Kegerator, Keezer, or Other?

[spotted_dog]

I've finally hit the stage in my brewing career that I want to make the leap into kegging. I've come to a fork in the road and I'm deciding which path to take. I would like to have some way to keg and serve my homebrews and I'm not sure which option to pick. I can layout my thought process below and would love the hear some feedback from other brewers that have experience with these different options.

Kegerator
This option was originally my favorite option and I was about to pull the trigger on it. Compact, appealing appearance, and ease of use. A kegerator would make a great addition to my basement and would be easy to maintain. I enjoyed the clean and commercial look of these. But there are a few issues I had with them. I would like to ramp up my brewing efforts and anything over a 3 tap kegerator is expensive. I don't have an unlimited budget. But I've found single tap kegerators near me for like $250, but I feel I will quickly outgrow a single tap. Which has lead me to my next option...

Keezer
While researching kegerators, I've come across the idea of building your own keezer. I've enjoyed this idea thoroughly because it is customizable, decently clean looking, and can fit plenty of taps. I have the room to fit a chest freezer in my basement so space is not an issue. The cost does seem to be a little higher than a single or double tap kegerator but I won't outgrow a customized keezer. But it will be more work, cost, and maintenance than a single or double tap kegerator. Leaning towards this option though.

Other
Are there any other options besides these two? Do people just put kegs in a fridge with a picnic tap? I'm not sure. I would like to observe all of my options before I spend the time and money on any one of these options.

Thank you all for reading, I look forward to any insight I receive!

 

[rawlus]

having had both a keezer that was very nice and efficient and recently a single keg/single tap kegerator… i would choose a kegerator again. tap tower is so much better positioned for presentation. everything is happening at elbow height instead of waist height. i got very very very tired of inserting and removing full and empty kegs over the top of the keezer, the added weight of the collar and lid and all the taps and lines hanging off it. the rats nest of tubing everywhere rather than all lines going to one central spot. (i have seen keezer builds where that was very organized and engineered however, im sure there’s keepers out there with electric winches above them to help with loading and unloading)

but for me, at first i was enthralled with all the nice perlick faucets all in a row…. but now i hated the drip tray hanging off the front. did i mention dead lifting kegs up and over and through the hoses everywhere?

* there are other options, coffin tower on top of keezer lid. or full size refrigerator with througthe door or through the wall faucets at a proper height. there’s also running a large enough beer cooler of your choice and then runnjng a trunk line otter out. the wall or countertop to a remote tower or t tower with as many faucets as you like.
for a taproom, beer bar, pub vibe i don’t think a tap tower at the standard height can be beat.

keezer with taps through the collar can look very very nice, but will never be mistaken for that tap tower beer bar vibe.

faucets through your wall from a cooling system on the other side can also replicate that beer bar vibe

 

[spotted_dog]

Thanks for your perspective rawlus! I definitely agree that the presentation and easy of use of a kegerator seems to be unrivaled. Having gone from all the extra taps, do you find yourself with not enough available taps with just a single tap/keg? I've wrestled with the idea of buying a single/double tap kegerator and then buying a bunch of kegs that I could fill and swap them out on tap as I please. Is this even possible, is it easy to swap between multiple kegs without kicking them on a single tap?

 

[wsmith1625]

I have a dual tap kegerator and wish I had capacity for additional kegs. There are quite a few reasons I don't want a keezer, most already discussed by @rawlus. I do like the idea of using a full size fridge with the taps through the door. It should handle 4 cornies nicely. I really like the look of the retro refrigerators but worry about lifespan of an older appliance.

 

[spotted_dog]

Yeah, those are definitely some drawbacks of a keezer that I hadn't previously thought of. I, too, enjoy the retro style refrigerators but due to personal preference, I just don't find the idea of a full sized refrigerator with taps in it very visually appealing in my basement/mancave. Although a double tap kegerator would fit nicely in my basement. I feel I would grow tired of drinking the same two beers for multiple weeks on end and would be trilled with the ability to have four taps available.

