(discounts up to 30% off our regular pricing)

Ideal Wine Coolers  decided that our customers should not have to wait until the Friday after Thanksgiving to find shopping bargains.  We decided Black Friday should start today!!  Additionally, to make this a real bonanza for some lucky buyer during our Black Friday Sale Event, we will award one of our customers with a $100 rebate on their purchase.  This special sale will last until December 15th, 2010.  All buyers during this sale event will qualify for the drawing.  December 16th we will randomnly draw the winner’s name.  The winner will received a $100 rebate on their credit card statement.  During this Black Friday Bargain Sale, we have discounted up to 30% off on all of our wine coolers, beverage centers, ice makers, compact refrigerators, mini freezers and beer keg coolers.  See our Sale Pricing Page of our website for further details.

All of our primary brand name products (Danby, EdgeStar, Summit, Haier and Vinotemp) are included in this special BLACK FRIDAY SALE.  This sale will last until December 15, 2010.  If you ever had an inclination to purchase one of these products, do it now and save money.

Special note for you buyers:  To guarantee a December 24 delivery, items should be purchased by December 15th, 2010.  

Visit our website and see our over 195 different products by Vinotemp, EdgeStar, Danby, Summit and Haier.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers

Beer Keg Sizes 

In the U.S., common keg sizes are the 1/6 barrel, ¼ barrel, and ½ barrel.  The 1/6 barrel is often called a “torpedo” keg, ¼ barrel is also called a “pony keg” and the ½ barrel is most often referred to as a “full keg”.  When full, the ½ barrel will weigh some where around 160 pounds, only 30 pounds when empty.  Full kegs are typically 23 to 24 inches tall, 16 to 17 inches in diameter and generally hold 15 ½ gallons of beer or approximately 165 12-ounce glasses. The standard keg size in Europe is 50 liters, but 20 and 30-liter keg options are also available. 

Keg Construction 

Aluminum and occasionally stainless steel are the primary metals used to manufacture draft beer kegs.  From the opening in the top, a tube extends to the bottom of the keg.  At the top of the tube, a self-closing value is opened when the tapping key is inserted.  A small opening allows the carbon dioxide to drive the beer out of the keg.  The coupling fitting has valves that control the flow of beer out of and the flow of gas into a keg. 

The Life of a Keg 

A brewery will receive large quantities of empty kegs each day.  Each keg is first pressure washed with a water and detergent mixture and then completely rinsed with fresh water.  Before the keg is refilled, it is sanitized to kill all bacteria that maybe present.  Each full keg is then filled, sealed and the exterior is again rinsed off.  The kegs are loaded on racks and moved to a cold storage room for a few days before they are ready to ship.  The entire process from the initial cleaning to the distribution to retail and home customers could take as long as 15 to 20 days.  Because the vast majority of draft beer is unpasteurized, keg beers will usually only stay good for a total of 45 to 60 days after filling.  It is important to know that once you purchase a keg for your use that generally means it had better be used in about 30 to 40 days.  You must subtract the time spent refilling and distributing the kegs from the total keg beer life.  Kegs are usually stamped with a “use before” date that will make it easy to track. 

Draught Beer Euipment NEEDED!! 

If you really like draft beer, you will need the right equipment to keep it fresh as long as possible.  Draft beer must be kept refrigerated between 35 and 44 degrees F.  If the temperature gets above 5o degrees, the beer will start to turn sour and cloudy in a matter of a few days as bacteria starts to grow.  The fresh brewery taste and aroma will be lost.  Beer dispensing refrigerators are readily available from a number of quality manufacturers.  Most kegerators come with CO2 bottles, tapping devices and approved beer-dispensing lines.  Some of the keg coolers also come with extra shelving that make converting your cooler to a refrigerator easy.  A key factor that will help keep your beer from foaming is keeping your tubing and taper clean.  You can purchase cleaning kits especially designed to keep all your keg equipment from tainting the taste of your beer.

Draft beer is better for you than canned beer.  

The Diamondbacks did win the game I was watching by beating Milwaukee 2 to 1.  They now have a mini win streak of three games.  Some people argue that draft beer is better for you than canned beer.   As I always say, buy the draft beer of your choice, get a beer keg cooler to preserve the brew’s flavor and enjoy it immensely. 

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers, August 2010

Dormitory Space Limitations Can Be Solved.

With fall college season starting in a month or so, customers have approached us about carrying a line of compact refrigerators and mini freezers that will conveniently fit the small spaces of a domitory room.   We were pleased to find several Danby and Edgestar products that will meet the need.  Additionally, we discovered a refrigerator/freezer chest type that one can use on regular household current or plug into a car 12 volt power source.  Imagine traveling to a relative for that get-together meal and hauling  food safely kept cool in your truck without the mess of ice melting.

RVers Solve Your Lack of Refrigerator and Freezer space.

