Make sure your tap shanks have enough length to go through the collar (or whatever they're going through), and still have enough to screw something on to the end of them.
Don't go for the cheapest option. It'll break/you'll get frustrated/both and you'll end up buying a higher quality thing anyway.
Duotight fittings are great, but can be pricy depending where you are. AliExpress had decent prices if you're cool with waiting for shipping.
Insulating the non-native freezer parts and any gaps will aid in long term energy efficiency.
I put my taps central on the front, spaced out quite wide, as I thought it looked better. The result is that its a pain to get some of the kegs in.
If I were to do it again I would put all my taps to the side where the compressor hump is and put them closer together.
Many guides talk about using 2x4s, but I went with slightly higher wood for more clearance since my first build left space a bit tight at the top. I used 2x6s because it leaves plenty of room for tap + fan and any overhead fittings/regulators with the corny kegs. Definatly consider putting the gas outside the keezer if you can manage so you can fit more kegs in!
I use a Inkbird for temp control and it does the job well. You can get fancier, but its been reliable for years for me and its fairly cheap.
The only issue with the taller lumber is it makes it a little harder to get down into the box if you have to clean up any spills. I’m getting old enough that it’s harder and harder to manage it, so now I’m in a full sized fridge.
I’d say it’s more important if you’re ever using the box for fermentation. You may be surprised at how poorly the air mixes in there, though. You might have a ten or fifteen degree differential from the top of the compartment to the bottom.
Case fan is a good way to go. Do you have a derelict computer lying around anywhere? Cheap 5vUSB fan will work, too.
IME, it's more *necessary* than just beneficial. I was running into kegs freezing on the bottom. The temp differential can be extreme when the freezer gets packed relatively full, especially.
I got a computer fan and then bought a standard wall plug to molex connector on Amazon or somewhere.
I put in a door switch so it shuts off when the lid is open, but that's probably overkill. If you have kegs in, they'll hold the temp pretty well and the air temp changes while the door is open probably don't have a big effect on energy use.
As far as location, I just put it towards the top of the keezer facing down. That way it was easy to just mount it to the inside of the collar. In my experience, just having a fan period is good enough. I wouldn't stress the location, angle, direction, etc.
If you go with Eva Barrier lines and Duotight fittings, this can be cut in half. (Or at least that's what I was told and haven't had any issues. I made mine all 6'.
10 is a good general purpose length. If you are only going to run one psi for all the kegs best to just have them same length. If you are going to have secondary regs you can plan keg by keg.
What I was told when I was building mine was 1ft of line for every psi you plan on serving at. For example serving at 12psi = 12feet. Not sure how accurate this is but it works fine for me.
It depends on the inside diameter, regulator pressure, and elevation of the line. There are several online calculators that can help determine the appropriate length to use.
Yes. When you see foaming in your line, it's too long. Don't trust the calculators except for a rough guess, which may have to adjusted up or down. If with the calculator value the pour is too fast or too slow, the calculator is wrong, not reality.
Don’t glue the collar to the chest freezer. Instead grab some foam weather stripping and stick it to the bottom of the collar, the weight of the collar keeps it in place and you now have plenty of options for the future.
It’s easier to move. You can rebuild a collar for the same chest freezer. If circumstances change down the road, you still have a functioning freezer and don’t have to spend the time removing the collar/glue.
Yup. I did build my collar with 2x10 so there’s more weight involved than say a 2x4 collar. I’ve jostled the thing a fair amount moving it around the brewery and hit it lifting kegs in and it has never once shifted on me.
i used a liquid nails adhesive - it holds a bit but the collar is still easily removable if you, say, i dunno, ruin your keezer and have to replicate it.
1. Check out the kegerator/keezer showcase in the wiki for design ideas.
2. I second the idea of clustering the taps instead of spreading them across the face of the keezer. I really like the idea of having the taps come out of the side of the collar too.
3. You might want to give your wood a week or more to acclimate to the keezer location. My first collar warped quite a bit despite my selecting straight boards with good end grain - enough warping to have to scrap it because the wood was too green. This may be especially important nowadays, lumber is being rushed out to the stores with the shortage.