 

[rawlus]

Thanks for your perspective rawlus! I definitely agree that the presentation and easy of use of a kegerator seems to be unrivaled. Having gone from all the extra taps, do you find yourself with not enough available taps with just a single tap/keg? I've wrestled with the idea of buying a single/double tap kegerator and then buying a bunch of kegs that I could fill and swap them out on tap as I please. Is this even possible, is it easy to swap between multiple kegs without kicking them on a single tap?

swapping kegs in a kegerator can be pretty easy since it’s a full height door, i cannot overstate how miserable putting full kegs into a keezer is.

as to reducing selection, no. doesn’t bother me. i get to enjoy a specific brewed beer through its peak freshness and finish it much more quickly than when i had 30+ gallons of a variety of beers…. occasionally one would kick quickly but most often they all stayed on tap for awhile simply due to the sheer volume.

this put a cramp on my brewing which is something i enjoy as much as or more than drinking it all. with fewer taps i brew much more frequently again, and i am more spontaneous and experimental for what to brew next because i don’t have 6-8 full kegs hanging over my head with no place to put them and no idea when the 9th keg will be finished and kicked. the beer just began to sit around too long and i rarely brewed anymore. it was akin to hoarding full kegs of beer. beyind what was reasonable for our current lifestyle.

there was a time where i was bringing kegs everywhere socially, and having loads of friends helping draw down the volume. but 98% of those friends are now into craft beers and have no time for home brew. and avg monthly consumption and througpit in the brewery suffered.

working off one tap…. i can have something nice to savor on tap until it’s gone, meanwhile be lagering a nice bohemian or mexican lager for 6 weeks or more with no temptation to tap it before it’s time just because i have an open spot. i can anticipate the moment when it’s on tap and fully enjoy it while it is on tap until it’s gone and another thing is up next.

i’m romanticizing it all a bit. but i’m brewing more regularly now, i don’t have excess inventory issues, i don’t have as many multiples of kegs of different sizes so brewery footprint is much smaller, and i can focus on enjoying one style at a time while still having one or two to chooose from on deck rather than a sophie’s choice between 6-8 whenever i want to pour a pint.

it’s weird because when i’m buying commercial craft beers in a brewery taproom or beer bar, i rarely order the same beer twice, i want to experience the variety available and given the choice i’ll order something i’ve never had before over something i enjoyed prior.

* another alternative would be brew much smaller batches, stack double the number of smaller kegs like torpedos on a standard sized keezer but maybe with a T tower so you can get up to 6-8 taps and enjoy wide variety without the tax of having 5+ gallons of 8 different beers weighing you down….

good luck with the choice, have to find the approach that fits your needs and vibe.

 

[rawlus]

Yeah, those are definitely some drawbacks of a keezer that I hadn't previously thought of. I, too, enjoy the retro style refrigerators but due to personal preference, I just don't find the idea of a full sized refrigerator with taps in it very visually appealing in my basement/mancave. Although a double tap kegerator would fit nicely in my basement. I feel I would grow tired of drinking the same two beers for multiple weeks on end and would be trilled with the ability to have four taps available.

how old will the oldest kegged beer be by the time you’ve consumed 19 of those 20 gallons? do you have family or friends available enough to rampage through 20 gals in a reasonable timeframe on a consistent basis? will you be brewing beers intentionally for aging or beers meant to be consumed when fresh? will you still enjoy a beer that’s been on tap in your home brewery for 2-3 months? how much of your own beer are you consuming on a weekly or monthly basis now and can you double that rate? triple it?

 

[spotted_dog]

how old will the oldest kegged beer be by the time you’ve consumed 19 of those 20 gallons? do you have family or friends available enough to rampage through 20 gals in a reasonable timeframe on a consistent basis? will you be brewing beers intentionally for aging or beers meant to be consumed when fresh? will you still enjoy a beer that’s been on tap in your home brewery for 2-3 months? how much of your own beer are you consuming on a weekly or monthly basis now and can you double that rate? triple it?