If you own an RV and would like an easy solution to extra freezing and or refrigerator space, we have three  EdgeStar Chest Refrigerator/Freezers that will run on 110 volt or 12 volt power.  These compact freezers have a temperature range that will freeze the contents or keep them at a refrigerator perfect temperature.  They come with the two different power cords you will need.

Some examples of the products we selected are pictured below.  For more information visit our compact refrigerator and our mini freezer website pages. 

Our Danby Black 4.4 Cu. Ft. Stainless Door Pony Keg Beer Cooler will cool your 1/4 beer keg with ease. The kegerator comes with a black cabinet with a stainless steel door. The molded worktop, black beer tower dispenser with chrome trim and the chrome guard rail give this keg cooler a professional look. Features that will add to the enjoyment of this beer keg cooler are 2 cantilever wire shelves, auto cycle defrost, reversible door hinges and included drip tray. This Danby Keg Cooler comes with a Co2 tank and all the necessary fittings to start serving cold draft beer immediately. The Co2 tank is shipped empty for safety reasons. You can fill your tanks locally at places like welding shops, fire extinguisher service centers, hospital gas suppliers and party stores. A full Co2 Tank will provide enough gas for about 5 to 7 kegs. You will be the envy of all your friends the first time they enjoy an ice cold draft beer at your home. Look no further for superior kegerators.

FEATURES:

* Pony Sized Kegs
* Black Cabinet with Stainless Steel Door
* Auto Cycle Defrost
* 5 Pound Co2 Tank with Hardware Included (tank needs charging)
* Scratch Resistant Top
* Reversible Door Hinge
* Chrome guard rail included
* Black/chrome Beer Tower Dispenser
* 2 Cantilever Wire Shelves
* Drip Tray included

CAPACITY:
* Pony Sized Kegs
* Co2 Tank: 5 Pounds under 1800 PSI

DIMENSIONS:
* Kegerator: Width 20 3/4 Inches x Depth 21 8/16 Inches x Height 33 Inches
* Co2 Tank: 5.5 Inches Diameter x 18.25 Inches Tall

SHIPPING UPS:
* Calculated Based on Weight & Zip Code

IN STOCK; READY FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPPING. ONCE IN A LIFETIME CLOSE-OUT PRICING!!
LIMITED STOCK ON THIS CLOSEOUT ITEM: BUY IT TODAY

MANUFACTURER’S WARRANTY:
* 18 months parts and labor

EXTENDED WARRANTIES:
* Available For Purchase On This Product
* For More Information Go To the “Warranty” Page Tab

Check out our selection of free-standing and undercounter wine coolers

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers

Ideal Wine Cooler’s  Danby Combination Front Vented Dual Zone Beverage Cooler can store 165 beverage cans and 77 wine bottles and features a locking glass door. This beverage center could also convert to a fancy wine cooler that would hold up to 154 bottles of your best vintages. This beverage center can be used in either free standing or built in applications. The dual-zone cooling allows you to set independent temperature levels for each compartment. The double door design provides access to more frequently used items while allowing the remaining collection to age undisturbed. Elegant stainless steel trim and soft blue LED interi0r lighting makes it a stunning show piece. Tempered glass doors and roller glide shelving provide protection against agitation and UV light allowing your collection to age flawlessly. The towel bar style handle, integrated lock with key, and frost free operation makes this beverage center a pleasure to own. The beverage cooler comes with right hand door swing only. This beverage center surely brings in a new era of design with the different potential configurations and uses. Look no further for superior wine storage.

FEATURES:
* Built-in or Free Standing Applications
* Beverage Center configuration for 77 Bottles of Wine, 165 Cans, and 5 2-Liter Bottles
* Wine Cellar configuration max. Capacity of 154 Wine Bottles
* Elegant Tempered Glass Door with Stainless Steel Trim
* Temperature Range 39 to 64 Degrees F.
* Two Separately Controlled Temperature Zones
* Stainless Steel Trimmed Black Wood Shelves
* New Roller Guide Shelves
* New Towel Bar Style Handle
* Frost Free Operation
* All Black Interior
* Right Hand Door Swing Only (not reversible)

CAPACITY:
* 77 Wine Bottles, 2-5 Liter Wine Bottles, 165 Cans or a Total of 154 Wine Bottles

DIMENSIONS:
* Width 23 7/16 Inches x Depth 28 7/16 Inches x Height 69 5/16 Inches

SHIPPING:
* Freight Carrier based on Weight: $230.00

WARRANTY:
* 24 months parts and labor

Check out our selection of free-standing and undercounter wine coolers

A sports fan as defined in the dictionary is “an enthusiastic devotee or follower of sports.” A sports fanatic, as I am, is “a person with an extreme enthusiasm or zeal for sports.” The difference between a fan and fanatic is a matter of degree. A fanatic will follow, watch and comment on any and every sport that is on the forefront for the day.

