Keg... "Logistics"

Brewing Processes
1

Hey all, I have a question.  Currently my keg fridge is only big enough for one keg and a CO2 tank ($40 craigslist find).  I am OK with this, but my wife and I are throwing a party in May, and of course I am making the beer.  I am OK with bottling one batch and kegging the other, but if I can use both of my kegs that would be even better.

If I carbonate one keg in my fridge then move it to say a 60-68 degree room whilst the other keg carbonates for a week, is that going to cause some issues with the carbonation in the first keg?  Serving I’m not worried about because the kegs will be in a tub of ice.

2

You will be fine carbing and let it get warm. Make sure it is good and cold before you tap it or you will be pouring lots of foam.

3

If you could find some way to ice it down to completely chill the keg approx 24 hours before serving- that’d place you in an optimal position. I’ve kept beer cold for a long time just by swaddling the keg in heavy blankets and sleeping bags.

Otherwise it won’t hurt the beer to let it get room temp. But it is easier to keep a cold keg cold in your situation, rather than have to rechill a keg.

4

Thanks for the replies.

I may be able to go the blanket/swamp cooler route as well and keep the first keg cool, but if It won’t hurt the beer I can easily get it on ice at least 24 hours before.

5

More important, what can be done to fit both in the fridge?

My two keg kegerator is a mini fridge. I had to remove the inside plastic liner from the door. I used some aluminum strap to build reinforcement for the magnetic strip, and carved a bit of the insulation foam in the door. I took a box knife and cut the plastic liner inside the fridge and carved some foam there too. Just where needed to squeeze in two kegs. Now two kegs and a five pound CO2 bottle fit nicely.

6

I’d have to start by relocating the compressor.  I lose a lot of space because of the lip it puts in the back of the fridge.  It’s just something I don’t want to delve into just yet.

7

if the bottom of the fridge was even with the compressor hump would there still be room for the kegs?

My keg fridge has a comressor hump and the former owner built a little platform out of wood that makes the floor level with the top of the compressor.

8

I did think of that, but I think it’s too high up.  Although, I may be able to remove the light fixture that’s inside.  I will look into this.

9

I use the compressor hump to lay 2 kegs on their side, behind the serving kegs, for lagering.  I stack one keg on top of the other.

10

I was able to do this with mine.  Now I can fit two kegs and my conical at the same time (I put the CO2 outside the fridge just under the drip tray).

11

Have we switched to regular fridge size already off the OP? :o Anyway, I could only lay a keg sideways in my regular 21"After measuring I think 12 kegs will fit in my fridge with no modification if they are laid on their sides facing the door. Still don’t have the real lagering capacity, and there’s a bottleneck. Makes me want to shop for fridges.

Modifications are fine and dandy if one has no plans to sell something like a small fridge, but plans change. That’s always a factor with this hobby. The answer is to buy a bigger fridge… :wink: