Website design By BotEap.comBottles. We homebrewers collect, store, wash and fill them. It takes time and space. Eventually, we want a faster way to enjoy the beer we brew. Ultimately, we want it on tap not only to save space, but also to have that “Brew Pub” beer in the house. Here’s an easy and inexpensive way to enjoy your own home-brewed beer straight from the tap without spending your hard-earned money on a commercially manufactured Kegerator.

Website design By BotEap.comWhen I went from 5 gallon single batch brew kits to an all grain setup that brewed 10 gallons at a time, I too grew tired of bottles and wanted kegs. I came up with an alternative way to chill the kegs and tap the beer without converting an old fridge with a faucet in the door. I opted for a lower profile unit that would also look good in my living room.

Website design By BotEap.comI bought a small upright freezer on sale making sure I had enough room inside to fit three 5 gallon carney (soda) barrels. I also bought a separate temperature control unit that would make the freezer work like a refrigerator. More on that later.

Website design By BotEap.comI needed a way to mount the faucets without going through the side of the freezer. He also knew he would need additional headroom inside for barrel fittings and hoses. The lid as it was didn’t leave enough room so I thought I’d raise it up with a frame to make the unit taller. Now he was ready to go.

Website design By BotEap.comI built a wood frame out of 1″X4″ lumber, securing the corners with L-brackets on the inside. Holes for two taps were drilled in the front and the gas line in the rear. The lid was removed and the frame was placed on top, securing it with window insulation between the frame and the cooler. The insulation “bonded” the frame to the freezer. The lid was placed on top. The added height of the frame now raised the lid higher.

Website design By BotEap.comThe lid has two brackets to mount it to the freezer. Each bracket has two holes, one top and one bottom to accommodate mounting screws. The top hole of each bracket was on the frame with the bottom holes aligned with the top holes of the freezer. The bottom holes of the freezer were no longer used. The lid was secured by replacing the screws through the holes in the bracket. Each bracket had a mounting screw on the frame and on the freezer. The lid was secure and closed on the frame evenly.

Website design By BotEap.comI have a three way port to split the CO2 line into three. One for each barrel. I also have a dedicated CO2 line and tap for a 1/6 commercial keg. I now have the option of tapping into my own beer or a purchased craft beer.

Website design By BotEap.comAn external temperature control unit was attached to the side of the freezer and plugged into an outlet. The freezer connected to the control unit. A thermocouple wire was placed through the rear hole in the frame with the CO2 gas line and hung freely in the freezer to monitor only the indoor air temperature. A desired temperature of 60 degrees was set on the controller. Also, I mounted a drip pan to the front with double backed foam tape. My living room was now decked out with a wonderful addition that truly served a purpose.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *