Build a Kegerator

In this project, I’ll outline how to build a basic, two-tap kegerator. It’s not a cheap project, but the benefits are tremendous and well worth the money.

Before you can get started buying all of the needed hardware, you need to decide if your kegerator is going to be housed in a refrigerator or chest freezer.

Using a refrigerator is generally less expensive overall and requires less equipment, but a decent-sized chest freezer can usually accommodate more kegs (and thus taps). Also, used refrigerators can be had for very little money — and in some cases are free if you can pick them up yourself.

Be aware, however, that old refrigerators consume a lot of power. Although the upfront cost may be right, a newer refrigerator may end up saving you money in the long run. I opted to go with a refrigerator because it fit my brewing needs (and available space), required minimal hardware and was less expensive overall than going with a chest freezer. I ended up buying a new unit because I lucked into a model-clearance sale and got it really cheap. It’s an “apartment-sized” refrigerator/freezer combo, which looks just like a normal fridge, but it’s about 12 cubic feet (0.34 cubic meters) inside instead of the normal 18 cubic feet (0.51 cubic meter) or larger. It’s perfect for a two-, three- or even four-tap setup.

To figure out how many kegs a given fridge or freezer will hold, trace around the bottom of a Cornelius keg on a piece of cardboard, cut it out and take that with you when you go to look at your options. If you don’t have a keg yet, you can just draw an 8-inch diameter circle instead of tracing the bottom.

Also, be sure to measure the fridge or freezer for vertical clearance. A typical ball-lock keg with the disconnects attached is about 26-inches (66-cm) high. Vertical clearance isn’t usually an issue with full-size refrigerators or chest freezers, but it’s good to know the height of the kegs when trying to squeeze just one more into a tight space in the back of the fridge.

The setup may be intimidating at first, but in no time you’ll be enjoying your brew on tap with friends and family. It’s a beautiful thing. For some handy formulas to help get your system fully tuned to your liking, check out http://kegman.net/balance.html

Build Your Own Kegerator

Tools and Parts

• 1 refrigerator
• Drip tray
• 2 Cornelius kegs
• 2 shanks
• 2 forward-sealing faucets
• 2 tap handles
• 2 10-ft (3-m) lengths of beer line (3⁄16 ID)
• 4 hose clamps (for beer line)
• 1 CO2 tank
• 1 dual-gauge regulator
• 3 feet (1 m) air line hose (1⁄4-inch diameter)
• 1 “Y” splitter (for air line hose)
• 6 hose clamps (for air line)
• 2 beer “out” disconnects *
• 2 gas “IN” disconnects *
• caulk
• keg lube
• elelctric drill
• 7⁄8-inch hole saw
• screwdriver
• Tap handles.

*(Be sure to match your disconnects to the type of kegs you have: either ball lock or pin lock.)

Step by Step

1: Choose your shanks and faucets

For a refrigerator-based kegerator, you’ll need a shank and a faucet head to make each tap. The shank fits through a hole drilled in the refrigerator door, and, via beverage tubing, connects the keg to the dispensing faucet. Some shanks have a permanently attached hose barb, while others use a tail piece and wing nut to attach the barb. Either type will work just fine. The other end of the shank has a threaded collar that mates with the faucet. This is a great system, as it allows any faucet to be used with any shank. This comes in handy if you want to upgrade your faucets at a later date.

There are many faucets available on the market right now, ranging from cheap brass units to high-end stainless with a brushed nickel finish. If you have the money, I highly recommend the forward-sealing style faucets. In a forward-sealing faucet, the flow of beer is stopped near the front of the faucet, not the back as in most faucets. This means that, when you pour a beer, it does not flow through a tap that has beer residue in it that has been exposed to oxygen. They’re easier to keep clean (and they look really cool). But any faucet will work, so there’s no need to spend a lot on faucets right away.

