Krowne Refrigeration

Krowne Refrigeration: What You Need to Know

The equipment installed behind your bar is as crucial to running a smooth and successful operation as the team working in front of it. Whether you own a local taproom with an extensive craft beer menu or a neighborhood bar with weekly specials on cans and bottles, Krowne refrigeration units designed for back bar use can improve your workflow, expand your menu, enhance customer experience, and ease the hassle of cleaning and maintenance. Additionally, these units are made in the USA with stainless steel construction, user-friendly features, and DynamicChill technology that maximizes their interior space.

Common Questions About Krowne Refrigeration

What's the difference between a bottle cooler and a back bar cooler?

Your Krowne bottle cooler will have a much different purpose in your back bar ecosystem than a back bar cooler, although they serve the same basic function: to cool bottles and cans behind the bar for easy retrieval by bartenders. Bottle coolers, meant to chill beverages without acting as a focal point, are utilitarian in appearance and accessed from the top via sliding doors, while back bar coolers are installed in a location behind the bar visible to customers and may have glass or solid doors.

Depending on the unit's overall length, Krowne bottle coolers may have between one and four doors, with as many as five divider racks to aid organization. These are rated by their case capacity, with the largest options – measuring 8 feet – capable of storing more than 30 cases of 12-ounce bottles.

Krowne back bar coolers are available with a wider range of options because they will be more visible in the layout of a bar and are meant to merchandise offerings to customers. When choosing your back bar cooler, you'll need to consider the following features.

• Compressor location. It can be located on the left or right of a back bar cooler, providing more flexibility for the installation of the unit in your bar.
• Door style. If customers being able to see the products in your cooler is important, you should choose glass doors over solid. In addition to making a great first impression, glass-door units can speed up your service times because customers are able to view what's available without consulting a bartender first and might be able to order at the bar without even glancing at the menu.
• Door hinges. Another option that helps ensure your unit will fit seamlessly into your workflow, doors may be left or right hinged.
• Door, top, and side finish. The exterior of your unit may be finished in black vinyl or stainless steel, with stainless steel being the more expensive option.

How do Krowne kegerators work?

Kegerators – sometimes called "draft beer coolers" or "direct draw dispensers" – enable operators to provide cold craft beer to their customers by storing kegs in the refrigerated cabinet and drawing the beverage out with the top-mounted tap system. The number of kegs a unit can hold depends on the kegerator's overall size. For example, a Krowne kegerator with 20 inches of interior cabinet width can hold one half barrel, two quarter barrels, or four sixth barrels. A much larger three-door unit could hold four half barrels, eight quarter barrels, or thirteen sixth barrels. Operators may also opt for a mix of barrel sizes, such as two half barrels and eight sixth barrels.

Why should I invest in a glass chiller?

Also known as mug frosters, this type of Krowne refrigeration accommodates several dozen or a couple hundred glasses or mugs at one time, ensuring the beverage is served as ice-cold as possible. You'll find two types of Krowne glass chillers: a top-load design with a sliding door, which is useful for storing uniform beer mugs, and a front-loading style that works best with specialty glassware and cocktail glasses that may not stack as neatly.