Glycol Cooled vs Air Cooled Towers for Kegerators

Two ways to keep a tower cold

A kegerator tower is the vertical part that carries the faucets above the cabinet. The keg sits inside the cabinet, and the lines run up through the tower to the faucets. The air inside the cabinet is cold, but that cold air does not automatically reach the faucets; the tower has to be kept cold by one of two methods. On listings, those two methods appear as air cooled and glycol cooled.

The cooling word may appear in the title, in the bullet list, or in the specifications. Reading which word a listing uses tells you how the tower is designed to stay cold. When the word is absent, the cooling type is a detail the seller did not state, and you compare the listing on the details it does state.

Air cooled towers: a fan moves cabinet air

An air cooled tower uses a fan. The fan pulls air from the cabinet interior and moves it up through the tower, so the faucets are kept near the cabinet's temperature by moving air. The fan is part of the tower's description on the listing.

On a listing you may see 'air cooled', 'fan cooled', 'forced air tower', or 'tower fan'. These words all describe the same idea: a fan is moving cabinet air into the tower.

You can compare the fan approach with the insulation approach in the tower fan versus insulation article, and with the wider difference between forced air and static cooling in forced air versus static.

• Words to look for in the title or bullet list: air cooled, fan cooled, forced air, tower fan.

Glycol cooled towers: a chilled liquid loop

A glycol cooled tower uses a liquid loop. A pump circulates a chilled liquid from a reservoir through the tower. The liquid carries the cold to the faucets, so the tower does not rely on a fan to move air.

Glycol is the name of the anti-freeze liquid used in this kind of loop. On a listing you may see 'glycol cooled', 'glycol system', 'chilled tower', or 'liquid cooled tower'. These words tell you the tower uses a liquid loop rather than air.

A cold plate is a different way to chill the line; you can compare it in the cold plate versus forced air article.

• Words to look for: glycol cooled, glycol system, chilled tower, liquid cooled.

Temperature stability in plain words

The two approaches differ in how steadily the tower is kept cold, but the difference is described in words, not in a number on the listing. An air cooled tower depends on the fan running and on the cabinet holding its temperature. A glycol cooled tower depends on the liquid loop; the reservoir holds the chill, and the pump keeps it moving.

Neither word promises a specific temperature. The word tells you how the tower is cooled, and the rest of the listing tells you what else is included. Compare two listings on the same stated details to see which one states the cooling type.

When a listing states 'glycol cooled', it usually also states the number of taps and the cabinet width, because those details belong to the same comparison. The cooling type sits alongside them as a stated detail.

Complexity: what a glycol system adds

Complexity shows up in the components. An air cooled tower adds a fan to the tower. A glycol cooled tower adds a pump, a reservoir and additional lines. That is a larger set of parts to read about in the listing.

A listing may say 'glycol cooled' but not say whether the pump and reservoir are included. Read the bullet list or the box contents for 'pump', 'reservoir', or 'chiller' stated as included or sold separately. The same applies to an air cooled tower: the fan may be included or may be a separate part.

A tower is one way to bring beer to a faucet. A direct draw setup has no tower; you can read the difference in direct draw versus tower.

Reading listings for the cooling type

The title is the first place to look. A title that says 'glycol cooled tower' or 'air cooled tower' gives you the cooling type at a glance. A title that only says 'kegerator with tower' leaves the cooling type for the bullet list.

If no cooling type is stated anywhere, the detail is 'not stated by the seller'. You then decide on the stated details you do have: the number of taps, the cabinet width, and whether the listing is for a home or a commercial cabinet. The number of taps a tower carries is its own stated detail; see tower number of taps.

You may see 'glycol cooled' on listings for multi-tap towers and commercial-style cabinets. It is not a guarantee of a performance level; it is a description of how the tower is cooled. An air cooled tower is a stated word on many home-style towers.

How to use this comparison

Use this comparison to read listings, not to rank them. When two listings show the same number of taps and the same cabinet size, the cooling type is one more stated detail to compare. This site's guides compare stated details across models, like the main kegerator guide and the four tap guide.

For a small home cabinet with one or two faucets, an air cooled tower is the simpler description. For a multi-tap tower or a commercial-style cabinet, a glycol cooled tower may be the stated design. Let each listing tell you which type it uses.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

What does 'glycol cooled' mean on a kegerator listing?

It means the tower uses a liquid loop. A pump circulates a chilled liquid through the tower to keep the faucets cold. The word may appear in the title or the bullet list.

What does 'air cooled' mean on a kegerator listing?

It means the tower uses a fan that moves air from the cabinet into the tower. The fan keeps the air moving so the faucets stay near the cabinet's temperature.

Which type is more complex?

A glycol cooled tower has more stated components: a pump, a reservoir and additional lines. An air cooled tower adds a fan. Read the listing to see which parts are included and which are sold separately.

How do I tell the cooling type from a title?

Look for 'glycol cooled' or 'air cooled' in the title. If the title only says 'kegerator with tower', check the bullet list for the cooling word. If neither appears, the detail is not stated by the seller.

Is a glycol cooled tower the same as a direct draw setup?

No. Direct draw means the faucet attaches to the cabinet with no tower. Glycol cooled and air cooled both describe how a tower is kept cold. You can compare the two in the direct draw versus tower article.

What if the listing does not state a cooling type?

The detail is 'not stated by the seller'. Compare the stated details you do have, such as the number of taps and the cabinet width, and decide whether the cooling type matters to you.