Chest Freezer Set Up

[new2kegbrew]

G'day all!

I am thinking about going from my current typical fridge-with-a tap-out-the-door setup to a chest freezer set up and have a few question to ask before I commit.

I don't really want to put the font on the lid of the freezer, but want to run a line or two out the side wall or back of the freezer for a metre or two up to the font on the bar. How do I keep the line cold?

Anyone come up with a clever idea (aside from a block & tackle) to make puting big kegs in the freezer easier?

Are there any other suggestions from any of you guys that have convertes a chest freezer for the same purposes?

Thanks!

 

[MarkBastard]

To keep the lines cool you can either insulate them or flood them with glycol.

As for lifting heavier kegs in there, I know someone here fills up one keg, then wheels it over, then filters into another keg that's already sitting in the freezer, so that there's no lifting involved.

 

[floppinab]

All not so difficult to do apart from........

Anyone come up with a clever idea (aside from a block & tackle) to make puting big kegs in the freezer easier?

I assume you're talking about a 50L jobbie there. I'd possibly be a bit concerned about whether a freezer floor would handle the weight of one of those although I'm sure someone else has tried it.

I've put holes and run lines through two freezer walls now and had no problems, some build collars (do a search on collar and you'll find plenty of info) and run the lines through the collar. I still think putting a hole in the side was easier IMO.

You can use Armaflex (a foam based tube insulator) to run your lines through including some sort of chilling solution with it if you want. You can get it from Clark Rubber

 

[new2kegbrew]

Thanks for your input guys.

Yeah its the 50l kegs I want to use, and I hope the floor is strong enough, because I want to have 2 in there!! The wheel around & decant is a great idea!! I guess I could just sit the full keg outside the freezer & pump it into the keg inside with a bit of co2. Thanks for the ideas.
I like the idea of the glycol, especially the look of the frozen flooded font, but from what I've seen these setups are quite expensive. Anyone have a glycol setup they can shed a bit more light on the costs?

The pipe insulation was a good idea too, but definitely needing some cooling to run with it :-/

 

[mxd]

could look at a temp-rite and no freezer ?

 

[new2kegbrew]

mxd I can't see how a temprite can be used for home brew - if the keg is room temperature won't it release its CO2 and become flat with loads of pressure in the keg? Please explain..

 

[RetsamHsam]

if the keg is room temperature won't it release its CO2 and become flat with loads of pressure in the keg? Please explain..

Think about a beer that you have bottled, does it still get saturated with CO2? The gas will only be released from solution when it leaves the pressurised vessel and the rate at which it leaves the solution depends on the temperature (the higher the temperature the faster the gas will be released).

In saying this it will take longer to force the gas into solution at room temperature..

 

[new2kegbrew]

RetshamsHsam I thought carbonating with sugar & force carbonating with CO2 were two completely different things - especially regarding the time difference between the two. Also, when you say it will take longer to force gas into the beer at room temperature, would this not render a temprite useless? I didn't think it was acually possible to gas a keg at room temperature no matter how long you left it?

 

[mxd]

at 25 deg you will require about 227 kpa to carbonate at 2.5, so to pour at that pressure you will need a long line, as there is 8 -15 mtrs in a temprite you could be able to balance the system ?

N.B - noob here listen to others.

 

[yardy]

a few tips and pics here THE BAR THAT DAVE BUILT

cheers
Dave