Chest Freezer Kegerator Build

[bakersbrew]

Here she is completely finished. All thats left is to hook up the beer line and kegs. I feel like the luckiest man in the world right now....homebrewed draft beer at home....doesnt get any better than that. Thanks for your advice. Let me know if you have any questions. Also if you have any ideas for upgrades let me know.

 

[SavageSteve]

Nice job!

Thanks for the cool pics. Some day I might do one of these...

-Steve

 

[bakersbrew]

well i thought i would post some pictures of the kegerator all filled up with its first three kegs. here are some pictures

 

[SWAMPER]

how do you hook up the temp control ? more info on that would be a big help and a pic or two

Thanks

 

[bakersbrew]

basically it is connected to the back of the collar. i put some screws there and hung it, then i put the probe between the lid and the collar. i dont have any pictures now, but i will take some when i get home and post them

 

[ODP]

so are you glad you went this route as opposed to the tower setup?

 

[bakersbrew]

definitely. this was much easier than i suspected. seriously, you should go with this because it is much easier to change the kegs. and i heard there is an issue with the beer warming in the tower. no such problem with a collar. and it is so easy to build

 

[Catt22]

Looks to be a long reach to the bottom of the freezer. Not a problem until you want to clean out any spilled beer. I made my collar from 2 x 6 material and now wish that I'd used only 2 x 4's. I can reach the bottom, but it's a stretch.

 

[bakersbrew]

Catt...indeed it is hard to reach the bottom. And I have had two beer leaks. I had to come up with clever ways to clean that beer out.

But it had to be that tall so I could fit my third keg in there.

It's not perfect, but it works. And I love it, as any man would love his beer dispensing machine

 

[Catt22]

Catt...indeed it is hard to reach the bottom. And I have had two beer leaks. I had to come up with clever ways to clean that beer out.

But it had to be that tall so I could fit my third keg in there.

It's not perfect, but it works. And I love it, as any man would love his beer dispensing machine

I have mitigated the cleaning problem by using a shop vac to suck up any beer leaks which are inevitable. I think I would do it this way even if I could easily reach the bottom. Quick and easy really.

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

Hey, nice job and if your happy with it, that is all that matters.
I like the chalk tap handles. I mean that is great, the top I want to keep basic if I ever want to step up to a larger chest freezer and resell it.
Prost.

 

[Beavdowg]

I'm getting close to getting a chest freezer and possibly building a collar for it. One concern I have is how low the taps are. The nice thing about a converted fridge or a tower on the chest freezer is that the taps are more at a comfortable level. It seems like with most collars the taps are below hand level. Also, I can just see my young kids fiddling with the taps and pouring beer all over my garage, precious beer that is!

Any comments on this concern?

 

[LandofOZ]

measure twice, cut once, and screw as much as you can. I make up projects just so i can screw

 

[Beavdowg]

Anyone have any comments on my above concern about tap height on a chest freezer?

 

[ebola]

Anyone have any comments on my above concern about tap height on a chest freezer?

You can buy tap locks http://www.alcoholcontrols.com/tapbeerlocks.html

They are a bit expensive but perhaps you could DIY for cheaper based on the designs.

 

[ebola]

Anyone have any comments on my above concern about tap height on a chest freezer?

Alot of the keezers I've seen with a collar end up being high enough. There is a product you can buy at several sights to lock your taps: http://www.alcoholcontrols.com/tapbeerlocks.html

Seems expensive to me but maybe you could DIY something cheaper based on the design.

 

[qrb912]

I don't get it. What is the collar for? I am doing some research before building a unit just like this, but I wanted to put a tower on top of the freezer. If this collar is something I have to have for sure, I want to kow why so I can add some of my own innovation to it.



Josh

 

[Catt22]

I don't get it. What is the collar for? I am doing some research before building a unit just like this, but I wanted to put a tower on top of the freezer. If this collar is something I have to have for sure, I want to kow why so I can add some of my own innovation to it.

A collar allows you to install taps without drilling through any part of the freezer (lid or walls). You can also install more taps than a single tower would typically accommodate (I'm sure there are exceptions to this, but generally speaking). A collar increases the head room inside the freezer which may permit using the compressor hump for an additional keg or CO2 tank. If the collar is high enough, there may be enough head room to store some bottled beer or whatever. Bottom line is that a collar is not a necessity at all. A tower will work as well depending on how many taps you desire etc. The collar might be a cheaper way to go, but if you build a DIY tower, maybe not. I like that the collar allows me to use the top of the freezer as additional counter top surface in my kitchen with no tower in the way. Sometimes a tower can hinder opening and closing the freezer lid if space is limited and you are up against a wall or something. There's no best way to approach this, so it all depends on your particular preference and circumstances.

