Double Batch Question

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PacNorWest

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Howdy all,

I have searched here and elsewhere to an answer to the following with no luck, so here goes:

I recently acquired a 50L sanke. But before I am hung for stealing it myself, I will admit it was actually found in a neighbors council pickup heap, no idea where he got it... but I thought I could get a lot more use out of it then the tip. Anyway, since my brewery was already 3v it has been sitting in the shed until I came across these meaning i could (with tedious disassembling, cleaning and sanitising) potentially use this keg as a serving keg for big occasions, sounds good. However, I have neither a 60L fermenter nor a boil kettle big enough to manage all that wort.

So I had an idea and I wanted to float it with yall. Could I just put two ~25L batches through my equipment one after another trying to be as consistent as possible. Dropping each batch in a separate fermenter and fermenting at the same time, same yeast. Then when fermentation is over, mixing both of them into the keg and carbing up as per usual?

Note that this would really be going for volume of a recipe I have brewed over 10x instead of trying out something new. I am thinking I may have problems with differences in fermentation plus if one goes bad i would throw them both off. Buuuut, i still think it could be possible. what do you think?
 
No wukkas. I've done similar before, it works just fine.

You will need to borrow or buy a coupler though which would be upwards of $60.

You may be able to modify the keg slightly so that the spear unscrews with ease. No more tedious disassembly.
 
Awesome, ive got a coupler but not sure how i would modify the keg. I get the point of the modification, making the snap in piece easy to get on and off, but how would you suggest to modify? I was thinking of drilling small holes in it once i got it out so i can use nip nose pliers to pinch it out. is there an easier way?
 
Absolutely no reason why you couldn't brew two single batches and then blend them for a 50L final volume. Buy a 60L fermenter and you don't even have to ferment separate batches.

Although, is there a reason that you'd rather have a 50L keg than keg in 19L corny kegs? (i.e. is it because you don't have any corny kegs?). Personally I'd be spending the money on 19L corny kegs as they are easier to disassemble/clean/sanitise and obviously suit your batch size better.
 
I'm with kaiser, a full 50L keg is a heavy mother fucker and then you have to also consider do you want to really drink 50L of the same brew or experiment with 2x 19L by having them on different yeasts or different dry hopping and such. The main concern would be the weight. Come on, more energy!
 
Thanks for the feedback, it all helps. I do have 4 19l corny's and would only be using the 50L 1 or 2times a year just for big things when it would get finished in a night. Like this australia day, im having heaps of mates over and they are all paying a cover charge and we are going to go through my 4 cornys and the sanke (hopefully :D ), should be a big night. I realise the trouble with cleaning and sanitising but am willing to go through it instead of finding bottles and bottling them all.

For cleaning i was planning to disassemble, fill w/ water and sodium percarbonate mixture and leave overnight. Then pour that out, will with about 20L of water, boil that stuff for a good 20 mins, empty and fill with 10L or so of iodide and swish around to sanitize. I would clean an sanitize the spear separately. Once that is done, I would reassemble the keg and use the coupler to fill the keg, chill and force carb. Its a pain, i know and would take a good hour or so every time, but i dont plan on doing it frequently.

It all comes down to having more beer!
 
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