# 23l Keg



## McFeast (8/6/11)

has anyone got one of the 23 litre stainless steel kegs?
I am thinking of getting one of them I currently have two 19l kegs, and definately need a third.

just wondering what people's thoughts are on the stainless steel 23l ones?


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## kelbygreen (8/6/11)

where do you get them from. seen 40lt ones at LHBS but he said I couldnt afford them  Id guess they are rare


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## Frag_Dog (8/6/11)

I have one, barely use it.

I got it off a guy getting out of the game, so didn't buy it new. The biggest problem with it is the space it takes in my kezzer (F&P 210L Freezer). I can fit 4 kegs on the floor, but the 23L needs to get perched on the hump. Not that big of a deal, but its enough of a pain to ensure it is only filled if its the last empty keg I have.

If you go the F&P I'd say its not really worth it. For the price you spend on one new (around $180 I think - don't quote me on it) you could get 2-3 19L which are (in my case) easier.


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## Amber Fluid (9/6/11)

I have 1 but also find it takes up room. They are fatter than the 19L cornys.

I have had no problems with it and bought it new.

My fridge will fit 3 x 19L cornys (57L) or 1 x 19L + 1 x 23L (42L) so I have room for either 57L or 42L.


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## Malted (9/6/11)

I have a couple of the 23L SS kegs and a couple of 19L cornies. I use only two kegs at a time in my kegerator and it could be any combination of these.

I can't see the extra dollars worth of benefit in the 23L kegs. Sure you can squeeze in an extra 4 litres but they are more than twice the price. I think you can get cornies as cheap as $50 if you buy 4.


If you are doing K&K or kits then 23L keg will take a full batch.
If you are doing all grain then it is easy to modify your recipe to produce 19L of beer to suit the corny.

It also depends on what your storage space is. If you have a big Keezer or a cold room and want to brew less often then buy legal, 2nd hand 50L commercial type kegs from www.kegking.com.au, they are probably cheaper than new 23L Kegs.


Yes the 23L SS kegs are nice bling but you normally don't see them...


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## spudfarmerboy (9/6/11)

I bought one because it will fit in a bar fridge that I use, in conjuction with a pluto. It is also handy to use when I want to make more than 19litres. Very expensive though.


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## argon (9/6/11)

Love to get my hands on a couple of 23s and use them as fermenters with a blow off tube. 21L in and 19L out to fill the standard 19L cornies. Fermenting in SS = :icon_drool2:


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## MastersBrewery (9/6/11)

agreed argon, currently negotiating with swmbo, to swtch to kegs..... sadly still bottling(everyones been there I know) one of the main reasons I want to do it is to start ss fermenting. But like all negotiations the brickwall is hard and the pain to the head limits the legnth of such banter. :unsure:


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## Amber Fluid (10/6/11)

argon said:


> Love to get my hands on a couple of 23s and use them as fermenters with a blow off tube. 21L in and 19L out to fill the standard 19L cornies. Fermenting in SS = :icon_drool2:




Slightly :icon_offtopic: sorry, but why is fermenting in SS better than a plastic FV??


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## argon (10/6/11)

Amber Fluid said:


> Slightly :icon_offtopic: sorry, but why is fermenting in SS better than a plastic FV??



A few things (for me);
- Easier to keep sanitary eg can sanitise with heat and doesn't scratch. Also has a completely smooth interior.
- integrating a 23L keg in my setup as a fermenter, i'd be able to ferment in the keg, fully sealed (with a blow off to harvest yeast) then filter under Co2 pressure straight from the fermenter to the serving keg. Never having to expose to contaminants or O2 from pitching to serving.
- could fit more fermenting vessels into the fermentation fridge
- better heat transfer across the wall of the fermenter in comparison to plastic (tighter control of temp fluctuations)

plus fermenting in SS is cool


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## stux (10/6/11)

argon said:


> A few things (for me);
> - Easier to keep sanitary eg can sanitise with heat and doesn't scratch. Also has a completely smooth interior.
> - integrating a 23L keg in my setup as a fermenter, i'd be able to ferment in the keg, fully sealed (with a blow off to harvest yeast) then filter under Co2 pressure straight from the fermenter to the serving keg. Never having to expose to contaminants or O2 from pitching to serving.
> - could fit more fermenting vessels into the fermentation fridge
> ...



No oxygen transfer across the plastic?

But also no real way to observe the fermentation...

I would also suspect its easier to clean a pail style fermenter than a keg.


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## argon (10/6/11)

Stux said:


> No oxygen transfer across the plastic?



Yep that too



Stux said:


> But also no real way to observe the fermentation...



Could just leave the lid off and gladwrap it if i wanted.



