Show us your portable travel kegerator/cooler.

BigLuke · Jun 30, 2012

I know there are several build threads on this site showing this, like Dr_Deathweed's and Cpt_Kirks' as well as several others. I think that it is time for a dedicated thread to show them all off. This site has been a great inspiration for several projects already. I am in desperate need of another DIY project, so when it comes to your portable kegerators / coolers / jockey boxes, its time to show them off!

Hammy71 · Jun 30, 2012

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/my-potable-kegger-202180/

Here's a couple of the pics....

Yooper · Jul 1, 2012

I've posted this before, but this belongs to me and lschiavo (we have joint custody):

AnOldUR · Jul 1, 2012

Ghetto all the way!

. . . and it doubles as a mash tun.

Cpt_Kirks · Jul 2, 2012

I need some new pics with the extension I made to allow 5 gallon kegs to fit.

rossi46 · Jul 2, 2012

This is a bad pic but the only one I have at work. There is a 2.5 lbs. tank and regulator on the back. I rushed to get it assembled before a work party, so it has been refined a little since.

rossi46 · Jul 2, 2012

Found a few others

stack · Jul 2, 2012

Here is mine. It is not exactly a self contained system as others have made, but still portable. I have a seven circuit cold plate that I am making double passes through. I tested it yesterday and got a room temp keg of sanitizer from 74 down to 31.5 deg. I just need drill holes in the back for the supply lines and finish connecting some of the tubing to the cold plate and faucets. This weekend will be her maiden voyage as we will be going camping.

fxdude · Jul 2, 2012

Put this thing together a couple hours before guests arrived to give it a quick test drive. Wheeled it out to our family's ranch's 150th anniversary party. 15 gallons of homebrew gone in a couple of hours

VaBrewer · Jul 4, 2012

I put this together for taking to the beach last year. Worked great, but need to beef up the insulation. I now have a cold plate that I will be incorporating into it as well.

SharonaZamboni · Jul 4, 2012

Umm...OK. Needs a little refinement.

Drewski8986 · Jul 5, 2012

Thanks for the great ideas everyone!!

BigLuke · Jul 21, 2012

These all look great! Stack, I would love to know how this worked out for you, as I am considering a similar project. Would also love to see the inside of your setup.

Still trying to decide if a "self contained" or Jockey Box is the way to go. Love all of the ideas.

rmaloney86 · Jul 21, 2012

AnOldUR said:
Ghetto all the way!

. . . and it doubles as a mash tun.

The Fanny pack is freaking hilarious, love it.

nasty_rabbit · Jul 21, 2012

A little off topic (maybe) but with all posts about beer line length, how long are the lines on these portables?

rmaloney86 · Jul 21, 2012

I just built this today for a trip I'm taking in a couple months, I can tell you anything you want to know about it, except where I got the cooler... its a secret...

rossi46 · Jul 22, 2012

nasty_rabbit said:
A little off topic (maybe) but with all posts about beer line length, how long are the lines on these portables?

Mine are 6 ft. Should have been longer.

Hammy71 · Jul 23, 2012

nasty_rabbit said:
A little off topic (maybe) but with all posts about beer line length, how long are the lines on these portables?

I use the CO2 catridges, so I use 5' lines. If I was using a regular tank, I'd start out with 10'. Same as a regular kegger.

DrHops · Jul 23, 2012

Here is mine, version 2.0. I'll see if I can find picks of the first one that I built years ago.

COLLINH · Jul 23, 2012

Is that a 3gal or 5 gal corny? if it is 5 how large of a cooler is it?

stack · Jul 23, 2012

BigLuke said:
These all look great! Stack, I would love to know how this worked out for you, as I am considering a similar project. Would also love to see the inside of your setup.

Still trying to decide if a "self contained" or Jockey Box is the way to go. Love all of the ideas.

Luke,

I have only used it once and it was 95 degrees outside. I had the kegs iced and the beer poured extremely cold. I was having some issues with foaming. I would get about one second of foam as soon as the tap was opened then it would pour great for about 8 ounces or so, then back to foam. I tried both lowering and increasing the CO2 pressure anywhere from 8 to 25 psi with the same results. I haven't exactly pinned down what my problem was. Aside from the foam it worked great. I will continue to trouble shoot. If anyone has any suggestions / theories please let me know.

Here are some more pics of my setup.

Underneath the cold plate I am using a wire silverware tray that I trimmed to fit inside the cooler, similar to this. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004506AL4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I wish I would have thought about how I was going to run the tubing out of the back a little more, but I suppose it works.

