Temperature Control or Kegging Equipment

[rklinck]

So I am planning to buy myself a splurge Christmas present and am trying to decide between a chest freezer and temp controller or kegging equipment. I don't have a desperate need for temperature control to keep the temps low enough for ales (my basement stays at about 60 degrees throughout the winter and spring and below 70 in the summer), but would need it for lagers and could use it for cold crashing. I would love to hear from more experienced brewers on which purchase they think would be a better investment.

 

[14er]

I had to make the same choice and chose a kegging set up. I've been really happy with it and do not miss washing bottles, my wife is happy because I don't have cases of beer stuffed everywhere, lol. But - I don't brew lagers(yet) so the temperature control is not much of an issue for me because I have good temperatures in my closet for the yeasts I use.

 

[D_Nyholm]

So I am planning to buy myself a splurge Christmas present and am trying to decide between a chest freezer and temp controller or kegging equipment. I don't have a desperate need for temperature control to keep the temps low enough for ales (my basement stays at about 60 degrees throughout the winter and spring and below 70 in the summer), but would need it for lagers and could use it for cold crashing. I would love to hear from more experienced brewers on which purchase they think would be a better investment.

I would first get a keezer for kegging. Makes it so much easier than bottling. After I had that all set up, I would get another freezer for a fermentation chamber. At least that is what I am doing. Building my 7 cu ft keezer for 4 kegs and I will get another 7 cu ft for a fermentation chamber later on that can hold 2 fermenters. It seems that keeping ales at about 60 to 62 is ideal, 70 will get you off flavors depending on the yeast used. So in the summer you cannot really brew clean, ester free beers, unless you brew a siason or something that ferments warmer.

 

[broadbill]

Definitely temp control if you want to make consistently good beer throughout the year, and with a minimum of fussing around.

 

[swackattack]

Temp control...no more worrying and xan really fine tune your beers

 

[Maweni]

I went with a keg system first. I was lucky that a small used fridge came my way soon afterwards that I use as my kegerator and my fermenting chamber.

I ferment beers when I travel for work which is often so one fridge doing both jobs works well for me