Portable kegerator information

[blazin6969]

Welp, I never built a draft system. Don't know much about them. I am however looking to do the Portable kegerator inside of a cooler, something that can fit a 1/6th or a 1/4.

From what I found so far I can use a CO2 cartridge, some guys like it on the outside others prefer inside.

A cooler that has enough space is the next challenge.

As far as draft systems goes what is my basic run down here.

Really just looking to make something for camping and the car shows this summer.

 

[Jag75]

Theres some on this forum I seen a while back . They used (2) 10 gallon round igloos stacked ontop of each other. He cut out part of the inner sleeve so it would slide right on then he took the white plastic inner cover that he cut out and centered and glued it to join the two coolers . Had a tap on the front and a hole on the backside for a co2 line . He used a lone enough beer line so it wouldn't foam . There was enough room around the keg to pour ice . Genius imo . I cant find the thread but I found a pic to give you an idea.

 

[DVCNick]

I got one of these. Comes with that bubble wrap type thing full of ice cubes. I've only used it once, but as long as the keg starts cold and the bubble wrap thing is frozen, I can tell you that the beer will stay cold for a party from about 5pm to midnight at least. I just bring a 5lb C02 and picnic tap but any C02 input would work.

For camping you are going to need something else though. Maybe a jockey box and ice supply.

 

[Wayne1]

Check out Pancho's Keg Cooler:
https://www.panchosbrewinglab.com/shop/

 

[Pkrd]

Good thread here. Lots of ideas.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...l-kegerator-cooler.338722/page-3#post-8480815

 

[Jag75]

Check out Pancho's Keg Cooler:
https://www.panchosbrewinglab.com/shop/

This is the one I was talking about . Someone here did a step by step on the build . These are really cool

Was it @jcav ?

 

[mattdee1]

I got one of these. Comes with that bubble wrap type thing full of ice cubes. I've only used it once, but as long as the keg starts cold and the bubble wrap thing is frozen, I can tell you that the beer will stay cold for a party from about 5pm to midnight at least. I just bring a 5lb C02 and picnic tap but any C02 input would work.

For camping you are going to need something else though. Maybe a jockey box and ice supply.

I have one of these as well. It works much better than you'd think it would by looking at it. As you say, start with a keg that is already reasonably cold, fill with ice, and keep out of the sun. Every time I've used this thing for a party, there has still been ice in it the next day when I'm cleaning up.

 

[DVCNick]

I have one of these as well. It works much better than you'd think it would by looking at it. As you say, start with a keg that is already reasonably cold, fill with ice, and keep out of the sun. Every time I've used this thing for a party, there has still been ice in it the next day when I'm cleaning up.

My favorite part is that it is very light weight and folds up when not in use. It actually makes moving the keg easier overall with the shoulder strap.

Those double stack orange coolers look nice (this is the first time I've seen them) and I'm sure will keep it cold longer than this soft sided thing, but my spare bedroom is already full of fermenters, boil kettles, grain storage, etc. So anything that can literally fold up and go in the closet is welcome. Also it is very easily portable, which is kind of the point, and keeps it cold long enough for any reasonable-length single event, as noted.

 

[mattdee1]

Also it is very easily portable, which is kind of the point, and keeps it cold long enough for any reasonable-length single event, as noted.

^^ my thinking as well. I initially drew up diagrams of this fancy thing I was going to build but nothing I could dream up could match the compactness, simplicity, and portability of this soft cooler. If the goal is really to have a quick and convenient way of serving on-the-go homebrew a few times a year, then this little cooler is hard to beat. The time needed to build something myself could be put to much better use in other areas of the hobby.

But for some, canned off-the-shelf solutions are no fun, and there is a burning desire to tinker and build. I definitely get that mindset, as I'm guilty of it myself most of the time.

 

[Alex4mula]

Bought this cooler in December at Menards for $35. Took with me a keg from MI to FL and spent one week distributing a Marzen to all my friends and family there during Christmas week. I took my 5lb CO2 bottle and a 6' picnic tap. For the price can't get any better than this. Because it is tall the ice covers a lot of the keg.

 

[Deadalus]

A 2.5 or 3 gallon keg fits ok in various cube shaped coolers. I couldn't get 2 in the one I've got though. I ended up building a jockey box for camping. It's heavy though because I put four taps on it. I got a really good deal not too long ago on 2 Perlick taps and I have been considering making a mini jockey box but haven't sprung for the new coils.

 

[personalbesttraining]

Sure, you could rig up a cooler for a keg system. I guess this would be fine for a party where all of the product would be consumed before the ice melts. But for all of the trouble that goes into making that, for a few dollars more you could make a real kegerator. I made mine for under $250.00. It should last for about 20 years.

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

Sure, you could rig up a cooler for a keg system. I guess this would be fine for a party where all of the product would be consumed before the ice melts. But for all of the trouble that goes into making that, for a few dollars more you could make a real kegerator. I made mine for under $250.00. It should last for about 20 years.

Yes that is an option, but not very portable easily.

 

[blazin6969]

Wow guys thanks! Yea the one I want to make would be a skinny quarter. Love this site!