Show us your Kegerator

[dreaded_rust]

So my squadron had their annual redneck themed Christmas party couple weeks ago and I was asked to bring some of my beer.

Since this needed to be portable I had to get a little creative.

I picked up a red bull cooler from Craigslist for $15 and converted it into a little roll around portable kegerator. Everyone liked it and the keg kicked in less than an hour.

 

[grampamark]

My sticker collection keeps growing.

 

[breweer]

About finished with my first keezer build. Shoutout to @mongoose33 post, drew a lot of my build from it!

 

[GrowleyMonster]

I am almost embarrassed to show mine, with so many really impressive kegerators on display here. But here it is.

Mr Tiki standing guard. In front of the door is a high traffic area so I stuck it on the side.

Room for two cornies and some yeast, and CO2

Freezer section for mugs, glasses, growlers, and hops

 

[Bruce Carbaugh]

lots of fun planning and building !

 

[day_trippr]

Very nice

 

[jonny24]

That is some seriously impressive woodwork. NICE corners. The whole setup looks great. How is the handpump hooked up?

 

[day_trippr]

How is that drip tray shelf attached?

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Very, very nice. I really like the corner joints.

 

[seanjwalker1]

Question: Anyone own an Arctic King 4.9 kegerator? If so, will it fit a 6.5, 7 gallon SS basic round fermenter inside? My wife bought me one but I was thinking maybe trading it in for a larger 5.4 digital. I will keep it if a fermenter will fit inside. Don't want to unbox it not knowing. I'd like to keep it that way wife doesn't think I'm ungrateful..just want to be able to use it as a fermentation chamber too. Thank you!

 

[Bruce Carbaugh]

How is that drip tray shelf attached?

Neodymium magnets

 

[Bruce Carbaugh]

That is some seriously impressive woodwork. NICE corners. The whole setup looks great. How is the handpump hooked up?

Thanks, have not connected it yet but I typically take the keg out of the keezer and let it warm a little and it sets under the hand pump.

 

[Nuclear Southpaw]

Wow... Such a great thread.

Here's my humble contribution. The garage/shop refrigerator's initial modification last year and the recent minor upgrade.

 

[seanjwalker1]

Kegerator newbie question: is it ok to clean and sanitize the kegs and lines weeks in advance? Or should I wait till I'm ready to transfer? I still need to brew some new batches!! Finally got all the stainless steel parts to replace all the chrome in my Arctic King. Have all the lines, disconnects, a 5 gal ball lock keg with a 3 gal keg arriving tomorrow. Thanks

 

[day_trippr]

Clean, sure. The sooner the better with kicked kegs, easier to clean before everything dries hard inside.
But if you're going to do a Star San purge of the keg right before filling you can probably skip the sanitizer...

Cheers!

 

[seanjwalker1]

Clean, sure. The sooner the better with kicked kegs, easier to clean before everything dries hard inside.
But if you're going to do a Star San purge of the keg right before filling you can probably skip the sanitizer...

Cheers!

The kegs are brand new from Northern Brewer as are all the lines. I have not even unboxed the Arctic King kegerator because I wanted to have SS replacement parts for the tower and taps which are chrome on the Arctic King kegerator. So ok to clean in advance but sanitize with starsan just before kegging?

 

[seanjwalker1]

The kegs are brand new from Northern Brewer as are all the lines. I have not even unboxed the Arctic King kegerator because I wanted to have SS replacement parts for the tower and taps which are chrome on the Arctic King kegerator. So ok to clean in advance but sanitize with starsan just before kegging?

Also, I can't find any books dedicated to homebrew kegging! Only YouTube videos which is fine but nice to have diagrams on hand. I've been bottling for 15 years this kegging is all new to me. Any recommendations? Thanks!!

 

[day_trippr]

What kind of "diagrams" would be helpful?
HBT is loaded to the rafters with kegging and kegerator info, just waiting to be perused.

But here are two urls to keep handy as you'll use them often: our favorite carbonation table, and the only beer line length calculator worth using.

Wrt your new kegs, definitely wash them thoroughly to remove any manufacturing residues and consider applying a film of "keg lube" to all of the O-rings...

Cheers!

 

[seanjwalker1]

What kind of "diagrams" would be helpful?
HBT is loaded to the rafters with kegging and kegerator info, just waiting to be perused.

But here are two urls to keep handy as you'll use them often: our favorite carbonation table, and the only beer line length calculator worth using.

Wrt your new kegs, definitely wash them thoroughly to remove any manufacturing residues and consider applying a film of "keg lube" to all of the O-rings...

Cheers!

Yep bought the keg lube. Thanks again for your input!

 

[Tom 7]

Also, I can't find any books dedicated to homebrew kegging! Only YouTube videos which is fine but nice to have diagrams on hand. I've been bottling for 15 years this kegging is all new to me. Any recommendations? Thanks!!

