Mini Fridge Kegerator

[BrewChemistinCO]

I've been trying to do research and find an appropriate mini fridge to turn into a kegerator (the lady def. wouldn't go for the chest freezer in our apartment.) I want to buy something that I can use for a bottles for a short term and turn into a kegerator in the long term. I've seen what most people says and that the Sanyo 49xx are the gold standard. Thing is I found a GE 3.2 ft mini fridge (no freezer) on craigslist, the internal dimensions are 28" tall X 15 1/2" wide X 15" deep. This would cost me $50 compared to a new Sanyo for $200+.

I've seen this website http://www.wortomatic.com/articles/Useful-Keg-Dimensions. The problem is I have no clue what equipment is involved in the whole system. I've also yet to find a post on any forums that summarize exactly how much space you need. Everyone just says that you should get the Sanyo. If anyone has any input that would be awesome

[Mylo]

Get the Sanyo. That GE one sounds too small. Or just keep an eye on Craigslist for a while. You might get lucky and score one cheaper than new.


Mylo

[Kbar]

hey there.

Bought 2 Oster 5.0 cu.ft. One for fermentation with my 7 Gallon conical (had to shorten the legs) and one for two kegs and CO2 bottle. Can never have more than that at a time, but that is OK. I have help drinking the fruits of my labor

Take care!

PS Oster did have a bad rep for quality, but 6 months later they are still going strong.

[ziggy]

I have a regular size mini fridge kegerator. It works fine. You just have to make sure that the keg fits under the freezer unit at the top. You cut away the door shelving and there you go. you have a single keg kegerator. I don't remember the dimensions of mine and it's far away from me right now but you don't have to have the fancy Sanyo one. The best thing to do would probably be ask the person selling it on craigslist if you can look at it and try to fit a keg into it. The main measurements you need are the one from the bottom of the inside to the bottom of the freezer thingy and the distance from the hump in the back to the door.

[BrewChemistinCO]

Get the Sanyo. That GE one sounds too small. Or just keep an eye on Craigslist for a while. You might get lucky and score one cheaper than new.


Mylo

Well Mylo I took your advice and tomorrow I'm going to pick up a Sanyo 4910 for $50 off CL. I debating on using it as a fermentation fridge for the time being until I can get the stuff to keg. With the MoreBeer temp control deals through sunday I can get all the temp control stuff for $100. I figure kegging will cost another several hundred on top of the fridge. This way I can use the fridge for ferm control until I get all the kegging stuff while keeping my eye out for another ferm fridge.

[ChrisKennedy]

Heading into summer, if your main goal is making the best beer possible, the fermentation fridge will serve you better. Kegging is awesome, much much better than bottle conditioning (from a convenience standpoint, a coolness standpoint, and a consistency standpoint), but I would bottle condition before I gave up my fermentation temperature control.

[Mylo]

Get the Sanyo. That GE one sounds too small. Or just keep an eye on Craigslist for a while. You might get lucky and score one cheaper than new.


Mylo

Well Mylo I took your advice and tomorrow I'm going to pick up a Sanyo 4910 for $50 off CL. I debating on using it as a fermentation fridge for the time being until I can get the stuff to keg. With the MoreBeer temp control deals through sunday I can get all the temp control stuff for $100. I figure kegging will cost another several hundred on top of the fridge. This way I can use the fridge for ferm control until I get all the kegging stuff while keeping my eye out for another ferm fridge.

Alright! I suppose that means you owe me a beer.


Mylo

[BrewChemistinCO]

I got the fridge yesterday and got some homebrews sitting in it right now and I'll be ordering the temp controller from B3 sometime this weekend (gonna wait to see if a really good deal of the day happens). The fridge will be my ferm fridge for the summer and hopefully come winter I will have all the pieces to put together the Kegerator.

Alright! I suppose that means you owe me a beer.


Mylo

That's fair enough and I suppose that could be arranged. Coming to GABF?