With my keggerator 95% done I thought I'd create an omnibus kegerator post to produce more google search results because most of my google search results come from the kegerator.
In part one of my kegerator post I detailed what parts I bought from midwest supply, and best buy to convert my Fridged Air BFPH44M4LM mini fridge into a Kegerator. This stage was mostly about buying the large parts.
In part two I covered filling kegs while maintaining a CO2 pressurized environment. This didn't have as much to do with my kegerator and assembly so much as what goes into the kegerator.
In part three things began to take shape as I modified the inside of the fridge and secured my equiptment. I had proof that my fridge could hold two two kegs and when they cooled I had two beers on picnic tap for the first time. This went on for a while until I recieved a tap tower for christmas.
In part four the heavy work happened. The hole for the tower was drilled, things were attached, and everything was cleaned up. This wasn't the end of this project but was a milestone on the path to whatever this minifridge becomes.
Now that I am done I can do a final tallying of costs.
Refridgerator + $169
Kegging Setup + 259
Tap Tower + 179
Drip Tray + 30
Misc Exp + 20
----------------------
Total = $657
Not a bad cost total over 9 months, encompasing a few gifts and a little indulgance. Having Beer in kegs was a hit at thanksgiving at Kyle's. His cousin asked me for a keg of my beer. Kegging saves a lot of time vs. bottling.
The fridge works great and functions just as well. It's the realization of a college era dream to have beer on tap in a little home bar type area within my home. Someday when I have my own home I am going to have a nice little setup in my basement.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Finished Keggerator
This is part three of the series - the final part.So when I last posted on my Keggerator I was waiting to get a tap tower, which I've gotten, and I was using my picnic taps as my primary taps.
I got a tap tower for Christmas from my mother. It's a nice chromed tower with two Perlick 575 Taps. the tower came with hoses and 'universal couplers'. These might be universal for commercial kegs but they're not universal for corny kegs.
(Read more after the break.)
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Review: Wet Hopped DIPA
Wet Hop DIPA
Appearance: Dark Golden/Copper, but tilting towards brown.
Aroma: HUGE hops upfront, sweet and wet captured in the beer. Wet and Citrus at once; the flower essence of centennial plays a huge roll.
Flavor: Creamy and rich malt body, with hops laid over it. The hops are prefect in their combination cascade playing off centennial and vice versa. The alcohol is well restrained and hidden under a huge huge hop flavor.
Mouth: Perfectly carbonated. The corn sugar addition likely prevented this from being too thick by keeping the final gravity restrained. The beer is satisfyingly wet while not feeling heavy or sugary, spot on.
Overall: This is seriously my best beer to date. I am giving it an A-/A. If I could change anything I would change the color to be a more appetizing yellow, and not an unappetizing brown. The aroma, flavor, and mouth feel are all spot on. I could drink a few of these and be drunk and happy. I'll be re-brewing this beer or a beer like this if I can get fresh hops again next year. As fresh hops become more available to hop headed home brewers I'll be keeping an eye on the Internet trying to buy fresh hops, otherwise I hope Sicilianos can come through for me again.
Appearance: Dark Golden/Copper, but tilting towards brown.Aroma: HUGE hops upfront, sweet and wet captured in the beer. Wet and Citrus at once; the flower essence of centennial plays a huge roll.
Flavor: Creamy and rich malt body, with hops laid over it. The hops are prefect in their combination cascade playing off centennial and vice versa. The alcohol is well restrained and hidden under a huge huge hop flavor.
Mouth: Perfectly carbonated. The corn sugar addition likely prevented this from being too thick by keeping the final gravity restrained. The beer is satisfyingly wet while not feeling heavy or sugary, spot on.
Overall: This is seriously my best beer to date. I am giving it an A-/A. If I could change anything I would change the color to be a more appetizing yellow, and not an unappetizing brown. The aroma, flavor, and mouth feel are all spot on. I could drink a few of these and be drunk and happy. I'll be re-brewing this beer or a beer like this if I can get fresh hops again next year. As fresh hops become more available to hop headed home brewers I'll be keeping an eye on the Internet trying to buy fresh hops, otherwise I hope Sicilianos can come through for me again.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Review: Scottish Wee Heavy Stout
Scottish Wee Heavy Stout
Appearance: Brown tinged edges, a light foam dissipates rather quickly into the dark body, light permeates the edges but not through the body at all. When held to the light you can see that this beer is a dark brown not a true black.
Aroma: Sweet and malty, no yeast or hops, no deep roasts, because I didn't use any. It smelled like when I was caramelizing the pale malt.
Flavor: Smooth Caramel, A touch of toasted sugars sitting on a biscuity base. The beer isn't strongly flavored but has a haunting toasted sugar flavor the follows the nose.
Mouth: The silky mouthfeel is perfect and accents the smooth flavors perfectly. The carbonation is a bit higher than I would want a stout but after letting it decant in my glass it was just right. The yeast and the residual sugars were nearly perfect.
Overall: This was a good stout, I don't know that I'd want a keg of it because it just didn't have that it, that wow factor. I am going to rate this a B because there was nothing wrong with it, there just wasn't enough right with it.
Appearance: Brown tinged edges, a light foam dissipates rather quickly into the dark body, light permeates the edges but not through the body at all. When held to the light you can see that this beer is a dark brown not a true black.Aroma: Sweet and malty, no yeast or hops, no deep roasts, because I didn't use any. It smelled like when I was caramelizing the pale malt.
Flavor: Smooth Caramel, A touch of toasted sugars sitting on a biscuity base. The beer isn't strongly flavored but has a haunting toasted sugar flavor the follows the nose. Mouth: The silky mouthfeel is perfect and accents the smooth flavors perfectly. The carbonation is a bit higher than I would want a stout but after letting it decant in my glass it was just right. The yeast and the residual sugars were nearly perfect.
Overall: This was a good stout, I don't know that I'd want a keg of it because it just didn't have that it, that wow factor. I am going to rate this a B because there was nothing wrong with it, there just wasn't enough right with it.
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