Craigs list score

I never would have thought to look at Craigs list if it wasn't for this forum. Anyway, I got myself a chest freezer on the cheap for $50. It's a small one, but it could either 1) hold 2 fermenters for temperature controlled fermentation or 2) hold 3-4 kegs and a CO2 tank.

I happen to have 4 5gallon cornies I got off ebay recently, but here's my dilemma. I'd like to start lagering some different types of beer (Alts, Marzen and Octoberfest) mainly. I am also working SWMBO to get a new fridge so I get the old one and then that would hold about 6 cornies.

So, should I use the chest freezer for a fermenter and wait a few months for the new fridge, or just say screw it and turn it into a kegerator now because bottling sucks so bad.

Also, is it worth the extra few bucks for the digital temperature controller or is the dial good enough? I'm leaning digital but I've spent so much on the recent upgrade to all-grain I could use saving a few bucks!

Looking forward to some additional opinions as I'm leaning towards making it a ferementer now.

Make that thing a kegerator, you'll be happier with it in the short term and it's great for status within your group of friends ("Hey guys, guess what I've got on tap." sounds really good to me). Lagering seems like it's more of an experimentation thing.

Really it boils down to what you want to feed, your curiosity, or your overall happiness. If you're the curious type then go lagering, if you're more into the gratification side of homebrewing then go kegerator. And, above all RDWHAHB.

Yeah that's pretty much my dilemma. I do enjoy the mad scientest aspect of homebrewing but also having the kegs will let me make beer faster (bottling slows me way down!)

Thanks for the input. I suppose my decision will be made this weekend when I find out if the rest of my kegging equipment is scored for cheap of another Craigs list find!

I've never done it before.. but I can't imagine why you couldn't lager beer in one of your cornies..

then you can have 3 on tap and one lagering.. or.. 2 and 2...

everybody wins!!!