2: CO2 – hit the gas

The heart of any kegerator is the gas that pushes the beer. In the vast majority of cases, this will be carbon dioxide (CO2), but could also be a nitrogen/CO2 mix (turn to page 61 for more about building a nitrogen system). Gas cylinders most commonly come in 5-lb., 10-lb., and 20-lb. sizes, but both smaller and larger sizes are available.

A gas regulator is required as well. It attaches to the cylinder and allows you to set the pressure of the gas imposed on the keg, which is how you set and adjust the carbonation level in the beer. Dual-gauge regulators also show how much pressure is remaining in the cylinder.

If you plan on having several beers on tap, you’ll also need some way to push the gas to each keg. This is typically done with a manifold that splits the line from a single gas cylinder into many output connections. For splitting off to just two kegs, you can use an inexpensive “Y” adapter that screws into the regulator. If you plan on serving beers that require different carbonation levels, this will require either a separate CO2 cylinder and regulator or a double regulator attached to just one cylinder. For starting out, however, a simple dual-gauge regulator is more than adequate.

3: Convert the Fridge

This is actually the easiest part of the whole project. All you need is a drill and a 7⁄8-inch hole saw. Just drill a hole through the refrigerator door for each tap you intend to have. That’s about all there is to it.

Before you drill, you’ll want to measure and mark the door. First take a look at the inside of the refrigerator door to verify the locations of shelving supports. It is best not to drill through these supports, as you may want to keep the shelves for holding bottled homebrew or odds and ends related to brewing. Now you can mark off your center points for drilling (as shown in this photo).

4: Install the shanks

The holes you drilled should be a tight fit for the shanks. Work them through the hole and tighten the nuts on the inside of the kegerator (which is what your fridge now is, officially). For a little extra thermal security, you can seal the edges of the holes with a little silicone caulk before you tighten down the nut. I have not found this to be necessary, but if your shank holes aren’t quite clean and neat, it might not be a bad idea. It can’t hurt either way.

Once the retaining nuts are tightened down on the shanks, screw the faucets into the shank collars and you’re ready to hook up the kegs and gas. You can also attach your drip tray now. For attaching to a refrigerator door, you’ll need one that has a mounting bracket (as opposed to drip trays that just lay flat under vertically mounted taps). Instead of screwing mine into the door, I glued some felt-backed magnets to the tray. This makes it easier to remove the tray for cleaning, moving the kegerator, etc.

5: Testing, testing

Attach the regulator to the cylinder, and make sure the connection is tight (but do not over-tighten). Slip one end of a length of gas tubing over the hose barb on the regulator’s shut-off valve and secure it tightly with a hose clamp.

The other end of the gas tubing goes on the gas quick disconnect fitting (which is usually grey and plastic) and should also be secured with a hose clamp (pictured).

Attach the grey gas disconnect to the “IN” post (also called a plug) on a keg filled with tap water (or sanitizer if you prefer). Set the regulator to about 8 to 10 PSI and open the valve on the cylinder. You’ll hear the gas enter the keg. Now take a spray bottle filled with either soapy water or a standard strength solution of Star San sanitizer and spray the connections on the regulator and the disconnect. Watch closely for bubbles, as this is a sign that CO2 is leaking. If you see bubbles, turn off the gas and retighten the connection nearest to where the bubbles occurred. Keep doing this procedure until you don’t see any bubbles. Even a very tiny leak will leave you with an empty cylinder in a very short time.

6: Attach the tubing

Now attach the beverage tubing to the hose barb on the liquid disconnect (usually black plastic) and the hose barb on the shank and secure both connections with a hose clamp (as shown in the photo). As a starting point, use about 10 feet (3.0 m) of beverage tubing. Attach the liquid disconnect to the “OUT” post on the keg, turn the gas back on, put some kind of container under the tap, and pull the handle toward you to open it. The water in the keg will now flow out through the faucet. Watch the beverage “out” side for liquid leaks. Tighten and reseat connections that show any leakage at all. If you think you’re having trouble with the keg seals, apply a thin coat of food-grade lubricant to all rubber parts (seals and gaskets). This is commonly available at homebrew suppliers and is often simply called “keg lube.”