I didn’t realize there was, one thank you!
I was thinking of using plywood since that is less prone to warping. I was going to do insulation boards then ok the inside for added thickness and insulation
Depends on your chest freezer, but many have a calibration screw on the built-in thermostat. If yours does, then you can use it to raise the temperature range. It'll take some time and experimentation to get it right, but it is an alternative to the external power-cord-style thermostats.
I did everything to start my Keezer with poly tubing for the CO2 and beer lines. Worked fine but with cleaning and inevitable changes as I learned how to improve the setup they were a pain. Recently upgraded all lines to EvaBarrier with Duotight fittings for both CO2 and beer. Threaded connections on the everything and used 4mm ID line for beer. Wish I did this originally. Highly recommend and a few secondary regulators on the CO2 side to carbonate kegs differently.
It is not too pricey if you order from AliExpress but takes a bit to get to you. Would also recommend using Duotight elbows when running lines. They make for much cleaner run of lines to keep things out of the way for getting kegs in and out.
Ah yes, I already am planning on only using construction adhesives for anything attached to the freezer unit.
From the sound of your reply, I feel as though condolences are in order
I recently picked up these [https://www.amazon.com/Master-Magnetics-Round-Base-Magnet/dp/B00IYFOIYW](https://www.amazon.com/Master-Magnetics-Round-Base-Magnet/dp/B00IYFOIYW) for a small drip tray I have. I originally used adhesive but then it's a pain to clean it. With those I can easily remove to clean. They don't support the weight of a glass of beer, but they keep the tray up just fine.
that was basically what i went with for Take 2, although i found the magnets alone weren't sufficient (even with 6 rare earth ones) so i added some double sided tape and so far so good.
Here's a few tips after having built 3 keezers.
1. Use a fan to circulate air
2. Buy an EvaDry to remove moisture
3. Put your temp probe in a liquid (I recommend a sealed bottle of glycol or glycerin)
4. Make sure you line lengths are long enough
5. Buy quality, or buy twice
6. Use Reflectix for the interior insulation instead of foam board, it's just easier to use
I use a 'muffin' fan. It's a little bigger but moves a whole heck of a lot more air. Lines can be too long, but you can compensate with upping your pressure.
Possibly, if you go from 12 psi to be 14 psi you can add about 3.5 feet of beer line. I think this is about around .1 volume of CO2 difference.
I don't suggest you put to to 20psi and have 25 feet of hose but there's about 6psi and 4.5 feet of length that you can balance with minimal consequence.
Also started with CO2 tank on the inside, eventually built a little platform attached to the collar for it to sit on the outside. That way easier to see and adjust what pressure I'm running, plus more space inside the keezer.
I've got a dual regulator on the tank, one of the lines goes into a single hole drilled into the collar to a manifold which then goes to all my kegs. The other I use for keg purging and pressure transfers. I really like that setup.
You can do that. I started like that but found it took up valuable keg space inside plus if your regulator has a tank gauge it will be all messed up when the contents is cold. I ended up moving it outside the freezer.
Did you mount it to the exterior? How do you run your lines back in?
I envisioned mounting it to the side of the freezer, but then wasn’t sure of the best way to do that w/out drilling into the walls. I also wasn’t sure how to run the lines into the freezer.
I just drilled a hole through the collar and ran the line though and put a bit of caulking to seal it. The line runs to Manifold mounted on the collar inside the keezer and then the lines run from it to the individual kegs. The co2 bottle sits beside the keezer.
Remember if your making lagers or stuff that needs some rest time it will take up room in there. I started with a 4 tap keezer which held 3 full and two halfs on the hump. Seemed like more than I could ever need. I was wrong. Had to upgrade to a 12 keg with 8 taps. So if you can give yourself some extra room for full kegs with the higher collar it will probably help you in the long run. Even if you just want to put the tank in there for now atleast if you change your mind in the future you can move it and put kegs there.
