Help: Keezer vs. Kegerator

[azbeerboss]

Hi All!

Living in AZ has posed difficulty for my fermentation process. I wanted to reach out to the forum to see what recommendations you may have in order to improve the process when it is blazing hot here. I would like to keep a setup in the garage so I am debating between a keezer vs kegerator setup. Right now I am fermenting in a closet because I do not have a refrigeration system or a basement. I am willing to spend money and have been looking into KegSmarts by PicoBrew.

I appreciate any thoughts, experience and recommendations. Thank you so much!!

 

[day_trippr]

Kegerators and keezers are dispensing appliances, not fermentation chambers.

What are you actually trying to accomplish?

Cheers!

 

[azbeerboss]

I know what they are. I like to ferment in kegs. I am just wanting to use (keezer or kegerator) because I think it will be easier to ferment the (keg/carboy) in something that I can use to isolate the heat from while using my temp regulation equipment.

Just looking for any suggestions or ideas from people who have done this before.

Cheers!

 

[TAK]

I use a fridge for temp control (plus a fermwrap). I think it'll be easier on you to put your fermentation vessel of choice in a fridge rather than lowering into and lifting out if a keezer.

Edit: I have a kegorator and a keezer for dispensing as well, and getting kegs in and out of the keezer is much more of a strain than compared to the kegorator.

 

[RedlegEd]

I use a fridge for temp control (plus a fermwrap). I think it'll be easier on you to put your fermentation vessel of choice in a fridge rather than lowering into and lifting out if a keezer.

Edit: I have a kegerator and a keezer for dispensing as well, and getting kegs in and out of the keezer is much more of a strain than compared to the kegorator.

I have a kegerator for dispensing, and ferment in a chest freezer. While it may be more of a strain to lift kegs/carboys/buckets in and out of, they seem to hold temps more stable than do refrigerators. I rarely use the heat side of my STC1000+, mostly it's just keeping the wort cool.

 

[TAK]

That could be. I run heat and cool in tandem. My setup runs two thermowells, one for the fridge, and another for a fermwrap. Both click on and off as needed to keep the set temp.

 

[day_trippr]

I know what they are. I like to ferment in kegs. I am just wanting to use (keezer or kegerator) because I think it will be easier to ferment the (keg/carboy) in something that I can use to isolate the heat from while using my temp regulation equipment.

Just looking for any suggestions or ideas from people who have done this before.

Cheers!

fyi, you might as well become familiar with the jargon: kegerators and keezers have faucets. Fermentation chambers don't.

So what you're actually looking for is either a refrigerator or a freezer.
Could be upright, could be chest, whatever floats your boat.
But neither would be considered a keezer or kegerator, because it doesn't actually dispense beer.

I use a pair of 17cf top-freezer units for fermentation.
They have no faucets; they have temperature controllers to manage fermentation, and that's pretty much it.

My keezer has six faucets. It is not a fermentation chamber, it is a dispensing appliance...

Cheers!

 

[azbeerboss]

The whole point of my question was to see if anyone used a kegerator to ferment a barrel alongside another keg that is being dispensed along with dealing with outside heat. Just like the KegSmarts format. My apologies for the confusion and I should have reworded the question. I was typing on my phone in the middle of the store. Also, I am very familiar with the jargon. I know which appliances have faucets and dispense versus ones that are for pure temperature control. TAK and RedlegEd, I appreciate your insight in regards to what you do to control your fermentation.

Again, I apologize for the confusion.

Cheers!!

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

I would think that the fridge temps used for serving beer would be colder than the yeast prefer for fermentation and likewise I'd think fermentation temps that keep the yeast happy would be warmer than I'd prefer my serving kegs to be. Just my $.02 but I'd keep them separate and use the appropriate equipment for the job at hand.

 

[RedlegEd]

TAK and RedlegEd, I appreciate your insight in regards to what you do to control your fermentation. Cheers!!

