Kegorator or Keezer

[Cyberjip]

Hi,

I know there is a fair bit of discussion about theese, I have read a lot of it but still can't make up my mind.

So all my fittings have turned up and despite scouring the internet and local shops I can't seem to find a second hand fridge or freezer that satisfies what I want.

Starting to get a little impatient as the weather is starting to get a little nicer and I don't get a lot of free time to actually work on things.

All that being said I'm looking to buy new, this gives me too many options for my indecisive brain to muddle through.

I want to be able to have 4 cornys (the taller thinner ones) served at the same time and also not have to move others to change out empty kegs.

So my question what are the pros and cons of your system, also anyone that has/had both what did you prefare more.

 

[Graz]

Mine was dictated by the space I had available. It had to go in my garage, we already have a chest freezer out there (for food) so putting another out there would have just taken up too much floor space. I got a tall larder fridge (after keeping an eye on eBay for a long time), it currently has two taps fitted but I want to add a third at some stage. Should be able to get three kegs inside along with my gas bottle, without the gas in there it might just fit four in the bottom but not sure. It's tall enough that I could stack them if I wanted more but three is sufficient for me.

Does everything I need, haven't had it long but already consider it to be the best thing since sliced bread.

 

[fury_tea]

Keezer can get to lower temperatures, my fermentation fridge struggles to get below 3c or 2c. That's enough to cold crash but lower is arguably better.

With a keezer you don't have to modify the actual freezer at all. You just build the collar and any holes can be drilled in that. Less chance of breaking something and you can turn it back into a freezer afterwards by the just removing the collar if you wish.

Keezer is top loading, so if you struggle to lift 19L to above chest height that could be another consideration, as a fridge usually has the door on the front.

 

[HarryFlatters]

I built a keezer because I knew it would live in my garage, and the compressor in a chest freezer is designed to work in low temperatures, unlike a fridge.

 

[Cyberjip]

I think this is why I am having difficulty. I'm not really constrained by anything other than the amount of beer I want.

Size, space, location, weight and all other factors are not really a concern. Oh well, good problem to have I suppose.

 

[fury_tea]

I think this is why I am having difficulty. I'm not really constrained by anything other than the amount of beer I want.

Size, space, location, weight and all other factors are not really a concern. Oh well, good problem to have I suppose.

If space is no problem I'd get the biggest chest freezer you can get, I went for a fairly small one, it just about fits 3 cornies but I'm already regretting it a little bit, as I'd quite like 3 taps and space for conditioning the next kegs and maybe even space for bottles

 

[HarryFlatters]

If you go down the keezer route, make yourself a dolly. I fixed 4 heavy duty castors to the bottom of a pallet so I can move my keezer around. It's actually very handy.

 

[Cyberjip]

If you go down the keezer route, make yourself a dolly. I fixed 4 heavy duty castors to the bottom of a pallet so I can move my keezer around. It's actually very handy.

Would never of thought about that, sound like something worth doing even of your not planning to move it around much.

 

[HarryFlatters]

The freezer itself doesn't weight that much, but by the time you put on the collar, all the gubbins, 4 x 20kg kegs and a gas cylinder it's at least 100kg heavier than before. A pallet and a set of castors will set you back £20 and is pretty much invaluable IMHO.

 

[foxbat]

If your keezer is on wheels then you can move it to a convenient place where you can fill kegs in-place. No need to risk a back injury lifting a full corny up and away from your body.

 

[Cyberjip]

If space is no problem I'd get the biggest chest freezer you can get, I went for a fairly small one, it just about fits 3 cornies but I'm already regretting it a little bit, as I'd quite like 3 taps and space for conditioning the next kegs and maybe even space for bottles

Sounds like a good plan

If your keezer is on wheels then you can move it to a convenient place where you can fill kegs in-place. No need to risk a back injury lifting a full corny up and away from your body.

Hmmmmm......this reminds me that I really need a better method than lifting my 60L fermenter into the top fridge compartment on my Ferm chamber.

 

[foxbat]

Hmmmmm......this reminds me that I really need a better method than lifting my 60L fermenter into the top fridge compartment on my Ferm chamber.

I use a motorbike scissor lift for my heavy fermenter. About £80-90 on Ebay. I had to make a wooden frame to give it an extra 20cm or so of reach but other than that I'm very happy with it.

 

[HarryFlatters]

Another thing that's come to mind if you go down the keezer route; air movement...

I thought that air would naturally circulate by convection. It doesn't. There was a good 3°c or 4°c difference from the top to the bottom of mine, so I bought a pair of USB powered PC fans, attached them to some old tumble dryer ducting, then mounted them to the collar to help pull up cold air from the bottom and blow it over the beer lines and taps. Keeping the lines, taps and shanks cool helps with foaming.

 

[The Baron]

Kegerator for footprint in smaller spaces if space is not a option a Keezer is going to give more room although a large upright fridge is is possible to get 5 cornies in, 2 on the bottom and a shelf with another 3 on it. I have a fridge just like that but on use the bottom for cornies and have bottles etc on the higher shelves but it would take 3 more cornies as I said

 

[Cyberjip]

Kegerator for footprint in smaller spaces if space is not a option a Keezer is going to give more room although a large upright fridge is is possible to get 5 cornies in, 2 on the bottom and a shelf with another 3 on it. I have a fridge just like that but on use the bottom for cornies and have bottles etc on the higher shelves but it would take 3 more cornies as I said

I think I like the idea of a tall fridge more. As it would leave space to build a little bar, also the taps are at a better height

I also think that look a little better but that is obviously very subjective.

 

[Petrolhead]

I have a keezer because that was what I was given for free but it works great. I have two fermenting fridges so I don't need the keezer for cold crashing or largering so it is purely for dispensing. Not sure of the size but it is a standard square unit with an opening top, now with my collar.

It fits four kegs or three with the gas which is fine for me. I don't have any trouble lifting a keg into it but the ease of moving it around is important and should be considered. I did intend putting mine on castors but it needs to slide under a worktop in my brew shed, raised in a section to take the additional height, so I am going to either build a 'skate' for it which I can move it onto when I want to move it for a party or maybe just carry on using the sack truck I use now and works well.

It does suffer from a little pooling of condensation in the bottom but I haven't looked to resolve that yet but just mop it out (very) irregularly.

IMHO It's not worth buying kegs unless you make a keezer/kegerator to go with them, space and beer tokens aside.

 

[Buffers brewery]

I have a keezer because that was what I was given for free but it works great. I have two fermenting fridges so I don't need the keezer for cold crashing or largering so it is purely for dispensing. Not sure of the size but it is a standard square unit with an opening top, now with my collar.

It fits four kegs or three with the gas which is fine for me. I don't have any trouble lifting a keg into it but the ease of moving it around is important and should be considered. I did intend putting mine on castors but it needs to slide under a worktop in my brew shed, raised in a section to take the additional height, so I am going to either build a 'skate' for it which I can move it onto when I want to move it for a party or maybe just carry on using the sack truck I use now and works well.

It does suffer from a little pooling of condensation in the bottom but I haven't looked to resolve that yet but just mop it out (very) irregularly.

IMHO It's not worth buying kegs unless you make a keezer/kegerator to go with them, space and beer tokens aside.

Thinking about your “skate” idea, would these work?...

 

[crowcrow]

I moved the taps over the side - the gas is inside the keezer so no collar needed and I use thin beer lines which just fit through the magnetic seal. No problems yet. I like being able to use the space on top. The cupboard below the taps has my Klarstein plus sparge pan and fermentation buckets - nice to keep it all together!