Stux said:


> I would also suspect its easier to clean a pail style fermenter than a keg.



Fill with PBW and water... same way i clean my plastic fermenters and 19L kegs... piss easy.


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## schooey (10/6/11)

I have two of these, and I'd happily swap anyone a corny and then some for one if they can't fit it somewhere or find it a PITA... They're perfect for me; knock 48L out of the braumeister, ferment in the 55L conical, two kegs full and a yeast cake left over with a bit of dregs... cheerin!


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## argon (10/6/11)

schooey said:


> I have two of these...



Where from Schoo?




Frag_Dog said:


> I have one, barely use it.
> 
> I got it off a guy getting out of the game, so didn't buy it new. The biggest problem with it is the space it takes in my kezzer (F&P 210L Freezer). I can fit 4 kegs on the floor, but the 23L needs to get perched on the hump. Not that big of a deal, but its enough of a pain to ensure it is only filled if its the last empty keg I have.



I'll swap you a 19L if it makes your life any easier  throw in a few tallies too (or partially full keg)


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## schooey (10/6/11)

I got mine over 10 years ago, Args, when I first started brewing K&K... Bought them in a kegerator kit from a fella in Sydney.. kegworks or kegsomefrickinthingoranother... I can't remember two kegs, a reg, two sidebasher taps, line and d/cs for $400 or something like that.

They're pretty rare these days, but they do pop up... MHB has a couple at the moment if you're really interested, flick him a PM


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## stux (10/6/11)

argon said:


> Fill with PBW and water... same way i clean my plastic fermenters and 19L kegs... piss easy.



Flush diptubes and ball locks, clean prv?


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## schooey (10/6/11)

Stux said:


> Flush diptubes and ball locks, clean prv?




If you we're going to ferment in one, you'd take the dip tube and d/cs out and use one hole for your blow off tube and the other you'd just block up with a enclosure blank

I always wondered how you'd go fermenting in one of those SS 30L squat type euro kegs?


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## argon (10/6/11)

schooey said:


> I got mine over 10 years ago, Args, when I first started brewing K&K... Bought them in a kegerator kit from a fella in Sydney.. kegworks or kegsomefrickinthingoranother... I can't remember two kegs, a reg, two sidebasher taps, line and d/cs for $400 or something like that.
> 
> They're pretty rare these days, but they do pop up... MHB has a couple at the moment if you're really interested, flick him a PM



cheers mate... type of thing that i'll pick up if the opportunity ever presented itself... in no rush. $400 for that setup sounds like a nice deal.




Stux said:


> Flush diptubes and ball locks, clean prv?



Yep flush all the stuff out with some hot water. Then fill with a few litres of hot water and PBW. Close it up shake, invert and depress the poppets with a small screwdriver and let some come up both tubes a few times. Open the PRV let some come out that too. Store up side down. Repeat the process with starsan, then discharge the starsan with Co2 through a tap. Clean, sanitised purged keg ready for packaging.




schooey said:


> If you we're going to ferment in one, you'd take the dip tube and d/cs out and use one hole for your blow off tube and the other you'd just block up with a enclosure blank


No reason you couldn't keep them in if you were sanitary. Another way could be to take the beer out dip tube out, then when packaging unscrew the post, then re-insert it for packaging.


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## ledgenko (10/6/11)

So using a conical keg (SS) for a fermentor ... do you have a picture of the tap system ?? I have few Kegs I have either found on building site close by home (yay) and one given to me at xmas time .. I originally purchased a very old one from a dodgy demolition warehouse in SE QLD which Iop out of cut the top out of with the view of using it as a Kettle but never got around to putting a tap onto it... but would be a tops fermentor if this would increase my brew size .. currently working with 5 plastic fermentors .. been a while since I had them all going .. bloddy work !!!


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## goomboogo (11/6/11)

Ledgenko, I don't think anyone is considering any sort of conversion to make the keg a conical. And I don't think there would be a tap installed either. Argon's idea is to move liquid from the fermenter keg, under co2 pressure, up through the dip tube through a filter and into another keg. The beer will then be carbonated and served from this keg. Argon will correct me if that's wrong but that's the way I read it.

Argon, as Schooey said, these kegs are still around just nowhere near as much as they used to be. I used one when my keg fridge was a normal upright fridge. I purchased a Kegmate unit about 2 years ago and the 23 litre keg was too tall. I sold the fridge, 23 litre keg, gas reg, 2 side basher taps and drip tray for $300. It sold the first weekend it was for sale. So I guess it's just a matter of keeping an eye out and you may get lucky. If you ever do this can you let us know how it all works out because it sounds like a good idea. I'm just wondering whether you would alter the dip tube in some way to avoid any potential problems with trub.


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