BiteMeElmo
Active Member
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2016
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- 25
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LOTS of questions here. I welcome any and all advice.
Im in the early stages of planning my keezer, and I have a general idea of the setup I want: a smallish freezer with up to 4 taps. Ball lock corny kegs (5 gallons, maybe one 3-gallon) and connectors, with one of the lines set up somehow that I can easily switch between ball lock connectors and a Sanke connector, in case I also want to throw a commercial beer in there once in awhile.
I want to do it right the first time, at least in terms of the parts I use. I plan to take my time collecting the equipment so I can buy better quality brands or types of gear. What should I look for when shopping for the following things. Also, if anyone can recommend a source to order from in Canada, that would be a huge bonus. With the Canadian dollar in the shape its in right now, its probably the worst possible timing for buying most of this stuff, but here I am.
Freezer: Im strongly leaning toward buying new. I know there are great deals on kijiji or CL or whatever, but I like the idea of being the first/only owner as well as the general fact that newer usually means better energy efficiency. It may be one of the first things I pick up, since I can use it as a fermentation chamber while I gather the other stuff for the keezer conversion. I guess my only freezer question would be if there are any particular brands or models I should avoid (Ill probably get something in the 5-7 cubic foot range).
Taps: Not much input needed here, I plan to go with Perlick, probably 630ss taps and stainless steel shanks. But I do wonder if theres any advantage to going with a different model that has flow control. Is something like that needed? Are there any advantages or disadvantages to using the flow control models, especially if I haven't used a beer tap before?
Kegs: Not really sure what to ask about here. I was probably going to go with something like this, so any comments on that choice would be welcome: http://www.ontariobeerkegs.com/Brand_New_Stainless_Steel_5_Gallon_Ball_Lock_Keg_p/4pack-5gal-keg-new.htm
Temperature controller: Ive already ordered an Inkbird ITC-308, which will eventually end up being the controller for a fermentation chamber. Im actually eyeing this controller for my keezer, mostly for the sweet blue LED display (and for its well rated performance as well): http://www.dwyer-inst.com/Product/T...igitalPanelMount/SeriesTSX3/Ordering#ordering
For anyone familiar with the Love controllers and parts, which temperature probe should I go with? Ideally Id like something that is waterproof.
Beverage and gas lines: What are the better brands, materials, and sizes I should look for? I was wondering if silicone is the way to go, since it can be boiled if necessary for sanitizing. Are there particular sizes or materials that one should go with, to make the whole system less prone to foaming or other issues, or ease of connecting/disconnecting?
Connectors and clamps: Any insight is welcome here. Are some better than others? Any that people tend to have issues with? Ive read that some people have trouble with worm style hose clamps. Is there a style that works better? I suppose I could also extend that question to nipples, barbs, etc. (Im still learning what some of those things are for). Is brass the best material for some of that stuff? Something else?
Regulator(s): I like the idea of being able to customize the pressure going to any keg in use (or the ability to purge something with CO2), so Ill probably look for a combo of primary and secondary regulators that would allow me up to 4 separate customizable gas outputs. Is Taprite an ok brand? Is there something more highly recommended? Particular build materials I should look for? Regarding the primary regulator, what do the dual gauge models do, and would I need that with multiple secondary regulators? Is hand-adjustable preferred over the ones that you need a screwdriver for, or should brand names trump that decision?
General construction questions: What are some easier to work with insulation materials? Optimal R-values? How do I get as smooth a finish as possible when using appliance epoxy (foam roller or spray)? Is there a smooth material like MDF that is as workable, but is stronger and not as susceptible to moisture issues? I ask that question as it is specific to an idea I have for a keezer collar. Looking for something that wont show a wood grain texture under paint.
Anything Ive missed? Are there any other tips or words of caution I should have before I jump into something?
Im in the early stages of planning my keezer, and I have a general idea of the setup I want: a smallish freezer with up to 4 taps. Ball lock corny kegs (5 gallons, maybe one 3-gallon) and connectors, with one of the lines set up somehow that I can easily switch between ball lock connectors and a Sanke connector, in case I also want to throw a commercial beer in there once in awhile.
I want to do it right the first time, at least in terms of the parts I use. I plan to take my time collecting the equipment so I can buy better quality brands or types of gear. What should I look for when shopping for the following things. Also, if anyone can recommend a source to order from in Canada, that would be a huge bonus. With the Canadian dollar in the shape its in right now, its probably the worst possible timing for buying most of this stuff, but here I am.
Freezer: Im strongly leaning toward buying new. I know there are great deals on kijiji or CL or whatever, but I like the idea of being the first/only owner as well as the general fact that newer usually means better energy efficiency. It may be one of the first things I pick up, since I can use it as a fermentation chamber while I gather the other stuff for the keezer conversion. I guess my only freezer question would be if there are any particular brands or models I should avoid (Ill probably get something in the 5-7 cubic foot range).
Taps: Not much input needed here, I plan to go with Perlick, probably 630ss taps and stainless steel shanks. But I do wonder if theres any advantage to going with a different model that has flow control. Is something like that needed? Are there any advantages or disadvantages to using the flow control models, especially if I haven't used a beer tap before?
Kegs: Not really sure what to ask about here. I was probably going to go with something like this, so any comments on that choice would be welcome: http://www.ontariobeerkegs.com/Brand_New_Stainless_Steel_5_Gallon_Ball_Lock_Keg_p/4pack-5gal-keg-new.htm
Temperature controller: Ive already ordered an Inkbird ITC-308, which will eventually end up being the controller for a fermentation chamber. Im actually eyeing this controller for my keezer, mostly for the sweet blue LED display (and for its well rated performance as well): http://www.dwyer-inst.com/Product/T...igitalPanelMount/SeriesTSX3/Ordering#ordering
For anyone familiar with the Love controllers and parts, which temperature probe should I go with? Ideally Id like something that is waterproof.
Beverage and gas lines: What are the better brands, materials, and sizes I should look for? I was wondering if silicone is the way to go, since it can be boiled if necessary for sanitizing. Are there particular sizes or materials that one should go with, to make the whole system less prone to foaming or other issues, or ease of connecting/disconnecting?
Connectors and clamps: Any insight is welcome here. Are some better than others? Any that people tend to have issues with? Ive read that some people have trouble with worm style hose clamps. Is there a style that works better? I suppose I could also extend that question to nipples, barbs, etc. (Im still learning what some of those things are for). Is brass the best material for some of that stuff? Something else?
Regulator(s): I like the idea of being able to customize the pressure going to any keg in use (or the ability to purge something with CO2), so Ill probably look for a combo of primary and secondary regulators that would allow me up to 4 separate customizable gas outputs. Is Taprite an ok brand? Is there something more highly recommended? Particular build materials I should look for? Regarding the primary regulator, what do the dual gauge models do, and would I need that with multiple secondary regulators? Is hand-adjustable preferred over the ones that you need a screwdriver for, or should brand names trump that decision?
General construction questions: What are some easier to work with insulation materials? Optimal R-values? How do I get as smooth a finish as possible when using appliance epoxy (foam roller or spray)? Is there a smooth material like MDF that is as workable, but is stronger and not as susceptible to moisture issues? I ask that question as it is specific to an idea I have for a keezer collar. Looking for something that wont show a wood grain texture under paint.
Anything Ive missed? Are there any other tips or words of caution I should have before I jump into something?