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Help choosing a kegerator


Beergoodness

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Ok guys I am looking at taking the plunge into kegging my own beer, I have a really tight budget of $1000 and would love some advice. Checked out most of the online stuff but for a complete package it looks like my budget may not work.

 

Looking to hopefully get a dual tap system and just a couple of 19l kegs to get me started. Any help is greatly appreciated.

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300 litre chest freeza $400 eurotag, make a keeza with 6x 19 litre kegs +2x 9 litre kegs,

 

google keezers... rating 5 star you can extend beer lines to a bar bench...or out the front by making timber frame...

 

Ive also got 2 kegking series 4 kegerators that hold three kegs in each with three taps... rating five star

 

 

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300 litre chest freeza $400 eurotag' date=' make a keeza with 6x 19 litre kegs +2x 9 litre kegs,

 

google keezers... rating 5 star you can extend beer lines to a bar bench...or out the front by making timber frame...

 

Ive also got 2 kegking series 4 kegerators that hold three kegs in each with three taps... rating five star

 

[/quote']

 

Love the idea of making a keezer but with the cost of the kegs and then all the parts (font, co2 tank etc) it would push past my bugget

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You will need a CO2 tank regardless, otherwise you won't be able to serve your beers. They can of course be naturally carbonated like in bottles, but you still need dispensing pressure.

 

If you build a keezer like Waylon has suggested, you don't need a font. You can build a collar that sits around the top between the top of the freezer and the lid, and the taps are attached to this collar. I would go this way personally if I was converting a chest freezer, saves drilling holes in the lid and makes it a lot easier to keep more of the beer line cold.

 

If you can afford to get more than 2 kegs, do it. Or gradually accumulate them at least, you will need them. I run a 3 tap kegerator and currently have 7 kegs in rotation. This allows me to have 3 on tap while I fill the next 3 so they're ready to go in when the last of the previous 3 is emptied. The 7th one is either used for soft drinks when a beer keg empties or for ageing beers like stouts and porters.

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I setup a few months ago, cost me about $1100, it all depends on supply vs demand. I brew 46 litres a fortnight. About 4 1/2 Cartons.

 

To make a very good beer cheaply and easily needs a few things. Temp Control of fermenting beer is the Key. Keep it simple and it makes it easy and rewarding.

 

What I bought:

1 x Fridge for fermenting (Temp Control)

1 x Fridge or Freezer - Dispensing

1 or 2 x Temp Controllers. Only about $30 each.

 

2 x Fermentors

Beer Line 2-5 metres

3 metres CO2 line

1 x Beer Tap

3 x 19 Litre Kegs.

Hop strainers

 

I bottle whats left over from kegs.

 

I am time poor so use cans, liquid malt extract, steep some grains and hops and end up with nice beers at a great price.

 

 

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  • 2 months later...

At bit late, but I just did this and I was searching earlier if any one else has done such a thing.

 

I just got one of those Westinghouse 145 litre chest freezers ($300) and rigged up a temperature controller to turn the power on and off at the plug at the right temperature.

 

The Westinghouse can fit two kegs.

 

I didn't actually modify the freezer. I have to open the freezer up to get to the beer.

 

IMG_0134.jpg

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Take a look at http://www.cheekypeakbrewery.com.au/index.php/kegerator-bar-fridges

 

I have the 3 tap fridge that I purchased from them about 18 months ago and it has been fantastic. I've never looked back. I got great service and I don't recall paying for delivery either although I did purchase nearly two grands worth of kit from them so maybe I got free delivery because of that.

 

I recommend the Perlick Taps as the plastic ones are cheap and the Perlick ones are very easy to clean and no drips!

A little over your price but not much!

TOTALS:

-5 Double Tap Kegerator - STD Base Font & Perlick 630SS Tap $705.00

2.6kg Gas Bottle $150

19ltr Ball Lock kegs New $129.95 each

Complete set up $1,109.90 plus gas and beers connectors to suit.

 

1. SS font and SS taps

2. Now includes font fan as standard

3. Includes improved circuit board and temperature control buttons

4. Improved guard rail

5. Onboard temperature memory included

6. 304 Stainless Steel 630 Perlick Forward sealing taps included

7. More powerful compressor. Approximately 20% more electrically efficient.

8. Improved drip tray

9. Improved cylinder bracket holder

10. Included glass holder

11. More space inside the kegerator

 

MKIII regulator

CO2 Cylinder Bracket Holder

Beer and Gas Line

Hose Clamps

Tap Tool

Castor Wheels

 

The only additional parts you require are the gas cylinder, kegs and connectors to attach to your kegs (depending on which kegs you are using).

