SWMBO forces me to keg!

[NAVET]

Momma is tired of empty bottles laying around. She is telling me I need to start kegging. SO I guess I HAVE TO go get a kegerator. I know, I know, buy a chest freezer and convert. Well, the problem is space. We have very little space in order to do so. She said since I get to keg beer, she gets a new fridge. Our old fridge is my new kegerator, maybe...

I am an ale guy so I am not so concerned about lagering. But momma likes Lagers. I am not sure what I will need to convert the fridge over.

Will I need to mod the fridge any, if so how, in order to get it down into the mid-30's? I am VERY new to home-brewing so forgive the "simple" Q's. Is it a part of lagering to get the beer, after fermentation, to 33F, give or take, for the aging or lagering period?

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

Usually it is just a matter of using a temperature controller like a Johnston or a Love unit to cut off the power when it gets down to the desired temperature.
The problem is if your current fridge can't get that cold, you would have to disable the internal thermometer.
A fridge is great for fermenting and serving beer, and it is easier to move kegs in and out than a chest freezer, but most older fridges will have problems getting down to laugering temps.

 

[NAVET]

Currently it is 41C and it is about 90% full of food. The temp knob is about 1/2 turned down. I may turn it to 3/4 later this afternoon and see how far it goes down over night. It should get down to about 33-36F for lagering, correct?

 

[BarleyWater]

I lager my beers at 32ºF, with the alcohol they won't freeze until below that. You want to get as close to freezing as possible, but under 40ºF and you will be fine. If you can manage to disable the internal temp probe and use an external one to overide, you will be fine, and that only costs $60.

 

[flaminpi3]

A boy's best friend is his mother.

 

[MeatyPortion]

Wait... you call your wife "momma"?

 

[hlumbard]

I lager my beers at 32ºF, with the alcohol they won't freeze until below that. You want to get as close to freezing as possible, but under 40ºF and you will be fine. If you can manage to disable the internal temp probe and use an external one to overide, you will be fine, and that only costs $60.

That's only if your current one can't get cold enough right? I have an old fridge I'm thinking about converting too but I don't want to get in to replacing the temp controller....

 

[NAVET]

Momma is kind of a joke between us. When she starts to get bossy I always answer "Yes momma". Kind of a passive aggressive thing I guess.

I wonder what Dr Frued would say?

 

[MeatyPortion]

Man, that's heavy.

 

[NAVET]

She laughs about it. I am blessed with a VERY good SWMBO. Makes marrying her on New Years Eve so much easier!

Back to subject...
As long as it gets to mid 30's I am ok I guess.

 

[NAVET]

A temp probe in the fridge for an hour or so reads 37F so I am pretty sure I will have no problem getting it to go lower since the temp knob is 1/2 way down.

 

[mordantly]

Currently it is 41C and it is about 90% full of food. The temp knob is about 1/2 turned down.?

is this an oven or a refer? no refer should be running at 105, i think you meant 41F.

 

[NAVET]

Refrigerator. Meant F not C. Sorry. New fingers.

 

[BrewSpook]

NAV - sounds like you are definitely on your way. My SWMBO also is pushing me into kegging to clear bottles from the house, oh darn. Since we bought a new upright freezer for the basement I have run electric for the freezer, our wine fridge, and 2 extra outlets that will be used for a keezer/fermchamber to all fit into a little bar nook.

Just remember whatever you are able to build is probably better than what you have now. Find something that works and you will constantly be changing it and upgrading it. Its a slow process (much like getting things done in the Navy)

On a side note - how long were you in? I'm at 7.5 years with 8 months left to go, can't get here soon enough.

 

[NAVET]

We bought an upright freezer last year and she wants to replace the fridge. It isn't big enough for 5. She bought it when it was just 3 in the house.
She is pushing me to get a kegerator and use the old fridge as a fermentation and aging chamber. I tried to convince her it could be for both a "kegerator" and ferm chamber but she is insisting. Why fight it? They don't call them SWMBO for nothing.

 

[NAVET]

The devil made me do it. Ok, maybe not the devil, but the SWMBO.
She bought my kegerator this morning and we bought he new fridge last night. I have my first AG batch perculating away. I'll need to go get my kegs today as I am willing to bet the kegerator won't be here by the time fermentation is done. Guess it'll age in the keg for a few days and chill in the garage.