Keezer - Incremental build?

I was recently given two ball lock corny kegs. They have the disconnects as well as some tubing, a regulator, and a hose with a plastic tap on the end. I am debating how to do it, but I would like to build a keezer. I was thinking that it would not be that expensive.

http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances...Id=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051#.ULgL8qxQWRQ

^^That freezer went on sale for 180'ish recently, I am thinking it will be below 200 at some point and I may buy it. If you look at the reviews with pictures, there is a guy that painted his black. It looks very nice, I might do that.

I was pricing out the parts I need. I was thinking it would be nice to have 4 taps, 2 of which would be mine and possibly 2 guest taps. I would get those from local brew pubs or breweries that would sell 1/6 barrels. I think I drink more than I have time to brew.

I priced out the parts at the LHBS the other day, and it is going to be a lot more expensive than I anticipated. For each faucet, they quoted me the following:

faucet head 21.99
shank 16.99
washer 0.9
hex nut 2.5
tail piece 2.99

So that's just under $200 in faucets alone.

So reevaluating my situation, I am thinking maybe I will start out by just having a home brew keg and a guest keg. I could get a CO2 5lb aluminum for 63 shipped

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=50

or else a reconditioned steel from the same seller for $15 less in 4 lb.

I am thinking that to start out with, maybe I won't buy the freezer. Instead I would just have the keg, CO2 and regulator. I was thinking I could pour the beer into a growler and put it in the freezer or fridge to chill it. Is this a decent option?

I am thinking that I will be mitigating a risk here. In the event that draft beer is a fleeting interest, I won't be out too much. It will also be easier on the pocket book to spread the costs over a greater period of time.

Have any of you gone this route? Or do people just go straight to a keezer?

I started by buying a fridge for $5 off of Craig's List. I used plastic picnic taps. I got a 20lb Co2 tank for $30 off CL as well and bought the regulator from Keg Connection.

I then kept an eye on CL until I found a chest freezer for $100, at which point I sold the fridge and bought a temp control unit.

I was basically in your situation. All said and done, I have a keezer for under $400. I did get cheap faucets and I probably will upgrade some day.

My point is, it's doable. Filling growlers to chill would totally suck. May as well bottle.

Another option would be to buy the freezer when it goes on sale (or buy used) get the co2 you need and just buy a picnic tap for your keg. Add taps and a collar and more kegs as you go along. A picnip tap is about $10 with hose and connector and you can pop the freezer open to pour your beer.

snowtires said:

Another option would be to buy the freezer when it goes on sale (or buy used) get the co2 you need and just buy a picnic tap for your keg. Add taps and a collar and more kegs as you go along. A picnip tap is about $10 with hose and connector and you can pop the freezer open to pour your beer.

Click to expand...

That's what I did. I got a chest freezer and just started out with 1 keg and a picnic tap. If I had the time and money I would have built a keezer with faucets and the whole deal but at least now I have the freezer and can keep adding to it. I have 2 kegs now and will probably add 1-2 more and then start working on a collar and installing taps.

If I waited until I could do it all at once I'd still be waiting.

Agree with the others, I don't think you'll want to do this without a freezer. You'd need to carb at much higher pressures at room temp so would need crazy long lines not to foam. Besides that filling growlers every time you want beer sounds like way too much hassle for what it's worth. I think you'd be better off just bottling and saving money for when you find a deal on a fridge or freezer.