30l & 50l Kegs At The Local Taphouse Melbourne And Sydney

[hsb]

Angle grinder is fairly easy. Just mark your cut first, and aim to cut gently 4-5 times around to get through, should clean up nicely with a bit of sandpaper afterwards. Google 'keggle' for plenty of videos of cutting in action.

 

[bricho]

Yeah i just used a 4 " angle grinder and 2 16mm stainless cutting discs, had to use the 2nd disc so i could reach the metal as the layer or rubber minimised the amount of reach of the disc.
I planned on using the lid from one of those Big W 19L pots on the tun, so put that lid on the keg and then made sure my cut out line was inside the diameter of the glass lid.

A grinding disc then can me used to clear up the cut and make sure there wont be any sharp edges.

Should have got myself a 50 as well, next time, only so much room for storage in a unit sadly...

 

[np1962]

Yes saw the eBay selection of couplers. There are ones listed at over $200 with QD attached! $30 for the keg. $200 to get the beer out! I don't think so!!

Think I'll wait until something more reasonable appears. 30l should definitely make for popular picnics.

Good luck with the Mash Tun, looks ideally 'jacketed' with all that rubber and SS? inside.

Something like this Ebay Linky with a little line and John Guest fittings would work out somewhat more 'reasonable'
Cheers
Nige

 

[HoppingMad]

After my earlier bitchiness on this thread I actually got one of the 30L kegs, so thanks heaps to the OP
for pointing out the deal and cheers to the Local Taphouse for putting together an awesome deal. :icon_cheers:
Humble apologies for any bad blood.

Like many I'm now in the hunt for a D-type coupler. (I'm using it for picnic kegging too like one of the sydneysiders)
What's the other attachment people are talking about - a QD? What's that - are those the snaplock fittings I've seen on Ebay?

Spoke to a mate with a D-type keg like this and he said you don't really need a keg opening tool to get these open -
reckons if you move the circlip around and put a tiny hole in the end it with a drill (taking care not to damage the top). Then you
can get the circlip out with a pair of circlip pliers using the hole as a way to grab it.
Following that you use your coupler to wiggle the spear out. Obviously this is all done once you depressurise the keg so you don't
get speared in the face!

Yet to give this a go, but if anyone has better suggestions let me know.

Hopper.

 

[Andyd]

After my earlier bitchiness on this thread I actually got one of the 30L kegs, so thanks heaps to the OP
for pointing out the deal and cheers to the Local Taphouse for putting together an awesome deal. :icon_cheers:
Humble apologies for any bad blood.

Like many I'm now in the hunt for a D-type coupler. (I'm using it for picnic kegging too like one of the sydneysiders)
What's the other attachment people are talking about - a QD? What's that - are those the snaplock fittings I've seen on Ebay?

Spoke to a mate with a D-type keg like this and he said you don't really need a keg opening tool to get these open -
reckons if you move the circlip around and put a tiny hole in the end it with a drill (taking care not to damage the top). Then you
can get the circlip out with a pair of circlip pliers using the hole as a way to grab it.
Following that you use your coupler to wiggle the spear out. Obviously this is all done once you depressurise the keg so you don't
get speared in the face!

Yet to give this a go, but if anyone has better suggestions let me know.

Hopper.

When you're depressurising the keg, lay it on its side so that it doesn't spew out the last dregs of the keg...

Andy

 

[stevepreece]

I got my 3 kegs and am very happy.

Thankfully I used a disposable email for this.
I was being offered the usual array of millions of dollars from various "kind" african donors.

Email address is now no more.
Anyone else getting bombarded?

 

[HoppingMad]

Strangely enough no Nigerians selling pharmaceuticals came my way after setting up an email.
Must be the gmail anti-spam working its magic.

Cheers for the tip Andy, another option is to do it upright but with a plastic bag over the top (Stops a spurt of beer to the face).
My Taphouse keg didn't have a heap of CO2 in it and close to no fluid cos it had practically been drunk dry - whoever attended must have loved their Konig Brauerei Beer! :icon_chickcheers:

Whoah which reminds me. October is nearly here. Better rustle up a Weizen!

Hopper.

 

[bricho]

I found the circlip very easy to remove, i only used a flat blade screw driver and long nose pliers. I used the flat blade to lift/pry out the end of the circlip and then was able to get a grip on the end of the clip with the pliers. Then just pulled out the clip, turned the spear and out it came!

If anyone wants my clip and spear for spare, i have no use for mine as have cut the top off my keg, so free to take them, It is a 30L keg?

Mash tun conversion is nearly done, false bottom and tap in, just need to install mashmaster gauge.

 

[hsb]

Why do you need to remove the spear if you'll be using it as a pressure vessel? Seems unnecessary? You should be able to clean it using the coupler???

re: QD (quick disconnect) - was just thinking of options that don't involve heating beer/gas line and forcing it over the barb to connect up. So could then add a Ball Lock tiny CO2 cylinder for dispense and a Ball Lock tap - both for around $35 each.

I did see the perfect option on eBay - D Coupler with pressure release with added Ball Lock fittings for Gas/Beer so you can just hook it up using your Corny Keg equipment. This was attached to the Snaplock type QD. I used a Sniping program to bid at the last minute - the ******* crashed! and didn't bid - it went for $41, bugger!

Remaining eBay options for ending up with Ball Lock fittings on the coupler seem to be around $150-200, I'd rather buy a 9L Corny type keg for that amount. Will wait and see while I wait for it to warm up, anyone else scores something post it up.