You make a very compelling argument, my friend. An argument you seem to be winning. Honestly, I probably don’t drink as much as I should considering brewing is turning out to be my main hobby, which I would like to do a minimum of 2 times a month. But I could see my consumption increase if I had some form of kegging system. If I went the keezer route, I would probably end up with some kegs sitting on tap for a couple months before they kicked. I’ve been getting into smaller batches, like 2.5 gal, so I can brew often and still drink my beer without it piling up.

Is it possible to put a keg on tap in a kegerator, drink half of it, swap it out for a different beer, and finish it later?

 

[day_trippr]

My latest keezer on its commissioning day...

Not advocating - heck, I wouldn't recommend it - but just showing a different solution to the classic collared or coffin boxed keezer.
And, fwiw, I'm in my decrepit years but can still heft freshies into the keezer

Cheers!

 

[spotted_dog]

My latest keezer on its commissioning day...

View attachment 828298

Not advocating - heck, I wouldn't recommend it - but just showing a different solution to the classic collared or coffin boxed keezer.
And, fwiw, I'm in my decrepit years but can still heft freshies into the keezer

Cheers!

Damn man, that’s a serious set up! Looks clean and professional. I spy a treehouse brew on the list lol. My only hesitation for something like that is that I’m not a handyman by trade, though I could probably build it with some useful instructions. And likewise, I am a young strapping brewer, so I think lifting kegs is currently the least weighted issue in my decision.

 

[rawlus]

You make a very compelling argument, my friend. An argument you seem to be winning. Honestly, I probably don’t drink as much as I should considering brewing is turning out to be my main hobby, which I would like to do a minimum of 2 times a month. But I could see my consumption increase if I had some form of kegging system. If I went the keezer route, I would probably end up with some kegs sitting on tap for a couple months before they kicked. I’ve been getting into smaller batches, like 2.5 gal, so I can brew often and still drink my beer without it piling up.

Is it possible to put a keg on tap in a kegerator, drink half of it, swap it out for a different beer, and finish it later?

this is possible, but does not delay natural aging of a packaged beer.

a kegged and carbonated beeer won’t know if it’s on tap or on deck.

 

[spotted_dog]

this is possible, but does not delay natural aging of a packaged beer.

a kegged and carbonated beeer won’t know if it’s on tap or on deck.

This is definitely good to know. Would be nice to switch out the keg after a night of drinking so I have another beer to splurge on the next night. After all the information received, I’m kind of learning toward a two tap kegerator with a couple kegs in reserves that can we swapped out at my leisure. I appreciate all of the insight from you more seasoned brewers!

 

[wsmith1625]

One more negative of a kegerator is the lack of room for storing ingredients and a yeast bank. If I brewed more frequently I would need something bigger.

 

[spotted_dog]

One more negative of a kegerator is the lack of room for storing ingredients and a yeast bank. If I brewed more frequently I would need something bigger.

You’re making this a more difficult decision… I have also thought about this. A keezer could be used for more than just some kegs. Yeah I might have to sleep on it for a little longer before I make a decision.

One thing I did like about the keezer idea was that I could slowly build up my keezer and it wouldn’t be crazy expensive. For example, I could buy the freezer and some kegs, CO2, and picnic taps. Then slowly build it up to what I want it to be by adding more to it. I don’t know. Just a thought.

 

[rawlus]

You’re making this a more difficult decision… I have also thought about this. A keezer could be used for more than just some kegs. Yeah I might have to sleep on it for a little longer before I make a decision.

One thing I did like about the keezer idea was that I could slowly build up my keezer and it wouldn’t be crazy expensive. For example, I could buy the freezer and some kegs, CO2, and picnic taps. Then slowly build it up to what I want it to be by adding more to it. I don’t know.

if the footprint and size of a keezer doesn’t scare you off, you can get 50” wide, 70” wide kegerators, some with dual cold compartments that will hold 8 corners and support a 6 faucet T tower for ~$2,000-2,500 or so. tons and tons of commercial,operations have kegerators like this. doesn’t have to be a pricey brand like true or perlick

50” Kegco XCK-2448B Commercial Kegerator Two Keg Tap Restaurant Beer Refrigerator - Black | BeverageFactory.com
this one holds 11 cornys! Kegco XCK-2472S Commercial Kegerator Three Keg Restaurant Beer Refrigerator - Stainless Steel | BeverageFactory.com

these come up used on restaurant resale sites and stores a lot since restaurants are always going out of business.