 

[Indyking]

well i thought i would post some pictures of the kegerator all filled up with its first three kegs. here are some pictures

Hi bakersbrew,

I have a chest freezer just like yours and planning to built a kegerator with a collar, but I'm kind of hopeless when it comes to DYO projects. I wonder you have documented the whole process step by step and have a list of materials to buy etc, so I can use your help and information to guide me. Much appreciated!

PS.: I tried to PM you but your mailbox is full!

 

[IrregularPulse]

You brewed a beer on 6/27 that was serving 13 days later on 7/08?

 

[CidahMastah]

I don't get it. What is the collar for? I am doing some research before building a unit just like this, but I wanted to put a tower on top of the freezer. If this collar is something I have to have for sure, I want to kow why so I can add some of my own innovation to it.



Josh

Hey Josh, I am doing a stainless tower too - just bought my set up and waiting for the mail. Considering the collar method strongly. I plan on starting the project this weekend and here is the way I see it (I am using a kenmore 6.9 Cu feet freezer).

Collar advantages:
1. With the proper head space you may be able to store more kegs in it (with my setup it means I can store 3 maybe 4 corny's versus two).
2. Can convert back to a freezer later if I want to upgrade the size.
3. Gets approval from the wife (see #2 - she doesn't want holes in the freezer, even though I know there is no going back).
4. The collar makes add ons and plumbing set up easy (easy place to drill in fixtures and holes for tubing etc.)


I just think the towers look awesome and always wanted one. I may run the beer lines from the back of the collar to my home built bar, to give it that final touch. Or I might run the lines out the back and make a full wood top and encase the freezer to match my bar. Either way, the tower is going to make it awesome.

Let me know if you go forward with the tower and how you do it. I bought a dual faucte stainless tower from kegconnection with 575ss perlick creamer faucets.

 

[Flomaster]

CidahMastah, how about putting the freezer lid in storage and build a lid out of wood? you then could use a tower and the freezer can be put back to stock.

-=Jason=-

 

[CidahMastah]

CidahMastah, how about putting the freezer lid in storage and build a lid out of wood? you then could use a tower and the freezer can be put back to stock.

-=Jason=-

Jason - that is probably a way better idea. Not only will it look better, it will have a better form fit functionality for the tower. I could definitely make the lid tall enough to accommodate 4 corny's I have plenty of insulation foam kicking around - and would love to bust out a can of "great stuff" too!

Have you done this before?

I am thinking a PVC cylinder to lead up to the tower (bottom side of lid, stuffed with loose insulation. The only question is what wood to use for the top so it looks decent.

 

[Flomaster]

no I haven't tried this yet. I have my kegging kit on the way, and my freezer sitting at home, I need to buy wood. I don't really want to drill holes in the lid for a tower, and putting the faucets in the collar means little ones can grab at it. I was thinking of going with a wooden top and building a wooden coffin wrapped in stainless, but I don't have a brake to do the corners so im not sure what kind of trim pieces I can use.

-=Jason=-

 

[CidahMastah]

no I haven't tried this yet. I have my kegging kit on the way, and my freezer sitting at home, I need to buy wood. I don't really want to drill holes in the lid for a tower, and putting the faucets in the collar means little ones can grab at it. I was thinking of going with a wooden top and building a wooden coffin wrapped in stainless, but I don't have a brake to do the corners so im not sure what kind of trim pieces I can use.

-=Jason=-

I too am awaiting my keg set up (finalized order this past Monday).

I built my bar out of 2x4 framing and then encased it in Knotty Pine tongue and groove, then stained and clear coated to a cherry color - looks like a fancy rustic bar. The top is like ~35 layers of poly over red oak (had spare time when I built it about 10 years ago.) Anyway, to keep costs down I dressed up the corners and made the rail around the top of the bar with molding trim from HD. You would be surprised how good it looks and you can't tell at first glance that it is multiple pieces of molding put together. The successive poly coats seal it all together (the bar top can hold over 3 beers spilled outright on the top).

I guess what I am getting at is, you can use molding trim to dress up your corners. You would be surprised what shapes you can make with two or even three peices of trim put together and some imagination. If you don't follow, let me know and I can get a picture of how the trim looks.

 

[CidahMastah]

Hey All kegging mastahs!

Has anyone ran a long line with their kegging systems with success? I was considering running two lines about 10-12 feet vertical from my basement up through the floor behind my bar upstairs and into my tower set up. I was planning on putting the lines in PVCand stuffing with insulation.

Two concerns:

1. Will the CO2 be able to push it up that vertical efficiently?
2. Will the beer or cider left in the lines between drinking sessions be nasty or flat coming out?

