Help with Kegerator, Keezer, and Fermenting Chamber

[collinsDPT]

Guys, will try to make this as simple as I can. I currently have a mini-fridge kegerator, a 5 cuft freezer chest (31.5"x21.5"x33.5"), and a 7.2cuft freezer chest (48"x28"x35").

I got all 3 today on craigslist at great deals that I couldn't pass up. Now, I need help deciding what to do with each. My first thought was to use the minifridge as a continued kegerator, the big freezer for fermentation, and then sell the smaller freezer for more than I paid. However, looking at the pics you can see the fridge only fits 1 corny keg. This could be doable for now, but likely won't work for me long-term.

Another option is to strip the minifridge of its keg components/lines and re-sell the bare-bones fridge. Then I could use the smaller freezer chest as my kegerator and eventually add a collar, while I use the large chest for my fermentation vessel.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?!?!?

*Note: I have no started kegging yet but currently have: 2 ball lock corny kegs, two 5# co2 tanks, dual gauge co2 regulator, 1 door tap, 1 picnic tap, 2 DIY STC1000 Temp controllers.

 

[Travestian]

Depending on how much you want to keg (how many kegs at a time) you may need the 7.2 freezer for that and to use the 5.0 freezer for fermentation. Selling the mini fridge sounds like a good thing to do to me. You could purchase some more keg parts for what you get from the mini fridge.

My 2 cents.

 

[BigFloyd]

Will the mini fit a fermenter bucket or carboy? Will it get down into the 30's at its lowest setting? If yes to both, you can pull the kegerator stuff off of it and use it as a cold crash/lagering chamber. Trust me, that will come in quite handy.

Besides, you won't get much at all for the mini selling it used and patched up after once being a kegerator.

I'd use the 7cf chest for a keezer (it should hold 3 kegs and a 10lb alum tank) and the 5cf for a fermenter chamber.

 

[collinsDPT]

Thanks for the opinions guys. To answer a few questions:

• Im not sure how low the minifridge will get, I will test it in the next few days
• I have thought about making the big freezer a keezer, but that would leave only enough room for 1 primary fermenter in the small freezer. Was thinking I could make a platform flush with that stupid shelf, but then the buckets/carboys sit too high and hit the lid
• I was thinking of selling the minifridge with the tap still installed (since I would rather have a perlick anyway). I have a buddy who wants it for $100, which would mean the corny and the regulator were free to me)
• Great idea for making it a cold crash unit; didn't think of that.
• That 7cf freezer is awesome. So glad I snagged that one

I guess I will keep mulling it over. Thanks for the input!

 

[Travestian]

Thanks for the opinions guys. To answer a few questions:

• Im not sure how low the minifridge will get, I will test it in the next few days
• I have thought about making the big freezer a keezer, but that would leave only enough room for 1 primary fermenter in the small freezer. Was thinking I could make a platform flush with that stupid shelf, but then the buckets/carboys sit too high and hit the lid
• I was thinking of selling the minifridge with the tap still installed (since I would rather have a perlick anyway). I have a buddy who wants it for $100, which would mean the corny and the regulator were free to me)
• Great idea for making it a cold crash unit; didn't think of that.
• That 7cf freezer is awesome. So glad I snagged that one

I guess I will keep mulling it over. Thanks for the input!

I'd say then to sell him the mini fridge. You scored some stuff out of it and you could always buy a brand new one to cold crash in if you choose. I'm not sure what freezers you got but you can check here for a great list of freezers and how they fit various kegs AND carboys/buckets. That might help you with your decision on what to do with the two freezers.

 

[Felixio]

If you were going to make one a cold crash unit/lager unit, then why not the 5cf freezer and use the mini-fridge for ale temps?

 

[Travestian]

If you were going to make one a cold crash unit/lager unit, then why not the 5cf freezer and use the mini-fridge for ale temps?

The temperature differences for cold crashing and lagering would mean you couldn't do both at the same time. It makes more sense to have a dedicated cold crashing fridge and to use one of the freezers for fermenting everything else.

You could partition with some insulating foam and control half of the freezer with ice bottles/jugs for lagering if you so chose. I'm able to do that in a fridge if I choose to. Ale on one side. Lager on the other.

 

[BigFloyd]

The temperature differences for cold crashing and lagering would mean you couldn't do both at the same time.

Ummmm. I'd have to disagree about that. I both cold crash and lager at 35*F in the same upright freezer (controlled by an STC-1000). It works great for both.

 

[Travestian]

Ummmm. I'd have to disagree about that. I both cold crash and lager at 35*F in the same upright freezer (controlled by an STC-1000). It works great for both.

Isn't 35* below the fermentation temperature band for lagering?