Beer fridges at the cottage are seldom pretty. Often an olive green colour and covered in old stickers, they are a testament to the 70’s, and are generally kept in the boathouse. Along with the beer, they are great for storing worms and other “live” bait.

If you are looking for something more energy efficient and want to save money, the “Mini Chest,” shown above might be the answer. Sold by Kegs To Go, it is an actual draft beer fridge. It’s cooled by ice and houses a 20 litre keg along with a CO2 dispenser. This is a great fridge if your cottage or cabin are off the grid.

This fridge starts at $600. You do have to keep this fridge stocked with ice, if the beer gets warm it will come out foamy. The electric equivalent costs between $700 - $800.

David Stanley, the owner of Kegs To Go, a Toronto based company, recommends pre-ordering your keg from the beer or liquor store. It is important to note, not all brands come in the 20 litre size. Microbreweries also sell 20 litre kegs or you can brew your own and rent the kegs from them.

When asked how long a keg will last, Stanley explains that most commercial beers, like Coors Lite are pasteurized. Just like bottled beer, they can be stored for up to three months. A true draft beer is not pasteurized and will only last 30 days.

The CO2 cylinders are easy to maintain and will last well over a year, provided there are no leaks. It is important to buy food grade CO2. Companies like Praxair, rent tanks and provide gas to consumers.

Less Than a Buck a Beer

One of the benefits of having your own keg fridge is saving money. A 20 litre keg is the equivalent to 58 bottles of beer, and costs less than $1 a beer. There are also no empties to worry about.

If you’re wondering how to get this “must have” accessory for your cottage, you can contact David directly at 416-996-6642 or email him at admin@kegstogo.ca. They will ship.

I think this would make a great Christmas or Father’s Day present.  Next to a wide screen LCD HDTV,  what guy wouldn’t want his own draft fridge?

Beer week continues tomorrow with tips on how to brew your own.

Cheers,

Julie

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007 at 6:37 pm and is filed under Entertaining. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.