I follow Lager Method alternative method for my lagers. The only time a lager sits in my keezer for months is when I have too many options.
To answer your question: If you are going to age it then I would carb it first.
Best fridge or freezer for a kegerator?
It all depends on what your goal is. Strict homebrew kegs, sanke kegs or a combo of each.
Keeping the keezer in the basement and running lines upstairs is a rabbit hole in my opinion and I would stay away from that.
You don't need a lot of skills...
I would fill the hole with expanding foam insulation from one of the Big Box stores. Once its dry, trim it and mount a a wooden board to the top of the lid to cover the insulation. Paint the board with chalk board paint then you can write what beers are on each tap.
Caster mounts are easy...
I used a sticky membrane instead of thinset. It was a lot easier and much faster due not having to wait for the thinset to cure. It was called Durabond i think. No cracks in the grout and holding strong for years.
Im sure Blinkman is a good burner but way overpriced IMO. I bought two bayou Classic burners for my brew rig several years ago they still work great. They were $80 each but can be cheaper when on sale. It is a high pressure propane, 10" banjo burner that can be converted to Natural gas. I...
Keeping notes on your process is most helpful when trying to recreate or tweak a brew (ingredients, temps, yeast etc).
The worst is making an awesome beer/cider only to not remember how you did it.
I have not encountered any issues using Bondera. No tiles have become loose nor has any of the grout cracked. It does not appear as though the plywood has absorbed any liquid. I did however strengthen the lid and used 3/4" plywood bolted down.
My build threads are at the bottom of my...
Your keezer build looks great so far.
On the keezers I have built two had tile on the top. In both cases I used 3/4" plywood as a base. I used Bondera to attach the tile to the plywood, and then immediately grouted the tile.
It all depends on what you want your finished product to taste like. Sounds like you using ec-1118, try a different less aggressive yeast such as SO4. A starting gravity 1.080 is high for a cider, you are making more of an apple wine. Using the ale yeast your cider will take longer to ferment...
Boiled inside on a gas stove for a long time until i ruined the stove. I now strictly brew outside year round. Is your kitchen stove natural gas or electric?