Alaska keezer build... My first attempt

[907_fellow]

I don't think I will make tap handles out of mountain goat horns. That critter will be mounted on my wall.

Drip tray and dual probe thermometer will arrive today. Johnson's temp controller and my low profile sanke taps will be here Friday. Still waiting to hear back from keg-cowboy on my 3 tap conversion kit. Looks like that will be the item holding me up.

The damn salmon are getting in the way of my keezer build this week. 100,000 + sockeye salmon are swimming up the river each day. It's like a 1 minute drive from my front door. Tough to focus on the build when there is that much fun to be had.

 

[BeardedIdiot]

If I had that salmon problem, I don't think I'd be at work, or on the computer. I'd be out fishin!

 

[rekoob]

looking forward to seeing the finished product. looking good.

 

[user 103238]

I'm up in Fairbanks. I've made it down to Kenai a couple of times, beautiful area!

Kenai peninsula.

Took the night off from the keezer to catch salmon. And drink beer of course.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

I've been absent for a long time from HBT due to a crazy work schedule and family obligations......but I'm back! The keezer looks great and I'm glad that my thread helped you out. Please let me know if you have any questions or need any help, but it looks like you have it handled! Can't wait to see the final product with it all trimmed out. Nice job man!

P.S. I'm finally getting some of my other projects rolling again and have several other threads going that I'll be updating in the very near future if your interested.

 

[wncbrewer]

Point taken on the goat trophy. I used sheds for my handles. Also...you are making me miss Alaska something godawful

 

[BeardedIdiot]

Also...you are making me miss Alaska something godawful

Ditto. 101F here today, and sweltering. Of course now its storming, so tomorrow it will be 100F and about 80% humidity...

 

[907_fellow]

Got my temp controller in yesterday. What temps is everyone running in their keezer? I'm just gonna be running 3 commercial kegs with no special temp requirements.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

I keep my keezer at 38 F and my coffin at 44 F.

 

[907_fellow]

Perfect. I need to insulate my coffin a little better. I just used spray foam to seal all the joints but haven't yet added any insulation. I'm sure it would make the system more efficient if I wasnt loosing as much from my coffin. So far, it seems the temp difference between the coffin and keezer is only 2 or 3 degrees. The fans I'm using might be a little overkill but that's ok.

Another question, are people placing their temp probes for the temp controller inside water to maintain a more constant temp reading? I also have a dual probe thermometer to monitor the temps in the keezer as well as the coffin in addition to the temp controller.

 

[NocturnalEMT]

Mine is the exact same thing as Hoppo. Actually got the parameters from him.

 

[wncbrewer]

I put my probe in a glass of water in the freezer, some say that taping the probe directly to the keg under bubble wrap or some other sort of insulation is best, and it may be but I found it to be cumbersome moving kegs around. One time I put a keg in just after racking, and without thinking I taped the probe to it. The controller thought the temp in the freezer was 68 and ran continuously to cool that keg down, in the meantime freezing my other two kegs. I hope that makes sense

 

[rekoob]

yep, makes sense. I didn't freeze any kegs but almost made the same mistake.
what type of prob do you have? I am using ranco controlers and didn't think the probe's were waterproof, but I could be wrong.

 

[wncbrewer]

I have a johnson on my keezer, started out with a two stage ranco, then decided that I didn't need that much control and bought the johnson. Saving the ranco for when I finally get the space to put another fridge in the house for fermentation (I am insanely jealous of all you brewers with garages or basements)

 

[907_fellow]

I have a Johnson on mine. I do believe the probes are waterproof. Also, I agree with it being a pain to tape the probe to the keg each time. You are gettin basically the same reading by puttin it in water. Think I'm going to go that route. Just waiting for KEG COWBOY to deliver the rest of my goods! I'm gettin thirsty...

 

[rekoob]

isn't johnson made by ranco or vice versa? maybe not, but I think the probes are pretty much the same arn't they? is the johnson probe waterproof?

I agree, had a two stage ranco on my keezer and swapped it out with a single stage ranco to use the two stage on my fermentation chamber (chest freezer).

 

[wncbrewer]

I don't know who makes what, but the probes certainly aren't the same. I can post pictures to prove it if I need to, but I don't think I do

 

[907_fellow]

So bottom line, the Johnson temp controller probes appear to be waterproof. That is all I need to know.

 

[wncbrewer]

So bottom line, the Johnson temp controller probes appear to be waterproof. That is all I need to know.

I have had my johnson probe submerged in water for a year and haven't had problems yet

 

[wncbrewer]

I don't know who makes what, but the probes certainly aren't the same. I can post pictures to prove it if I need to, but I don't think I do

I didn't mean for that post to come off as snippy or rude, I apologize if it seemed that way

 

[907_fellow]

Took a break from slaying the salmon this afternoon to work on the keezer. Got the top half trimmed out, and most of the bottom done. Ran out of trim unfortunately so I will have to drive back to town and get more tomorrow to finish the bottom up. Also threw a coat of polyurethane on the top. Pretty happy with the way it looks.

3 tap conversion from keg cowboy will ship on Thursday so just waiting on that to complete the project. A week and a half from now it should flowing beer!

 

[wncbrewer]

Loving the way the dark trim and tile looks against the t and g. Very nice work

 

[907_fellow]

Ya I am happy with it. The polyurethane gave the pine a good look. The black trim looks good, but it's a pain to sand and paint.

 

[BeardedIdiot]

Ya I am happy with it. The polyurethane gave the pine a good look. The black trim looks good, but it's a pain to sand and paint.

Keezer's looking real good. I know what you mean about sanding trim. I just built an aquarium stand for someone, and I probably put 6 hours just into sanding it to get it nice enough to take the stain, have clean smooth edges, and have the corners blend well. Thank goodness for palm sanders...

 

[907_fellow]

I didn't take nearly that much time doing it and it doesn't look perfect, but I'm to the point I just want to finish her up. Plus the polyurethane I'm applying goes over everything and makes it so you can't see the imperfections.

 

[tuckferrorists]

great build, you oughta stuff one of them salmon and use it as a tap handle.

just kidding, but seriously looking forward to seeing the final work.

 

[BeardedIdiot]

I didn't take nearly that much time doing it and it doesn't look perfect, but I'm to the point I just want to finish her up. Plus the polyurethane I'm applying goes over everything and makes it so you can't see the imperfections.

Unfortunately I'm a helpless perfectionist. I only stopped after 6 hours because my wife said that the guy buying the stand probably couldn't tell the difference. Which was true .

I'm sure I'll be even more anal if I ever get around to building a keeper for myself.


BOT, it is looking really good. I like the contrast of the black trim with the light T&G pine.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Looking great....love the contrast in trim color with the natural wood. Your almost there!

 

[rekoob]

hmmm, I will have to take a look at my probes, maybe they are waterproof.

 

[wncbrewer]

hmmm, I will have to take a look at my probes, maybe they are waterproof.

It just dawned on me that we could be talking about two entirely different controllers. I have the analog johnson, the probe on their digital one could very well not be water proof.