The K-State Keezer!

So after far too long browsing this forum, and too much frustration with bottling, I've decided it's time to start kegging. And of COURSE if I'm going to be kegging, I have to have a keezer to go with it! And of COURSE if I'm going to build a keezer, it's going to be K-State! :rockin:

I think I have it all planned out, but I welcome all suggestions, questions, and advice! It will be placed in the living room and will displace an existing chair, so I wanted to have the top extend out to create a bar and stick a couple of bar stools under it so that I'm not losing any seating. To compensate for the weight, I want to do the top in vinyl tile instead of ceramic.

For the freezer, I'm using the popular GE 7.0 FCM7SUWW, which from my research should fit 3 ball locks without a collar, or 4 squeezed in tightly.

What do you all think? The freezer should be delivered 11/9, so any suggestions or comments before I start cutting would be very appreciated!

Looks like a solid plan! BTW....I used the same freezer and yes, 4 can be squeezed in, but it's a tight fit. Let me know if I can help. Subbed!!!!

Oh...a couple of questions on the build. What are you doing for coffin cooling. Is there a gap between the cabinet and the freezer wall? I can offer advice on these areas if needed. Good luck and I'll be following along.

Too bad Oregon is going to jump you in the standings and play for NC again....nice keez though

nice looking keezer other than the graphics. get a new team.


also, as soon as you have 3 tap, you'll want four since it will fit. Just make it a 4 tap keezer. I have the same model, with 4 taps. after you force the 4th keg in a few times it fits like a glove. I also have a 5lb tank on the hump.

Well, since both parents, 3 grandparents, and an uncle went to K-State, my humble advice would be to trim it out with Purpleheart (type of wood, if you didnt know) Best of luck!

It should have a Longhorn logo on it, since you own the keezer and us. Hook 'em!

NewBrewB said:

Well, since both parents, 3 grandparents, and an uncle went to K-State, my humble advice would be to trim it out with Purpleheart (type of wood, if you didnt know) Best of luck!

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I would love nothing more than an Oregon Kansas State natty. Here's to an Alabama loss!

Xpertskir said:

nice looking keezer other than the graphics. get a new team.


also, as soon as you have 3 tap, you'll want four since it will fit. Just make it a 4 tap keezer. I have the same model, with 4 taps. after you force the 4th keg in a few times it fits like a glove. I also have a 5lb tank on the hump.

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100% in agreement with this post. I started with 3 taps and within a couple of months, re-trimmed the front of the coffin and added the 4th. If you have the capacity to fit 4 kegs, eventually you will want 4 taps. Bite the bullet and go for 4! :rockin:

Hoppopotomus said:

Oh...a couple of questions on the build. What are you doing for coffin cooling. Is there a gap between the cabinet and the freezer wall? I can offer advice on these areas if needed. Good luck and I'll be following along.

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Inside the coffin I'm using foam insulation to create a channel of cold air surrounding the lines. It's an idea I've seen around here more than once, maybe even from you Hoppo if I remember correctly! I'll try to remember to post the Sketchup view of the inside of the coffin tonight.

I'm planning to leave 2-3" between the outside of the freezer and the wood surround. I think that should be enough?

HoppyDaze said:

Too bad Oregon is going to jump you in the standings and play for NC again....nice keez though

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I'm not convinced this is actually true, despite how much ESPN wants it to be!

NewBrewB said:

Well, since both parents, 3 grandparents, and an uncle went to K-State, my humble advice would be to trim it out with Purpleheart (type of wood, if you didnt know) Best of luck!

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A buddy of mine made the same suggestion. I haven't seen Purpleheart in person so I looked up pictures online, and I'm concerned that it might be TOO purple. I dunno. I'm planning to do the coffin and trim in cherry since that will match my existing hutch.

Hoppopotomus said:

100% in agreement with this post. I started with 3 taps and within a couple of months, re-trimmed the front of the coffin and added the 4th. If you have the capacity to fit 4 kegs, eventually you will want 4 taps. Bite the bullet and go for 4! :rockin:

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I thought about this and really considered it, but I just don't think I'll go through beer that fast! It's probably a good idea to build the coffin wide enough for 4 though so I can swap out the front piece like you did. How wide is your coffin? How much space in between taps?

TuttleCreekBrewing said:

I thought about this and really considered it, but I just don't think I'll go through beer that fast! It's probably a good idea to build the coffin wide enough for 4 though so I can swap out the front piece like you did. How wide is your coffin? How much space in between taps?

