Wine Barrel Keg Fridge Build

[Danwood]

refrigerated wine barrel with taps and 4 kegs
from ~$2k a cpl of weeks ago, now an auction at ~$100
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Refridgerated-W...1#ht_7286wt_951

Gday all,

Has anyone had experience with converting wine barrels to keg fridges...similar to the quoted listing above.

I have sourced a 225l barrique sized barrel from here http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Wine-Barrel-Lim...=item337e4a5223

If anyone's interested, the seller has 4 of these barrels left as of 3pm today (Sat 9th), but is expecting more next weekend and they will be in better condition, and will be slightly more expensive at $120.

Measurements are... Head internal dia. - 560mm Bilge internal dia. - 675mm Height - 870mm

I plan to cut and hinge the top, half way between the 2nd and 3rd metal bands (fixing the staves in place obviously), and fitting an internal layer of chicken wire held away from the sides of the barrel by wooden blocks at intervals. I will then fill this layer with expanding foam as the insulation.

I'm going to allow a generous 500mm for the 2 corny kegs combined dia. and, by my calculations, the internal barrel dia. between the 2nd- 3rd band should be 617mm (ish), so I should be able to go for 50mm of insulation at the top and maybe flare this out in the middle of the barrel as the available space increases.

I'm struggling for ideas of how to cool the thing though.

Should I just rip the guts out of a small fridge? I really don't want the cooling coil on the back of the barrel if possible.

I was thinking of housing the cooling equipment in a plinth which the barrel sits on, as space inside the barrel will be tight.

The 2.6kg CO2 bottle can go on a bracket at the back of the barrel and a 2 tap font will have a small fan assembly blowing the cold air into it to help with any foaming issues in the lines.

Any advice offered would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Dan

 

[shaunous]

Hi Dan,
I have 6 wine barrels I used for my wedding I got from a closed down Winery for cheap as chips, and I seen that add on ebay also. As soon as I get home from OS i'm going to look at doing the same thing.

My idea was to do something of a miracle box approach rather then trying to squeeze the workings of a fridge inside the barrel, using both small and block ice, and fitting an insulated waterproof box area under the top lid where i'd house the coiled beer lines inside, opening up at the bottom(of the insulated waterproof box) and to fill full of ice you would completely hinge open the lid 180degree's, and only use the rig on special occasions (Every weekend in summer).

Would be keen to see what other people have come up with.

Shaun.

 

[Maheel]

i dont know if they have the cooling capacity but i would be having a look at "camping fridges"
the older ones could be stripped down to the internal unit and put into the "back" of the barrel
it looks like what the ebay one had done

older ones like this
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/WORKING-SADEC-C...=item2325c57c3e
or
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Finch-Dometic-3...=item2a26d01c67

a lot of these run 240v / 12v / and Gas

gives you a few more options if your go mobile...

i might look for one myself and make mobile lpg powered one to drag down the park for BBQ's...

 

[Danwood]

Cheers for the input guys!

I thought of the miracle box route, Shanous, but finding the room for the large-ish ice compartment above the kegs plus having to get ice every time I wanted to use the barrel sounded like a pain...I wanted a plug and play solution really.

I'll probably chill the filled and conditioned kegs in the fermention fridge first, then transfer to the barrel. The large cold thermal mass of the 2 kegs in the small space should mean the cooling eqipment shouldn't have to work too hard.

I'll probably use it on weekends mostly and just have the odd pint through the week out of the fermentation fridge via a beer gun....so it'll mainly be for visiting dignitaries.

Something compact, like the finch fridge above, is what I think might be in order.

All ideas welcomed... :icon_cheers:

 

[Danwood]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Gasmate-portabl...=item20ce00b06e

Maybe something like this cut down and fitted under the barrel in the plinth I mentioned earlier ?

It'll probably have some vital parts which don't like to be cut in half housed in the walls though <_<

 

[booargy]

This would be the go http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12-VOLT-FRIDGE-...=item3f0fa2919f

 

[Danwood]

Looks great Booargy!
I'll have to sell my one remaining kidney though

 

[woodwormm]

my 3cents...

build an engel/camping fridge into your pllinth without the lid on it.

pretend the wine barrel is like a collar on a keezer, ie just an extension of the fridge area.

yes the fridge will have to work really hard to cool that much area, but i'm guessing if you seal and insulate really well the bottom (ie where the fridge is stting) will be the coolest spot.

bang one of these in the bottom area to super chill your beer on it's way to the tap... \

http://www.kegman.net/products/1202-Cold-P...%252d-1202.html

 

[Danwood]

Does anyone know if these barrel type fridges have any working parts in the walls and top sections ?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Red-Bull-Drinks...=item2578567f5d

 

[Danwood]

Does anyone know if these barrel type fridges have any working parts in the walls and top sections ?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Red-Bull-Drinks...=item2578567f5d

Ok, bought the barrel today.

$110 for a good looking ex-Yering Station barrique size...pretty happy with that. Should come up really nice with a bit of love.

Anybody got any advice about the above quote/refridgeration solutions ?

Cheers, Dan

 

[barls]

talk to a fridgey see what the say