Beer engine "cellar" chamber solutions - photos, please

[Gadjobrinus]

I know in various ways this has been dealt with ad nauseum, but I'd love a thread devoted to photos of your beer engine cooling setup, whether something like a caskerator, converted fridge, or DIY bar (say, wood, with an enclosed chamber below cooled by some DIY means, with a controller). Just got the engine and brewed an original bitter that will need a home in a few weeks.

 

[rmr9]

Here’s my setup. Has a mini fridge inside that holds the cask. It was my Covid project and as you can see I am not handy…but it works!

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Here’s my setup. Has a mini fridge inside that holds the cask. It was my Covid project and as you can see I am not handy…but it works!View attachment 847467

Awesome, thanks! Is that a pin? And can you tell me what mini-fridge you use?

 

[rmr9]

It’s a pin cask - picked up from G4 kegs for close to $100 shipped years ago. I’m fairly certain it’s an insignia 4.4 cubic foot mini fridge. I had to cut the door molding down inside so the cask fits in upright, but it fits perfectly. I use a cask widge which is essentially a tap hammered into the keystone with a floating dip tube. Connect a 1/2 inch line from that to the beer engine. I drilled 2 holes into the side of the fridge one for the beer line, one for gas so I can use my cask breather. Have it plugged into an anvil temp controller so I can keep it right around 52 degrees.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

It’s a pin cask - picked up from G4 kegs for close to $100 shipped years ago. I’m fairly certain it’s an insignia 4.4 cubic foot mini fridge. I had to cut the door molding down inside so the cask fits in upright, but it fits perfectly. I use a cask widge which is essentially a tap hammered into the keystone with a floating dip tube. Connect a 1/2 inch line from that to the beer engine. I drilled 2 holes into the side of the fridge one for the beer line, one for gas so I can use my cask breather. Have it plugged into an anvil temp controller so I can keep it right around 52 degrees.

Awesome, thanks again. I will probably also go with the widge and vertical stillage, though I have to admit this always gets me going:

Kind of amazing timing - a 10 yr. old reddit thread - and the guy responded to my question today.

 

[visitor]

Following! This is on my project list. Currently, I only use my engines during the "winter" months. I just clamp the engines to a table and leave the pins under the table. I've also used an engine at a beer fest with a cask wedge setup and the pin sitting in a barrel with some ice.

 

[rmr9]

Following! This is on my project list. Currently, I only use my engines during the "winter" months. I just clamp the engines to a table and leave the pins under the table. I've also used an engine at a beer fest with a cask wedge setup and the pin sitting in a barrel with some ice.

It’s a worthwhile project! I think beer engines look really cool too, so great functional/decorative feature to a home bar. I wish I was handier and could’ve made something that looked a bit nicer but it works for what it is. I was scrolling through my old pictures and I found the picture I saved as “inspiration” for my build and honestly mine looks like a 5 year old’s version of it. Maybe someday I’ll save the coin to have a real craftsman take a crack at it.

 

[bwible]

I haven’t used my beer engine in awhile. I don’t own any real casks. I don’t have a real cask setup. I have mine set up to use with corny kegs. I vent the keg, leave the pressure release open, attach the disconnect after the pressure is out. Then I can use it. Afterwards, I close the pressure release, disconnect the engine and then shoot it with some gas.

I just have my beer engine clamped to the bar. I don’t have any way to keep the keg cool while using the engine other than if I wanted to use a tub of ice, I would have the keg in my kegerator when not hooked up.

The last time I used it was with an English IPA I made.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

I haven’t used my beer engine in awhile. I don’t own any real casks. I don’t have a real cask setup. I have mine set up to use with corny kegs. I vent the keg, leave the pressure release open, attach the disconnect after the pressure is out. Then I can use it. Afterwards, I close the pressure release, disconnect the engine and then shoot it with some gas.

I just have my beer engine clamped to the bar. I don’t have any way to keep the keg cool while using the engine other than if I wanted to use a tub of ice, I would have the keg in my kegerator when not hooked up.

The last time I used it was with an English IPA I made.

View attachment 847988

Looks great. Any photos of your bar?

 

[bwible]

Looks great. Any photos of your bar?

Was a work in progress for awhile. Took years to get to this. And I know its not as nice as what some others here have.

After we finished this basement I found a 5 foot wood bar with a footrail and mirror back bar at a consignment shop. Then I found the buffet server at another consignment to be the base for the back bar. Bought the 3,tier lighted bottle display and light up shelves somewhere on the internet. Bought the pub table on Craigslist. Bavarian flag on ebay.

Bought a 2 tap kegerator from kegerator.com. Later upgraded it to a 3 tap tower because it holds 3 cornies and I put the 2 tap tower on my tapless kegerator that I use as a fermentation chamber. So now I can have 5 kegs on if I’m not fermenting any lagers. Had custom chalkboard taps made.

Got a glass front fridge from a restaurant supply store. Lots of tin signs that were many years in collecting and a couple neons I also had for awhile.

I put up my BJCP certificate, old Bennigans 100 beers from around the world menu, autographed Charlie Papazian and Phillip Silverstone pics and the face off my first mac computer I had laying around

Outback steakhouse sent me that Fosters boomerang because i wrote and asked if I could buy it from them. I used to own a homebrew store, the framed $1 bill was my first sale on all the money I lost.

Oh yeah, there’s a handpump in there somewhere.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Was a work in progress for awhile. Took years to get to this. And I know its not as nice as what some others here have.