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I believe my coffin was 20 inches wide, not counting the beer glass shelves on the sides, but I can double check when I get home. My taps are are spaced 4 inches on center. Just make sure that you leave plenty of room for rigid foam insulation on the interior walls of the coffin for insulating purposes. You want that thing air tight and well insulated!!!!

I honestly do not go through mass quantities of beer either, unless I am entertaining. What I found was I wanted more variety, hence the 4th tap. There's nothing more frustrating than having a beer that you are excited about waiting to be carbed up or is carbed up sitting in your keezer without a tap. Like I said, my train of though was absolutely identical to your's about keeping it to 3 taps. I had a bunch of guys tell me that if the keezer holds 4 kegs, I would undoubtedly add a 4th tap. It only took a few months to realize that they were right. It's all about variety, not quantity.

Hoppopotomus said:

I believe my coffin was 20 inches wide, not counting the beer glass shelves on the sides, but I can double check when I get home. My taps are are spaced 4 inches on center. Just make sure that you leave plenty of room for rigid foam insulation on the interior walls of the coffin for insulating purposes. You want that thing air tight and well insulated!!!!

I honestly do not go through mass quantities of beer either, unless I am entertaining. What I found was I wanted more variety, hence the 4th tap. There's nothing more frustrating than having a beer that you are excited about waiting to be carbed up or is carbed up sitting in your keezer without a tap. Like I said, my train of though was absolutely identical to your's about keeping it to 3 taps. I had a bunch of guys tell me that if the keezer holds 4 kegs, I would undoubtedly add a 4th tap. It only took a few months to realize that they were right. It's all about variety, not quantity.

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I designed the inside of the coffin to account for 1.5" closed cell foam insulation in the front around the shanks and lines, with an open section behind for electrical. However, I only designed it 16" wide, for 3 taps with 4" spacing. Thinking out loud here, if I kept the 16" overall width but added a 4th tap, then the taps could have 3" spacing between. Has anyone built a keezer with 3" spacing between taps? Did it turn out OK, or did it end up being too close together?

TuttleCreekBrewing said:

I designed the inside of the coffin to account for 1.5" closed cell foam insulation in the front around the shanks and lines, with an open section behind for electrical. However, I only designed it 16" wide, for 3 taps with 4" spacing. Thinking out loud here, if I kept the 16" overall width but added a 4th tap, then the taps could have 3" spacing between. Has anyone built a keezer with 3" spacing between taps? Did it turn out OK, or did it end up being too close together?

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Honestly, I think 3 inches is fine unless you are going with bulky tap handles, like the chalkboard handles or some other beefy handle.....then it might get a little tight.

Hoppopotomus said:

Honestly, I think 3 inches is fine unless you are going with bulky tap handles, like the chalkboard handles or some other beefy handle.....then it might get a little tight.

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OK good. I wasn't super excited about extending the coffin out to 20" wide.

There shouldn't be a problem with the tap handles. I want to use WL yeast vials with screw adapters through the lids, then filled with the beer from that tap. Kind of like this, only instead of using grains, I'll use the finished beer! :rockin:

Best of luck on your build! I agree with Hopp on his make 4 taps recommendation. I was only going to build a 3 tap for the same reason you state, but I am glad I did the 4th tap now. Feel free to ask if you have any questions... and hope to see KState in the championship game.. of course I hope to be cheering against them in the game. ROLL TIDE!!

Here's the inside of the coffin, with the cold air channels in the front and the electrical in the back. The black box is the temperature controller, wired to the blue two-gang electrical box. One of the sets of outlets will be wired to the controller, and the other will be always hot.

bbentley40 said:

Best of luck on your build! I agree with Hopp on his make 4 taps recommendation. I was only going to build a 3 tap for the same reason you state, but I am glad I did the 4th tap now. Feel free to ask if you have any questions... and hope to see KState in the championship game.. of course I hope to be cheering against them in the game. ROLL TIDE!!

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Thanks everyone for the great suggestions and advice!

I hear you all on the 4-tap comments, but I think for now I'm going to build it with 3, but leave room for a 4th later on. I'll just have to make sure to build it so the front panel is easy to replace later. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure you're right and I'll add a 4th later on, but I just think I need to start with 3. When I do end up adding the 4th though, I'll make sure to come back and admit that you all were right!

I honestly don't care who KSU plays in the NCG, just as long as they get there! We believe in Optimus Klein! GO STATE! :rockin:

I'm sure all my K-State friends would like this. Can't wait to see how it turns out.