kegorator help

[IndyBeerman]

All beer is better on draft, because it isn't pasturized.

Do you have a reference for that? Because I can think of about 100 beers off the top of my head that aren't pasturized in any form of packaging, more if I actually put any thought into it.
Not all beer is pasturized in the bottle/can.

There are several import keg brands that are pasteurized and don't require refrigeration, and you are correct several that are NOT in the bottle/can.

While I am not trying to refute what you are saying entirely, because well, your name is IndyBeerman, and I am going to go ahead and make the assumtion that you work in the beer industry, or just like beer a LOT, or maybe both.
But he won't necessarily need to go out and purchase a cleaning kit. At the Home Bar level a simple squeeze bottle with some PBW or similar beer line wash in it will do the trick of removing any beer stone or similar build up. And some Starsan if you want to sanitize the lines before you hook them back up.
He shouldn't need to worry about a build up of yeast if he is going with any of the "Big 3's" lines of beer, as all but their wheats are filtered, so there should be no yeast in there.

I have had a kegerator for about 9 years now and been brewing beer for just about the same amount of time. You are going to need to worry more about the cleanliness of your faucets then the line itself.

I would recomend going with the forward sealing Perlick faucets, as they have a tendency to not stick as much as the rear sealing micromatics and the like. And they look a whole lot nicer.

Linky's:
Perlicks
Standard Rear Sealing

While I don't drink, and I did'nt sleep at a Holiday Inn last night, I have been delivering beer for 25 years, 7 of those years was draft beer delivery. Granted it was Anhuser-Busch brands, but bacteria, molds, yeast, and beer stone can and will happen. Trust me, break open a Perlick faucet that has not been cleaned for a while and you'll see first hand. It's plain nasty.

Along with using a cleaning kit like this:
Beer Line Cleaning - Deluxe Kit

It will maintain the needed clean lines for great tasting non-foaming beer.

Also below is a link to a complete kit minus the cleaning kit that will convert a refrigerator to your own personal kegerator, the only thing it is missing is a drip tray and I have a link below it.

Value - Door Kegerator Conversion Kit
Beer Drip Tray - 6"x 4" Stainless Steel for Refrigerator

 

[Buckhunter]

I bought one from best buy about 5 years ago and it came with a heavy duty rack to sit in it for the smaller (pony) kegs. I believe I paid around $600 for it. I'm sure you can build one much cheaper but mine sure did look nice. I still have an extra co2 tank that is full if you need an extra.

 

[22lr]

after looking into it it looks like i can get a kit for around 150 bucks.... now i have to price out small refrigerators.

Wait till August and ill have one for you.........

 

[IndyMedic]

Check Craigslist I have seen them on there in good condition for pretty cheap. Sometimes you even see the commercial cooler keg-orators on there cheap too.

 

[SideArmed]

..... but bacteria, molds, yeast, and beer stone can and will happen. Trust me, break open a Perlick faucet that has not been cleaned for a while and you'll see first hand. It's plain nasty.

True, there could be yeast build up from the airborne yeast that is inherantly floating around, but it wouldn't be coming from the beer itself, if that beer has been filtered, which the majority of beers on the market are, to improve self life. Bottom line is, flush your lines after every keg and you don't have to worry about it.

No doubt equipment needs to be serviced properly, I wasn't trying to say, get some perlicks and never worry about your faucets again. But it's has been my experience that you can leave a rear sealing faucet alone for as little as one day and have it start sticking. The Perlicks are much more forgiving if you dont' happen to pull a beer from them everyday. I have gone a week or better with out pulling a beer, and the perlicks still work like a champ.

Just like with weapons, keep your beer equipment cleaned and serviced properly and it will run for ever.

Check Craigslist I have seen them on there in good condition for pretty cheap. Sometimes you even see the commercial cooler keg-orators on there cheap too.

That is where I have scored all of the garage/beer fridges and freezers I have gotten.

 

[slackerisme]

Well.... since you asked, here is what I did back in my homebrew/professional drinker days. Buy a cheap used chest freezer, about 30' of 6" wide Cedar from the big box store of your choice, and 4 eight foot 2x4's.

Now you need a Johnson temperature controller..like [ame="http://www.amazon.com/KegWorks-Freezer-Temperature-Controller/dp/B0002EAL58"]this[/ame] (without it you will freeze your beer). Now build a 2x4 collar around the top of the chest freezer (after removing the top) and cover the 2x4 frame with cedar (cedar is optional, you can go all hillbilly on it) . Reattach the top to the frame so you can hold in the cold.

Now you need a C02 tank to push the brew out to the tap, many online homebrew places can help here, i preferred this one (honest, hard working American company, with excellent customer support).

Buy whichever coupling you need to tap the keg, there are not that many different styles. Hook up the C02 tank to one side of the coupler and attach the other end to your keg tap...enjoy.

As far as cleaning goes I recommend BLC or iodine to sanitize the lines every so often. It is a good idea to switch sanitizers every other month or so to ensure you do not build a resistant strain of yuck, it happened to me.

Good luck and pm me with any questions.

 

[IndyGunworks]

i think i am going to build one of these from a chest freezer

any other tips?

and indybeerman, i drink coors 99 percent of the time, so a coors tap handle would be fantastic. where do we meet?

 

[SideArmed]

i think i am going to build one of these from a chest freezer

any other tips?

Nice! I have seen some of those done and they are awesome. One word of warning though, everything has to be lifted up and over to get it in, so if you ever decide to get a half barrel that's about 160lbs you will have to hoist up there to get it in. Getting them out is a lot easier
If you build one make sure to put pictures up!