Chronical in a kegerator

[bobbiedigital]

Hi,

The Series 4 Kegerators are about 89cm in height and I think 85cm internal height? I was wondering if anyone has any experience with putting a chronical inside a kegerator and if they fit? The SS brewtech is 84 with the dome shaped lid and I assume maybe, 5 cm? smaller with the flat. I'd get a fermentasaurus but that is 95 cm in height and won't fit, not with the stand anyway.

Does anyone else know of a chronical that will fit? I was thinking the brewbucket but I would like to harvest the yeast, and minimise the contact the beer has with the trub. The brewbucket has other advantages but If I have to pour the yeast out I might as well keep the costs down and use my plastic fermenters for as long as I can.

I like the new kegerators as they have a range of -4 to 28c which would be good for year round brewing a number of beers. I also want to use the kegerator (with added humidity) for curing pancetta and of course dispensing beer.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated,
Cheers,
Bob

 

[bobbiedigital]

Stout tank conical fermenters? Are they any good? Can you get them in Australia? I think that would fit into the kegerator fairly well and can still harvest the yeast.

 

[Bribie G]

Considering that the kegmates or kegmasters or kegninjas or whatever (they seem to change names every so often) are a huge major seller for Keg King and resellers, you'd think that when they brought out the Fermentosaurus they could have designed to fit the kegmate. I would have gladly gone all fermentosaurus and I'm sure a lot of others would have felt the same. What a wasted business opportunity.
Straya I suppose.

Anyway back on topic I'm quite happy with my Brewbucket and in fact I've got my name on the wish list when they come back in. I haven't found the yeast to be a problem. Compared to using Coopers or Bunnings style fermenters, the yeast cake eventualy packs right down into the cone. Also you can fill the BB higher than the corresponding plastic one because it's a lot wider towards the top and as the krausen rises, it spreads out progressively and has only ever hit the lid once in its career, it normally not only fills a cornie but with more to spare and I can usually get a couple of 250ml sneaky tasters out of primary when kegging.

If you are using the original tap as well, there's a racking arm that you can use to harvest yeast before you cold condition. Not as good as a proper yeast "dumper" mechanism but pretty good.

 

[bobbiedigital]

Considering that the kegmates or kegmasters or kegninjas or whatever (they seem to change names every so often) are a huge major seller for Keg King and resellers, you'd think that when they brought out the Fermentosaurus they could have designed to fit the kegmate. I would have gladly gone all fermentosaurus and I'm sure a lot of others would have felt the same. What a wasted business opportunity.
Straya I suppose.

Anyway back on topic I'm quite happy with my Brewbucket and in fact I've got my name on the wish list when they come back in. I haven't found the yeast to be a problem. Compared to using Coopers or Bunnings style fermenters, the yeast cake eventualy packs right down into the cone. Also you can fill the BB higher than the corresponding plastic one because it's a lot wider towards the top and as the krausen rises, it spreads out progressively and has only ever hit the lid once in its career, it normally not only fills a cornie but with more to spare and I can usually get a couple of 250ml sneaky tasters out of primary when kegging.

If you are using the original tap as well, there's a racking arm that you can use to harvest yeast before you cold condition. Not as good as a proper yeast "dumper" mechanism but pretty good.

Cheers, mate.

That sounds good. Yeah, the fermentasaurus and kegerator combo would be good. Until they discover that combo for themselves I think the BB is the way to go. Even if I have to just dump the yeast then that would still be alright. Do you have a link to the racking arm so I can see a piccy? I've contacted maybe 4-5 homebrew shops today, even keg king, and asked about the kegerators. Apparently there is an Australian wide shortage at the moment, so yeah, you're not wrong, they are popular.

I think for the cheapie option I might look into the BB and then get am old fridge with a heating pad and inkbird temperature controller. That doesn't solve the problem of the kegs though. I've already got a beer fridge (missus calls it her chocolate fridge) so I don't think I could get too many more solutions for our small apartment.

 

[bobbiedigital]

Cheers, mate.

That sounds good. Yeah, the fermentasaurus and kegerator combo would be good. Until they discover that combo for themselves I think the BB is the way to go. Even if I have to just dump the yeast then that would still be alright. Do you have a link to the racking arm so I can see a piccy? I've contacted maybe 4-5 homebrew shops today, even keg king, and asked about the kegerators. Apparently there is an Australian wide shortage at the moment, so yeah, you're not wrong, they are popular.

I think for the cheapie option I might look into the BB and then get am old fridge with a heating pad and inkbird temperature controller. That doesn't solve the problem of the kegs though. I've already got a beer fridge (missus calls it her chocolate fridge) so I don't think I could get too many more solutions for our small apartment.

Ahh, gotcha, it's just the standard racking arm. I guess you can put turn it around to face the spout towards the yeast and tip the bucket on the angle and harvest that way.