A sports fanatic will know something about every sport played. They know whether a sport is presided over by a referee, umpire, official, timer or judge. They know which sport requires the players to police and enforce their own rules. When asked in what sport do the game officials run around in shorts, a fanatic will know the answer. They know that some sports officials are “zebras,” and they know why.

A sports fan or fanatic will try his or her best to attend every sport in person. Most of the time that is impossible. Therefore, sports fans and fanatics need a minimum set of tools to advance their passions. The first tool is old school, the AM/FM radio. Of course, satellite radios with multiple sports channels are an advancement that is often pursued. The next tool in the set is the various kinds of computers and hand-held electronic devices that can send text messages, pictures, e-mails, news flashes, surf the web, etc.

The ultimate and most vital tool is the television, but not just any ordinary one. The television must be Hi-Def with a screen as big as a drive-in movie theater. The sound system must be multi-speaker surround sound that will rattle the walls. The theater furniture must include big soft couches, recliners and footstools, enough for all your sports-watching friends. You cannot claim to have been there “to see it” unless at least you watch it on TV.

To complete the ambiance of the sports watching experience you also need food, chips, dip, peanuts, pizza, nuts and of course the basic hot dog with mustard, ketchup and onions. The last item is the beverage. Canned beverages are okay, but just like being at the ballpark, the draft beer would be the ultimate.

Today, there are many options for draft beer at home. Some companies offer mini-kegs that easily slip into the refrigerator, if there is room. A better solution is to purchase one of the many keg refrigerators, coolers or dispensers now available on the market. There are mini, pony and standard keg refrigerators that can handle pressurized or non-pressurized products. Some keg coolers are set up to dispense more than one type of beer, are insulated for indoor as well as outdoor use and can convert to keep other beverages cool as well.

Whether you are a sports fan or a rabid fanatic, the enjoyment is the experience of seeing the “big play” or the “once in a life time match up.” My home theater is fully equipped and ready for use with my sports friends. I was lucky in life because I found and married another sports fanatic. Actually, I would have to say she is more like a sports “nut,” which is even more severe than a fanatic is.

For more information see: http://www.idealwinecoolers.com/page/home/index.html

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers  

Our old refrigerator suffered multiple forms of discrimination and was found guilty of not “fitting in.”  Ultimately, a sentence of hard labor in our garage became its fate.  In a few short months, it died.

How did this happen?  It all started one day when my wife said, “Honey, I want to show you something in the kitchen.”   Apprehensively I arrived in the kitchen, and she started her discourse aimed at demeaning our existing refrigerator.   First came, “It’s the wrong color and doesn’t match anything in our kitchen.”  Then, “It’s not big enough to hold everything I need it too, especially with all the entertaining we do.”  Lastly and with no less derision, she said, “its way too old to do the job any longer.”

In a matter of a few minutes, she had discriminated against “Old Harvest Gold” with respect to color, size and age.  However, I knew better than to argue.  I relented and a new refrigerator became a family household primary and the old one became an outcast in our garage located in the Sonoran Desert.  The first few months the garage temperature hovered around 105 degrees.  The next few months the temperature cooled to a balmy 95 degrees.  The refrigerator’s death was predictable and ultimately final in month number five.

In the garage, we had used “Old Harvest Gold” for storing canned and bottled beverages, extra milk bottles, and other items the new larger refrigerator could not hold.  We even used the vegetable drawer to keep our batteries fresh.  After the death and subsequent recycle of the old refrigerator, our new refrigerator had to accommodate “Old Harvest Gold’s” contents.  Putting that collection in the new frig was a solution my wife did not think was useful.

I went searching in the market place and found some consumer products that offered an easy, space-saving solution to our dilemma.  These products were beverage coolers and chillers.  Some of these products could accommodate over 100 canned beverages, five 2-liter beverage bottles and even store our favorite wine.  I could purchase stand-alone or under-the-counter models in several different sizes.  I was lucky to fine one that fit nicely under the counter where my old trash compactor currently existed.  I purchased it and easily installed it myself.  Dilemma solved—or at least I thought it was.

About a month later, I again heard the plaintive cry from the kitchen, “Honey can you come here please?”  This time, her complaint focused on the kitchen’s appearance.  She said, “The modern refrigerator is great, but the cabinets and counter tops now look out of date.”  She went on to say, “I love the beverage center and since we’re going to remodel the kitchen, can we find a larger built-in model that will hold more cans and wine?”

I sold the smaller beverage center and went back to the store, where I found what “we” wanted.  I brought it home for the kitchen remodel contractor to install.   I also stopped at the local hardware store to buy some earplugs just in case “Honey” came floating over the airwaves again.

 For more information see:  http://www.idealwinecoolers.com

Author: Ronald Senn, VP Ideal Wine Coolers, September 2009