Kegerator

I've had a chest freezer sitting around the basement for years doing nothing. Nothing that is except waiting to be turned into a kegerator!

The freezer itself was a $50.00 garage sale find. The hardware to convert it cost a bit over $500.00 (purchased online from Northern Brewer). But that does not include the kegs, CO2 tank/regulator if you don't already have them. All in all I have about $800 - $900 invested. Don't tell my wife.

One option when building a kegerator from a chest freezer is using a top mounted draft tower or coffin box but this entails cutting through the lid of the chest freezer. I chose the wooden collar method. It's fairly simple with less room for error and it does not permanently alter the chest freezer in any way.

The steps are really fairly straight forward; remove the lid... cut/drill and attach the collar... plumb the gas and liquid lines and install a temperature control unit.

This look at the insides gives a good indication of how the gas lines are run. One line comes from the CO2 tank to the input of a manifold or distributor. Then gas goes from the distributors (with a shut off valve on each) to the kegs where they are attached to 1/4" (grey) quick disconnects.


You will also notice a bead of silicone caulk around the inside edge. This is in addition to a bead of caulk that was applied to the underside of the collar. I'm going to believe those who told me this is enough to securely attach the collar to the freezer. If you have doubts you may wish to do as others have done and that is to attach one-by fascia board on the outside of the collar. This fascia should be a couple of inches wider than your collar so it will hang down over the body of the freezer thus providing a little more security.

Next is a look inside from the other end. The liquid lines are not connected in this shot but the attach to the backside of the shanks with a tail piece (1/4" barb), a rubber washer and shank nut. The keg end end uses a 1/4" (black) quick disconnect. You can also see the Johnson Controls temperature control unit. It simply mounts on the side (or wherever you wish) with two screws and the probe goes through a 1/4" hold drilled through the collar.


Here is the finished kegerator


and another shot. With no beer in kegs I had to toast the kegerator with a Bells Amber Ale.


The whole build can be viewed on my YouTube channel or at the Cass River Homebrewers page on Facebook (where by the way I just got a favorable thumbs up from James Spenser of Basic Brewing!).