Fitting my first tap to my keezer

[sonicated]

After one failed attempt with a scaffold board I've finally got a collar around my keezer made of custom cut planks of marine ply doubled together. As you can see from the pictures below I've had to use some filler but I wanted the surface too be as smooth as possible for the freezer lid.

I had wanted a "coffin" style dispense on top but frankly that's too much effort when cooling is considered and I'd rather be brewing beer so I am going to put taps on the collar. Currently I use just a disconnect and tap from The Malt Miller but a year ago I bought this setup for the keezer:



I've read so much into the science of dispensing I'm now so confused. So my questions are:

1) Given the taps are going to be on the collar do I need to reduce to the small beer line and bring it back again?

2) If I do need to reduce what lengths of the small beer line do I need to for a moderately carbonated ale and a very carbonated lager (well that's what I tell my mates, it's ale).

Or should I do something else?

This is my keezer that I'm scared to drill holes in after all the hard work:



And the view from inside:

[alexlark]

Looks good! Nice finish on the marine ply, those joints look really solid.

Can't you just get the tap mounted using the pipe you show in the photo and then adjust it (if required) afterwards? That's how I would go about it.

[sonicated]

Looks good! Nice finish on the marine ply, those joints look really solid.

Can't you just get the tap mounted using the pipe you show in the photo and then adjust it (if required) afterwards? That's how I would go about it.

That makes sense, I've read too much and just need to do it!

Thanks for the compliments on the collar. With the benefit of hindsight I would have just built up the slight level differences with varnish and some sanding (if at all!) but you only ever see it when the lid is opened anyway. My first attempt was with a new scaffold board but it was really bent and unlevel for a collar.

[alexlark]

Yea just go for it. Looks like you got a decent amount of the small bore beer line. That's the stuff I use. I find I get a slower pour with ales compared with lager but at least I'm not getting pints of foam.

[Bigbud78]

You have flow control on your tap, no need for dropping the pipe size. Straight 3/8 will work with no issues

[Jim]

Great job Sonicated!

[Top Cat]

Hi sonicated.
By pure coincidence I have just finished my keezer, the freezer (Logik) appears to be the same model as yours, black also. I drilled three holes in the front for my shank adapters using a 24 mm spade drill. Drill from the front until you are nearly through so the starting point can be seen from the other side, then from that end meet the hole from the front, you avoid wood breaking from the hole this way. Very strong tape at the back covering the break through may also solve it. I was fortunate enough to drill all the holes I needed before I assembled the collar so no damage to paint work. I must agree with other posts, you’ve gone to town on the finish of your collar!
I set the thermostat at number 3 but the inkbird’s controling the cooling process now.

[sonicated]

Thanks for all the comments! It makes sense about the flow control on the tap and that's great advice of how to drill the hole. I'm a bit nervous about it after the work I'd put in on the collar. SWMBO said it was probably best to use outdoor varnish given the temperature differences and I think it was a really good idea.

[sonicated]

For those that are interested this is the bottom of the collar which I was going to silicone seal in so I didn't bother filling it to make it perfectly smooth. Marine ply is a really good material and I'd really recommend it, but I did need to buy a circular saw! The varnish made it so smooth I wish I hadn't have bothered with wood filler on the top.



It was hard reaching the very bottom of the keezer with the collar on so given how solid the marine ply is, and it doesn't need to be stuck down with sealant for good operation of the lid, I bought some neoprene self adhesive strip on eBay to create a good seal but allows it to be removed:



When the drill bit gets delivered I'll try and take some photos of me attempting Top Cat's method of drilling the holes for the taps.

[Top Cat]

Hi sonicated.
I had to secure my collar with adhesive/sealant as there was slight distortion in it, putting weight on the collar while the adhesive cured solved that. I suppose if necessary due to your collar being removable, your keezer can be converted back to a freezer. As it’s removable it may be prudent to drill your holes vertically, practice on a spare bit of marine ply first!