Collared Chest Freezer Kegorators

[browndog]

Hi All,
I recently changed over from a fridge to a chest freezer to store and serve my beer in the name of saving a few bucks in electricity. I never though about how you go about getting a 20kg cornie of beer over a 4ft lift and into the chest freezer with beer lines and gas lines going all over the place. I'm no wimp, but I reckon there is a chance of an injury if something goes wrong while supporting 20kg of beer. Short of a block and tackle, does anyone have any tips on getting full kegs into the chest freezer?

cheers

Browndog

 

[KHB]

I slow carb so i put my keg in 1st the transfer beer into it.

 

[porky]

:icon_chickcheers:

 

[jlm]

I saddle my lines to the inside of the freezer with 20mm, er, saddles. As in electrical conduit saddles. I've got celli taps so there's no big coil of line which helps, and get rid of the gas QD's and hang them outside when moving. All in all, everything is as out of the way as you can hope to get considering. Nice new avatar as well....

 

[yardy]

i've stopped lifting 3 in at once as i was spilling my pint that i normally have in my left hand :icon_cheers:

cheers

 

[troopa]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/BR-NEW-HEAVY-DUTY-2...%3A1|240%3A1318

well theres always this

250kg hoist with readout

also can double up for those AG BIAB boys

edit: sorry not the one with the readout

 

[TidalPete]

View attachment 23782

Bloody Nora Tony, didn't recognise you with the new hairstyle. :lol:

Can't help you mate except that a block & tackle would be the go what with you living in a high blocked house.
There seem to be lots of funny buggers on this forum?

Pete. :beer:

PS --- Perhaps I can? How about two of those little folding step thingies?
You lift the full keg two feet (589.65mm ) or whatever, step onto the second thingie at the four foot height or whatever the height is? Then lift the keg the remaining two feet & drop into the freezerator. Easy enough to store two folding step thingies.
Wadayareckon?

 

[MarkBastard]

I've never had any problems just lifting it in.

 

[TidalPete]

I've never had any problems just lifting it in.

How are old are you Mark? Have you a back problem?
Oh to be young again!

Pete :beer:

 

[Pollux]

I have one question (note, I don't keg my HB, but spent a few years working cellars in pubs, 50L kegs moved daily), why not simply get the keg into the freezer then hook up the lines?

Jesus, I used to double stack 50L kegs while they were full back in the day........And I wonder why my back is rooted...

 

[Tony M]

Haven't you a wife? thats what I use.

 

[Murcluf]

I just scored an old freezer for free, to pimp/convert into kegerator, what the best option mount a font on top or put a collar on it and have taps?

Also what do you use for a collar and where do you score it from?

 

[MarkBastard]

How are old are you Mark? Have you a back problem?
Oh to be young again!

Pete :beer:

Haha, I'm 26, but it is only about 20kg.

It can get fiddly in a crowded freezer with hoses and crap going everywhere but the actual lifting is easy enough I find.

If you can't get it in one go maybe try putting a chair next to it, heave it onto the chair, then up onto the lip of the chest freezer, and then from there just lower it in.

My fermenting fridge is kinda low so I have to pull the fermenter out of that and then up onto my bench so I can transfer to keg. I find this part much harder particularly because I'm trying not to disturb the yeast!

 

[MarkBastard]

I just scored an old freezer for free, to pimp/convert into kegerator, what the best option mount a font on top or put a collar on it and have taps?

Also what do you use for a collar and where do you score it from?

There's no 'best' option. Fonts cost more and require you to drill a hole in the freezer, but in my opinion look better.

For collars people just use wood. Heaps of threads on how to do it.

 

[crundle]

I slow carb so i put my keg in 1st the transfer beer into it.

+1

Put empty kegs in, and pull empty kegs out, and sometimes shake it all about....

Much easier on the back, I'm not really old yet, but looking after my long term brewing investment, would be a bugger to not be able to use my kegerator for the sake of a crook back.

Crundle

 

[cdbrown]

+2 for the filling while keg is already in place.

However I do lift in and out my fermentor for crash chilling and then transferring, not had any issues yet, just don't try to lift and turn at the same time.