Will this work? (With diagram)

[Ludesbrews]

My current brewing setup is in my garage which shares a cinderblock wall with man cave. I currently have a full-sized fridge against the wall that splits the garage and the man cave.

Am I able to install a permanent tap on the man cave side of the wall, run a pipe through the cinderblock, and have a hook up inside my garage? When I have people over or want to use the tap, I will run the out line from the keg through a hole in the fridge, and attach it to the tap line. This will avoid any beer sitting in a non+refrigerated line.

Please look at the diagram. I want to get this done without breaking the bank.

Thanks

 

[kh54s10]

I don't see why not. Insulate the pipe going through the wall. And be careful exiting the fridge. Cooling lines are common in the back of a refrigerator. Pierce one of those and you have a big hunk of scrap metal or a very expensive repair.

 

[Ludesbrews]

I don't see why not. Insulate the pipe going through the wall. And be careful exiting the fridge. Cooling lines are common in the back of a refrigerator. Pierce one of those and you have a big hunk of scrap metal or a very expensive repair.

I would go through the side of the fridge, as that’s how it’s situated. Any suggestion how to insulate the pipe?

 

[kh54s10]

I would go through the side of the fridge, as that’s how it’s situated. Any suggestion how to insulate the pipe?

Be careful of cooling lines in the side also, some do have them there. Insulation? Foam, fiberglass tube like for ducts, Reflectix? I don't really have a good idea.

 

[mongoose33]

I would go through the side of the fridge, as that’s how it’s situated. Any suggestion how to insulate the pipe?

How big of diameter is the pipe?

If you used, say, a piece of PVC pipe of diameter 2 or 3 or 4 inches, you could use pipe insulation on the inside of the pipe.

It's common in commercial applications where the lines have to run a distance, the lines will be in a closed pipe or chase or something, and glycol solution will be used to keep those lines cold. Otherwise the lines will be warmer than the beer coming out of the kegs, and it will be foamy, foamy, foamy.

In the homebrew context, with something like a kegerator, there will be an insulated area inside the tower, and a fan will be used to blow cold air from the refrigerator part of the kegerator up and around the lines. This keeps them cool, keeps foaming to a minimum.

So you'll want to think about how to keep those lines cold as they move from the refrigerator to your taps on the other side of the wall.

 

[IslandLizard]

A brew friend of mine has 3 (top-freezer) fridges like that, with their backs to the (block?) wall, serving 12 taps on the other side in his bar room.
He said the tubing go through the fridges' back walls. I really should see for myself in detail how that's all rigged up, how much space there is between the fridges and shanks, and if he even insulated or chills them. His beers all pour fine to perfect, slowish, and no excess foam.

 

[Ludesbrews]

A brew friend of mine has 3 (top-freezer) fridges like that, with their backs to the (block?) wall, serving 12 taps on the other side in his bar room.
He said the tubing go through the fridges' back walls. I really should see for myself in detail how that's all rigged up, how much space there is between the fridges and shanks, and if he even insulated or chills them. His beers all pour fine to perfect, slowish, and no excess foam.

Would love to hear. I’m new to kegging, but I wonder, how bad is it really to have a few feet of uninsulated line?

 

[Ludesbrews]

How big of diameter is the pipe?

If you used, say, a piece of PVC pipe of diameter 2 or 3 or 4 inches, you could use pipe insulation on the inside of the pipe.

It's common in commercial applications where the lines have to run a distance, the lines will be in a closed pipe or chase or something, and glycol solution will be used to keep those lines cold. Otherwise the lines will be warmer than the beer coming out of the kegs, and it will be foamy, foamy, foamy.

In the homebrew context, with something like a kegerator, there will be an insulated area inside the tower, and a fan will be used to blow cold air from the refrigerator part of the kegerator up and around the lines. This keeps them cool, keeps foaming to a minimum.

So you'll want to think about how to keep those lines cold as they move from the refrigerator to your taps on the other side of the wall.

As little as 3 feet of non-refrigerated line would effect the beer that much? May be as little as 2 feet.

 

[mongoose33]

As little as 3 feet of non-refrigerated line would effect the beer that much? May be as little as 2 feet.

It will affect the first pour. You'll get CO2 bubbles in the exposed lines, which will cause sputtering in the first draw.

Once the lines and faucet are chilled it'll pour fine until they get warm again.

You could try it without chilling and see if it's acceptable to you, but leave the ability to retrofit if you need/want to.

 

[IslandLizard]

Would love to hear. I’m new to kegging, but I wonder, how bad is it really to have a few feet of uninsulated line?

From the way it pours, I have the feeling it goes straight out onto the shank, no loops, droops, or extra slack. So maybe 8 inches of tubing outside the fridge, between the back and the shank?

I don't go over to his house as often I should, but I'll ask him at the meeting next week.