Temperature question(cabinet vs liquid temp)....

[Blaker34]

Ok, I have a Perlick DS1KP Kegerator. I have a 1/4 Barrel of Miller Lite. I am super confused about how to maintain temperature. I have a hanging Thermometer in the cabinet which I can't get to set at 36 degrees. @ the normal setting It is @ about 28-32 degrees usually, which I would think is low, but nothing is freezing. Right now it's at 30 degrees. But a water bottle I had in the cabinet read at 40 degrees(liquid temp). But the dispensed beer reads 45 degrees. I'm a bit confused. Should the actual cabinet temperature be in the 20's to get my liquid temp to 36? I really haven't found a thread on this, the beer is pretty cold and tastes pretty good, but I would like to get to the 36 or 38 degrees which from what I read is ideal, any help would be appreciated.

[USMC - Retired]

Blaker,
Don't worry about the cabinet at all, only concern yourself with the liquid beer temp and adjust the temp to where you want it. To get an accurate liquid beer temp you need to use the "Chug" method. To do this pour a beer into a clean, dry, non-chilled, beer mug and chug it, then pour a second beer in the same glass and take the liquid temp of the second beer. Doing this eleminates the temp differences between the line and the keg. Once you know your beer temp adjust the themostat a bit and check again in a few hours then repeat the process. It may take a while to get it where you want it but you'll have fun getting there.

Semper Fi,
The Gunns

"Beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin

Im a MicroMatic Beer Fanatic! Are you?

[Blaker34]

a little update, I had my brother check it while I was at work. He said the cabinet temp was about 38 degrees. I just came home to check on it and it was at 31. Now I've been sitting here for about a half hour and it went back up to about 39. I guess I'll just turn my T-stat down before I go back to work, and hopefully I'll have my beer temp @ 36-38.

[USMC - Retired]

With a small system like you have cabinet temp will bounce alot from opening the door and letting the cold out. That's why it's best to just focus on beer temp.

Semper Fi,
The Gunns

"Beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin

Im a MicroMatic Beer Fanatic! Are you?

[Blaker34]

quote:Originally posted by USMC - Retired

Blaker,
Don't worry about the cabinet at all, only concern yourself with the liquid beer temp and adjust the temp to where you want it. To get an accurate liquid beer temp you need to use the "Chug" method. To do this pour a beer into a clean, dry, non-chilled, beer mug and chug it, then pour a second beer in the same glass and take the liquid temp of the second beer. Doing this eleminates the temp differences between the line and the keg. Once you know your beer temp adjust the themostat a bit and check again in a few hours then repeat the process. It may take a while to get it where you want it but you'll have fun getting there.

Semper Fi,
The Gunns

"Beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin

Im a MicroMatic Beer Fanatic! Are you?

THANK YOU, that is the answer I've been looking for. I got worried when I would see the cabinet drop to 28-30, thinkin my beer would freeze. I guess I'll turn my T-stat down, hopefully when I get home from work I'll have the liquid temp where I need it. And get a nice buzz doing it. Thanks alot, USMC, you've been extremely helpful the past couple days.

[USMC - Retired]

Happy to be of some help. Nothings worse than the thought of another home tapper wasting beer with foam issues...

Semper Fi,
The Gunns

"Beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin

Im a MicroMatic Beer Fanatic! Are you?