50L keg uses

[tubbsy]

What are the best uses for 50L kegs at a homebrew scale?

I now have a 65L Digiboil, so a keggle isn't needed. I mash in a 45L esky, so a mash tun isn't needed. I was thinking about a kegmenter for pressure fermenting, but the size is a bit small to make the most out of the Digiboil(50L post boil). And filling them with beer means I need a big fridge or freezer (and a strong back!) and as I'd like to always have at least 2 styles of beer to choose from, >100L of beer on tap seems excessive. Also not sure what the fitting needed for the kegs would cost, but I suspect not $20.

This isn't a rhetorical question. A mate just dropped off 2 kegs a publican gave him and has a couple more if I want them. They're fantastic, but only if I can find a use for them.

 

[RRising]

To be honest, it doesn't sound like that you really need them, Other than a keg, kegmenter or HLT, there really aren't that many uses for a full commercial keg.

You could maybe use them for storage, have a couple of kegs and transfer them to smaller cornys.

I recently came by a 50L keg and i too am struggling to find a good use for without spending a lot of money (which i don't have atm) upgrading from 30 to 50 plus liters.

 

[Half-baked]

I use 29 and 50l kegs for ageing sours, prefer 50l ones...

If you’re going to age a beer 18+ months, best to have as much as possible

Glass carboys are too small and fragile, plastic lets in too much O2 and barrels too expensive.

Tempted by the 118l monster Kegland sells for a perpetual sour

 

[billygoat]

You can make a great letter box out of a 50L keg.
Plenty of them around my way.

 

[MHB]

Ok couldnt resist, but only if its a carlton keg OK

Over the years have seen as above letterboxes, BBQ's, Smokers, Stills, Fire pits, Bar Stools - even some with Ice and Beer storage built into the bottom and one Tandoori oven...

Mark

 

[duncbrewer]

That is awesome, definite plan for one of those in the dream beer den with en suite!

I agree about the big kegs though, I was offered a 50 litre keg and after I'd moved it around ( full of beer) decided it was not for me. Just moving the fermentasaurus into the brew fridge with 30 litres of beer in is a right pain.

 

[tubbsy]

So I started using one of the kegs for pressure fermenting a Munich Dunkel. Not temp controlled, but steadyish at 12C in my shed with the cool weather we've been having. I've got a tube from the spunding valve to a jar and it's been bubbling like crazy.

What sort of head space should I be looking at though? I have 42L in it at the moment, but if using bottom fermenting lager yeast and under pressure, the krausen should be pretty minimal, right?

 

[duncbrewer]

Another 50 litre keg use


Neither of those people are me.

 

[NattyJ]

Another 50 litre keg use
View attachment 120233View attachment 120234

Neither of those people are me.

I wonder how they cool the beer?
Looks pretty awesome.

 

[BrewLizard]

Store grain it it. Should comfortably hold a 25 kg sack of the good stuff.

 

[rayhaynes62]

The biggest problem I see with a 50L keg is how do you clean them.
If you are using them for fermentation or long storage.

 

[tubbsy]

The biggest problem I see with a 50L keg is how do you clean them.
If you are using them for fermentation or long storage.

I've been using the kegs exclusively for fermenting. After each use I give it a rinse then put it on the bucket blaster for an hour with PBW. I can't see in properly to inspect, but I haven't noticed any issues yet.

 

[rayhaynes62]

I've been using the kegs exclusively for fermenting. After each use I give it a rinse then put it on the bucket blaster for an hour with PBW. I can't see in properly to inspect, but I haven't noticed any issues yet.

So do you cut the ball valve off the top and use a stopper for the air valve.

 

[tubbsy]

So do you cut the ball valve off the top and use a stopper for the air valve.

https://www.kegland.com.au/ball-lock-tapping-head-to-2inch-tri-clover-commercial-keg-adaptor.html

 

[rayhaynes62]

That looks like a great setup to use it as a keg or fermenter.
How hard is it to remove the ball valve?

 

[tubbsy]

Do you mean the spear? With the right tools they are a cinch to remove, but without they can be a *****

 

[rayhaynes62]

Yes. I can see the circlip but it looks like you can't hook the pliers on it.