In the brewing industry, apart from a refrigerator that is used for preserving alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, a kegerator is another piece of equipment that helps to maintain the content in kegs. Most refrigerators cannot accommodate the size of kegs, so kegerators are used for storing kegs of beverages because they are designed specifically for that purpose. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an essential element that helps to ensure that the beverage inside the keg is well preserved.
It is imperative that you leave the carbon dioxide (CO2) on in a kegerator because it helps pressurize and dispense the keg. It also ensures that the beverage in the keg stays great and carbonated for a long while without spoiling.
Many brewers use kegerators for dispensing only their draft beer. Still, recently, many of them are beginning to use their kegerators to distribute different kinds of drinks like kombucha, cold brew coffee, and wine. There are different kegerators; some are designed solely for commercial purposes, while others are intended for personal purposes. Some kegerators can carry only one keg, while some can hold more than one. A kegerator has different components in it, and they include Faucet,
faucet handle, stainless steel keg, CO2 cylinder, CO2 pressure regulator (with inlet and outlet pressure gauges), keg coupler (some brewers call it a keg tap), beer, and airline, tower, drip tray, and shank. If you intend to use a kegerator for preserving drinks, you must pay attention to your keg coupler because it is a very vital tool you need to help the kegerator work properly.
The keg coupler can be found inside a kegerator, and its purpose is to tap the content of the keg. Take your time to buy the perfect keg coupler that will suit the size of your keg. Your keg coupler has different tubes. One of them leads from the regulator inside of the coupler, while the other tube leads to the outside of the keg coupler and ends at the faucet, out of which the beer is poured into your cup.
If you have a refrigerator and you cannot afford to buy a kegerator, you can transform your refrigerator into a kegerator with the aid of a kegerator conversion kit. This is because most refrigerators are not designed to accommodate kegs in them.
You can easily use a kegerator. It does not have a complex system that you cannot operate. To use a kegerator, you need to put pressure on the carbon dioxide on the keg so that the kegerator can quickly move the beer upwards and downwards. The cylinder in the kegerator gives enough pressure that should be applied to the keg when you tap it. That way, carbonation and consistency are maintained.
Many homebrewers use a kegerator because it helps to maintain the freshness and taste of the beer they store in it for a very long period. If you keep the keg in the kegerator well pressurized and cooled, the beer can last for more than three months.
Temperature is an essential factor you should consider when storing beer in your kegerator. Some kegerators come with a temperature gauge in them; if yours has it, ensure you follow the readings to maintain the required temperature for storing beer. But if the kegerator lacks a temperature gauge, you can use a thermometer to determine the correct temperature that your beer needs.
Carbon dioxide is usually stored in a tank. If you want to enjoy quality beer, you need the CO2 tank to be adequately installed. Carbon dioxide is very harmful that is why you should be very careful when using it. You will find the tips below about carbon dioxide tanks very helpful.
- Don’t attempt connecting your gas cylinder close to your keg.
- Always keep your gas cylinder in an “upright” position.
- To avoid an explosion that could lead to an injury or death, let your carbon dioxide gas cylinder be connected to the reducing valve or regulator.
- Practice positioning your gas cylinders far from heat.
- After fixing a carbon dioxide leakage, keep the place ventilated.
- A gas cylinder should not be thrown. It is very dangerous.
- If the Department of Transport test date that is found on the surface of the cylinder is over five years, don’t use it. You should return it to the gas supplier.
- Please don’t leave your gas cylinders in a hot environment; always keep them in the coolest places in your house or brewery. It would help if you kept them in an area with 70 degrees. And it would help if you always kept them upright before attaching the primary regulator to the gas cylinder.
- If you notice that you are finding it difficult to breathe and have headaches, some carbon dioxide may be in the environment where your CO2 is located. To tackle that challenge, close the main valve on the CO2 cylinder and leave that environment immediately.
Storing your CO2 tank inside or outside the kegerator cabinet, which is best?
It would help if you stored your CO2 tank inside your kegerator. But if you can’t get that type of kegerator with a CO2 installed in it, you can go for the one with the CO2 installed outside. You can go for whichever one you prefer.
How do you know the specific pressure that your CO2 is set to?
With the regulator’s help in your kegerator, you can easily observe the carbon dioxide (CO2) pressure. There are single gauge regulators and dual gauge regulators. Both the single and dual gauge regulators clearly show you the CO2 pressure. You will find an arrow in it that points to the amount of the current CO2 pressure.
What is the specific pressure your CO2 should be set to?
The required pressure you are supposed to use is based on the type of beer you want to serve. 10 to 14 PSI is the pressure that many American breweries recommend. You can dispense beer at home at 10 PSI, but you are free to keep adjusting it until you attain your most preferred pour.
Conclusion
The best place to store a keg of draft beer or wine is in a kegerator. And it would be best if you left the carbon dioxide on in a kegerator so that the content in the keg will be well preserved.
It is also essential that you always check your kegerator for signs of leakage.