Stainless Keg Boiler.

[cellone]

Picked up a stainless 50l keg today.

Over the moon.

Will be trawling back through here for information and inspiration.

Not sure whether to go gas or electric, or more importantly how to decompress it. Will I be able to boil 40l in it? I could write a whole paragraph of questions. Will be bumping a fair few threads, hope the author's are still on here.

[seymour]

This should get you started:

It's fairly simple and inexpensive to build your own "keggle". Trace around some kinda cheap lid, cut a hole in the top, drill near the bottom and install a ball valve with a simple screen on the backside. That's about all you need right away. You don't necessarily need to install a thermometer, since you can see if it's boiling or not. You don't necessarily need to install a sight gauge, since you can mark gallon/litre lines on a long stirring spoon instead. You don't need nearly as elaborate a false bottom as you do in a mash tun, a basic mesh strainer to filter out the hops and trub is sufficient.

Some keggle ideas:
http://www.homebrewing.com/articles/keggle.php
http://chris.norrick.com/norrickenbier/ ... DA516.html
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/KETTLEVA ... P2374.aspx
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/38-KETTL ... P2363.aspx
http://www.brewhardware.com/wlsightglas ... -glass-kit
http://thekegkoozy.com/

Here are a couple pics of mine:


It usually serves as a boil kettle but here I'm using the same kettle as a mash tun. The mesh screen worked just fine for my sparge. That was before I installed the sight gauge and thermometer, obviously.



I didn't install an electric heating element because I prefer to boil outside on my propane "turkey fryer" stand.



You can kinda see the mesh screen in there while I sparge onto the First Wort Hops. Needless to say, the higher-grav your batch, and the bigger the batch size, the heavier the keggle becomes. I usually heft it over to the burner alone, but it would sometimes be safer to call over a helper.



Here's a picture of the glass lid, and my cobbled-together wort chiller. That's a second-hand lid from a slow-cooker Crock Pot or something. I bought another one from IKEA for my next project.

[cellone]

Show me your false bottom.

That is what I'm after Seymour. What's a turkey fryer?

[seymour]

Show me your false bottom. That is what I'm after Seymour...

I don't have a false bottom at all, and have never felt the need. I just drilled a hole, then installed this...



...with this mesh screen screwed onto the back of that...



Super easy and efficient, especially for a boil kettle. A wider dispersed false bottom would only really benefit you if your keggle is primarily a mash/lauter tun. As shown, though, I've effectively used mine as a mash/lauter tun with just the mesh screen, even a mushy weizen without trouble.

If you're really set on it though, some of those links I listed before describe false bottoms.

What's a turkey fryer?

Oh, I love introducing the Olde Country to our backwoods customs. Many people actually deep fry an entire turkey for Thanksgiving, I shit you not.

I know, right?!



http://www.homedepot.com/p/Brinkmann-45 ... /202038907




Don't do it indoors like Shatner:



But it's great for us homebrewers because all the big box hardware stores sell the turkey fryer kits on deep discount after the holiday. A killer deal on a propane burner stand, regulator and hose, 7 gallon kettle, thermometer, perforated basket, etc... The propane burner stand is sold separately for Low Country Crawfish boils, etc, often called things like King Cooker, Cajun Cooker, etc. They can be retrofitted and hard-installed with household natural gas, but I've never bothered.



The one Timothy bought used is even nicer than mine, with a nice heavy-bottomed die-cast pot with a pour spout and everything.

[Fil]

My take on converting a keg would be to use the top valve entry to attach a 2" triclamp flange and make that the bottom for a wide bore central bottom drain, a small disk 10"? of perforated SS sheet could sit in the now bottom dimple to filter hops, tho this wouldnt work too well for gas heating and chopping a hole for an element wouldnt be as easy as a stockpot qmax hole,real pro drill bits like http://www.starrett.co.uk/shop/holesaws ... _hole_saw/ could be worth looking at..

also if you do go electric look for elements requiring smaller feed holes as the thicker wall and barrel curvature make fitting larger elements a pita..

have fun planning and building your beast, look forward to reading about the build and the first brew through..

[cellone]

Looks like a tasty way to end it. I want one.

[cellone]

There were loads of examples on this site. I've searched fo ages and can't find them

[Pinto]

Where did you get your keg from, Cell ? I contacted a number of the licenced disposal agents listed on KegWatch (there's a major one about 15 miles from me) but they were quoting me cloud cuckoo money (one said £130 + postage + VAT !!) and others simply told me "we dont sell to the general public" or straight out ignored my messages.

Been looking at 50l boilers so I can realistically use my polykegs at some point in the future - and a keg would be the Arnie of all boilers (unlike a jumped up oversized saucepan lol)

[Dave-Leeds]

Keep an eye out for pubs what have shut down pinto.

a few near me have shut down and have loads of kegs thrown all over car park.was there for a week before they got moved

[Pinto]

There were two dumped on some wasteground a little while ago too I saw thing is I'd like to keep it kosher in case people come knocking.....

[flything]

Just buy a new one from Crusader Kegs

http://shop.crusaderkegsandcasks.com/50 ... -145-p.asp

Although I think they charge £25 for delivery so picking it up might work out better.

or even from here

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Strongman-Sta ... 20ef059810

[cellone]

Where did you get your keg from, Cell ? I contacted a number of the licenced disposal agents listed on KegWatch (there's a major one about 15 miles from me) but they were quoting me cloud cuckoo money (one said £130 + postage + VAT !!) and others simply told me "we dont sell to the general public" or straight out ignored my messages.

Been looking at 50l boilers so I can realistically use my polykegs at some point in the future - and a keg would be the Arnie of all boilers (unlike a jumped up oversized saucepan lol)

My daughter and I were sitting on a wall, whilst she was having some juice I was watching my old local's tat get chucked in a skip as it gets turned in to a canteen for a rapidly expanding local insurance company. One chap caught me watching and said to take anything I wanted, joking I asked if they wanted the keg by the door, he said sure take it. At this point I tried not lose my ish and just in case the offer wold change in the half hour it takes to walk home and get the car I decided to carry it back.

[Pinto]

I guess im just too honest and conformist for my own good

Have to admit tho - the crusader kegs at that price new compare favourably to stockpots !!

[cellone]

These blokes looked as if they were spending a bit of time working out the new plans while loosening their ties and rolling up their shirt sleeves. All legit.

3 for £100 from the ebay link flything found looks to be the best deal I've seen anywhere.

[Pinto]

These blokes looked as if they were spending a bit of time working out the new plans while loosening their ties and rolling up their shirt sleeves. All legit.

3 for £100 from the ebay link flything found looks to be the best deal I've seen anywhere.

3 for £100 is a spiffing price - but sadly Northants is a fair way from me so I'd have to add carriage - and 3 kegs would form a pallet so that would be an additional £50. If I had any spare cash I'd seriously consider buying three and converting them, then sell two on.... Link saved I think