lagering in kegerator?

Greetings all,

I just put together a Danby mini fridge kegerator and I'm wondering if I can double it as a lager fermenter - 45 degrees might be cool enough for what's on tap.

I measured a 5 gallon carboy at my local brew shop and it's diameter might be just barely enough to squeeze in the fridge. I see some people do secondary

Greetings all,

I just put together a Danby mini fridge kegerator and I'm wondering if I can double it as a lager fermenter - 45 degrees might be cool enough for what's on tap.

I measured a 5 gallon carboy at my local brew shop and it's diameter might be just barely enough to squeeze in the fridge next to a corny keg. It's 10.5"-11" and that is exactly the depth of the Danby.

Anybody else use their kegerator also as a lagering fridge? After evaporation from brewing and wort sludge, is the liquid volume transferred significantly less than 5 gallons? I've been using a 6.5 gallon carboy for a long time so I never checked to see what my actual final volume was.

I like to lager at 34 degrees, but you could definitely do it warmer if you absolutely have to. I lager in the keg, often, though.

I think you're talking about fermentation, though, and not lagering? Lagers ferment in the 48-55 degree range generally, and then are racked to secondary and then lagered near freezing for weeks.

I think it would be hard to ferment a lager in a 5 gallon carboy, though. You might not have room for the krausen. Can you fit a 6.5 gallon bucket or carboy in there?

i have use a glass carboy for lagering and it works well and the kegerator i have i use the original contorler and just turn the dial to its coldest setting(mine is 35F) and it works good

ABSOLUTELY YOU CAN!!!!

I lager in the corny keg I plan to serve it out of. This way you can keep something on tap. I keep it from 36-40. I know that may be slightly high to lager, but if I enjoy whatever is on tap it'll warm up enough anyways. Also, I'm an American so I like all my beer styles cold.

You can even primary in a corny keg!!!! Lagers make so little krausen you can get almost 5.25 gallons into a primary fermenter while you enjoy a ~50 degree ale.

Thanks for the replies!

Maybe I am a bit confused. Here's how I pictured a lager working out:

1. primary fermentation in glass carboy, temp controlled in mini fridge.
2. transfer to secondary fermenter or corny keg for cold ageing in mini fridge
3. tap and enjoy after a few weeks.

Granted, I haven't even used my kegs yet, but can't wait. I might be missing some steps there.

When using corny kegs as fermenters, do you use a bubbler to vent, or just let it escape out of a valve?

Sorry for so many questions.

1) you should be just fine fermenting in the glass carboy in the minifridge assuming you have good temperature control.

2) Lagering is cold aging, it is distinct from secondary fermentation. Let the beer finish all fermentation in the carboy then transfer to corney keg for lagering, no need to have airlock just check pressure once in a while, if you completed fermentation in the primary there shouldn't be any. I would fill the corney with CO2 before I racked the beer into it just to keep oxygen contact to a minimum.

3) after a couple months not weeks but yes, this is the best part!