MINI BIAB Kegerator Journey Thread

Post #1 made 7 years ago
I'm taking the next step in Mini-BAIB with a DIY Kegerator.  My son returned from college and I immediately took possession of his unwanted magic chef mini refrigerator  2.6 cu ft.   I removed the door panel and replaced it with self adhesive 1/8" foil lined insulation and foil tape (mainly to clean up the edges).   I painted it black enamel to fit my apt living room decor.  
My keg is a 1.75 gal cannoball with the regulator and picnic tap.  The tower faucet arrives in a few more days for the next stage of the build (the drip tray arrived yesterday).  My CO2 is a 5lb tank.   I would have preferred something smaller, but small tanks were more expensive and I wasn't sire they would be as compatible. 
Additionally,  I upgraded to a 5 gallon brew pot and 3 gal conical fermentor (gift from my goddaughter)  to enable me to go from 1 gal batches to 2 and 2.5 gal.  I'm already planning to acquire a second cannon ball keg to have one carbonating/conditioning in reserve.  The brewdom conical  came in handy as my sister gave me two 5 gal northern brewer kits for the holidays, which I can brew in half batches - which I already started by brewing a half batch (2.5 gal) of the nut brown ale on Monday.   I'm planning on that brew to be my first kegging. 

I can also see me taking the cannoball keg to friends next summer.  

pics and progress to follow ..
    • SVA Brewer With Over 20 Brews From United States of America

Re: MINI BIAB Kegerator Journey Thread

Post #2 made 7 years ago
Well,  I ordered two  2.5 gal Torpedo kegs today as I plan to be brewing 2 and 2.5 gallons at a time now.   One keg being on tap while the second conditioning.  Ideally,   I would like to have the second keg hooked up to the CO2 with a double body regulator in the fridge and let it condition and come to equilibrium over a few weeks, but that's not possible at this time.   I'm on the fence between force carbonating and naturally carbonating since in other case the keg will condition for several weeks before I will get around to tapping.   

The 1.75 cannonball will be used for smaller batches as well as to bring beer to friends.
    • SVA Brewer With Over 20 Brews From United States of America

Re: MINI BIAB Kegerator Journey Thread

Post #3 made 7 years ago
[youtube]v2W0ouhDSpQ[/youtube]

Magic Chef 2.2 cu in mini fridge I repossessed from my son's dorm room.  2.5 gal Torpedo Keg  (I have 2 of them, plus a 1 gal Cannonball min keg for small batches and travel). 

5lb CO2 tank,   2.5 in Kedgo tower faucet tap.   2" computer fan in a project box to blow cold air into the tower.  

I had to remove the door shelves using a cutting disk on the drill and then used 1/8 self adhesive insulation and foil tape to clean it up.    Bent the cooling unit (ice tray) slowly to a vertical position.    

The fridge was white, so I spray painted it glossy black enamel.   It needs a second coat.   

While I have been doing all grain mini-BIAB,   this brew was a nut brown ale extract with specialty grains from a NM kit my sister gave me for the holidays.   I spilt it in half to make 2.5 gal (my fermentor is a 3 gal conical).   I will be brewing the second half tonight.  Since I can only hook up one keg at a time,  i am considering  natural carbonating the second keg.    Or I might just kook it up at 20lbs over night for a few nights and let it carbonate and condition on it's own at room temperature.   

Thoughts on ideas to manage two kegs.
    • SVA Brewer With Over 20 Brews From United States of America
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