I haven't found much in writing either, but heard a few things on Brulosophy podcasts that I've incorporated that seem to work. Here is pretty much everything I know about kegging:

1) After cleaning, and also checking all of the connections, fill the keg with sanitizing solution, seal it and leave it for a few minutes, including a few minutes upside-down.
2) Connect CO2, and run the liquid line into a fermentor or something else that wants to be sanitized (so's not to waste the solution).
3) Turn on the CO2, and blow out the sanitizer until gas instead of liquid comes out of the liquid line. You can use low pressure if you want to go light on your CO2 usage and don't mind it taking a while.
4) Remove the liquid line and let the CO2 pressure build a little bit in the keg.

This leaves you with a sanitized, oxygen-free keg. When I have a batch ready to keg, I'll connect the outlet of the fermentor to the liquid in on the keg, and run a line from the keg's CO2 connection to the top of the fermentor. Then, let the CO2 pressure in the keg push the beer down the liquid line into the keg. This allows for an oxygen-free transfer.

Sorry if this is too far OT... I was actually reading this thread because I'm getting ready to build a new kegerator...

 

[Yesfan]

.....I've been bottling for 15 years this kegging is all new to me. Any recommendations? Thanks!!

LINK

^^^ Good read. I made the switch to EVA Barrier and I don't regret it. It's nice not having to flush the few ounces of beer out of the lines because it went stale if I haven't pulled a pint in a while.

 

[seanjwalker1]

I haven't found much in writing either, but heard a few things on Brulosophy podcasts that I've incorporated that seem to work. Here is pretty much everything I know about kegging:

1) After cleaning, and also checking all of the connections, fill the keg with sanitizing solution, seal it and leave it for a few minutes, including a few minutes upside-down.
2) Connect CO2, and run the liquid line into a fermentor or something else that wants to be sanitized (so's not to waste the solution).
3) Turn on the CO2, and blow out the sanitizer until gas instead of liquid comes out of the liquid line. You can use low pressure if you want to go light on your CO2 usage and don't mind it taking a while.
4) Remove the liquid line and let the CO2 pressure build a little bit in the keg.

This leaves you with a sanitized, oxygen-free keg. When I have a batch ready to keg, I'll connect the outlet of the fermentor to the liquid in on the keg, and run a line from the keg's CO2 connection to the top of the fermentor. Then, let the CO2 pressure in the keg push the beer down the liquid line into the keg. This allows for an oxygen-free transfer.

Sorry if this is too far OT... I was actually reading this thread because I'm getting ready to build a new kegerator...

Any info helps so thank you very much!

 

[Genuine]

Also as a tip, if you have a spray bottle of soapy water, you can use that to find leaking co2 fittings (ask me how I know). I went through 2 5lb bottles last weekend before finding my insanely slow leaks.

 

[Yesfan]

Another thing....

Those stainless tea ball infusers are great at keeping all the small parts of your taps and disconnects together when you're cleaning. I usually hang mine inside my small 2 gallon kettle of PBW/BLC that I use when I'm recirculating cleaner/sanitizer through the beer lines.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

BYO has a printed guide to kegging.

 

[seanjwalker1]

Also as a tip, if you have a spray bottle of soapy water, you can use that to find leaking co2 fittings (ask me how I know). I went through 2 5lb bottles last weekend before finding my insanely slow leaks.

Thanks! Read that somewhere

 

[seanjwalker1]

BYO has a printed guide to kegging.

I saw that. It's just a magazine. I read a few reviews that said save your money. I still may get it though. Have it on WATCH at EBay. Thanks!

 

[seanjwalker1]

Another thing....

Those stainless tea ball infusers are great at keeping all the small parts of your taps and disconnects together when you're cleaning. I usually hang mine inside my small 2 gallon kettle of PBW/BLC that I use when I'm recirculating cleaner/sanitizer through the beer lines.

Got a regular size one and a giant size one. Thanks.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

I saw that. It's just a magazine. I read a few reviews that said save your money. I still may get it though. Have it on WATCH at EBay. Thanks!

What exactly is being sought in regards to kegging? Kegging isn't an overly complex item. Clean parts, replace the gaskets when needed, replace the relief valve when needed, sanitize, fill and pressurize to the desired levels of CO2 depending on what's desired and the temp of the liquid.

 

[seanjwalker1]

What exactly is being sought in regards to kegging? Kegging isn't an overly complex item. Clean parts, replace the gaskets when needed, replace the relief valve when needed, sanitize, fill and pressurize to the desired levels of CO2 depending on what's desired and the temp of the liquid.

Taking all the parts off, putting them back on in the correct place. I'm a retired nurse not a mechanic or engineer. Can you properly use an IV machine? Collect all the necessary items to collect and hang and administer blood? Calculate correct dosage of a given med based on wt and age category? Chances are, if you never studied to be a Dr, EMT or nurse you can't..not without having reference books. And that's all I'm saying. Nice to have a reference if you've never done something.