Kegerator Newbie with a Project

[jschnyderite]

I'm just hatching an idea to put a double tap in a countertop ill be making shortly. I'm very new to the custom kegerator scene and could use some advice from people who've done it.

1) do you save much money making your own vs buying a premade unit? what is a ballpark figure.

2) where are the best places to get parts/kits cheap?

3) some reviews on premade kegerators say the beer won't get colder than 38 degrees..is that an issue for custom made units as well?

4) If so, is there a place to find reviews on fridge units that get coldest/last longest? would it be better to use a freezer?

5)Has anyone mounted to a countertop as opposed to the top of a fridge..what extra hardware would be required?

Thanks all..excited to take on the project

 

[HOMEBREWZ]

well midwest supplies would have everything you need to do that except the fridge and it would be cheaper to make ur own i dont know the exact amount you could save but ive seen kegerators that are pre made selling for like a grand and i made mine for a few hundred and im not sure about the temp thing but id think 38 is fine , a few degrees lower and its freezing, ive seen ppl buy old chest freezers and buy a temp control unit that you can buy for like 75 bucks to bypass the freezers temp and with a chest freezer you can hold more kegs.I just have my kegs in a chest type fridge in a closet and ran tubing through the wall to taps and they have those parts too on midwest or you can buy a tower tap and mount it on a counter top.

 

[luke2080]

kegconnection.com and kegcowboy.com are another two sources for parts and have kits for build your own kits.

You could get lower then 38 if you used a freezer instead of a fridge, but IMHO 38 is too cold for serving beer - unless you want to serve bud light - I keep my serving temp at 45. I'm currently serving beer at 63 which is a bit too warm (using it for other things (fermentation)) but 45-50 is my normal range for good beers.

 

[jschnyderite]

thanks for the info!

I'm not looking for anything TOO huge; my space is a little limited. I'd like two mini kegs..think they are called cornys.

How many sq ft should i look for in a fridge to accomodate that?
Is there a popular brand/model that also has freezer for keeping frosty mugs?

 

[HOMEBREWZ]

i have a 2.5 gallon mini keg and its like 16 inch tall and 9 inch round but if you add connectors it might be a few inch taller i would find something that was atleast 20 inch tall inside and and maybe 25 inch or so square you can save more space if you let the mini keg carb itself by yeast instead of force by co2 then you dont need a co2 tank but it will take a 2 weeks or so to carb not sure on brand though i have a small freezer / fridge combo mini fridge that will only hold like one mini keg and a 6 pack

 

[microbusbrewery]

45-50 is my normal range for good beers.

ditto, 38 is too cold and you'd have to let it warm up a bit to drink it. My kegerator is at 42 which is a bit colder than a like. My temp controlled beer fridge (for bottles and lagers) is set at 47.

 

[jschnyderite]

thanks. i've been continuing my research. is there a popular model that isn't too big and has a freezer built into it as well? I'd like to keep mugs inside the kegerator as well.

also any tips or threads with custom build kegerator cabinets? i want to draw something up and am looking for ideas/inspiration