Kegerator/Fermentation Chamber

[edwriver]

Hello Everyone! Hope you can enlighten me a little. I want to buy a mini fridge to convert it as a kegerator/fermentation chamber. Now, the problem is that I usually do large batches. I have two kegs, and like 4 carboys. I'll probably be brewing two different types of beers at a time so I would need a mini fridge spacious enough to accommodate 2 big mouth 6 gallon carboys during the fermentation process. Then, that same fridge has to work as kegerator for two keg. Obviously, carboys would not be in use in this period. What are your suggestions?

 

[rorypayne]

I recommend you buy a ferm chamber and a kegerator. I see the save in cash by trying to have it do both but when you are full with with beer to drink you have to empty the kegs prior to brewing again. This leads to no beer and now you have no hb to enjoy.

 

[broadbill]

Do they make mini-fridges that accomodate two 6 gallon carboys? If they do, can they be called "mini"?

+1 to two units.

 

[brewhawk35]

I use a side by side fridge. Use a temp. controller on the freezer side and set it at 38 or lower. You should be able to fit four kegs in there or 3 and co2. The fridge side will be about 57 degrees and be able to fit two carboys if you build a shelf. It is also nice good for storing bottles when nothing is fermenting or if you only have one carboy fermenting.

 

[broadbill]

I use a side by side fridge. Use a temp. controller on the freezer side and set it at 38 or lower. You should be able to fit four kegs in there or 3 and co2. The fridge side will be about 57 degrees and be able to fit two carboys if you build a shelf. It is also nice good for storing bottles when nothing is fermenting or if you only have one carboy fermenting.

57 seems a bit too cool for ales, a bit to warm for lagers....have you thought about putting the vent assembly on a controller to regulate it? The electronics may be a bit daunting, the back-handed way of doing it is to put heater/brew-belts on the carboys and control the temps that way.

 

[brewhawk35]

When fermenting lagers I actually put them in the freezer side so they are in the high 30's or low 40's. I generally use the fridge side for storing bottles but have used it to ferment in the summer and with a vigorous ferment the fermentation temp stays between 65-68.

 

[broadbill]

When fermenting lagers I actually put them in the freezer side so they are in the high 30's or low 40's. I generally use the fridge side for storing bottles but have used it to ferment in the summer and with a vigorous ferment the fermentation temp stays between 65-68.

???
this works for you? Lager fermentation is typically done in the high 40s to 50s, not 30s to 40s. That is more lagering temp.

https://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_lagerbrewing.cfm

That being said, I still think for the time investment you should aim for a a system that allows more fine control of fermentation temp...whether that comes from two units or modification of one unit.

 

[brewhawk35]

Sorry about that. I should have said I also use it to cold crash in the upper 30's. When I lager I make sure I bottled off everything in the kegs, or have a beer that is better served a bit warmer, so I can use the temp controller to do a lager ferment in the upper 40's to 50's. It takes some playing with to see how much the heat from the yeast activity effects the temp.

 

[smccarter]

A deep freezer with a temp controller is what you will need. A "mini" fridge will be too small. I have a small-ish deep freezer that I bought quite awhile ago. I used it for fermentation and as a keezer when I wasn't fermenting.

I've since bought a mini-fridge that I'm using as my kegerator. The freezer is where I ferment and cold crash my beer. It's much simpler with the 2 seperate devices, but it was nice to be able to use the freezer for both. It allowed me to spread the two large purchases out over a couple of years, while still being able to do exactly what I wanted to do - which was control fermentation temps, cold crash, and keg. Make sure to take measurements of the 2 carboys before heading to Lowe's/Home Depot/wherever. I found a freezer that holds 2 carboys very easily, and has enough room for 4 kegs and my CO2 tank, while not taking up a ton of room in the garage.

 

[maierhof]

+1 to two separate units
I use a chest freezer and heating pad for fermenter,
and an old side by side for serving in freezer and storing yeast, hops, etc. on the fridge side and when I do a double brew day I can use it as an ale fermenter too.

I have the stc 1000+ on the chest freezer
I have stc 1000 units on the both sides of the side x side. one runs the freezer temp and a fan is run from the freezer side to the fridge side by the stc 1000.