Chest Freezer Recommendations

I actually bought a 5.2 just for cooling down my carboy after chilling too warm, unfortunately the need for more freezer space "food" slowly engulfed my project, took it over completely now im wanting another for chilling and fermenting, thinking about right next to my brew rig and only using it for brewing, but the issue is I brew outside, still thinking of how to keep the freezer permanently outside on the deck all year round
 
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J A said:
My experience is that if you only have one appliance available for everything, you won't be making beer very often.
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i think that's the goal though, we won't abandon our 2 gal batches. We'll use the small scale stuff to gauge what we want to brew on a larger scale.
 
Just keep in mind the biggest mistakes you will make as a homebrewer is undersizing and then having to replace later. Any freezer of any size will sell on craigslist if you don't continue brewing. The initial cost is not much different for bigger.
 
I happened to size my keezer to my ultimate preference. My oversight was the height of the collar. I planned for 6 taps but 8 kegs so that 2 could condition on top of the compressor shelf. A collar 1/2" taller than what I have would allow the 2 conditioning legs to remain hooked up you the CO2 lines without propping the lid open. And don't put a tap over the compressor shelf. The keg there gets in the way.
 
As to quality, I have a small GE freezer that I use as a fermentation chamber and a larger Kenmore unit as a keezer. The GE is works great and looks good. The Kenmore condenses like crazy, is loud and looks cheaply made. I had another of the small GE units that I used as my first keezer, but gave it away because it only held two kegs (based on the published measurements it should have held four, sigh). If I had to do it again I would hold out for the higher quality appliance even if it cost a little more.

Good luck, PZ
 
Just thought I'd chime in on this thread too I've got a keg King kegerator fits three kegs got 2 taps. I ferment in wine fridge hooked up with STC. Would love in near future to toss the wine fridge and start fermenting in freezer for the ability to cold crash lager the fermentor. Plus freezer don't let cold air out when opening and cheaper to run. It's all about dollars in my brew shed
 
Thought I might resurrect this thread in the hopes of someone answering a fermentation freezer question.
1 have we bought brand new freezer for this fermentation application?
2 as I've just acquired luckily one second hand what sort of life style am I looking at on average on a fermentation freezer?

Looking at mine fermenting a lager at a 12c in summer it does cycle once every 20 mins I recon so it's turning on and off a few times a day. Thanks for any input;)
 
Two refrigerators running for fermentation and still not enough space.....
Thinking of a large chest freezer to build kegerator, one big enough for four taps and storage for bottled beers.
The biggest challenge will be where to put it. Wife won't allow it to be placed where I would put it.. in the living room. :) I'll likely end up running up and down basement stairs.
 
MrBIP said:
Two refrigerators running for fermentation and still not enough space.....
Thinking of a large chest freezer to build kegerator, one big enough for four taps and storage for bottled beers.
The biggest challenge will be where to put it. Wife won't allow it to be placed where I would put it.. in the living room. :) I'll likely end up running up and down basement stairs.
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It's a workout! That's what I do. And when I go downstairs to get a beer, my wife will say, "Get me a beer too!"
 
Now that is working for your beer. At least you'll know when you've had to much as you'll either fall down the stairs or can't get back up them:p

How long you had your freezer jeff?
 
Which freezer? Probably 14 months for my first lagering chamber. 12 months for my second lagering chamber. And my keezer for about 8 months. Keezer capacity is 8 kegs, 6 taps. Each lagering chamber is 5 cf, big enough for one carboy.
 
jeffpn said:
Which freezer? Probably 14 months for my first lagering chamber. 12 months for my second lagering chamber. And my keezer for about 8 months. Keezer capacity is 8 kegs, 6 taps. Each lagering chamber is 5 cf, big enough for one carboy.
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So all of them going strong none died on ya. Yep my freezer I got fits my bucket fermentor and not much more but room on that ledge but I bought it for fermentation so I'm happy with that. Cs mate
 
I bought all of them new. They'd better last a while!!
 
Trialben said:
Committed man committed to a great cause brewing better beer!
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You need a minimum of two if your serious. You don't want to go bigger than you need and a discarded refrigerator works well for serving and lagering but doesn't get cold enough to cold crash so one of each IMO
 
New 5 cf freezers can be found fairly cheap, in my opinion. Free is better, but you really have to keep an eye out for them, and be first to respond. Way back when, my wife and I scored a free chest freezer. That thing lasted about 18 years for us!
 
Brew Cat said:
You need a minimum of two if your serious. You don't want to go bigger than you need and a discarded refrigerator works well for serving and lagering but doesn't get cold enough to cold crash so one of each IMO
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Both refrigerators I have running easily go to 35. How much colder would you want for cold crash?
 
I don't cold crash. I do lager, and I do that at 34°. If what you have can get you to 35°, I think your fine.
 
MrBIP said:
Both refrigerators I have running easily go to 35. How much colder would you want for cold crash?
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35 is good if that's the best you can do but I set mine controller to about 30 degrees. The beer won't freeze but will be really clear
 
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