Home cellar system?

Not exactly what your looking for but since I'm always on the move I saved up for the movable cellar (I constantly move for work)

http://www.sears.com/frigidaire-com...p-04603820000P?prdNo=6&blockNo=6&blockType=G6

Similar fridges can be found pretty cheap on craigslist

 

Is the fridge you're using at fridge temp or "cellar temp"?

 

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The one I purchased (after some trial and error) allows me to keep it at 55 degrees perfectly. Some of the other fridges I had looked at only went as "warm" as 45-50 degrees but if your serious about the investment a good temp controlled fridge could be cheaper than converting an entire room, not sure.

Here's a similar post on beer fridges I sifted through for my beer vault.

http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/beer-cellar-fridge-help.16365/

 

A liquid thermometer would be ideal but I asked because if it was at fridge temp (40deg or below), you are basically preserving the beer and not really cellaring it. You could get a temp control unit for your fridge but as you said, it is used for food sometimes too so that might not be a good idea. There are tons of threads on this subject here so just search the forums and you will get plenty of input. Cheers and good luck.

 

I have read a lot of articles on here about this, and I have decided on the setup I am going to use. My mother is getting rid of an extra stand-up freezer she has, so she is giving it to me. I am going to use that with this temp controller that comes highly recommended on this site
http://www.amazon.com/Johnson-Controls-A19AAT-2C-Temperature-Controller/dp/B0002EAL58
You simply run the temp probe inside the refrigerator (most suggest into a bottle of water to decrese sudden temp fluctuations when the door is opened) plug the fridge into the controller, plug that into the wall, and set to the desired temperature. This is the most cost effective setup I have found so far. Hope this helps!

 

This is perfect! I plan on upgrading my fridge and moving the old fridge to the garage to store my beer. Glad I stumbled across this and thanks for the post!

 

Glad I could help. The only part I haven't got nailed down yet is where to drill through the refrigerator to run the temp probe. I have heard some bad stories of people drilling through freon lines. I'm sure it won't be too difficult to figure out.

 

Or you could just put them in your closet and call it a day. Nothing said in this thread has been proven on any level at any point in time. It's all just carried over from wine cellaring, which is very different from beer

Just keep it simple. Somewhere dark, and not hot

 

I would challenge you to go back through some of the older threads and (re)read them. There has been a lot of threads about this, and a lot of data. It is always the people who don't have proper storage that argue there is no proof, so they don't have to admit their conditions are inadequate.

That being said (to the OP), if you are planning to drink these beers within about a year (give or take) by all means, keep it in a dark closet, with consistent temp. However, if looking to actually cellar your beers for multiple years, then look into some sort of cooling system. I personally used an old fridge with a temp control for a while. When I remodeled my sub basement I talked the wife into letting me build a dedicated cellar. After a lot if research on cooling systems, went with the CellarPro 3200. Would have opted for the smaller one for half the price, but the wife decided we would make the room larger so we could use it as a root cellar too.

***also my advise, before going out and spending money on converting a whole room into a cellar, honestly ask yourself why you want to cellar beer. Is this going to be a fad for you, or something you can see yourself doing long term. If you are unsure, maybe opt for the temp controlled fridge.

 

So your strongest proof is old threads. That means I'm correct and there is no study anywhere that proves any benefits to "cellaring beer" in a fridge or cooler vs a dark cool place. Btw, if I come across as aggressive, I apologize. I come from a exercising forum where broscience runs rampant so I've grown a slightly agressive tone and a knack for not believing anything that hasn't been proven. (supplement industry rapes people that believe everything they're told)

It's usually people that spend (possibly waste) a small chunk of money to get a temp controlled storage system that defend their spending. At the end of the day, all that matters is if they're satisfied with their decision.

Op, if you have money and space, then by all means invest in a storage system for your beers. Just don't plan on moving a cellar full of bottles if you ever have to move lol. And just know that there's a strong possibility that it won't make much of a difference unless your house is constantly over 90 degrees during summer.

I know plenty of people in person that just build or buy a cabinet for their basement, garage, or even closet to store their beer

 

The point is there is a lot of info in some of the previous threads from people much smarter than you or I, regarding the chemical reactions that take place under different conditions. More than just opinions on which is better. At the end of the day its everyone's decision to believe what they want, but I think that decision should be an informed one. Collect the info supporting each side, rather than saying if you haven't seen it, it must not exist. Also, your strongest argument so far is that beer isn't wine. Doesn't mean the basic rules don't apply. Mind telling me specifically which ingredients and which reactions make it so different that it doesn't benefit in the same ways?

 

i have too much beer, so my shit is spread all over. 1 is a wine fridge so its perfect. the other is a kegerator that is set to 46 degrees, i use this for what i plan on drinking soon. i have a smaller fridge thats colder for shit i'll get to soon. i have a stand up freezer with this http://www.beveragefactory.com/draf...&cagpspn=pla&gclid=CJXH_Yuj9rsCFaxr7AodMH4Ajw so its converted to stay around 55 degrees, its loaded full so it turns on less as its more efficient. lastly i have a wine rack for lambics and gueuze that sit in a giant armoire. ohhh and some old kitchen cabinets that are loaded too. these are for american stouts and wilds, stuff i don't plan on aging very long. everything resides in my basement. temps range from high 50's in winter to upper 60's in dead of summer

 

Lastly, when temp controlling, be sure to put your thermometer into a filled bottle of water in your cellar. The purpose of this is because cellaring doesn't matter about the air temp, but rather the temp of the contents of your bottles. I too have a Johnsons digital thermostat, and I keep mine at 50* +/- 3

 

Quick questions on a refrigerator in the garage. This will help with a debate between the wife and me. I live in MN, so on the coldest day, the garage will get into the single digits. Just bought a new fridge and have dedicated the old one to beer. I wanted to keep the fridge in the house but due to limited space, that isn't in the cards. The question I have is will the insulation keep the temp in the fridge warm enough to keep beer from freezing. I am not too concerned with cellaring at this moment in time, rather preserving beer, and cleaning the clutter of boxes and 4pks, spread all over any dark place in the house.

Thanks!