Starting kegging from scratch, want to do it right the first time

[Beernik]

Apparently the right way is:
1. Pitch a bunch of ideas your wife hates.
2. Agree it should be a chest freezer with wood exterior.
3. Wife changes mine & all appliances must be stainless steel.
4. Decide to buy a KegCo because it’s stainless steel & the same cost as your wooden build.
5. Wait a month.
6. Get ready to buy the KegCo & realize your old fridge meets the wife’s criteria of being stainless steel.
7. Pitch to wife the idea of using the old fridge.
8. Argue about the old fridge. Wife now insists it must be wood and have a built in liquor cabinet.
9. Wait another week before revisiting the original wooden design. Realize adding a liquor cabinet won’t be too difficult.
10. Find a Insignia 10.2 cf freezer on sale at Best Buy for $270.

I placed the order today. It will be here next Friday & I can finalize the design. I don’t have the interior dimensions on it, but it should be able to hold 6 ball lock kegs.

Still haven’t decided on ball vs sanke yet. I want to see what the interior layout with the compressor bump looks like first.

 

[Beernik]

I finally found interior dimensions for this freezer. Drafting it up, it should fit six sixtel sanke kegs with low profile connectors without needing a collar. Ball kegs or standard D-connectors would need a 4” collar.

If it measures true, I’ll buy the sixtels and low profile connectors to save myself the work.

EDIT: looks like a 5lb cylinder won’t fit on the compressor hump without a collar. It will have to be configured as 5 kegs and a cylinder or 3 kegs, a bucket, & a cylinder.

 

[Beernik]

I’m resurrecting my zombie thread because I’m brewing again, finally have the time & money to build, and have another question:

I’m building a coffin keezer.

My freezer is large enough I can put the CO2 tank inside the freezer, but I understand that causes problems with not knowing how much gas is left in the tank.

I don’t want my tank sitting out in the open, so I’m thinking about putting in a hidden compartment accessible only through the backside or when the lid is up. The other option is make a pocket door on the front.

Has anyone else tried this?

Edit: “pocket door” isn’t the right term. I mean a pocket space with a cupboard door on it.

 

[TallDan]

I understand that causes problems with not knowing how much gas is left in the tank.

No, it doesn’t really change that. The pressure in the co2 tank will depend on temperature, but it’s not telling you how much gas is left anyway. It’s just telling you that you’re not out of gas yet. If it’s more convenient to keep the co2 in the keezer, do it. The only downside is that it takes up space that could be used to keep more beer cold.

 

[Beernik]

That’s good to know.

I’ve got a 3 tap tower. Knowing how I drink, I’m fairly confident 15 gallons on tap is plenty. But also knowing my history with equipment, I know if I’m not planning for expansion, I’m not planning properly.

If I keep the CO2 tank out, I can expand to 5 kegs inside. With built in cabinets, I could put on a second 3 tap tower and keep the 6th keg in a cabinet and full of warm ginger ale or soda water. With built-in cabinets, I would also have room for a nitro tank addition.

I’ve been reworking the design the last couple days.

This exercise helped me figure out three more things. 1) I can put back in the built-in liquor cabinet across the front and keep the width of the keezer less than 2.5-feet wide (doorway width). 2) I have a spot to hide a built-in power outlet and route all the electric (fans, temp control, etc.) to it so I only need to take one cord to the wall. 3) I’ll have a storage spot for keg tools, keg lube, PBW, StarSan, etc.

 

[Beernik]

Designed the front view today.
- I verified the liquor cabinet will fit most standard bottles.
- I verified the 6 keg/2 tower expansion works.
- I verified I can fit a CO2 tank, an N2 tank, & a keg in one cabinet.