The last picture also shows my DIY tap handles. They are a bit large for the jockey box but are right at home on my kegerator.

DrHops · Jul 23, 2012

To COLLINH, it's a 3 gallon corny. I thought about converting it to fit a 5 gallon, but since I have two 3 gallon cronies and a 2 1/2 gallon Chinese one I figure why bother. It works great, Walmart sells the cooler for $30 and it needs next to no ice. I actually use keglove ice blankets which keep it ice cold all day long out in the heat. The other advantage is that it's a direct tap unit, there is no beer line to clean out the next day.

DubBrew · Jul 23, 2012

Here's mine. Holds a 3 gallon corny. Can easily swap out the gas source and the tap. I've used beer gas and co2 with regular and stout taps.

COLLINH · Jul 26, 2012

The "hamperator" has served me well at all the brewers bobblehead games this year (even in 95 plus temps) Im looking to upgrade to somthing a little nicer looking, so im looking forward to this thread.

Jaysus · Aug 1, 2012

I love this thread!

bellinmi88 · Aug 1, 2012

Cheap and simple.

Supurb · Aug 1, 2012

Its not done yet but you get the jist

zman · Aug 1, 2012

OK. I will play too. Here is mine. My beer lines are not included in the pics.

zman · Aug 1, 2012

stack said:
Luke,

I have only used it once and it was 95 degrees outside. I had the kegs iced and the beer poured extremely cold. I was having some issues with foaming. I would get about one second of foam as soon as the tap was opened then it would pour great for about 8 ounces or so, then back to foam. I tried both lowering and increasing the CO2 pressure anywhere from 8 to 25 psi with the same results. I haven't exactly pinned down what my problem was. Aside from the foam it worked great. I will continue to trouble shoot. If anyone has any suggestions / theories please let me know.

Here are some more pics of my setup.

Underneath the cold plate I am using a wire silverware tray that I trimmed to fit inside the cooler, similar to this. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004506AL4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I wish I would have thought about how I was going to run the tubing out of the back a little more, but I suppose it works.

The last picture also shows my DIY tap handles. They are a bit large for the jockey box but are right at home on my kegerator.

What is your hose length? I have 6' for my beer in line then 12-18" from the plate to the taps. My cold plate is raised as well. What size tubing are you using? I went with all 3/16. SO far I have not had any issues.... knock on wood.

stack · Aug 1, 2012

zman said:
What is your hose length? I have 6' for my beer in line then 12-18" from the plate to the taps. My cold plate is raised as well. What size tubing are you using? I went with all 3/16. SO far I have not had any issues.... knock on wood.

All of my lines are 3/16". I would say the lines from the keg to the cold plate are around 8'. Then two passes through the cold plate. I have no idea how long each pass is. Then about 2' or so between the faucet and the cold plate, just enough that I can set the cold plate out of the cooler without disconnecting any lines.

Do you ice your kegs or keep them at room temperature? What pressure are you serving at?

zman · Aug 2, 2012

I keep them in a tub of ice while connected to the JB. The serving pressure is 28-35. That was for 3 kegs at my homebrew club event. my length from the back to the plate is about 1' The hoses from the plate to the taps are 14-18 roughly. The beer line (keg to pass through shank is 4' or so.

MannyZ · Aug 2, 2012

Here's mine, HEAVILY inspired by other builds here on HBT. The "black stain" is actually Marks-A-Lot

JuanMoore · Aug 2, 2012

Here's my coffin box trash can kegerator.

poislb · Sep 22, 2012

Heres mine..

beardedirishman · Sep 22, 2012

Here's mine

Hammy71 · Sep 23, 2012

beardedirishman said:
Here's mine

View attachment 76754

Now, that's a piece of industrial art. I love it!

Hellfire_studios · Sep 23, 2012

poislb said:
Heres mine..

Love the snapon handles!

DirtyDirty · Sep 23, 2012

Here's mine.

DirtyDirty · Sep 23, 2012

And another.

63belair · Sep 24, 2012

Here's a question for you guys:

For those of you using faucets, do you use perlicks or cheapo's?

I ask because I'm thinking of building one and while I love the perlicks on my Kegerator at home, maybe they are overkill for a single day/weekend use device? I would imagine stuck faucets wouldn't be an issue with the short duration high intensity use of a portable Kegerator?

Thoughts or suggestions? If you were to start over and build one from scratch, what would you do?

Also, I'm thinking of building a trash can style.

Show us your portable travel kegerator/cooler.

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