Kegging and Conditioning?!

Maybe someone can help me figure out what I am to do next.

So what I have currently is my first batch of beer, and a batch of apfelwein in carboys in my fermentation chamber (Chest freezer with temp controller).

I was planing to use the freezer for both fermentation chamber and to keep the kegs cold. (turn down the temp when ready)

I'm starting to realize that I don't think this will work. Then there is the whole conditioning thing....

Do I need 3 freezers on temp controllers? Should I buy at least a second?

My First beer should be ready in only a few more weeks. It might need to be conditioned though? Can I do this in a keg just like one would in a bottle? Would I pressurize the keg before conditioning? What temp would it need to be stored at?

What would I do with the apfelwein if I want to start drinking the keg, it will still need to continue fermenting and conditioning... Can I bottle the apfelwein when its finished and store in a house that gets up to 70-90f ? Should I Leave it in the carboy or Keg with the beer at serving temp? Will it condition at serving temp?

I don't know what to do!

This is what I would do: keep everything in the freezer with the temp around 40F or less using your temp controller. Use a fermwarp or a heating pad on your fermenting carboy with another temp controller to keep the ferment temp up. You only need to control the temp on your fermentation for about 4-5 days, so after that I would remove the carboy and let it finish at room temp for another 10 days. I don't think keeping your temp down in your freezer while something is fermenting will over work the freezer.

Hope this makes sense.

kwingert said:

. You only need to control the temp on your fermentation for about 4-5 days, so after that I would remove the carboy and let it finish at room temp for another 10 days...

Hope this makes sense.

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Thanks for your response

I read the apfelwein needs a minimum of 3 months to complete though, it's still bubbling away and it's been 11 days already.

But basically what your saying is that once the krausen on fermenting beer sinks I don't need to worry about the temperature of the wort anymore? I can finish the conditioning in 80f room temperature? At least I think that is what your getting at?