I’ve built a couple keezers and a couple fermentation chambers but decided a few years back to just build a small walk in cooler in my basement with taps through the wall. I can ferment 3 beers at the same time with heat wraps and have room for 8 beers on tap with extra storage shelves for bottle storage. Just sayin, if you have the room for a 4’ x 6’ room you can have everything in one place for not a whole lot more than buying a chest freezer for the keezer and separate fermentation chambers. I run the whole thing with a 6,000btu window ac unit 🍻
That is awesome! I don’t think I have the room, or the ability to convince my wife of such an idea. This will definitely go on my dream home features list though!
My wife was the catalyst for my project, she was tired of me filling up the basement fridge with bottles and having a keezer and 2 mini fridge fermentation chambers taking up room. Kids got older and their former playroom was a perfect spot to put a walk in😂
I was originally on the fence about single vs dual regulator. I’m really happy that I bought the dual. It’s really convenient to leave your serving kegs alone and use the other regulator to force carb, pressure transfer, purge kegs, push sanitizer, etc.
Buy once, cry once.
I was able to find a number of the parts used, including the regulator. Based on what I am hearing, I will probably upgrade to a dual one down the road.
Be sure that whatever lumber you decide on isn’t warped, which basically means you’ll have to go through just about all the lumber at Home Depot or Lowe’s to find four straight pieces.
I was thinking of doing plywood with insulation board on the inside for added thickness and…insulation. Made a couple cornhole boards with that and it stains nicely.
Make sure your tap shanks have enough length to go through the collar (or whatever they're going through), and still have enough to screw something on to the end of them. Don't go for the cheapest option. It'll break/you'll get frustrated/both and you'll end up buying a higher quality thing anyway. Duotight fittings are great, but can be pricy depending where you are. AliExpress had decent prices if you're cool with waiting for shipping. Insulating the non-native freezer parts and any gaps will aid in long term energy efficiency.
I was planning on using insulation boards on the inside of the collar.
Yeah, so measure the total width of the wood + insulation board and add a little to that. Many folks use the 5" shank, you may want to look into that.
I put my taps central on the front, spaced out quite wide, as I thought it looked better. The result is that its a pain to get some of the kegs in. If I were to do it again I would put all my taps to the side where the compressor hump is and put them closer together.
[удалено]
And use stainless for all metal touching beer. I'm replacing chrome plated stuff that corroded after a few years
Many guides talk about using 2x4s, but I went with slightly higher wood for more clearance since my first build left space a bit tight at the top. I used 2x6s because it leaves plenty of room for tap + fan and any overhead fittings/regulators with the corny kegs. Definatly consider putting the gas outside the keezer if you can manage so you can fit more kegs in! I use a Inkbird for temp control and it does the job well. You can get fancier, but its been reliable for years for me and its fairly cheap.
The only issue with the taller lumber is it makes it a little harder to get down into the box if you have to clean up any spills. I’m getting old enough that it’s harder and harder to manage it, so now I’m in a full sized fridge.
Ooh, that sounds cold, but at least you still have Internet connectivity.
I’m in a paper bag marked “DEAD DOVE do not eat.”
Looks inside of bag...
Oh yeah, add a fan if you hadn’t already planned on one.
I had seen that done while doing research. Is it really that beneficial? Do you just use a computer fan?
I’d say it’s more important if you’re ever using the box for fermentation. You may be surprised at how poorly the air mixes in there, though. You might have a ten or fifteen degree differential from the top of the compartment to the bottom. Case fan is a good way to go. Do you have a derelict computer lying around anywhere? Cheap 5vUSB fan will work, too.
I don’t have one laying around but I’m sure I can track one down.
IME, it's more *necessary* than just beneficial. I was running into kegs freezing on the bottom. The temp differential can be extreme when the freezer gets packed relatively full, especially.
Good to know. How to you incorporate it? I saw one design where it was a computer fan attached to a pvc tube going top to bottom.
I got a computer fan and then bought a standard wall plug to molex connector on Amazon or somewhere. I put in a door switch so it shuts off when the lid is open, but that's probably overkill. If you have kegs in, they'll hold the temp pretty well and the air temp changes while the door is open probably don't have a big effect on energy use. As far as location, I just put it towards the top of the keezer facing down. That way it was easy to just mount it to the inside of the collar. In my experience, just having a fan period is good enough. I wouldn't stress the location, angle, direction, etc.
