Kegerator?

[keving]

Anybody have thoughts on a kegerator? I'm thinking of getting one with a 1/2 barrel of Sam Adams. Appreciate your input!

 

[RobertN]

I made my own, out of a small apartment/dorm type fridge. I homebrew; it fits the 5 gallon Cornelius cylinders perfect. I can fit a 5 gallon mini keg from our local brewery too. I just kegged 10 gallons of porter a few minutes ago.

A friend has a full size kegerator. He switched his to a three tap head. He either has a 1/2bbl of Sierra Nevada, or he'll put in 3 of the small corny kegs with homebrew.

I would foreworn you, it is a good way to gain 10 or 15 pounds real quick and easy. Don't ask how I know

 

[sodamo]

I'd highly recommend it. I have the model sold by Sears. Changed it over to a double faucet and try to keep 2 of the 5 gal kegs going from our local Mehana Brewery. I say "try" because the darn things just keep running out

David

Maybe sometime I can load 'em straight

 

[anojones]

I built my own as well, it will hold homebrew kegs but not a full commercial pony keg. Haven't brewed in awhile so it doubles as a beverage fridge when nothing is on tap. I documented the build, here's the link:
Kegerator Homebrew

 

[Tig]

I did one for a party last summer. Kept two 58L kegs at 4C. The last keg hung around 4 days. It's hard to finish a keg after everyone else goes home. The beer was still cold but kinda flat towards the end. I'm not sure how you can avoid flat beer when you are using a hand pump.

 

[dmccarty]

I think I would have to have a Man Cave to get one of those in the house.....



Guess I need a Man Cave!

Later,
Dan

 

[Stimw]

I used to have a home made one with an old fridge. I had it in a utility area and had the tap on the wall over the kitchen sink 3' away! Was I cool or what???
You cannot get better beer than Fresh Draft. It is not pasturized. I used to stop at the Brewery on the way home from work to refresh my keg. I put the empty on the dock, paid $8. (it was a long time ago) at the window and the new keg came rolling out a small chute!
You are better off with a CO2 system also.

 

[forgeblast]

Old fridge one here to do with homebrewing but i also have the other keg tap adapters. if your going to make your own, i can recommend kegkits.com i have bought all my stuff from him.
good luck
forgeblast

 

[RobertN]

I'm not sure how you can avoid flat beer when you are using a hand pump.

Can't do it. It's oxidizing. And, when you pump air in to it, it just pushes the beer out; it does not go in to solution like CO2.

When you pump with air, it also allows a larger space in the keg for the CO2 to fill when it comes out of solution.

Nitrogen works too...

 

[klrobert]

I think I would have to have a Man Cave to get one of those in the house.....

That don't always work either. I have a man cave downstairs and the wife protested loudly when I started looking at kegerators

 

[Rudevette]

I have a small frig in the basement that I converted into a kegerator for my homebrew cornie's. I do have domestic tappers but don't really buy domestic kegs. Usually just my own brew. If you're using a keg at all get setup for CO2. Then if you tap a keg and find that you can't drink it all (which happens alot) you can keep the rest just as fresh and ready to go as the day you bought it to enjoy later.


-Justin

 

[tallyho8]

I had a refrigeration shop for many years and it never ceased to amaze me what some folks would do in their attempts to make a kegerator. Many would buy a new small refrigerator from Home Depot, cut a hole through the side for the tap, drilling right through the condensor that is built into the sides, releasing the freon, then bring the unit back to Home Depot when it didn't work. Amazingly, Home Depot took them back!

 

[scott_vt]

I think I would have to have a Man Cave to get one of those in the house.....



Guess I need a Man Cave!

Later,
Dan

Good Afternoon Dan,
Yep I need one too..... A place to drink tap beer and smoke a good cigar..... that probablly wont happen any time soon, so I guess I will just wait for spring and some warmer temps !

BTW Kevin can use his barn as a man cave, thats why I need a barn too.....