Thanks for the suggestion NigeP62, if something else doesn't turn up might go that road, just wanted to keep things as simple as possible (for me)!

Be interested to see some pics of your 30L rubbery Mash Tun, happy mashing

 

[HoppingMad]

Why do you need to remove the spear if you'll be using it as a pressure vessel? Seems unnecessary? You should be able to clean it using the coupler???

Yep using it as a pressure vessel. Only ever used cornelius kegs myself so unfamiliar with how to clean these things and fill them.

Figured I needed to open it and clean the inside and spear thoroughly inside and out with some brew-wash. It will have Konig beer all over it.

Is there a way to pipe brew wash through the coupler without opening hsb?

When you fill one of these kegs from a fermenter can you put it through the coupler without opening? I thought you'd need to pump in CO2 through it, then open it up and pour the beer in before re-sealing as normally would with a cornie?

:unsure: Hopper.

 

[fcmcg]

When you're depressurising the keg, lay it on its side so that it doesn't spew out the last dregs of the keg...

Andy

I got mine...did it very slowly...
Call me an enthusiast...but i got a pint of beer out of mine... i put it in the fridge to settle , so i could drink it later...
Was a lovely bit of stout.....
My 50 is now my new HLT...

 

[mxd]

I have my name down for a 30 ltr, my plan was to use it as a keg so I assume there not to hard to fill and clean ?

 

[hsb]

Yep using it as a pressure vessel. Only ever used cornelius kegs myself so unfamiliar with how to clean these things and fill them.

Figured I needed to open it and clean the inside and spear thoroughly inside and out with some brew-wash. It will have Konig beer all over it.

Is there a way to pipe brew wash through the coupler without opening hsb?

When you fill one of these kegs from a fermenter can you put it through the coupler without opening? I thought you'd need to pump in CO2 through it, then open it up and pour the beer in before re-sealing as normally would with a cornie?

:unsure: Hopper.

I don't speak from experience (same situation as you - use cornies) but I believe you can clean these 'proper' style kegs by filling it with PBW and water (could just use gravity for that) then pumping it out using some CO2.
That'd be how the breweries do it? Same goes for filling it. I don't think you 'need' to take the spear out at any point particularly to clean it and refill it.

A wiser head will be along in a minute with further advice hopefully?! Just didn't want to see you damage the spear in a perhaps slightly pointless quest since you can't really get in through the hole to clean it anyway any more than you can by running some kind of cleaning agent in through the coupler.

Here's all I could find on an AHB search (aside from several other threads that descend into Keg morality arguments)
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...st&p=547866


I'd see it as exactly the same for filling as a Cornie. You don't need to open it, you can run the beer in through the Beer Out post so it fills from the base, ie; the bottom of the spear. And you can make sure there's CO2 in there already to avoid oxidation anyway.

 

[jayse]

I don't speak from experience (same situation as you - use cornies) but I believe you can clean these 'proper' style kegs by filling it with PBW and water (could just use gravity for that) then pumping it out using some CO2.
That'd be how the breweries do it? Same goes for filling it. I don't think you 'need' to take the spear out at any point particularly to clean it and refill it.

No you don't need to remove the spear at all, I would rinse it with tap water first before putting the pbw in though, you can also drain it with gravity by turning it upside down and draining out the co2 inlet if you want to save co2, do it again with sanitzer then that last time use co2 to help drain/purge it out.

You generally don't use co2 to drain out the cleaner because most would be using caustic, you want either filtered air or nitrogen to purge caustic. I guess if your not going to recycle/reuse the caustic it does not matter though.

 

[HoppingMad]

Magic that link is exactly what I was looking for.

There you go - even posted on the thread there myself and forgot about it! (slaps hand to forehead).

Thanks guys! :icon_cheers:

Hopper.

 

[bricho]

Ok here is the finished mash tun, havent had a chance to use it yet, maybe this weekend. Will be interesting to see how it goes holding temp with the layer of rubber on the outside.

I used a Big W 19L pot lid and all stainless gear, the temp probe looks abit lower then it is in that top down photo.

 

[redbeard]

top effort - looks good. might want some ss hose clips on the tubing, as stirring can disconnect things

cheers

 

[HoppingMad]

I think my keg had one of the high alc porters inside, as there was a nice aroma of choc, roast, smoke when i removed the spear.

Mine had some kind of raspberry wheat or Belgian Kriek. The stuff looked all pink. Just as long as it wasn't a fruit lambic :blink: Otherwise all my kegged beers will be in for a dose of extra flavours everytime they pass through the drum. haha... er.. yikes.

The circlip and spear came out very easily as many have suggested. Didn't even need a coupler to wiggle out the spear. Pryed the circlip out with a screwdriver, and loosened the spear with a little wiggling.

Hopper.

 

[oztapguy]

I have 3 x 50L kegs and 3 x 30L second hand kegs for sale at the Darlo Taphouse. $100 per 50L and $60 per 30L to be paid in cash when picked up.

If you would like to buy and or all of them, please email me -steve AT thelocal.com.au - ASAP. It will be first in, best dressed and I will post something here when they've sold!

You will need to have picked them up by the end of this Friday Jan 14th.

 

[brettprevans]

for those still struggling with spears

photo tutorial for removing a 50L Type D keg spear courtesy of Domonsura

edit: PS ive personally still got a 50L keg converted to ball locks if anyone is interested.