Kegerators

Not to be a pretentious *******, but Kegerators are typically situated in the living room next to the flat screen television.

 

Will your televisions have fists?

 

Depending on the model of kegerator mastering the art of correct temperature can be a maddening science. Buy a liquid thermometer and put it in a cup of water that you keep in the enclosure, my kegerator didn't tell the temp... also make sure you know what temp you need for the particular type of beer you will use. Get a cleaning kit, the tubes get dirty and cause foamy beer. Changing the co2 canister is a pita, getting at the right setting can also cause problems, you have to go to a hardware store for refills, you wont get your shiny new canister back... if you get an old crappy one you'll get flakes in your beer.

Its a lot of trouble but awesome when you get it right. You want to buy mine?

 

Lol, TVs don't have knees... pfffft... just fists n00b.

 

Oh ya there is some keg etiquette too. For example you have to let a new keg sit in the keg 24hrs at the right temp before you tap it etc..

 

ex roomate used to have one its pretty good..make sure you get one that is compatible with both the compressed mini kegs (henekin, newcastle types) and other mini-kegs.

the co2 canisters dont last too long so make sure you always have a steady supply.

make sure you keep it clean when changing kegs

 

i got my conversion kit from www.beveragefactory.com I got the low end kit for 129.99 about 5 years ago. Just last month i was having problems with the keg spitting beer out to hard. I bought a new Coupler, Regulator and hoses for about $100 and it back up and running. This time i got a better regulator and they have a guard for it in case your CO2 tank falls over, it wont get damaged, i would suggest one unless you plan to somehow mount it inside the fridge.

The kit is simple to install, all you have to do is drill a hole in the front of the fridge for the tap, everything else stays inside the fridge. Most fridges are uneven at the bottom so you will need something to level the bottom so the keg fits, i used some 3" PVC pipe put 2 T's Together with a little pipe between them, then used a hack saw and cut indentions where the keg fits inside but you can figure something out with whats laying around the house.

The kits ship with plastic hose clamps, they also sale the metal ones, i personally like those better, but i had the plastic ones on there for the first 5 years and never had a problem.

I also got a strip that sticks to the side of the keg and measures how much is left in the keg and the keg temperature for under $5 its worth it. They also have some cleaning kits for sale that if you have the cash now are worth picking up and should make it last longer (i didnt use one, but a few friends do and theres didnt mess up after 5 years.)

 

There is a place on Stella Link off 610 that fills the CO2 canisters it comes out to less than 12 bucks for a 5lb tank, and if you drop it off the day before they freeze it overnight so they can get more CO2 in it. Ive always gone there, i bought a new tank and its still a new looking tank.

I go thru 5-6 Kegs a year and only have to fill a 5lb tank once a year, maybe every 9 months if I throw a couple parties.

 

Make your own. I've converted many fridges over the last couple decades. The three main things to consider:
1. Make sure the tap(s) exit the box on the SIDE, not the door.
2. Removing the shelves in the door and replacing that plastic piece with aluminum is key. It's also the most difficult part of the process.
3. Realize by converting a fridge, you now have a freezer for pint glasses/ice handy.

Good luck.

 

#1. Assuming you get a fridge with an upper freezer, the door will force your taps OPEN every time you need a pint glass. Also, yeah...you don't want to have all your "parts" moving all the time.

#2. You remove the plastic shelving by peeling back the magnetic gasket surrounding the door (which makes the seal). Be careful not to damage the gasket. There are about 50-100 screws that hold the shelving in place (it's all one piece). When you get this removed, make a PRECISE measurement (using the back) of the piece. Take that measurement to a metal shop and have them cut you a piece of aluminum EXACTLY that size. Use a thin-ish piece of Al, but still thick enough to be STIFF. Once you've removed the plastic shelf piece from the door, you'll realize how incredibly flimsy the door is without that support. The aluminum piece will restore rigidity while protecting the insulation (while helping to insulate). Removal of the plastic shelves is key because it creates a ton of cubic space. You'll need this for full-sized kegs (and if you wish to have 2 pony kegs at the same time -- with two taps).

Also, you have to make a piece to fit in the floor of the box. The bottom of the box is NOT FLAT. The compressor lives under there in the back half, making an uneven surface on the floor. Cut a piece of plywood or something the size/shape of the LOWER part of the surface. On this board, place a cinder block or some very sturdy and strong object that will create a lift to reach the height of the UPPER part of the surface. Next, cut another piece of plywood (or whatever) the size of the entire surface of the floor to place on top of the cinder block and compressor casing.

Good luck.


EDIT: Take the aluminum sheet and tape it to the back of the plastic shelves you removed. Drill small holes through the original holes in the plastic to create and EXACT MATCH in the aluminum sheet. This is required for replacing it to the door...

 

I read the title and thought this was about some kind of Kegels exercise machine.

 

Specifically, that would be womancaveish.