I was wondering what everyone's opinion on what I should use to make a kegerator. I have seen the chest keezer and fridge kegerator but I have only seen people use them for corny kegs. I am looking to have one tap that I could use for at least a commercial pony keg. I would like to have at least 2 corny kegs that I could fit but would rather have 3 for fermentation or if I want to use nitro. Should I use a chest keezer, a fridge, or an upright freezer to make this easier for myself?
Chest keezer, fridge kegerator, or upright keezer
- Thread starter TomWaggle
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jmcquesten
Well-Known Member
I am currently using a refrigerator for mine, because it was free. I had bought a chest freezer planning to use it, but the free fridge came along so the freezer ended up being a fermentation chamber. A lot of upright freezers have the cooling coils as shelves, which aren't removable, so be aware of that. I like using the fridge because it has a smaller footprint and the top freezer can be used for extra freezer storage for food or hops. My chest freezer is now a lager/fermentation chamber. Another thing about the fridge is the fact that you don't need a temp controller like you do with a freezer. If I were to setup something with intention of using a commercial keg, I might go with a refrigerator to avoid lifting it down into a chest freezer. If it were just for corny kegs, a chest freezer allows easy access to all kegs without having to take others out to get to the one's in the back, like I have to do with mine.
With all that said, price would be my main determining factor. You can get really good deals on Craigslist and might even be able to get one for free. After all, you're just going to start cutting holes in it.
With all that said, price would be my main determining factor. You can get really good deals on Craigslist and might even be able to get one for free. After all, you're just going to start cutting holes in it.
JoshuaW
Well-Known Member
Im finishing an upright build. It could have been perfect had I gotten the right size, but this one was a little frustrating. Regardless, Im still managing 8 taps in an area of my kitchen that is half the size I would need for a chest freezer with similar capacity.
Refrigerators and uprights are great for high capacity, or if you want a fridge to store extra food, beer, etc. If you want 2-4 taps, and dont need the extra space, a keezer or dorm fridge is probably your best bet.
Refrigerators and uprights are great for high capacity, or if you want a fridge to store extra food, beer, etc. If you want 2-4 taps, and dont need the extra space, a keezer or dorm fridge is probably your best bet.
SGTSparty
Well-Known Member
IMO there are several factors that drive the decision and it more or less just depends on which is more important to you: 1) Footprint you have for the kegerator/keezer 2) Footprint you need w/in the kegerator/keezer for your kegs 3) Ease of build 4) Ease of use. I'm not sure I understood your original post but if you're looking to have 3 taps, 1 for a commercial pony keg, and 2 cornies, with the space for a 3rd corny that wouldn't be hooked up to a tap?
If those are correct you're probably going to need a chest freezer. Pony's take up a lot of room and you'd need a pretty big fridge IMO if you were going to fit 3 cornies around it. If I'm misunderstanding your wants then the other factors come into play. Do you have room for a keezer? Do you want/know how to build a collar? Can/do you want to lift a pony in and out of a chest freezer? if the answer to all of those is yes then go keezer. If the answer to any of those is no you probably want to go w/ a fridge or upright freezer. An upright freezer will be cheaper to run as they're better insulated but require temp control most of the time and can be trickier to build depending on where you're going to put your taps.
I went fridge because a) I had a side by side fridge already being used as cold storage b) I wanted to run my taps through the side, not the door and I was worried an upright might have coils/lines in the door. That said, mostly based on point A because I was still praying to any deity who would listen when I put each and every hole in it.
If those are correct you're probably going to need a chest freezer. Pony's take up a lot of room and you'd need a pretty big fridge IMO if you were going to fit 3 cornies around it. If I'm misunderstanding your wants then the other factors come into play. Do you have room for a keezer? Do you want/know how to build a collar? Can/do you want to lift a pony in and out of a chest freezer? if the answer to all of those is yes then go keezer. If the answer to any of those is no you probably want to go w/ a fridge or upright freezer. An upright freezer will be cheaper to run as they're better insulated but require temp control most of the time and can be trickier to build depending on where you're going to put your taps.
I went fridge because a) I had a side by side fridge already being used as cold storage b) I wanted to run my taps through the side, not the door and I was worried an upright might have coils/lines in the door. That said, mostly based on point A because I was still praying to any deity who would listen when I put each and every hole in it.
Justintoxicated
Well-Known Member
uprights take up less floorspace in the room, and you don't have to lift heavy things over the top (something I have been thinking about since I hurt my back somehow).
Chest freezers are pretty much easier to work with and maybe more efficient, opening the lid does not dump out the cold air. Mine builds up condensation though which a refrigerator probably wouldn't, so thats definitely a plus for a refrigerator (maybe some more expensive chest freezers do this too?).
Cost, Ease of building a collar and fitting a bunch of kegs and taps, usually goes to the chest freezer. Drilling through a wood collar is super simple and makes mounting of regulators etc very simple!
I use one chest freezer for fermentation / bottle storage, and one for the keezer. Harder to both ferment and keeze in one box and have perfect temp control, it's been done but then your compromising on space and it sounds like you need space.
Chest freezers are pretty much easier to work with and maybe more efficient, opening the lid does not dump out the cold air. Mine builds up condensation though which a refrigerator probably wouldn't, so thats definitely a plus for a refrigerator (maybe some more expensive chest freezers do this too?).
Cost, Ease of building a collar and fitting a bunch of kegs and taps, usually goes to the chest freezer. Drilling through a wood collar is super simple and makes mounting of regulators etc very simple!
I use one chest freezer for fermentation / bottle storage, and one for the keezer. Harder to both ferment and keeze in one box and have perfect temp control, it's been done but then your compromising on space and it sounds like you need space.
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