After we finished this basement I found a 5 foot wood bar with a footrail and mirror back bar at a consignment shop. Then I found the buffet server at another consignment to be the base for the back bar. Bought the 3,tier lighted bottle display and light up shelves somewhere on the internet. Bought the pub table on Craigslist. Bavarian flag on ebay.

Bought a 2 tap kegerator from kegerator.com. Later upgraded it to a 3 tap tower because it holds 3 cornies and I put the 2 tap tower on my tapless kegerator that I use as a fermentation chamber. So now I can have 5 kegs on if I’m not fermenting any lagers. Had custom chalkboard taps made.

Got a glass front fridge from a restaurant supply store. Lots of tin signs that were many years in collecting and a couple neons I also had for awhile.

I put up my BJCP certificate, old Bennigans 100 beers from around the world menu, autographed Charlie Papazian and Phillip Silverstone pics and the face off my first mac computer I had laying around

Outback steakhouse sent me that Fosters boomerang because i wrote and asked if I could buy it from them. I used to own a homebrew store, the framed $1 bill was my first sale on all the money I lost.

Oh yeah, there’s a handpump in there somewhere.

View attachment 848218

View attachment 848219View attachment 848220View attachment 848221View attachment 848222View attachment 848223View attachment 848224View attachment 848225View attachment 848226

Floored man. A huge congratulations.

The only thing that needs to be changed is the flag.

-neighbor.

 

[bwible]

Thanks. Total Wine helps. We have one that is about a 40 min drive. And there’s another discount beer place here. I just got that 30 pack of Strohs for $10. And 2 cases of Ultra in bottles also $10 each. Hard to pass for about .33 a can/bottle

 

[visitor]

Oh yeah, there’s a handpump in there somewhere.

What is your serving vessel for the handpump? Do you just use a corny sitting under the bar and do you have temperate control or lucky enough to just have a nice cellar temperature?

 

[bwible]

What is your serving vessel for the handpump? Do you just use a corny sitting under the bar and do you have temperate control or lucky enough to just have a nice cellar temperature?

I put it above in #8.

No I don’t have a real cask. I have it set up to use a corny keg. I have to vent the pressure release. Leave the pressure release open. Work the hand pump. Close the pressure release and re-pressurize when I’m done. Store the keg in my kegerator. I don’t have any way to keep the keg cool except maybe ice. I don’t use it a lot. Parties and such. I’d love to find a way to set it up with 5 L mini kegs.

 

[bwible]

And this is good info how to attach a beer engine using John Guest fittings. This is how I did mine.

https://realaleamerica.com/?page_id=2083

 

[Gadjobrinus]

And this is good info how to attach a beer engine using John Guest fittings. This is how I did mine.

https://realaleamerica.com/?page_id=2083

Thanks - same one I used!

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Was a work in progress for awhile. Took years to get to this. And I know its not as nice as what some others here have.

After we finished this basement I found a 5 foot wood bar with a footrail and mirror back bar at a consignment shop. Then I found the buffet server at another consignment to be the base for the back bar. Bought the 3,tier lighted bottle display and light up shelves somewhere on the internet. Bought the pub table on Craigslist. Bavarian flag on ebay.

Bought a 2 tap kegerator from kegerator.com. Later upgraded it to a 3 tap tower because it holds 3 cornies and I put the 2 tap tower on my tapless kegerator that I use as a fermentation chamber. So now I can have 5 kegs on if I’m not fermenting any lagers. Had custom chalkboard taps made.

Got a glass front fridge from a restaurant supply store. Lots of tin signs that were many years in collecting and a couple neons I also had for awhile.

I put up my BJCP certificate, old Bennigans 100 beers from around the world menu, autographed Charlie Papazian and Phillip Silverstone pics and the face off my first mac computer I had laying around

Outback steakhouse sent me that Fosters boomerang because i wrote and asked if I could buy it from them. I used to own a homebrew store, the framed $1 bill was my first sale on all the money I lost.

Oh yeah, there’s a handpump in there somewhere.

View attachment 848218

View attachment 848219View attachment 848220View attachment 848221View attachment 848222View attachment 848223View attachment 848224View attachment 848225View attachment 848226

Very, very impressive! What a beautiful spot to enjoy a beer, which I'm sure you do often.

Great job building that!

 

[bwible]

Got this in email today

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Yep, saw that. It's still cheaper to buy from England, I think.

 

[rmr9]

Got this in email today

View attachment 848327

I am tempted to buy a second beer engine now…..Angrams are nice. I like that they’re still in business so you could get replacement parts if needed. My old Higene isn’t made anymore so I have to contact RLBS and hope they have what I need

 

[lumpher]

Yep, saw that. It's still cheaper to buy from England, I think.

Yep, definitely. This is what it would cost me including shipping (about $43) with the code, and I live in BFE Texas. Can't touch 1 for that here in the US, from what I've seen.

Total: ​

$412.81​

 

[Gadjobrinus]

I am tempted to buy a second beer engine now…..Angrams are nice. I like that they’re still in business so you could get replacement parts if needed. My old Higene isn’t made anymore so I have to contact RLBS and hope they have what I need

So far, very happy with a Mason. I had an Angram and regret I sold it years ago. Interestingly some British brewers I know aren't the highest fans of the Angram design - can't remember what it is, and not a big issue but a few have mentioned it.

 

[Dland]

Beer engine?! Hot Rod Frigidaire;

Got twelve cylinders, uses them all, analog control, just won't stall: