Keezer ideas?

I just got a 12cu ft Whirlpool freezer from Craigslist for $50. I expect that I could get five kegs in it, as well as having the ledge area for other stuff.

When my controller arrives (next week), I'll set it at 54F and use picnic faucets for the time-being.

However, I want to do a full conversion and add a wood top section. I doubt that I'll need more that three taps, plus I have ambitions towards getting a beer engine.

1. Does anyone have a keezer with installed beer engine as well as regular taps. I'd like to see photos, please.

2. If I were to add a stout faucet (maybe not practical given 54F serving temp), and given that I would most likely be using 20oz nonic glasses for stout, what height would I need to mount the shank of the tap above the table height so that I can get glasses under the tap? I am thinking about this in case I decide to build a coffin top for the taps.

3. The freezer is 33 inches tall. I'd like to put it on wheels, but worry about the taps ending-up too high above the floor for reaching. I am around 5'7" and my wife is around 5'.

4. Given the presence of young kids, I'd also like to avoid mounting faucets onto a collar. Plus, the design of the lid/hinges on my freezer would make adding a collar tricky.

5. When building a dolly for your keezer, what weight did you spec the casters for? And has anyone found really low profile wheels/casters that work?

Anyway, I know there are lots of keezer builds, but if anyone has any specific photos of coffin keezer / beer engine combos, I'd love to see them.

Thanks,
Charlie

CButterworth said:

When my controller arrives (next week), I'll set it at 54F and use picnic faucets for the time-being.

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Just a heads up, but you're going to need a very slow pour to prevent foaming at a temp that high, which will require extra long beer lines. Also keep in mind that the beer will warm up as it hits the glass, so if you want to drink the beer at 54°, you'll need to set your controller several degrees cooler.

CButterworth said:

1. Does anyone have a keezer with installed beer engine as well as regular taps. I'd like to see photos, please.

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I've not seen one, but here's a keezer with dual beer engines-
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/dual-beer-engine-keezer-using-valterra-rocket-hand-pumps-238777/

CButterworth said:

2. If I were to add a stout faucet (maybe not practical given 54F serving temp), and given that I would most likely be using 20oz nonic glasses for stout, what height would I need to mount the shank of the tap above the table height so that I can get glasses under the tap? I am thinking about this in case I decide to build a coffin top for the taps.

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From the center of the shank to the bottom of a nitro faucet is about 3" on most models. Add the height of your 20oz glasses and however much space you want between the top of the glass and the faucet and you have your answer.

CButterworth said:

3. The freezer is 33 inches tall. I'd like to put it on wheels, but worry about the taps ending-up too high above the floor for reaching. I am around 5'7" and my wife is around 5'.

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They'll be pretty high if building a coffin/tower, especially if accounting for the tall glasses and nitro faucet. Putting the coffin/tower close to the front edge of the keezer should help make the faucets easier to reach.

CButterworth said:

5. When building a dolly for your keezer, what weight did you spec the casters for? And has anyone found really low profile wheels/casters that work?

Click to expand...

I tried some low profile 1 1/2" casters that were rated for 85# each IIRC, and they fell apart pretty quickly. I replaced them with some 3" casters rated for 140# each. To minimize the height, I mounted the casters directly to the freezer rather than building a dolly. Depending on the design, you could build a dolly with large heavy duty casters that allows the freezer to nearly touch the floor, but it will require the total footprint of the keezer to be larger.

Hope that helps.

For a lower height I mounted the casters on the cross pieces, Only 5'6" myself mine is 37" tall with the coffin 53". Taps vary as Juan stated about three to three and 1/2 the metal nozzle is longer have one of each. Temperature wise you'll have everything covered in mold at that setting plus the condensation I started at 46* now I run at 39* I let my stouts sit for a minute or so then put the head on it serving temp is 46*-48* https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attach...ent.php?attachmentid=91165&stc=1&d=1356872508