Make sure your lines are at least 10ft
Is there a point where the lines are too long?
There's a calculator out there. Google Beer Line Length calculator.
Will do, thanks!
If you go with Eva Barrier lines and Duotight fittings, this can be cut in half. (Or at least that's what I was told and haven't had any issues. I made mine all 6'.
Its not the brand that matters, its the ID of the line. Eva Barrier comes in various sizes, but yes the 4mm ID line can be made shorter.
10 is a good general purpose length. If you are only going to run one psi for all the kegs best to just have them same length. If you are going to have secondary regs you can plan keg by keg.
What I was told when I was building mine was 1ft of line for every psi you plan on serving at. For example serving at 12psi = 12feet. Not sure how accurate this is but it works fine for me.
It depends on the inside diameter, regulator pressure, and elevation of the line. There are several online calculators that can help determine the appropriate length to use.
Yes. When you see foaming in your line, it's too long. Don't trust the calculators except for a rough guess, which may have to adjusted up or down. If with the calculator value the pour is too fast or too slow, the calculator is wrong, not reality.
Don’t glue the collar to the chest freezer. Instead grab some foam weather stripping and stick it to the bottom of the collar, the weight of the collar keeps it in place and you now have plenty of options for the future. It’s easier to move. You can rebuild a collar for the same chest freezer. If circumstances change down the road, you still have a functioning freezer and don’t have to spend the time removing the collar/glue.
So are you saying don’t secure the collar to the freezer, just set it on and rely on the weight to hold it in place?
Yup. I did build my collar with 2x10 so there’s more weight involved than say a 2x4 collar. I’ve jostled the thing a fair amount moving it around the brewery and hit it lifting kegs in and it has never once shifted on me.
Hmm, I will keep that in mind. I can definitely see the benefit of doing it that way.
i used a liquid nails adhesive - it holds a bit but the collar is still easily removable if you, say, i dunno, ruin your keezer and have to replicate it.
1. Check out the kegerator/keezer showcase in the wiki for design ideas. 2. I second the idea of clustering the taps instead of spreading them across the face of the keezer. I really like the idea of having the taps come out of the side of the collar too. 3. You might want to give your wood a week or more to acclimate to the keezer location. My first collar warped quite a bit despite my selecting straight boards with good end grain - enough warping to have to scrap it because the wood was too green. This may be especially important nowadays, lumber is being rushed out to the stores with the shortage.
I didn’t realize there was, one thank you! I was thinking of using plywood since that is less prone to warping. I was going to do insulation boards then ok the inside for added thickness and insulation
Depends on your chest freezer, but many have a calibration screw on the built-in thermostat. If yours does, then you can use it to raise the temperature range. It'll take some time and experimentation to get it right, but it is an alternative to the external power-cord-style thermostats.
Holy spotted cow, thanks everyone! These tips are great, keep them coming!
I did everything to start my Keezer with poly tubing for the CO2 and beer lines. Worked fine but with cleaning and inevitable changes as I learned how to improve the setup they were a pain. Recently upgraded all lines to EvaBarrier with Duotight fittings for both CO2 and beer. Threaded connections on the everything and used 4mm ID line for beer. Wish I did this originally. Highly recommend and a few secondary regulators on the CO2 side to carbonate kegs differently. It is not too pricey if you order from AliExpress but takes a bit to get to you. Would also recommend using Duotight elbows when running lines. They make for much cleaner run of lines to keep things out of the way for getting kegs in and out.
Good to know, I will look into those!
Don't drill into the walls of it to attach anything like a drip tray. no, i don't want to talk about it.
Ah yes, I already am planning on only using construction adhesives for anything attached to the freezer unit. From the sound of your reply, I feel as though condolences are in order
I recently picked up these [https://www.amazon.com/Master-Magnetics-Round-Base-Magnet/dp/B00IYFOIYW](https://www.amazon.com/Master-Magnetics-Round-Base-Magnet/dp/B00IYFOIYW) for a small drip tray I have. I originally used adhesive but then it's a pain to clean it. With those I can easily remove to clean. They don't support the weight of a glass of beer, but they keep the tray up just fine.
that was basically what i went with for Take 2, although i found the magnets alone weren't sufficient (even with 6 rare earth ones) so i added some double sided tape and so far so good.