 

[keving]

Kegerator at Home Depot: $347
1/6 Keg of Sam Adams Boston Lager: $57
Pulling the handle on a fresh beer: Priceless!

This is a great setup. I've read that the keg can last up to 3 months. What has your experience been. I don't have time to drink a 1/2 barrel before it would expire, unfortunately...

 

[RobertN]

Kegerator at Home Depot: $347
1/6 Keg of Sam Adams Boston Lager: $57
Pulling the handle on a fresh beer: Priceless!

This is a great setup. I've read that the keg can last up to 3 months. What has your experience been. I don't have time to drink a 1/2 barrel before it would expire, unfortunately...

I have never seen a 1/2bbl(regular 15gallon keg) last three months. Except while aging

As long as you dispense with CO2, and keep it cool, it should be fine for extended length of time.

I did partake of a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale keg that had been set aside for 10 months for unknown reason. It did not taste as good as fresh.

Contrary to Budweiser's "Fresh" campaigns, many beers do well with some aging(not necessarily light beers like Bud, Coors). 2-6 months is usually more than enough again for about any but the darkest richest beers. And, if you are buying it commercially, it is usually already aged when you get it...

 

[RobertN]

I had a refrigeration shop for many years and it never ceased to amaze me what some folks would do in their attempts to make a kegerator. Many would buy a new small refrigerator from Home Depot, cut a hole through the side for the tap, drilling right through the condensor that is built into the sides, releasing the freon, then bring the unit back to Home Depot when it didn't work. Amazingly, Home Depot took them back!

That is what I did. But, I removed covers, looked very closely, measured and remeasured, and then drilled my holes. There was still a pretty big margin for error though. Turned out fine.

I did though, think about if it went wrong... It would have been cash down the drain, both for initial purchase, and for either repair or disposal. I wouldn't take something like that back...

 

[ray66v]

I used to have a homemade set up years ago. And I really liked it.

I had to stop using it, because my wife could not carry the keg's anymore.

Here is what I remember:

1. You don't save any money, because you drink more beer.
2. The minimum length of the hose from the tap to the faucet was 4'. I will explain why, if anyone is interested.
3. Finding the right Co2 pressure is critical. Not enough, and you have flat beer, Too much and you get all foam.
4. Get a good sized Co2 tank, if you can. (Refills on 2 pounders will cost more in the end).
5. Keep in mind that you do have to clean the faucet, tap, and lines, from time to time, because of the live yeast. (It is not a big job, just one you never seem to have the time for).
6. 1/4 keg is 3 & 1/2 cases and weighs like 85 lbs, a 1/2 keg weighs more than double that, and is a mother, to get out of your trunk, and put in the fridge by yourself.

 

[RobertN]

3. Finding the right Co2 pressure is critical. Not enough, and you have flat beer, Too much and you get all foam.

There is a bit of an art to it, but there are also numerous resources, both printed and on the web, that will help you get the right pressure.

Pressure will vary by beer style, the specific gravity of the beer, the tap size, the diameter and length of the hose from the keg to your tap handle. Budweiser dispenses very differently from Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Porters dispense differently than Marzens.

I see some restaurants that have taps, and they dispense Coors nicely. Their other Ales though, foam all over the place. They waste a lot of beer because they dispense all their beer at one pressure, instead of going to the extra expense of multiple regulators for multiple styles of beers.

 

[RobertN]

Cooking, fermenting, and ready to drink from the home made mini-kegerator.

One is the grains mashing. One is cooking in a converted stainless beer keg. Last is the beer ready to dispense.

 

[nmu98]

I only have one recomendation. Make sure you put the keg in the fridge. In college we made a system that kept the keg next to the frige and it ran through a freeze plate in the freezer to cool it. We used CO2 and the beer would only be good for about a week. And by the end of the week, you knew it....

It worked great for parties....... But it got old cleaning the lines weekly since it would only get use on weekends!