If anyone has any suggestions, or thinks of other shortcomings please let me know. SWMBO isn't having the keezer up in the living room with the bar, no matter how pretty I make her.

THanks!

 

[CidahMastah]

Hey All kegging mastahs!

Has anyone ran a long line with their kegging systems with success? I was considering running two lines about 10-12 feet vertical from my basement up through the floor behind my bar upstairs and into my tower set up. I was planning on putting the lines in PVCand stuffing with insulation.

Two concerns:

1. Will the CO2 be able to push it up that vertical efficiently?
2. Will the beer or cider left in the lines between drinking sessions be nasty or flat coming out?

If anyone has any suggestions, or thinks of other shortcomings please let me know. SWMBO isn't having the keezer up in the living room with the bar, no matter how pretty I make her.

THanks!

No body has any ideas on the feasibility this?

Just built my collar this weekend out of 2x10's and put the first coat of poly on. Tonight it gets another coat, then I will be drilling the hose diameters as needed. Right now I plan to:
1. Use 1/4inch i.d. tubing (instead of 3/16 i.d.) to each faucet on my tower upstairs.
2. Have one party tap for access while in the basement (the wife will never know what we are up to down there - ha)
3. Encase the tower lines in PVC and insulate if needed (hopefully pvc will insulate the lines and any condensation will be inside the piping).

a. The two 10-15ft vertical lines (1/4'' I.D.x 1/2'' O.D.) will run up from the keezer in the basement up to the second floor. They will be placed inside (threaded up through) 3/4'' schedule 40 PVC that runs up to the towers through the floor in the second floor.

b. I plan on using an exterior pipe insulation if the beer gets warm in the tubing/PVC between sessions.

I figured out that there will be 3.25-5oz of beer in the lines for 10 or 15 feet of hose, respectively. So if I have to toss the first 3-5 oz it isn't the end of the world. Knowing me... I will just mix it in with the rest of the first pint.

Anybody see any shortcomings of a set up like this?

 

[CidahMastah]

Ok well the thread seems to have died. This is how I am going to run my setup, hopefully it works, if not I will be tweaking it until I get it to:

Basement to 1st floor tower run:

Decided to make a collared Keezer (caulked on collar and refastened lid to collar). I used 2x10's to give me enough height to have 3, maybe 4 cornys in there. The poly and caulking has been curing the last couple days and it is looking good.

Specifications:
My vertical lift is approx 10.5 feet to the tower

I plan on using ~11-12PSI on the regulator at 38F (shooting for 2.5 volumes) and starting with 14 feet of 1/4 I.D. tubing down to the keezer in the basement. I think this will be too much resistance, so I will start cutting back line until I get it right. With my calculations, I believe that the ideal length will be 8 feet (12lbs resistance). However I need at least 10-11feet.

I calculated that I will have the following respective resistances:
1. 14 feet - 17.15
2. 13 feet - 16.3
3. 12 feet - 15.45
4. 11 feet - 14.6
5. 10 feet - 13.75
etc.

If this doesn't work I am going to have to do a 5/16 line stepped down to 1/4.

Plan on insulating the lines with copper pipe insulating foam, might use PVC, probably will not. No cooling - plan to pour off the couple ounces if foamyin between sessions.

As a backup, I am installing a party tap line on the ground floor in case I have to trouble shoot the above system and need some brew to contemplate.


Any gurus of C02, kindly speak up. Perhaps I am in the wrong thread for this....

 

[EKennett]

Check out:

http://kegman.net/balance.html

and:

http://www.kegkits.com/remote_keg.htm

With that long of a run I would think you would definitely want some form of cooling for the lines. I would leave the lines loose in the PVC and insulate the PVC on the outside really well. Get a fan to blow air through the PVC all the way up to the tower. You can either run a return like you see in the kegkits link or run small PVC inside of larger PVC and let the space between them act as the return.

The problem with not cooling is you are going to be wasting a lot of beer. If the lines sit for prolly more than 5 minutes co2 is going to start coming out of solution and this will equal foam.

 

[CidahMastah]

Thanks for the reply EKennett. I have heard a lot of people say the same, then a few people who have gone and done it without any cooling since the run is short. Have heard of several people who have had no problems, others that have. Unfortunately these were historic posts and I can't get any info from anybody who has a current set up. I think I am going to run the lines up through PVC and insulate and give it a go. If I have to install a fan and all the other hoopla I probably will settle for my tower in the basement. Not as cool, but functional If I end up getting foamy beer for the first brew then good to go for the session then perfect (I will chug the warm beer ha).

I just figured there was another monkey out there who tried this out already that I could steal specs from.

If the lines are insulated, I doubt sitting for 5 minutes would produce overly foaming beer, but then again I am out of my element here.

Thanks for the consideration!

Will post back after I give it a go this week!