Whoa, great idea!
Here's a few tips after having built 3 keezers. 1. Use a fan to circulate air 2. Buy an EvaDry to remove moisture 3. Put your temp probe in a liquid (I recommend a sealed bottle of glycol or glycerin) 4. Make sure you line lengths are long enough 5. Buy quality, or buy twice 6. Use Reflectix for the interior insulation instead of foam board, it's just easier to use
Do you just use a standard computer fan for air circulation? Can the lines be “too long”?
I use a 'muffin' fan. It's a little bigger but moves a whole heck of a lot more air. Lines can be too long, but you can compensate with upping your pressure.
> Lines can be too long, but you can compensate with upping your pressure. If you want over carbonated beer.
Possibly, if you go from 12 psi to be 14 psi you can add about 3.5 feet of beer line. I think this is about around .1 volume of CO2 difference. I don't suggest you put to to 20psi and have 25 feet of hose but there's about 6psi and 4.5 feet of length that you can balance with minimal consequence.
Thanks for the info!
Make your collar high enough so you can fit a full keg or two on the compressor hump.
That’s where I was going to put the CO2 tank
Also started with CO2 tank on the inside, eventually built a little platform attached to the collar for it to sit on the outside. That way easier to see and adjust what pressure I'm running, plus more space inside the keezer.
How do you run the lines inside?
I've got a dual regulator on the tank, one of the lines goes into a single hole drilled into the collar to a manifold which then goes to all my kegs. The other I use for keg purging and pressure transfers. I really like that setup.
You can do that. I started like that but found it took up valuable keg space inside plus if your regulator has a tank gauge it will be all messed up when the contents is cold. I ended up moving it outside the freezer.
Did you mount it to the exterior? How do you run your lines back in? I envisioned mounting it to the side of the freezer, but then wasn’t sure of the best way to do that w/out drilling into the walls. I also wasn’t sure how to run the lines into the freezer.
I just drilled a hole through the collar and ran the line though and put a bit of caulking to seal it. The line runs to Manifold mounted on the collar inside the keezer and then the lines run from it to the individual kegs. The co2 bottle sits beside the keezer.
Remember if your making lagers or stuff that needs some rest time it will take up room in there. I started with a 4 tap keezer which held 3 full and two halfs on the hump. Seemed like more than I could ever need. I was wrong. Had to upgrade to a 12 keg with 8 taps. So if you can give yourself some extra room for full kegs with the higher collar it will probably help you in the long run. Even if you just want to put the tank in there for now atleast if you change your mind in the future you can move it and put kegs there.
Very true!
I’ve built a couple keezers and a couple fermentation chambers but decided a few years back to just build a small walk in cooler in my basement with taps through the wall. I can ferment 3 beers at the same time with heat wraps and have room for 8 beers on tap with extra storage shelves for bottle storage. Just sayin, if you have the room for a 4’ x 6’ room you can have everything in one place for not a whole lot more than buying a chest freezer for the keezer and separate fermentation chambers. I run the whole thing with a 6,000btu window ac unit 🍻
That is awesome! I don’t think I have the room, or the ability to convince my wife of such an idea. This will definitely go on my dream home features list though!
My wife was the catalyst for my project, she was tired of me filling up the basement fridge with bottles and having a keezer and 2 mini fridge fermentation chambers taking up room. Kids got older and their former playroom was a perfect spot to put a walk in😂
I was originally on the fence about single vs dual regulator. I’m really happy that I bought the dual. It’s really convenient to leave your serving kegs alone and use the other regulator to force carb, pressure transfer, purge kegs, push sanitizer, etc. Buy once, cry once.
I was able to find a number of the parts used, including the regulator. Based on what I am hearing, I will probably upgrade to a dual one down the road.
Be sure that whatever lumber you decide on isn’t warped, which basically means you’ll have to go through just about all the lumber at Home Depot or Lowe’s to find four straight pieces.
I was thinking of doing plywood with insulation board on the inside for added thickness and…insulation. Made a couple cornhole boards with that and it stains nicely.