape but left the red backing on so it matches the red of the beer lines almost exactly.
 
I like both of these threads! I will probably end up doing this same thing. Only bad thing is that i already bought a single tap tower on ebay (It was $35!!). If i can't find a way to use that tower for a keezer, I'll definitely use this build since I was just about to buy this freezer at Sams last week.
 
I like both of these threads! I will probably end up doing this same thing. Only bad thing is that i already bought a single tap tower on ebay (It was $35!!). If i can't find a way to use that tower for a keezer, I'll definitely use this build since I was just about to buy this freezer at Sams last week.

I don't see why you couldn't attach a tower to the top of this freezer - I considered this myself, as I have a couple little kids for whom the taps are at eye level and I could see them accidentally or purposefully pulling on them, where a tower would be out of reach. The thing that I like about the collar vs. tower is that the collar is reversible - if I ever decide to upgrade to a different kegerator or keezer, or just decide to stop brewing (not likely), the freezer can be returned to its original condition, whereas with the tower, you're going to have to deal with the hole you cut in the lid.
 
I don't see why you couldn't attach a tower to the top of this freezer - I considered this myself, as I have a couple little kids for whom the taps are at eye level and I could see them accidentally or purposefully pulling on them, where a tower would be out of reach. The thing that I like about the collar vs. tower is that the collar is reversible - if I ever decide to upgrade to a different kegerator or keezer, or just decide to stop brewing (not likely), the freezer can be returned to its original condition, whereas with the tower, you're going to have to deal with the hole you cut in the lid.

Plus a tower may need a fan to cool the beer line at the tower. Also, all the tower keezers i see here are all super fancy bar style keezers, with coffin or "T" shaped towers. Give I don't know anything about wood-working, a keezer with a collar and nice tap handles may look cooler than a simple tower on top of the freezer. Any thoughts?

-Alex
 
I think towers, in general, do look better on keezers that get the furniture treatment vs. the "look what I stuck on the top of my freezer" treatment. I do like the look of a chrome tower on top of a small freezer or kegerator but it needs more general dressing up, in my opinion, vs. a collar that can just be painted, stained, tiled, or wrapped in stainless steel.
 
Through collar taps is going to be a lot more energy efficient, and as heyjaffy said, one of my motivations on this build was to have it be fully reversible. In this case you can tear off the collar and screw the top back on, unplug the ETC and you have a freezer in 5 minutes.

HJ, if you are concerned about the taps inadvertantly (or intentionally) being opened by anyone but you, you could consider tap locks. Problem is they are pretty expensive:mad:

http://www.alcoholcontrols.com/tapbeerlocks.html

Also, quick question for you, where did you buy and how did you attach your drip tray?
 
Through collar taps is going to be a lot more energy efficient, and as heyjaffy said, one of my motivations on this build was to have it be fully reversible. In this case you can tear off the collar and screw the top back on, unplug the ETC and you have a freezer in 5 minutes.

HJ, if you are concerned about the taps inadvertantly (or intentionally) being opened by anyone but you, you could consider tap locks. Problem is they are pretty expensive:mad:

http://www.alcoholcontrols.com/tapbeerlocks.html

Also, quick question for you, where did you buy and how did you attach your drip tray?

Tap locks look too expensive compared to just disconnecting the beer line from the kegs when I'm not around it. The keezer is in the "workshop" area of my finished basement so, for the most part, the kids stay away from it, but it's also in a spot where I could easily bump into a tap handle or two, so I'll probably just plan on disconnecting the hose when I think of it.

The drip tray came from Austin HomeBrew Supply:

http://tinyurl.com/4at277p

and I attached it with a thin magnet strip that I had laying around - a magnet that was originally attached to the backside of a metal strip meant to hold spice jars. I used some adhesive, I think liquid nails, to glue the magnet to the tray then just stuck it on the keezer. It's not strong enough to let you set a glass there, but it does catch the drips. I may get some super-strong hard drive style magnets to see if they'll be strong enough to hold a glass up too.
 
I managed to flip the taps on tonight for a good 10 seconds before I realized what I did - time to get more diligent with disconnecting the liquid out. Drip tray didn't catch all of it - floor caught most of it
 
I just added a third faucet (this time Perlick 525SS - the existing two are 575SS) for a 3-gallon keg that I'm expecting this week. I managed to order a silly-short shank so had to countersink the inside of the collar so that I'd have room to screw the mounting nut and tailpiece on. No big deal - can't tell when the cover is closed. One other mod is the switch to low-profile handles. The stock handles that came with the Perlicks were higher than the top edge of the cover - I found a few times that when I set something on top of the cover, and absentmindedly slid it off the front edge it would open the taps and spill the precious beer. The low-profile knobs ensure that won't happen. Oh, and I now need a longer drip tray - who's in the market for a 6" drip tray with a strip magnet glued on the back?
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This is what I'm doing, but I'm fine with dealing with CL people, so i'm looking. I found one about 2 hours from me for $40, but don't quite have the freedom to drop that yet. I'll get to it in about 2-3 months. SWMBO wants her pop keg.
 
I upgraded the keezer this week. Using 1x10 that I ripped to about 8.5" to build the collar, I tiled it with the most reasonable looking tiles that were on clearance at home depot. I used some foam insulation panels, doubled up to insulate the collar. Now I can just barely shoehorn 4 5-gallon corny kegs into this small freezer, with the co2 cylinder outside.

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Looks great bro. Nice work. 20 gallons of brew in that space-saving footprint is awesome!!

I never even got around to installing my 3rd tap but I did get the 3rd keg in and got all 3 on gas so I just have to swap the out QD when I want to switch brews.
 
That is EXACTLY what I am looking to do.



I have been working @ss backwords with piecing my system together... Kinda sad really...


I bought my kegs before I bought a burner LOL. I found a great deal $30/ea keg and bought 4 three of which were matching brand shiner. so I have a set and a fourth to turn into a sanke fermenter for my 10gal batches.

I even bought my kegging equipment before I have brewed my first batch.. even got a 20lb bottle of Co2 filled at airgas $75 with a good hydro stamp, non rented just swapped a tank I bought.

I have this exact same freezer I got on sale for $129, and I have it full of food... but my SWMBO has already said I have to OK to upgrade... so I am going to get a 9CUft for food. and use the 5.4cuft for fermenting then add a collar and make it a keezer then add taps every other month as I fill up my kegs... which I have 6 of... 5gal corny's....

im telling you.... @ss backwords
 
I just got setup with this Freezer. When I bought it, I assumed I could fit 2 kegs with the possibilty with 4 kegs (with the tank outside). Glad to see someone was able to do it.

Looks great!
 
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