Kegerator built into bar

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msppilot

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I am in the process of designing my basement which will include a bar. I want to put my kegerator under the bar with the beer tower mounted to the bar top. Does anyone have any advise on how I should mount the kegerator to the bar? Should I make plans to be able to take it out just in case I need to do any work on it? What have others done? I appreciate any advice.
 
My winter side gig (I’m a grain farmer in the summer) is home repair/remodeling. I've finished a number of basements, including a couple of bar builds and one job where I made a free standing kegerator appear built in.

My suggestion would be to not build in any appliance which is not intended to be built in. It's pretty easy to build around something and create the appearance of a built in while still making it easy to remove the appliance without having to do demolition.

Choose your kegerator, size your bar to accommodate your fridge, and trim around the kegerator to make it look built in. Buy or build a tower which can be installed through the bar top.

Most bars which incorporate a fridge of some kind have the access to the appliance from the back side of the bar. Unless you're extremely anal about having the bar have the same level of finish on every side, or insist on having the access to the fridge on the finished side of the bar, there really isn't a good reason to build the fridge in, IMO.
 
I'm completing my bar build right now and ultimately decided I wanted the kegerator (keezer in my case) movable for more flexibility when keg swapping, force carbing, etc. I decided to leave an open rectangle behind the face of my bar. I have the keezer on wheels and am soon mounting surface that will match my counters (and be completely level with it). I'm leaving about 1/4 inch on each side so the keezer can slide in & out as needed. In essence, the keezer will be mounted to a top that fits within my bar and will look mounted to the bar itself from afar.
 
I did something similar. I sat the freezer on a cart that pulls out from under the counter top. I removed the top of the freezer and insulated the gap between the top of the freezer and the bottom of the bar.
 
I'm completing my bar build right now and ultimately decided I wanted the kegerator (keezer in my case) movable for more flexibility when keg swapping, force carbing, etc. I decided to leave an open rectangle behind the face of my bar. I have the keezer on wheels and am soon mounting surface that will match my counters (and be completely level with it). I'm leaving about 1/4 inch on each side so the keezer can slide in & out as needed. In essence, the keezer will be mounted to a top that fits within my bar and will look mounted to the bar itself from afar.

Do you happen to have any pictures of it I could take a look at?
 
I did something similar. I sat the freezer on a cart that pulls out from under the counter top. I removed the top of the freezer and insulated the gap between the top of the freezer and the bottom of the bar.

Do you happen to have any pictures I could take a look at?
 
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Here are a few pictures. the first is the front of the cart without the oak front. the second is the side of the cart when its pulled out. The last one is the insulation under the bar that seals with the freezer. The vent to my freezer for the compressor is on the right. There is a large area under the counter to the right for airflow.
 
I depends on what your going for.
How many taps...do you need a keezer ETC.
Theres a show us your bar thread that should have plenty of pic ideas.

I wanted a full granite top to match my kitchen. I went with an under counter fridge instead of an actual kegerator. It holds 3 slim kegs or a half barrel and one slim. Which is plenty for me.

Drill hole in top of fridge and countertop to match. Slide PVC tube through hole of fridge into tower to fill gap between fridge and bottom of countertop. Run lines through PVC into fridge. I'll be moving the bar in the near future and will put the fridge on a platform to fill the gap and and a skirt piece to the bottom

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View attachment 607445 View attachment 607446 View attachment 607447 Here are a few pictures. the first is the front of the cart without the oak front. the second is the side of the cart when its pulled out. The last one is the insulation under the bar that seals with the freezer. The vent to my freezer for the compressor is on the right. There is a large area under the counter to the right for airflow.
Thank you for the pictures. Looks like you have a nice setup. This is similar to what I have planned. Mine is an actual kegerator but my vision is to do something like this.
 
View attachment 607445 View attachment 607446 View attachment 607447 Here are a few pictures. the first is the front of the cart without the oak front. the second is the side of the cart when its pulled out. The last one is the insulation under the bar that seals with the freezer. The vent to my freezer for the compressor is on the right. There is a large area under the counter to the right for airflow.
Thanks for the pictures. I like your setup.
 
Consider your access needs for your CO2 tank as well. Most kegerators have them mounted on the back but I realize you could have it elsewhere.
 
One thing to be cognizant of is that all refrigerators need to be able to shed heat. If you don't allow air to circulate in the way the kegerator needs it, it'll probably run almost all the time working to cool. Make sure you have air holes/vents, or allow a compressor fan the room to breathe. You can, if there's limited space around the kegerator, use a small USB fan to create air movement around it.

Another thing you might consider is cutting a slot in the bar and pushing the tower into it, then covering it with a drip tray. That would give it the appearance of built-in with the ability to move it easily. Or you could build a wooden cover that sat on the bar and covered up the hole.
 
One thing to be cognizant of is that all refrigerators need to be able to shed heat. If you don't allow air to circulate in the way the kegerator needs it, it'll probably run almost all the time working to cool. Make sure you have air holes/vents, or allow a compressor fan the room to breathe. You can, if there's limited space around the kegerator, use a small USB fan to create air movement around it.

Another thing you might consider is cutting a slot in the bar and pushing the tower into it, then covering it with a drip tray. That would give it the appearance of built-in with the ability to move it easily. Or you could build a wooden cover that sat on the bar and covered up the hole.

Yup , when I bought my kegerator they had ones for inclosing in counters/ cabinets and ones that weren't meant to be inclosed.
 
Do you happen to have any pictures of it I could take a look at?

Sure. This is still a work in progress. Here's the keezer cart in and out of the gap:

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The counter is 2 layers of mdf board covered with Ardex Feather Finish concrete. I'm mounting the same materials to the keezer next, which puts it on level with the counter.

I've only cut the first layer of mdf board for the keezer, but here's an idea of the setup pre-concrete finish:

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The tap setup is basically a hybrid of this and this.

Here's a look from the front (getting new barstools; those ended up being deathtraps):

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Scfb, love that bar. Concrete counter looks good. Where do you keep your co2 tank?

There is a cabinet on the right side for the co2 tank with the lines running into the freezer through the pink insulation board.
 
Italarican , that's some nice work!

Thanks! My wife & I started this about 6 months ago. This is our first legitimate DIY project. I'm pretty with happy with how it's coming together.

Thanks your bar is pretty impressive as well, can't wait to see the finished product. I wish I would have documented mine better, i just hate cleaning everything up for pictures.

Thanks. I've been scared shitless of the next steps (drilling through the freezer), but it'll be happening soon. Some way earlier shots are in another thread here.

EDIT: WTF is this profanity filter technology? Who says poopyless?
 
Thanks! My wife & I started this about 6 months ago. This is our first legitimate DIY project. I'm pretty with happy with how it's coming together.



Thanks. I've been scared poopyless of the next steps (drilling through the freezer), but it'll be happening soon. Some way earlier shots are in another thread here.

EDIT: WTF is this profanity filter technology? Who says poopyless?
That was why I took the top off the freezer to avoid having to drill holes, plus i can always turn the freezer into a fermentation chamber if i decide to upgrade and go bigger. Most freezers have nothing but insulation in the lid, I would recommend investing in a bi-metal hole saw bit and it should be pretty easy. Good Luck
 
This is my buddies bar he built . Hes getting a kegerator and were gonna put the tower through it. These pics are without the epoxy on the bar top but he just completed it .
 

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