Cedar Rapids Brewing Society

Thought I'd share my yearly winter brew build. With seasonal work I usually find myself in the middle of winter making something Brewing related. I wish I could say that I masterminded this whole thing myself, however I found instructions to go by which you can see in the link.


https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/inde ... ds/637650/

Basically using two 10-gallon water coolers you can butcher the hell out of the one cooler with a dremel and silicone it on top of the other one. This will hold a 5 gallon keg which no doubt will get used for garage/patio parties, camping weekends, and also beer festivals and smaller tastings that the club does.

To power the mobile kegerators is something I found in this month's Gadget issue of zymurgy, with a few modifications. A handle to carry it with as well as a three-way manifold.

I realize Pancho coolers makes 20 gallon beverage cooler for this purpose. Which are roughly $145 for just the cooler. And they do have full setups with Shanks and Taps for more. However I was wanting to save money and was willing to sacrifice looks in doing so. Besides more money I save on equipment is more money for ingredients, and beer! I built both of these units for probably a little over the cost of what one Pancho cooler cost, Win!

Cool! - no pun intended.....well, maybe.

Perhaps a live (monthly) demonstration at the Happy Hour is in order?

Nice work Joel!

In terms of your cost to build, how does the price of this 20 gallon cooler compare to purchasing two 10 gallons coolers?

https://www.amazon.com/Panchos-Brewing- ... 8RMZQCX59B

For an additional $40 you get most of it built for you, but none of the fun in building/customizing it:

https://www.amazon.com/Panchos-Brewing- ... 3F0EHAE5G2

Looking great. I love the set up for the tank and regulator.

daryl wrote:In terms of your cost to build, how does the price of this 20 gallon cooler compare to purchasing two

Coolers were bought for half the price of new ones. 25 ea. $50 total per unit

Stainless steel Taps and shanks were bought in a lot of equipment purchased last month. (Sold everything i didn't need making taps/shanks free)

As for the gas side assembly $22 in misc fittings per unit

6ft of beer line $8

Shipping around 7 bucks total so split between two units $3.50

Total cost $83.50 per unit. X2---$167.00

So for the second unit you listed with taps was about $235 after shipping. And you'd have to figure out your gas side hook ups. Adding yet more cost unless you had a spare keg charger or mini regulator laying around(i didn't).

If buying new coolers at $50 each i still would of been around $100 less than one of theirs.

(I'm fully aware that if i needed to buy new taps/shanks that would have added cost, say around $30 per unit? I got lucky not needing that piece)

wyzzyrdd wrote:Looking great. I love the set up for the tank and regulator.

Thanks Pat!

I just noticed the gas QD posts on the outside....that's a really nice feature. And the solid handles on the lower unit, would be strong enough to move the unit with the keg and some ice. I wouldn't want to move it very far, but you could do it.

Again, well done Joel; thanks for sharing.

daryl wrote:I just noticed the gas QD posts on the outside....that's a really nice feature. And the solid handles on the lower unit, would be strong enough to move the unit with the keg and some ice. I wouldn't want to move it very far, but you could do it.

Again, well done Joel; thanks for sharing.

Thanks Daryl, i haven't figured out the moving piece other than carrying. Possibly furniture dolly or garden cart. The lower handles would deafinatley be sturdy enough to carry, with help, i don't plan on giving myself a hernia doing it myself.

The QD i also thought was a nice addition, i wanted something that in the heat of the summer i didn't have top open the lid unless adding ice. So all the regulator adjustments is done on the outside. 20lbs of ice for roughly 2 days of use. The 6 feet of beer line wraps around the keg twice under the ice, i hope that would counter any foaming issues.

Idk about monthly happy hours, but be sure to see this at Benz, Wort rally pour event, August festival, and learn to brew day in November.

Test run is this weekend

Very cool. Kegs fit in the smaller 5 gallon coolers too by diameter. I am able to put a 2.5 gallon keg in a 5 gallon cooler and still screw the lid on. Could maybe do this project with two 5 gallons to fit taller kegs. Does not leave much room for ice though.

Your portable kegerator is awesome.

Matt F wrote: Could maybe do this project with two 5 gallons to fit taller kegs.

Something i did look into, but being smaller in diameter there would not be enough room for the shank and gas bulkhead barbs to get the keg around them and into the bottom of the cooler.

I agree it would be a lot cheaper, if using only a 2 inch shank and a keg charger it might be doable (ball lock keg only) SEE PIC this has about 1.5 inch gap around the entire keg for ice, as you suggested with a5 gallon cooler that would be cut to about half an inch. Also it would be narrower and a might be a tipping hazard.

I weighed the options and did the 10 gallon coolers, both ball or pin lock kegs will fit, as well as any smaller keg. Making it versatile if I ever come into pin lock kegs again.

I think the 2.5 and 3 gallon kegs have a diameter similar to the ball lock kegs; might be able to get the 5 gallon drink coolers to work..it would be tight and would probably scratch up my kegs.
And you're right Joel, the pin locks would be too wide to fit that configuration.

Dan White I think did something similar, but I think he used square Styrofoam coolers; he cut a round hole in the top for the top of the keg to stick out. He could then use picnic/cobra taps or one of the regular taps hooked up to a QD.

You are spot on. Could not do the cool bulkhead fittings. No wiggle room. I put a mini CO2 charger and cobra tap on top of mine. It is my incognito system.