Sizing your Chest Freezer for Corny Kegs

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I have room for a large one but I prefer to have several smaller ones. My reasoning is if I am doing a Lager I can just take out the kegs and turn it up to 58° . Then I can even do the rest in it by just turning it off and opening it up and then lager at 36° until its ready to serve. All the while still having 3 or 4 beers on tap .

I did forget to mention that while I have a smaller chest freezer for kegging in the house, I do have a fridge for fermentation only in the store room- so having a chest freezer large enough to keg AND ferment in would just be too much :mug:
 
Well, I pulled the trigger on the 9 foot Frigidaire from Lowes. They'll drop it off tonight.

I also have an old, small chest freezer (~5 foot) that serves as my fermenter. I am hoping I can fit two cornies in there, but worried that it'll only fit one without a collar. I'm an ex Mr Beer guy, and I could easily fit 4 batches in there, two in the minikegs and two in bottles. I finally upgraded this weekend and bought a 5 gal kit. Now I just need the keg system and I'll be all set!
 
Get the Holiday 7.0 cubic foot from Home Depot for $198.00 regular price, it holds 4 5 gal corny kegs plus a 5# CO2 tank, no collar, no waiting for sales!
Did you actually fit 4 kegs into it? I just went to look at Lowes and brought along some cardboard circles at 8.5" diameter. I could only get 3 to fit, and 4 with like a 1/8" overlap. Any pics of them fitting the Holiday 7.0? I'm considering this or the Frigidaire 9.0 that is also at Lowes for $278
 
Craigslist is nice, but you can get some pretty good deals at the stores when they run sales. Keep any eye out at Lowes, they had a pretty good sales on energy star stuff a few weeks ago. I got the 14.8 cubic foot Frigidaire for $340 with tax included. ( http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=8899-2251-LFFN15M5HW&lpage=none ) I wasn't really planning on buying one at the time, but for the price I couldn't pass it up.

Currently I am using a Ranco controller and using it for fermentation.

PumpkinHoneyBlond2.jpg
 
Well, I pulled the trigger on the 9 foot Frigidaire from Lowes. They'll drop it off tonight.

I also have an old, small chest freezer (~5 foot) that serves as my fermenter. I am hoping I can fit two cornies in there, but worried that it'll only fit one without a collar. I'm an ex Mr Beer guy, and I could easily fit 4 batches in there, two in the minikegs and two in bottles. I finally upgraded this weekend and bought a 5 gal kit. Now I just need the keg system and I'll be all set!

If its like the one I have then two will fit in it I put the collar on to fit one on the hump. I bought it at Home depot its a 5 cf whirlpool but I think they just rebadge them. See post 77 in this thread.
 
the holiday 7 cu ft does fit 4 kegs.

only the taller thinner ball locks though, I tried 3 ball locks and a pin, no luck. has to be 4 ball locks
 
Anybody have the 9 cubic ft from Frigidaire? It is currently $278 according to Lowes online, with free delivery (Item #: 90724 Model: LFFC09M5HW). At $70 more than the 7 cu.ft. ones from GE/Holiday, it looks like it would be worth the extra $.

By the way, how do you folks get those big freezers home when you find them on CL? Do you all just happen to have pick-up trucks? Free delivery on a new freezer sounds pretty appealing to me for that reason, but maybe I'm missing something.

I have it. It fits 4 corny kegs with no collar. Put a collar on it and you can put some on the hump as well. Also it fits 3 better bottles (barely) if you dont put airlocks (I use foil).
 
yes sir. 4 ball locks. ver yvery very tight fit. not on the compressor. with the compressor hump and a collar I'd say 5.
 
Damn, that's a good price. Is shipping free, too? I just got the 9cf Frigidaire from Lowes, which was $270 plus free shipping.
 
I'm curious because I'm getting ready to do a keezer project, do any of these NOT need a separate temperature controller, and is 36-38 degrees where most people are keeping their homebrew?
 
I'm curious because I'm getting ready to do a keezer project, do any of these NOT need a separate temperature controller, and is 36-38 degrees where most people are keeping their homebrew?
It wouldn't be a very good freezer if it didn't keep at least less than 32 degrees, so I would say no. If you are looking to avoid a separate controller think refrigerator not freezer. As for temps, I can't speak for others but I keep mine about 38.
 
I don't like my beer ice cold I keep it at 42° and some beers need to sit a few before drinking as they should be a little warmer . Wife likes bottled beer ice cold but will drink the tap stuff at that temp..
 
It wouldn't be a very good freezer if it didn't keep at least less than 32 degrees, so I would say no. If you are looking to avoid a separate controller think refrigerator not freezer. As for temps, I can't speak for others but I keep mine about 38.

38? I find it looses too much flavor when its that cold. I like to keep mine around 46-48. I let the stouts and porters warm up a bit too before drinking.
 
I put in an order for the 13cf kenmore model but talked with the SMWBO and this will actually be used for a freezer. I am still on the lookout for a fermentation chamber of some kind.
 
Just returned from Costco. I saw that locally they carry the Haier 5.0 cf for $169 and have a special on the Fridgedair 7.0 for $199 after a $30 rebate. Montanaandy
 
I have it. It fits 4 corny kegs with no collar. Put a collar on it and you can put some on the hump as well. Also it fits 3 better bottles (barely) if you dont put airlocks (I use foil).

I just tapped my first keg. YEAHH!

