Kegerator or deep well bottle cooler or both?

Discussion in 'Home Bar' started by D_Labruzzi, Apr 16, 2021.

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  1. D_Labruzzi

    D_Labruzzi Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2021

    Hey everyone,
    I have been lurking for a while and seen a lot of your posts and questions in regards to kegerators and their various setups etc. I am going to try and not ask the same old question.
    I am making plans for a backyard bbq island/ kitchen. It will be a large u shaped bar with counter space inside the U for BBQ, Griddle, and accessories and will be covered by an aluminum patio cover. I live in California so most of the time weather is great although the summer does get hot where I am with temps in the triple digits. I have always wanted a kegerator and I want one in this build (kegco outdoor single or double). I also am looking at putting in a horizontal deep well bottle cooler (Bevair DW49HC-S or smaller unit 36"). I like the idea of the deep well for easy access to bottles or cans without having to crouch down to a traditional fridge. I know its overkill but I just like the speed and novelty of it.
    So my questions
    1. Am I going to be able to keep the kegerator cold enough to make it worth having? I am willing to spend the time and effort to dial it in. But if it's never going to work right id like to know before I blow 2k.
    2. Am I going to have issues with the deep well cooler? I have not seen anyone do this before and I'm worried there is a reason. Does anyone have experience with these?
    3. Is it worth having both? or pick one? I have access to craft brewers and kegs as well as bottles and cans etc. They can even ship them in the state now due to covid.

    Thank you, any feedback on my potential setup is appretiated.
     
    #1 D_Labruzzi, Apr 16, 2021
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  2. billandsuz

    billandsuz Pooh-Bah (2,097) Sep 1, 2004 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    You can get an outdoor kegerator, and it is an expensive unit. But that will live comfortably in California. If you can build some she you'll be fine.

    A back bar cooler for outdoor use is tricky. The top slides open. This is not a weather proof item. However many people, commercial bars included, use a small chest freezer with an outboard temperature controller. This will work fine, even outdoors. Pain the thing if you like.

    Be aware that reaching into the bottom of a cooler can be a chore if you are short.

    Keg beer is always a better beer and it is cheaper too. You don't have to dispose of bottles and cans either. But you get 1 or 2 flavors.
    Bottles and cans allow for variety.
    You can keep bottles and cans in a basement fridge and haul out a cooler on occasion too.

    Cheers
     
    #2 billandsuz, Apr 16, 2021
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  3. D_Labruzzi

    D_Labruzzi Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2021

    These are great points thank you for taking the time to respond. My original thought was the classic drop in SS ice cooler and an ice machine. But that would cost more than the commercial cooler or at least as much. I didn't think about weather protection for the top. I could probably make something to cover it when not in use. Like a removable counter piece or something.

    As far as the chest freezers if I wanted to build it in how would I handle venting? Would having vents in my structure be enough? I didn't reaserch this, are there temp controllers you recommend? I'm very interested in this approach as it would be much cheaper.
     
    #3 D_Labruzzi, Apr 20, 2021
  4. billandsuz

    billandsuz Pooh-Bah (2,097) Sep 1, 2004 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    Ice machines... probably not a good idea. At least not a commercial unit. Even a small one. These are notoriously unreliable and they use a lot of water. Ice machines also require routine cleaning (don't ask). Basically it will make ice 24/7 and the melt water goes down a drain. Your neighbors will enjoy the sound of ice crashing at 3 am. You know what it sounds like, and it is 24/7/365. A home unit is likely too small for the job, but maybe if you search you might find one that works.

    So long as you have some space around the compressor and don't box in the walls of the cooler either it should be fine. The compressor needs space for cooling. The appliance also sheds heat via coils right beneath the skin of the coolers outside walls. So if you cover those walls the heat will not escape.

    Inkbird is a typical outboard t-stat. Johnson Controls makes one A419. A very reliable unit is a Honeywell (which is no longer Honeywell but some other brand. Same thing). Just be sure you get one that is intended to over ride the internal t-stat.
    Cheers

    [​IMG]
     
    #4 billandsuz, Apr 20, 2021
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  5. PortLargo

    PortLargo Pooh-Bah (1,831) Oct 19, 2012 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    Amen . . . a typical freezer of comparable size (14 cubic feet) to the Bevair will be about 1/3 the price and will keep the beer equally cool. Even that is overkill, you might consider something in the 7-10 cubic foot range for even less dough. Just be aware you give up the sliding top for a rear-pivoting opening. If you can have 3 sides of a freezer mostly open your ventilation should be fine. In a pinch you could add an electric vent fan to keep it cool. Just mentally budget for a replacement somewhere down the road.

    Temp control of a freezer will be the least of your problems. The old guys like @billandsuz push the analog controllers that were invented before electronics (I can say that as I'm older). The new-fangled units like Inkbird do a great job for a cheaper price, you can even add wifi if you want bragging points.

    I would say it's only worth having both if you are using it constantly . . . and this is from someone who has three units.
     
    #5 PortLargo, Apr 23, 2021
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