First Keezer Build

[hrigsby]

So I've been reading around here a lot lately (probably a bit too much for my own good) and I've decided to build a keezer.

I plan on doing it in two steps, one being with faucets in a collar just to get it operational ASAP (more like As Cheap As Possible, but still looking decent) and then I want to remodel the same freezer into a coffin style keezer once I have some spare cash.

I found this on Craigslist and picked it up last night:

As you can see I have a 1/2 bbl, and I'll be purchasing a 1/6 bbl and a corny to put in the cooler as well.

It's a big freezer, as you can tell, but the preliminary plan was for three taps.

I've read through a lot and I'm planning on Perlick faucets, but I was wondering what else I need to get started here. I want to go with nice equipment so I can re-use it once I do my redesign.

Is there anything I should know about re-using the same freezer for a different build?

I guess I'm just overwhelmed by the number of parts that go into the build of this, as well as what I should be looking for when I purchase these parts. I'll keep looking around, but a little bit of help here for a noob would be great!

Thanks in advance,

Riggs

 

[hrigsby]

Oh, and for now I want to have a cheap beer in a 1/2 bbl (college student) as well as a nicer microbrew in a 1/6 bbl (or similar) and one home brew until I figure out what I'm doing in that regard. I'm not sure if having all of these different beers will affect the number of pressures I will need, so just throwing that out there.

 

[brandonhagen1]

I'm intrested in this about collored to coffin I would like to do the same

 

[pannell77]

get a co2 manifold that will handle your future needs, any keg kit will work from any of our reputable vendors here on HBT. I bought my stuff from kegconnection.com and everything arrived pre-assembled and works great. If you want to be able to control different pressures to different kegs then get secondary regulators that allow you to change the pressure individually.

as far as going from just a collar with taps to a coffin, you will probably end up replacing your collar for one without holes in it but other than that I see no issues.

 

[pannell77]

get a co2 manifold that will handle your future needs, any keg kit will work from any of our reputable vendors here on HBT. I bought my stuff from kegconnection.com and everything arrived pre-assembled and works great. If you want to be able to control different pressures to different kegs then get secondary regulators that allow you to change the pressure individually.

as far as going from just a collar with taps to a coffin, you will probably end up replacing your collar for one without holes in it but other than that I see no issues.

 

[hrigsby]

So here is my list so far:

CO2 Tank(s)
Gas Lines
Beer Lines
Drip Tray
Perlick Faucets
Couplers
Regulator
Shanks
Temperature Monitor

Do I need an air distributor and a regulator or does the regulator act as both? I'm assuming if I have one regulator, I'll need a distributor to split the flow into the different kegs, but if I get a regulator for each keg I won't need a distributor? Is that correct?

The entire faucet part is the shank and the faucet right? That is all the interface I need to get from the beer line to the glass?

Do I need anything other than couplers to go from the keg to the beer line?

I'm going to go look through some of the start up kits now, but I feel like I may get better quality products if I buy the parts separately rather than in a bundle?

EDIT: Just researched a bit and it looks like I'll need D Couplers (American Sanke) for the majority of commercial kegs I'll be using regardless of size, but for my corny I won't need a coupler, just quick disconnects and clamps, correct?

 

[brandonhagen1]

You will need a double gauge reg if you want different pressures in multipule kegs other wise a splutter will work fine and on a side note make sure your shanks have nipples and yes you r good to go but some of the vendors on here have great quality

 

[hrigsby]

Another questions. Say I have a crap light beer (Bud, Miller, Coors, etc.) in a 1/2 bbl., Sam Adams Boston Lager in a 1/6 bbl., and a corny of home brew (rotating) on tap. Would this be a situation where I need multiple pressures? It seems like this may fit the bill, but I'm not sure of what benefits I'd be getting from multiple pressures.

 

[brandonhagen1]

With multi pressures you can serve two beers at different pressures at the same time or you can force Carb one in corny and serve another one at the same time