 

 

 

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I'm always amused at how they advertise the kegerators as 1 or 2 or 3 tap kegerators. They all fit 3 kegs in them, it just depends on the font how many taps there are. rolleyes

 

My set up cost me a little more, ok maybe a fair bit more at about $2000, but I bought everything separately and also went with a 6.8kg gas bottle rather than 2.6kg. Also went with a Micromatic regulator instead of the crappy Keg King ones.

 

Then I got the shits with the crappy performance of the original font and the font fan and bought a 3 tap flooded font from Cheeky Peak which has been much better and a lot less beer wasted from foaming on the first pour.

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Then I got the shits with the crappy performance of the original font and the font fan and bought a 3 tap flooded font from Cheeky Peak which has been much better and a lot less beer wasted from foaming on the first pour.

 

Cheeky Peak are certainly worth a look not just for the Kegarators.

 

Also can't see the pictures I uploaded so I'll try again with this post. (Moderator help was need on an earlier post so maybe I'm doing something wrong?)

 

Good luck Beergoodness with whatever you get and mainly enjoy the beer that you poor from it. biggrin

1478080065_61_901.jpg

1478080076_48_801.jpg

**ADMIN ASSIST**

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I use to have a converted bar fridge (I used a demolition saw to make the fine adjustments), but it was on half the time and no doubt adding to my electricity bill. I maybe have one or two beers in a session, so having my setup works out quite well.

 

Maybe my setup is best for people that are into brewing to save a bit of money.

 

My beers also tend to be quite gassy so I really only need to top up the gas once every 5-10 pours. The freezer seems super efficient and not running much. The controller is set to trigger between 2 and 5 degrees.

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Hahah yes 4.5c, think I had the lid up for a while in that pic, usually sits on about 3c.

 

And yes Kelsey I do need more taps :) I am hoping to get some goodies for Christmas, already put my order in with "Santa"

 

I think it cost me about $50 in materials to build it.

 

I can run three kegs and a party keg, and bottles on the hump. I usually have one tapped and two slow carbonating.

 

One thing I could do with some help with is when I am getting to the bottom of the keg it starts pouring a bit frothy giving a large head... Yet all other times pours really good.. Carbonated at 12 psi and pouring at 12psi.

 

 

 

 

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I've had the same thing happen to my kegs when they start getting low. On occasions where I've been having a few on a Sat arvo or whatever, I will simply bleed the pressure in the keg, then hit it with gas for a half a second or so and then open up the tap's flow control fully and pour. It does tend to splutter a bit at the beginning of the pour, but you get a lot less foaming and the carbonation is unaffected. If the pour starts to slow down a bit then just another quick hit of gas sorts it out. Then I simply turn the gas back on properly to keep it where I want it when I'm finished.

 

Through the week I don't bother doing this, but with the flow control on my taps it makes it a bit easier to control the foam.

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My Keeza had a problem 2 days ago!

 

not sure what was going on with the thermostat but it went crazy and read -9 degreessick

Opened the lid to find smashed 750ml bottles and frozen fermenters that had been set to crash chill @2-4 degrees

Be carefull with your thermostats or buy quality

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Sounds perfect!

 

My splitter is a manifold as you mention with on off levers, just avoided refitting from inside...For some dumb reason I never thought of running it from the outside and simple running the three gas lines through the back gas line hole,

 

Brilliant & simple Idea Kelsey as it frees up the other outlet for charging kegs from outside!

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I have a two tap kegerator from Keg King with Intertap SS taps. It works fine for what I need. I thought three taps may have been better but I have enough trouble keeping supply up for two taps.

 

I have a mate that just keeps his kegs and gas in a fridge and uses picnic taps. Not much work required and works perfectly well.

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I used to have splitters on my gas line... now I use a manifold mounted on the outside with the three gas lines going in through the back of the kegerator. Way easier. I have a 4 way manifold' date=' the spare line is used to purge kegs.[/quote']

 

I like it! This has to be my next purchase as long as the Mrs doesn't spot me buying it. innocent

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