Keezer build

I like beer. I like brewing beer. But I don't like having to bottle my beer. I also like draft beer, but don't have any way of getting draft beer at home so that I never have to venture out into the outside world.

I could just keg my beer one five gallon batch at a time, but my philosophy is that if it's worth doing it's worth overdoing. So I'm building a five keg system.

The freezer came from Home Depot. I normally don't do business with them because of their shady credit practices, but the deal was too good to pass up. The temperature controller was ordered from Amazon.com. Most of the other hardware came from Midwest Supplies, I spend way more money with them than I probably should. The CO2 tank and the Sanke tap were purchased from Kegs & Barrels. Paint and wood were purchased from Lowes. My first commercial keg came from Choice Beverage in McKinney.

Parts list

• Freezer - $168
• 5 5/16" Gas Line Assembly - Ball Lock - $49.95
• 5 Chrome Faucet with Brass Lever - $79.95
• 2 5-Gallon Reconditioned Ball Lock Keg - $119.98
• 10 Plastic Tubing Spacer - $8.90
• 5 Ball Lock Liquid Disconnect, 1/4" Barbed - $29.95
• 5 Long Faucet Tap Handle - $12.45
• 5 3" Economy Shank w/o Nipple - $84.95
• Shank Securing Wrench - $4.99
• 5 1/4" Stainless Beer Tail Piece - $12.50
• 10 O-Ring Set - $29.90
• 5-Way CO2 Distributor, 5/16" - $75.99
• 5 Neoprene Washer  - $6.95
• 50 ft 3/16" ID Beer Line - $37.50
• Double CO2 Regulator - $149.99
• Domestic Keg Coupler - $39.99
• STC-1000 Temperature Controller - $21.99
• 5lb CO2 tank - $109.99
• 5 hex nuts - $7.45 (Homebrew Headquarters)
• 2 3/4x12x72 stain grade panels (ie wood) - $31.94
• 3/4" Poly Panel Insulation - $9.80
• 2 Weatherstripping - $12.53
• Extension cord - $8.47
• 1" hole saw - $5.88
• Screws - $5.58
• 8 angle brackets - $20.56

The Build

Here's the freezer before it gets completely repurposed:

Cutting the wood with Jason's help:

Attaching some 90 degree brackets and cutting the insulation:

Drilling the one inch holes for the shanks:

Installing the shanks:

Attaching the back to the side:

Altogether now:

Attaching the gas distributor:

Backside of the installed shanks:

Faucets installed (Midwest backordered one of the shanks):

Wiring up the temperature controller:

Semi-finished product, I thought it was meant for me, but Scriptlet thinks it made a good bed. I had to take off the hinges. I'll add them back with another set at some point:

Inside after adding kegs and stuff. That's a keg of Omni's Hardly Workin' Ale and Lakewood's Temptress. There's also a fermenter with a batch of Omni's Employment Anchor Away. 

Future improvements:

• Resizing the collar. I didn't cut it to the right size, so it's too deep. Apparently I suck at math. I blame imperial units and the American education system.
• Painting the whole thing very dark brown to match my office's furniture.
• Installing the last shank when it arrives.
• Mounting the temperature controller and a thermometer so I can see what's going on in there better and control it.
• Installing a drip pan.
• Adding more gas line. I bought pre-built gas lines from Midwest, but had to take two of them apart. One goes from the CO2 tank to the distributor, and one goes to the commercial Sanke tap. 
• Installing hinges. The lid will be hinged as well as the collar.
• Tracking system to show the beers on tap as well as how much of each is available.