Keezer and fermantation chamber

[njohnsoncs]

I'm want to get into kegging (I bottle right now) and also want to have more accurate control over my fermentation temperatures and start lagering. It seems like most people have a keezer for cooling and serving from kegs. It also seems like most people use a mini fridge or freezer as a fermentation chamber.

My question is, how do people do both without having both a keezer and mini fridge or two freezers?

fermentation*

 

[Kmar48]

I had the same thoughts when I made the switch to kegging. I brew 2-3 gallon batches in a small apartment so there isn't room for two mini fridges. I settled on using my DIY Danby kegerator for both fermentation and serving, but obviously you cannot do both at the same time (I have two kegs and taps on to the tower). I brew the two batches back to back and use a Tilt hydrometer during fermentation to help me keep a tight schedule so I know when each beer is done and ready to keg. Unfortunately that means I cannot have beer on tap for the 3 weeks or so during the fermentations...

As I am mainly the only one drinking my beer I don't mind the intermittent supply.

 

[njohnsoncs]

I had the same thoughts when I made the switch to kegging. I brew 2-3 gallon batches in a small apartment so there isn't room for two mini fridges. I settled on using my DIY Danby kegerator for both fermentation and serving, but obviously you cannot do both at the same time (I have two kegs and taps on to the tower). I brew the two batches back to back and use a Tilt hydrometer during fermentation to help me keep a tight schedule so I know when each beer is done and ready to keg. Unfortunately that means I cannot have beer on tap for the 3 weeks or so during the fermentations...

As I am mainly the only one drinking my beer I don't mind the intermittent supply.

Yeah this is what I thought might be the problem. I want the ability to have beer on tap and ferment at the same time... but it doesn't seem that easy to do without multiple freezers.

 

[Kmar48]

...yeah it's not ideal and I hope someone else has a better solution/method because I forgot to mention that this is why I don't make lagers even though I would like to start - I don't want to tie up my system for that long and I can only fit one SS Brewbucket in the fridge.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I made a (modified) Son of Fermentation Chiller:

The original design is here: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/images/chiller-plans.pdf

I removed the inner wall and do not use a fan. But now I can fit 2 buckets/carboys in the chamber. And add frozen jugs of water to keep it cold. 4 half gallon jugs of ice can last 3 days before needing to be exchanged.

I also covered it with plywood and added a lift off lid. I made a recess in the foam lid for a thermometer. To check the temp I just remove the lid. I also have it mounted on a dolly so it can double as a rolling bar.