Matt builds a keezer.

MBasile · Jan 3, 2010

Slowly but surely I'm piecing together my keezer equipment! My goal is to have it up and running by late spring. I'm a full time student so money is tight, but I'm also a perfectionist and don't like to buy sub-par parts.

$50 craigslist 7 cu ft GE freezer fits nicely in its new home (balance ball isn't mine)

4 of the cornies from my $70 CL corny score (5 cornies, 20# co2 tank)

I've been debating collar vs. tap tower, and I'm leaning towards a collar because it's compact. I'll keep this thread updated though!

Thanks for lookin' guys and Yooper.

mordantly · Jan 3, 2010

that is one fine chest you have thar!

MMTG · Jan 3, 2010

Nice! I say go with a collar, check out my keezer(Fallen Flag Keezer build/DIY) build and feel free to ask me if you need any question answered before you decide.

MBasile · Jan 30, 2010

So I built the collar tonight (no pictures as my garage is too small to get any clean shots). It took two attempts to get the wood because the first time Home Depot (there's the problem right there) cut the sections like crap! This second time I went to a lumber yard. The cuts still weren't exactly 90˚ but they were close enough that the collar straightened out once attached to the lid (with deck screws). The first coat of deck finish is currently drying and I'll add the second on the morning.

For anyone thinking of doing a collar that does not have much woodworking/building experience... Don't be intimidated! This is one of the easiest things to build. Just go to a quality lumber yard that sides the wood on all 4 sides and knows how to do straight cross cuts. Get yourself some 90˚ clamps (~$8 each at home depot, you need 2) and take your time. I haven't worked with raw wood since I took wood shop freshman year of high school (8 1/2 years ago).

mordantly · Jan 30, 2010

8.5 years ago? you must be what duece-duece? i graduated 8 years ago... damn i'm old.

MBasile · Jan 30, 2010

mordantly said:
8.5 years ago? you must be what duece-duece? i graduated 8 years ago... damn i'm old.

Duece-tres as of 8 days ago thank you very much! I realized when I wrote that, that I'm probably one of the younger ones on here. :mug:

ruffdeezy · Jan 30, 2010

mordantly said:
8.5 years ago? you must be what duece-duece? i graduated 8 years ago... damn i'm old.

It's almost been 10 years out of high school for me, still feels like I am in high school at times though.

It's probably better you went with the collar, will probably be a bit cheaper and opening the lid won't be as big of a hassle if you had the tower.

TripleHopped · Jan 30, 2010

mordantly said:
8.5 years ago? you must be what duece-duece? i graduated 8 years ago... damn i'm old.

I'm 31 years out.

The only sad thing is that I just started brewing last year. What a waist of a lifetime.

Glad you went with the wood collar instead of the tower. You will be happier with that choice.

Besides there is nothing like getting your hands on a good piece of wood.

Waiting for some pics...

Jersh · Jan 30, 2010

Sounds good, good luck with the build... I'm in the planning phases of my keezer as well. SWMBO is so far pretty adamant against me building one, but hopefully I can convince her otherwise... I turn 30 this year, so my plan is to sell this as a 30th birthday present to myself... Plus we're moving to a new house in a couple months, and will have a lot more room, so I plan on putting it out on our patio. I'm planning on a collar and tower for my build, collar so I can raise the level and tower just because I like the tower look... I'm also going to encase three sides in wood paneling and make a pseudo bar top out of it as well (or at least those are my plans, my carpentry experience is non-existant, but thankfully I have some friends with more experience that I hope will help me! Here's a sketch of what I'm wanting to do, similar to what several others have done: http://www.joshodonnell.com/my_keezer.jpg

Good luck to you though, please share photos along the way!

MBasile · Jan 30, 2010

Jersh said:
Sounds good, good luck with the build... I'm in the planning phases of my keezer as well. SWMBO is so far pretty adamant against me building one, but hopefully I can convince her otherwise... I turn 30 this year, so my plan is to sell this as a 30th birthday present to myself... Plus we're moving to a new house in a couple months, and will have a lot more room, so I plan on putting it out on our patio. I'm planning on a collar and tower for my build, collar so I can raise the level and tower just because I like the tower look... I'm also going to encase three sides in wood paneling and make a pseudo bar top out of it as well (or at least those are my plans, my carpentry experience is non-existant, but thankfully I have some friends with more experience that I hope will help me! Here's a sketch of what I'm wanting to do, similar to what several others have done: http://www.joshodonnell.com/my_keezer.jpg

Good luck to you though, please share photos along the way!

Well see, I'm a little lazy so even though my bottles get rinsed out right after they are emptied, they don't get taken out to the garage for storage for a few days. Since I'm still in college I'm living at home, and my family would rather have a keezer in the garage than bottles on the kitchen counter.

Once the collar is completely done (final coat of sealant, weatherstripping applied, yada yada yada) I'll snap some pictures. CO2 lines will come next, followed then by taps. The first beer I'm planning on putting in this is a maibock that'll be brewed in a couple of weeks, but will have to age for a few months. That'll require me to get the gas hooked up and the temperature controlled soon, but dispensing isn't an urgent requirement just yet (makes it easier on the wallet that way).

MBasile · Mar 23, 2010

I shanked her today! Faucets should be here later this week or early next week. Still need lines, all the quick disconnects, gas manifold, and a temp controller.

fineexampl · Mar 23, 2010

subscribed. same size setup i am building.

MBasile · Mar 23, 2010

fineexampl said:
subscribed. same size setup i am building.

I'll be doing the lines and whatnot within the next month or 2, at that point I'll take detailed pictures, as it won't really be interesting until then.

MBasile · Mar 24, 2010

Taps arrived today, hell of a lot faster than I expected! I think the next part will be the temp controller so that I can throw my MaiBock in here for lagering and free up my fermentation fridge for the next brew.

Jawbox0 · Mar 27, 2010

I don't know what you're leaning to for the Controller, but I really like my EBay contoller. I installed it on Thursday night right into my collar, and it works great for under $40 shipped.

Nice lookin' keezer.

Dave46382 · Mar 27, 2010

drip tray?

MBasile · Mar 27, 2010

Jawbox0 said:
I don't know what you're leaning to for the Controller, but I really like my EBay contoller. I installed it on Thursday night right into my collar, and it works great for under $40 shipped.

Nice lookin' keezer.

Which one is "the ebay one"? I'm leaning towards this one. Before next winter I'm going to try to put a two stage controller on my fermentation chamber, at which point I'd put the Johnsons analog one on the keezer.

Dave46382 said:
drip tray?

Probably going to be a bucket for now, until I confirm that there are no line running through the front wall.

Jawbox0 · Mar 28, 2010

MBasile said:
Which one is "the ebay one"? I'm leaning towards this one. Before next winter I'm going to try to put a two stage controller on my fermentation chamber, at which point I'd put the Johnsons analog one on the keezer.

Probably going to be a bucket for now, until I confirm that there are no line running through the front wall.

This is the model I picked up. Quite a few people have been using them with some success. It does mean having to wire it into your freezer though...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mini-Digital-Te...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3efe312078

MBasile · Mar 29, 2010

Jawbox0 said:
This is the model I picked up. Quite a few people have been using them with some success. It does mean having to wire it into your freezer though...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mini-Digital-Te...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3efe312078

is there a ˚F version?

Jawbox0 · Mar 29, 2010

MBasile said:
is there a ˚F version?

It is the one draw back, but I've printed a conversion chart for my Keezer. It is pretty much a set it and forget it deal for me.

Matt builds a keezer.

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