 

[spotted_dog]

if the footprint and size of a keezer doesn’t scare you off, you can get 50” wide, 70” wide kegerators, some with dual cold compartments that will hold 8 corners and support a 6 faucet T tower for ~$2,000-2,500 or so. tons and tons of commercial,operations have kegerators like this. doesn’t have to be a pricey brand like true or perlick

50” Kegco XCK-2448B Commercial Kegerator Two Keg Tap Restaurant Beer Refrigerator - Black | BeverageFactory.com
this one holds 11 cornys! Kegco XCK-2472S Commercial Kegerator Three Keg Restaurant Beer Refrigerator - Stainless Steel | BeverageFactory.com

these come up used on restaurant resale sites and stores a lot since restaurants are always going out of business.

Having one of those would be pretty badass. I’d have to start drinking a bit more lol. Brand new, those would probably be a little more than I would like to spend. I wouldn’t be opposed to finding something like this used though. I’ve been looking on Craigslist and Facebook marketplace for anything keg, kegerator, or keezer related. Anywhere else I should keep an eye on?

 

[rawlus]

Having one of those would be pretty badass. I’d have to start drinking a bit more lol. Brand new, those would probably be a little more than I would like to spend. I wouldn’t be opposed to finding something like this used though. I’ve been looking on Craigslist and Facebook marketplace for anything keg, kegerator, or keezer related. Anywhere else I should keep an eye on?

ebay and any restaurant supply stores near you. i see big, capable True brand and Beverage Air and Perlick all the time on ebay, sometimes for excellent prices.

 

[AlexKay]

I've gone all-in on variety. I brew all the time, very small to small batches, and I like having many beers on tap.

So there's this option.

When I open my (as yet wholly hypothetical) brewpub, there's no way I will ever have as many taps as I currently have in my garage.

I would not plan for stacked kegs again, though. It is a tremendous pain to swap out a keg when that means unhooking the keg sitting on top of it, too.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

You’re making this a more difficult decision… I have also thought about this. A keezer could be used for more than just some kegs. Yeah I might have to sleep on it for a little longer before I make a decision.

One thing I did like about the keezer idea was that I could slowly build up my keezer

I have a simple freezer. I have one keg lagering, and one with a Tapit on top. I also have the CO2, grain, wine, hops, and yeast in there. I am neither a big guy, nor young, so I use a $15 deer hoist to easily lift and lower kegs into the freezer.
Is it ideal; maybe not. Opening the lid in the summer introduces our famous Southern humidity that I will be mopping up out of the bottom. Is it cheap; yes. Is it versatile; yes. And, I can still go in any direction; back to a freezer, or on to a full keezer build.

Start simple; discover what you need/want, take your time and enjoy the ride.

Cheers!

 

[Broken Crow]

This thread is full of good feedback already, so I'll just throw in a few of my own details for consideration;
Most premade kegerators are shipped with plated-chrome brass shanks and taps and have a sanke coupler with the expectation of serving up commercial kegs. Not sure how it is in the US, but here in Canada, the only premade kegerator you can get that is set up for cornelius kegs, is Kegland's Series-X (which I eventually bought one of..holds 4 kegs and has 4 taps, all stainless steel fittings and EVAbarrier lines.)
Apart from larger commercial units, most are designed to hold a single sanke so converting to cornys means you can only fit 2 or 3 in it. You can replace the tower, as I did with my first commercial kegerator, swapping it out for a three-tap tower. I had the same consideration as you about having a good selection on hand so as a comprimise; I got a Nukatap and the ball-lock fitting that you can replace the spout with so that should I want to replace a keg before it was empty, I could attach my BeerGun bottle filler and bottle the remainder. The commercial units however are very loud. This isn't an issue for some folk, but it was for me, so I replaced it with the series-x.. great cost outlay, but it's energy-efficiency and reasonably quiet operation made it worth it to me.
I hope you're taking the time to look over the many threads on here on keezer and kegerator builds...If you have the confidence to build your own, apart from the reward of having something you made to your taste, you come away with a more detailed knowledge of how it all works and that's the part I've always found most rewarding.

