What should I do with my mini-fridge?

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What should I do with my mini-fridge

  • Fermentation Chamber

  • Kegerator

  • Other


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Jsamp

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I have a mini fridge I scored for free. i know it will fit a 6.5" Ale Pail. It may fit 3 corny kegs but definitely 2 and may use it for a kegerator. I dont have any kegging eqquipment yet but want to someday. What would you do?
 
Awesome I was the first to vote. Just use it as a fermenation chamber and then later down the road if you decide to keg you can always convert it to a kegerator. You could at that point keep it as a fermentation chamber and make a keezer as well. If you don't have to make any modifications besides a temp controller the fermenation chamber NOW makes a lot more sense to me.
 
If you are east coast I would say use it as a kegerator. There is a reason why I am telling you this, but I have had tom manty HB's and I have forgot my reasoning. But Good luck with everything.
 
Kegging is the way to go. Bottles suck, (let the flaming begin)

While I agree that kegging is the way to go, I also think that kegging BIG is the way to go if at all possible, as in chest freezer with at least four taps. I have six, myself, and I love it. I also have a mini fridge for a fermentation chamber and I like that too. Temperature controlled fermentation is something I wish I had discovered a long time ago, and I only have a need to control 5 gallons at a time. At most I brew 5 gallons each week, and while my beers usually stay in primary for two weeks, I am usually comfortable taking them out of the ferm chamber after the first week since the vast majority of the sugars have already been fermented and letting the temperature rise.
 
Kegerator or bottling, you always have a package for your beer. A fermentation chamber will increase the quality of your beer. A kegerator, while great just makes it easier and gives you a little more control. Go for the chamber, your beer will thank you.
 
Kegerator or bottling, you always have a package for your beer. A fermentation chamber will increase the quality of your beer. A kegerator, while great just makes it easier and gives you a little more control. Go for the chamber, your beer will thank you.

I'm going to have to use it as a chamber for a while at least until I get some kegging equipment. Maybe while gathering kegging equipment I will run into a cheap/free freezer. I seen those thermostat controllers but forget what they are called. Anybody know where to get a good deal on one?
 
Craigslist is pretty reliable for chest freezers (obviously better if you live near civilization) and I'm a fan of the johnson fridge thermostats because they are cheap and incredibly easy to use. The only drawback being that the temp on the dial isn't necessarily the temp in the fridge, you just have to use a thermometer to keep it honest. http://www.brewmasterswarehouse.com/product/0101527/refrigerator-thermostat

When I was hunting for a freezer I noticed that all chest freezers on CL seemed to go for 100+/- no matter how big, so I just waited for a really big one to come up and got it for 100. I can fit 10 cornies, CO2, and beergas inside.
 
Use it for a fermentation fridge. I had one I was using as my kegerator, and very soon got pissed that I could only have two beers on tap at a time, so I turned it into a fermentation chamber and bought a chest freezer off Craigslist for $50.
 
I voted kegerator just because you might want a bigger fermentation fridge that can double up as a wine and beer cellar, unless you plan to lager. It will also depend on how big your parties will be. Two beers on tap is a pretty good variety for a handful of people.
 
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