How to Make a Draft Beer Cooler
Draft beer coolers, also known as kegerators, are refrigeration systems for draft beer kegs, modified to house your keg, as well a pressurized drawing system to get the beer out of the keg and into your glass. While professional models are sleek and optimized for such tasks, they may cost you a pretty penny. Fortunately, you can convert your own fridge into a draft beer cooler at a fraction of the cost. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Refrigerator
- Keg
- Drill and bit
- Hole saw (one inch in diameter)
- Screwdriver
- Crescent wrench
- Faucet and handle
- Shank and fitting kit
- Beer line hose
- Air line hose
- CO2 dual gauge regulator
- CO2 tank
- Hose clamps
- Drip tray
Instructions
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1
Obtain the measurements of your keg before selecting the refrigerator you will use for a kegerator. Kegs vary in size--for example, the 15 1/2 gallon 1/2 keg size is a common choice, with a height of 24 inches and a 16-inch diameter. As long as your fridge is large enough to fit the keg and functions normally, it should do the trick.
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2
Select a spot in the center of the refrigerator door to mount your tap. Attach the hole saw to the end of your drill and drill a hole through the spot on the door. Slide the shank through the hole. Attach the faucet to the outside end of the shank and the fitting kit to the other end.
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3
Attach the keg coupler to the top of your keg. Cut a few feet of beer line hose. Attach one end of the hose to the fitting kit of the shank and the other end to the beer line connection on the keg coupler. Tighten all hose connections with clamps.
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4
Attach the dual gauge regulator to the CO2 tank; make sure that the gas flow from the tank is sealed shut when you do this. Cut a few feet of air line hose. Attach one end of the hose to the valve on the regulator and tighten the connection with a hose clamp. Attach the other end of the hose to the air line connection of the keg coupler; again, use a clamp to secure the connection.
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5
Test the draw system to see if it will properly deliver beer. Open the valve on the regulator to promote air flow from the CO2 tank. There will be a standard PSI level (pressure level) corresponding to your keg; adjust the PSI on the regulator to this standard.
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Mount the drip tray below the faucet. Hold the tray against the door and drill screws into the holes on the tray mount.
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Attach the draw handle to the top of the faucet and turn on your fridge to maintain cooling temperatures.
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Tips & Warnings
You may save a lot of money by searching for used refrigerators in warehouse sales, garage sales and on the Internet. Brewing companies sell draft system kits with all the parts you will need; however, you will be paying for the convenience. To save the most money, head to a local brew shop or hardware store.
After continued use, draft lines may become clogged and dirty, resulting in too much or too little carbonation, stale or off-tasting beer or simply unsanitary conditions. Therefore, purchasing a draft cleaning kit is highly recommended.
Never exceed 60 PSI on your CO2 regulator. Also, treat your CO2 tank with care and beware of leaks.
References
- Photo Credit mug with beer. image by Yuri Bizgaimer from Fotolia.com