 

[redrocker652002]

I have very little to add, but the lifting of a full keg can be a bit daunting as I get older. My back just aint what it used to be. LOL. Also, I find it a bit of a pain to clean the one tap line I have now, so having to deal with cleaning multiple lines could be a pain in the tail. I have toyed with the idea of a keezer as well, but then I am the only beer drinker in the house, so I usually bottle a batch and keg a batch so I have something around most of the time. I am with you though, having a few kegs of different styles is cool

 

[fluketamer]

have you thought about minikegs, sodastream and picnic taps .

smaller kegs mean quicker rotation and variety in the kegerator.

 

[pvpeacock]

I originally had a single tap kegerator which would hold 2 corny kegs. 1 tap was not enough so I replaced the tower with a two tap tower. However, I was frustrated with how little space there was in the kegerator both on top of the kegs and inside the tower. I eventually replaced the kegerator by building a keezer which holds 6 five-gallon corny kegs and 2 three gallon kegs on the hump. I started with 3 taps, but added a 4th along the way. I much prefer my keezer to my kegerator. A few thoughts/comments:

1. Both are in my garage, so aesthetics is not an issue. Even then I would call it a draw on looks.
2. The keezer is more difficult to load kegs into it, because, as mentioned above, I have to lift them up and over the collar. As I get older, this is much more of a concern, but not yet a problem.
3. However, once in the keezer, they are much easier to access for purposes of connecting, disconnecting the kegs and gas, replacing the hoses, etc. I use flow control ball lock disconnects, so having easy access to these is important to me.
4. I have enough room inside the keezer to lager multiple beers that are not on tap. If I don't have any 2 1/2 or 3 gallon kegs on the hump, I have room to store cans of craft beer. I just bought a case of one of my favorite seasonal beers, Smog City Kumquat Saison, and put it all on the hump. I have enough room in the keezer to have a dedicated soda water tap with two kegs in rotation. That way when one soda water keg runs out, the other is already carbonated and ready to tap.
5. The room inside the keezer allows me to have a 4 manifold gas splitter set at 14 psi and a second 2 manifold gas splitter set at 35 psi for soda water and for quick carbonation of beer kegs. This allows me chill and carbonate kegs that have not been tapped yet.
6. Yes, the beer and gas lines can be a rats nest, but that is a minor inconvenience in my opinion.
7. Drip trays are an issue for a keezer. It is much easier and cleaner to have a drip tray under a tower than on the side of a chest freezer. I just bought a magnetic tool tray from Amazon, sprayed the inside with FlexSeal so it would not leak and put a folded paper towel in it to catch drips. Works fine for me.

If I could affort a shiny stainless, commercial 4 tap kegerator with room to spare, I would probably take that over my keezer. However, for my purposes and budget, I love my keezer.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

More food for thought is to repurpose a fridge. We replaced our kitchen appliances so my 20 year old fridge is my new beer fridge. With all the shelves out and the bottom drawers removed I have room for six corny kegs, three on tap. I cut to fit a piece of 3/4 plywood for a new base. There's a slight hump in the back so the base sits up enough for some cans to sit under it.

Three beer lines ( insulated ) exit the side of the fridge and go through the wall to the back bar. One CO2 line enters and feeds a six way manifold for the kegs.

Just another option to consider.

 

[Yesfan]

I've had a few and my newest one is a hand me down Komos v2 (Kegland) kegerator.

Pros?
Small footprint. Can hold 4 ball lock or Torpedo Slimline kegs. No condensation issues. Can fit it under a bar (mine is freestanding). Don't have to hoist heavy kegs over the top like a keezer. No external temp controller needed.

Cons.
Just enough space for 4 kegs. Limited to no more than 4 taps (unless you're a small batch brewer). Won't contain a leaky keg's beer since it's front loading. Cramped for space with other items like hops, yeast, glasses, commercial beer cans/bottles. Cramped beer lines due to space.

