Reefer Kegerator (Pic Heavy)

[Pnutapper]

This may be of interest to some of you with larger dispensing set ups. (And no... reefer is not a joint - sorry to all you stoners who may have gotten excited by the thread title!)

I was recently asked by a mate to convert a refrigerated container in his back yard into a monster kegerator to dispense 6 products. Naturally, it had to be on a shoestring budget, so it is not my finest work - but it will work just fine.

He will also be storing sealed foodstuffs in the reefer along with his kegs (some commercial, and some HB.)

One wall taken up with tapping board.

• White Nycel tapping board.
• Black recoil gas leads with gas check valves
• Stainless steel washout with snaplock adaptors
• Orange air line
• Air regs
• Beer Pumps with drop leads and beer line check valves.
• FOB detectors (35 mt python run)
• Detergent pump (Not pictured yet.)

Air regulator, Beer Pump, and FOB detectors x 6

High flow 2 stage gas regulator. Distributes about 12 PSI to all 6 kegs to maintain equilibrium - the beer pumps take over after that to take beer the 35 meter distance to dispense point.

Water PRV to knock down water pressure from mains for washout.

If this is of interest - I will post more pics as the job progresses. I still need to set up a chiller and pump to flood the python so the beer stays cold on the journey. Also need to hook up fount(s) once he has decided what he wants.

 

[earle]

Backyard shit just got serious.

 

[Pnutapper]

Backyard shit just got serious.

I am getting a little envious as the job progresses. Can't have people having a better home set up than my own!

 

[malt junkie]

Thats awesome more pics required!

 

[bradsbrew]

I am getting a little envious as the job progresses. Can't have people having a better home set up than my own!

What's the ballpark figure for something like this?

Edit; And yes, I was intrigued as to how you turn a "reefer" into a kegorator.

 

[eldertaco]

That's one helluva home setup.. how much beer sits in a 35m run?

 

[homebrewnewb]

insanity takes many forms... surely a refeer is less efficient than a dedicated cool room. looking forward to more pics @Pnutapper, what pump are you using to move the beer after dispensing?

 

[Pnutapper]

What's the ballpark figure for something like this?

We are up to $6.5K. He still needs to fork out for a fount or two, but I think he is eyeing off a couple of the Cobra founts I have advertised on here. I think I will talk him in to some form of chilling under bar as well for when he has one of his legendary parties, just to give the beer another zap of chill. I reckon Jockey Box plates will be enough. So depending on what he chooses to do, that could add another Gorilla.

One of the bigger companies quoted him 15K for what I am doing. (But this is a love job for me.)

 

[Pnutapper]

That's one helluva home setup.. how much beer sits in a 35m run?

Approx 70mL per meter x 6 lines = 14.7 litres.

We will be chilling the python down to a nominal set point of 0 deg. So the beer can sit in there quite happily for a good length of time. When it is time for line cleaning, we will push out the beer in the line with either gas or water (set at dispense pressure.)

 

[Pnutapper]

insanity takes many forms... surely a refeer is less efficient than a dedicated cool room. looking forward to more pics @Pnutapper, what pump are you using to move the beer after dispensing?

I am not a fridgie, so don't know about efficiency - but it gets bloody cold! This fella is fully insulated and has 2" walls and fully sealable doors. He had a smaller cold room which recently carked it, so bought this to replace it, and to accommodate his hobby. Think he paid about $4K for it.

The beer pumps are Flojet G56 air driven pumps. The air drives the vanes but does not come in contact with the beer. They are fed by a 3 HP air compressor with moisture and oil filtration. (He already had this for air tools etc, I just teed off from the outlet.)

 

[homebrewnewb]

i love how you drop gorillas into your lexicon regularly Pnutapper, cracks me up every time.
reminds of 12th man and Hasje commentating... "...there you go a gorilla on the table."

 

[malt junkie]

I guess with those pressures your running beer gas and not straight Co2. Also if he's going that nuts on the dispense rig, we NEED pics of the Bar!!

 

[Pnutapper]

I guess with those pressures your running beer gas and not straight Co2. Also if he's going that nuts on the dispense rig, we NEED pics of the Bar!!

We are running straight CO2. But the beer pumps will be set at probably around 35 - 40 PSI. The gas will just be maintaining the carbonation of the beer in the kegs, and giving it enough of a push to get it up to the pumps. 12 PSI should be enough to do that.

I promise I will post pics of the bar when we get to it.

 

[Pnutapper]

Just Frankensteined a shite old self contained glycol beer chiller I had in the shed. Took the product coils out and dropped a reco'd Grundfos SPK2 -11 stool pump in it. Should work a treat.

I don't know how hard the compressor will need to work to keep the python cold, but don't really care if it blows up. The unit was sitting in my shed for years doing nothing. The python is black (as most are) so may silver wrap it yet. Insulation is 32mm, so that will help a bit. Will get it running once we have power.

 

[Stouter]

Amazing stuff. I'm gobsmacked.
And here's little old me pondering a small keezer or barfridge set up.
No half arsed set ups from you guys, very nice. Though I assume your friend's got a commercial benefit from all this?

 

[peteru]

Need to put a massive solar panel on top and perhaps a battery bank to keep all those motors powered!

 

[JDW81]

With that much space I'd have more than 6 taps!

 

[Pnutapper]

Amazing stuff. I'm gobsmacked.
And here's little old me pondering a small keezer or barfridge set up.
No half arsed set ups from you guys, very nice. Though I assume your friend's got a commercial benefit from all this?

No commercial benefit. He has a large family, and loves to entertain.

He has always had a self contained coolroom to store cryovac meat, sealed perishables, and loads of packaged grog. I don't know enough about brewing yet to know exactly what part of the process he will use this reefer for, but he says it will give him a whole lot more elbow room for that as well.

 

[Pnutapper]

Need to put a massive solar panel on top and perhaps a battery bank to keep all those motors powered!

It does look like a lot - but the biggest draw will be the reefer's refrigeration. The air compressor will cycle on and off depending on demand, and the little glycol chiller is only 0.5kW.

 

[Pnutapper]

With that much space I'd have more than 6 taps!

There is room to grow, and this has been discussed!