Medium draw-ish Set up

[movet22]

What's up gang! I am writing about a plan that I have to bring draught homebrew to the cozy confines of my new living room.

Having recently purchased a home, I have been toiling to find ways to keep my beer close by while still having the Fiance's approval.

Long story short, I bought a wine hutch/bar thingy with the intention of placing it against a wall in the living room that is shared by a big walk in pantry/scullery that was result of an addition put on our house in the years before we bought it (just settled this past april, btw).

The original plan was to place my current keggerator in the pantry right beneath the hole that I will drill for my 5 3/4'' shank and run insulated beer line up the 6'' and through the wall. (use your imagination, it makes sense with pics, which I will put up later tonight).

Here is my dilemma: the pantry is only ~44'' wide and placing a 24'' minifridge in there is not going to fly with the Mrs.

I have determined that placing the fridge in the back corner of the pantry would afford us all the space we would need, all I would need to do is run more insulated beer line than I originally thought. but we are talking ~10' of total line.

I know what you are all thinkiing, and yes, I have read DQM, and my issue is being posted here because it is unique in that 9' of those 10' is a horizontal pull.

My question: will I need any special equipment to make this happen? Will I be ok with my standard CO2? or will I HAVE to explre mixed gas?

Thanks for any and all help!

Again, pics will be coming soon!

 

[day_trippr]

10 feet of 3/16" beer line is almost a standard. You'll be fine with straight CO2.

Your challenge will be finding a way to cool the beer line - although you could just deal with the first couple of ounces being warm and foamy...

Cheers!

 

[JuanMoore]

What he said ^

Most peoples keezers run 10 of horizontal line. The only difference is that most of them have the line coiled on top of the kegs, and you'll have it stretched out (where it will want to get warm).

 

[carlisle_bob]

Hi

Cooling a ten foot run is not simple. You either need a lot of air or something more heavy duty. Glycol is the most common "step up" but quite expensive / overkill.

Bob

 

[movet22]

So I was thinking about just using a standard CPU fan fitted to a box to draw air and and then use a hose to push it down the draw, maybe puncture some holes in it along the way to let some cold air out. Will this be enough? Does anyone have any other/better affordable alternatives to cool a 10 ft draw?

 

[carlisle_bob]

Hi

You will need a lot more air than a normal computer fan moves. If you blow the air out into the room, the freezer likely will not be able to keep up. If you go with air, something around 12" in diameter each way / closed loop is a reasonable starting point. That will keep the air velocity (and noise) reasonable.

Bob

 

[movet22]

What diameter tube would be best to move the air?

 

[btgold29]

I would look on craigslist for a bar that went out of business and purchase their Glycol system. It will be awesome and hassle free. No body wants warm foamy beer. Not to mention wasting half a glass each pour. After all, We all work really hard for the beer we have. My bet is you could find a used glycol set up for $200. Good luck!

 

[carlisle_bob]

I would look on craigslist for a bar that went out of business and purchase their Glycol system. It will be awesome and hassle free. No body wants warm foamy beer. Not to mention wasting half a glass each pour. After all, We all work really hard for the beer we have. My bet is you could find a used glycol set up for $200. Good luck!

Hi

If you go glycol system shopping, make sure the compressor is running ok. The rest of the system is pretty cheap to fix / replace. You don't want to get into refrigeration repair if you can avoid it.

Bob

 

[JuanMoore]

There are several builds here with homemade trunk lines and cheap pond pumps circulating salt water from a bucket kept in the keezer. Would be cheaper than a glycol system, and probably work pretty well, but would also require a lot more diy than buying a glycol system. Either way, IMO a trunk line is a much better option than air cooling for a run that long.