Keezer

Pros?
Lots of space depending on what you get. Freezer baskets can be utilized for other items like hops, yeast, and glasses. Can use baskets for commercial cans/bottles too. Easy access to gas/beer lines. Spills contained from leaking kegs. Highly customizable.

Cons?
Huge footprint (depending on model). Hoisting heavy full kegs up and over top of keezer. Condensation issues could be bottom of keezer is flooded (easy clean if keezer has floor drain). Need external temp controller.


Hoisting kegs and keeping the bottom of the keezer clean was a huge pain for me. I don't have that issue now and since I don't brew as much, I have just enough space for my needs. If you go the keezer route, I highly recommend the "show us your kegerator" thread. I used that for ideas of my past keezer. There's another one that showed what kinds of kegs and how many can be stored in a chest freezer. A lot of the models may be discontinued in that thread since it's old (if it's not ongoing). It can still give you some ideas though.

Those two threads led me to getting a Maytag 14cuft freezer. I like it cause the compressor was in a corner instead of all the way front to back. The baskets were large enough to hold several 6pks of commercial brew, glasses, etc. I made a custom top for it where I had my taps (4) to one side vs in the center. This allowed me to have a trap door over the baskets to access commercial brew and glasses without lifting the whole top. I used it for years before I decided to convert it back to normal and sell it. I like my current one. Like Rawlus and Broken Crow mentioned, lifting heaving kegs gets old.

OakIslandBrewery brings up a great point about repurposing a fridge. That might be the best of both worlds imo, and may be cheaper (and more space) than a dedicated 4 tap Kegland/Komos model.

Sorry for the winded post.

 

[faithie999]

Damn man, that’s a serious set up! Looks clean and professional. I spy a treehouse brew on the list lol. My only hesitation for something like that is that I’m not a handyman by trade, though I could probably build it with some useful instructions. And likewise, I am a young strapping brewer, so I think lifting kegs is currently the least weighted issue in my decision.

I'm very happy with the Keezer I built. IIRC (Im away from home right now) the collar is about 10" high (high enough to accommodate a keg on top of the compressor hump). it was simple to detach the lid from the chassis, then reattach it to the collar using some foam tape on the top of the collar to provide a seal. I use a 2' stepladder and I lift and rest the full keg on the edge of the collar, then from the top step it's easy to lower the keg into place.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Great post and lots of options for someone looking to chill their beer.

Not to throw another out there, but I have been wondering about a small walk-in cooler. The foot print could be whatever you have room for and what your needs are. It would be highly customizable too. Granted this option requires more build skills but many of the folks here have that.

It'll be interested to see who chimes in on this.

 

[HB_ATL73]

My latest keezer on its commissioning day...

View attachment 828298

Not advocating - heck, I wouldn't recommend it - but just showing a different solution to the classic collared or coffin boxed keezer.
And, fwiw, I'm in my decrepit years but can still heft freshies into the keezer

Cheers!

Love the set up. Must be the reflection or lighting but it looks like you have some sore of demon pig as a background on the tap list! Ha

 

[day_trippr]

lol! I think I can see it on the keezer's display - he doesn't look happy
This is what it looks like in a browser, the background is from some massive hunk of wood...

Cheers!

 

[shavy]

FWIW . . . I have a keezer and find it hard to lift full kegs up and over the collar. My fermenter is close to my keezer so, I can lift an empty, CO2 purged keg into my keezer and attach a liquid line from my fermenter to my empty keg and do a closed transfer with my 5 lb CO2 tank.

 

[redrocker652002]

lol! I think I can see it on the keezer's display - he doesn't look happy
This is what it looks like in a browser, the background is from some massive hunk of wood...

View attachment 828419

Cheers!

Now that is cool. I can see you are an IPA guy. LOL. If I ever get to the point of having multiple taps and space to run something like that, I will ask. But, for what it is worth, that is one cool display. Rock On!!!!!!!

 

[day_trippr]

Thank you for the kind words, I appreciate them.
We have a thread that has run for over 10 years now covering the evolution of the taplist hardware and software. All are welcome there
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...spberrypints-digital-taplist-solution.487694/
Cheers!