Now I'm already thinking about expanding my keezer (I have the 9cf Frigidaire). I tested it to make sure, and with no collar and the CO2 inside, I can still fit 4 kegs, like you said. I guess I gotta buy me a CO2 distributor and some more kegs.

I bought the dual gauge/dual regulator and 3 kegs from Kegglebrewing.com. I think I need to buy 3 more. That way I can always keep two batches in different stages of readiness.
 
I would like to begin to brew some lagers along with the ales but will need to be able to keep them at cooler temps so I will need to invest in another chest freezer. What size freezer do you guys use for lagering? How many carboys (in my case I have transitioned to the 6 gal BB's) can you fit in your given freezer and what size is it? Thanks, Montanaandy
 
Can't find a great deal on craigs list cuz I live in Texas and its deer hunting season so these things go for a premium this time of year. So, off to the stores I go tomorrow for Black Friday! Gotta do what I gotta do I guess ;)

Anyways, the best deal I've seen so far out here is a 7.0 Haier for $180. Not bad, but I don't know what they can hold yet.

Anybody know anything about it? Any other better deals you guys know of (nationally)?

Cheers:mug:
 
I just brought home a sixtel from victory and found that the magic chef 7.2 cu. ft. will hold 3 corny's and a sixtel in "the hole"....if you have a 8 inch collar you could hold 5 corny's and a sixtel with the co2 tank outside.
 
You guys have any recommendation for a 9-10cf model for around $300 bucks.

I found the 8.8cf Kenmore at Sears yesterday for $263 however it appears to have quite a bit of waisted space. I can't seem to find the Magic Chef 7.2 anywhere around here, including on line.
 
If people start posting their own setups, I think it would be a good idea to add a model number and the yearly energy usage. I found an Excel File that on the final spreadsheet has a list of freezers and refridgerators between 1979 and 1992.

I have an Armana C15B that I got off of craigslist for free. As you can see it fits 8 corny's easily without a collar. With one, it should hold 2 more... Along the lines of energy usage, this pulls 846kwh a year. I know this isnt too good, but the starting price was right.

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This image should help
Kegs-new.jpg

Ok, So I have read this and studied the pic's, I'm looking for corney diameters and found the pic above. However it says that a corney is 9" in diameter. On a vendors page I found a description of the set up im' looking for and it says the kegs are 8" diameter. This makes a huge difference in choosing a freezer. Here is the link to the vendor. http://new.midwestsupplies.com/brew-logic-dual-tap-draft-system-with-reconditioned-co2-tank.html ( two reconditioned 5 gallon stainless steel Cornelius keg(25" Tall x 8" diameter - 26" tall with the disconnects.)

Any help on this mystery is appreciated. Does any one have the real measurements or can you measure yours and let me know. Thanks.
 
If I buy one of the compact chest freezers can I drill holes for taps in the front? Is there plumbing in the walls?
 
Ok guys, I have a German Wheat that is dieing for me to drink him and I can't decide on a freezer. I would like to have 3 tapped cornies, one carbing/conditioning and if possible fit a 6 gallon BB for Lagering. Lowes has the exact same dimension 9cf Frigidaire as Sears that is somewhat inefficient for corny storage.

On Lowes website they also show a 8.8cf version as well as a 7.2cf version. Neither of which are in the Lowes near our house. Anyone have any expirence with either of these models? Or anything else for us to consider?
 
On Lowes website they also show a 8.8cf version as well as a 7.2cf version. Neither of which are in the Lowes near our house. Anyone have any expirence with either of these models? Or anything else for us to consider?

I have the 7.2... I bought it almost solely because it came in black and so few others in the same size range did. Now... since I did what I did with mine and am not even utilizing the black part of the deal, I'd have gone with something wider (the frigidaire is 16.5"), so that I could better utilize the space. Not to discourage you...as I can still fit 3 on the bottom and 1-2 on the hump, but I think there are better options in the size range. With a sixtel on the bottom, I'm stuck with only one cornie down there and one on the hump....

EDIT: I moved a few things around and I can in deed squeeze a second cornie on the lower level with a sixtel. All three will fit, so my earlier statement about only fitting one with a cornie was incorrect.
 
You guys have any recommendation for a 9-10cf model for around $300 bucks.

I found the 8.8cf Kenmore at Sears yesterday for $263 however it appears to have quite a bit of waisted space. I can't seem to find the Magic Chef 7.2 anywhere around here, including on line.

I have two of the 8.8cf Kenmores and I can fit the following on the floor of it (excluding the hump):

4 cornies with CO2 tank or 2 fermenting buckets

Edit: Sorry, CO2 tank is on the hump

Any help on this mystery is appreciated. Does any one have the real measurements or can you measure yours and let me know. Thanks.

I have both new and used Cornies (2.5g., 3g., & 5g.) and none of them exceed 8 1/2".
 
anyone know what you can fit in a Danby DCF550W? 5.5cu/ft

width - 32 3/8
depth - 22
height - 32 7/8

is it possible to get a quarter / half barrel in this as well as one corny? trying to get an idea, looking to build a keezer here soon and can get this freezer on the cheap. the depth of 22 inches is what im worried about.

let me know, thanks.
 
I got my 14.8 Energy Star @ Lowes for $321 (they were floating a 20% discount that week) + free delivery. There should be sales during Dec. so watch the ads. The are now going for $399 + free delivery which is still not a bad deal. Montanaandy
 
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