One thing I didn't mention is I keep the probe in a 15" thermowell directly in the wort (about 2"-3" away from the side of the bucket.) I've found this gives me a fairly accurate measure of the temp of the wort, and also reduces wild swings that you might get from having the probe in the center of the bucket.
BTW, what part of AZ? I grew up in Tucson, so I understand about the heat. Currently, I live outside of Memphis and my beer stuff is in the garage. It gets plenty warm here as well, which is why I said I rarely use the heat side. If it gets too cold, the STC1000+ just lets it free rise until it hits the set point and cools it down again. In the winter I will use a heating pad under the bucket/carboy.

 

[azbeerboss]

One thing I didn't mention is I keep the probe in a 15" thermowell directly in the wort (about 2"-3" away from the side of the bucket.) I've found this gives me a fairly accurate measure of the temp of the wort, and also reduces wild swings that you might get from having the probe in the center of the bucket.

BTW, what part of AZ? I grew up in Tucson, so I understand about the heat. Currently, I live outside of Memphis and my beer stuff is in the garage. It gets plenty warm here as well, which is why I said I rarely use the heat side. If it gets too cold, the STC1000+ just lets it free rise until it hits the set point and cools it down again. In the winter I will use a heating pad under the bucket/carboy.

I actually live in Tucson now! I grew up in Michigan and moved here a few years ago. No basements either. I have heard great things about the STC1000+ and I think that I will buy one. I appreciate your insight! Thanks!

 

[azbeerboss]

Cheers!

 

[RedlegEd]

I actually live in Tucson now! I grew up in Michigan and moved here a few years ago. No basements either. I have heard great things about the STC1000+ and I think that I will buy one. I appreciate your insight! Thanks!

How cool is that! I hope you're liking it there, it was a great place to grow up.

I can't say enough good things about the STC1000+. If you don't have the time, skills, or inclination to flash & wire up your own STC1000+, I highly recommend this as an alternative. Inkbird-ITC310 Yes, it's more expensive, but it's totally plug & play, programmable, and portable as well (meaning you need do zero modifications to your stuff.) Inkbird is a sponsor on HBT and often has sales that bring the price down, so keep your eyes open if you go this route. They also have another version, the ITC-308S that comes with a 12" SS probe, but this just a two stage heat/cool controller, not time/step programmable. Whichever way you decide to go, I'll be more than happy to share my fermenting profiles.
Ed

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[azbeerboss]

How cool is that! I hope you're liking it there, it was a great place to grow up.



I can't say enough good things about the STC1000+. If you don't have the time, skills, or inclination to flash & wire up your own STC1000+, I highly recommend this as an alternative. Inkbird-ITC310 Yes, it's more expensive, but it's totally plug & play, programmable, and portable as well (meaning you need do zero modifications to your stuff.) Inkbird is a sponsor on HBT and often has sales that bring the price down, so keep your eyes open if you go this route. They also have another version, the ITC-308S that comes with a 12" SS probe, but this just a two stage heat/cool controller, not time/step programmable. Whichever way you decide to go, I'll be more than happy to share my fermenting profiles.

Ed

Haha! My family and I love it here!! I moved here 4 years ago for grad school at UA. We may never leave. My son loves it and so do we. Great people and great weather.

Thank you for the tips. The inkbird is the one that I was going to get initially. I may just do that considering the plug and play feature. I will let you know what I end up doing and how it turns out.

Thanks again for all of the insight!

Bear Down!

Cheers!

Joe

 

[azbeerboss]

[emoji482]

 

[TAK]

The whole point of my question was to see if anyone used a kegerator to ferment a barrel alongside another keg that is being dispensed along with dealing with outside heat.

No worries. I didn't realize you were looking to ferment and dispense from the same appliance. I've thought about doing this once upon a time. I imagine it should work if you get a probe into the liquid of your fermentation vessel. A fermwrap would keep the temp of it up above the temp in the fridge/freezer. Though, this would be a much more manageable proposition for lagers than ales.