Portable single keg set-up

[surly]

Hey b00ner, not taken more pics, sorry.
All I have done is cut out some thin camping mat and glued it to the bottom on the i/s and o/s as well as glue a yoga mat on i/s all the way around the sides.

I cut the mat on the bottom so that it sat in the grooves on the i/s and repeated the process for the o/s. This means I didn't lift the keg up too high with the insulation.
As for the lid, I cut out the majority of the concave section, then glued some plastic across the top. This means that the clearance i/s is level with the top of the lid. Previously, the insert piece protruded a 5-6 centimetres into the barrel.

My intentions are to put a large garbage bag i/s, place the keg in this then fill the space around the keg with ice. This should prevent the water trickling between gaps and touching the walls of the barrel as well as making it easier to empty/clean.
Hope this all makes sense.

 

[b00ner]

Yeh sounds good. I was gonna write out my plans but I think it's easier to do it and put some pics up.

Was anyone able to source some ~300mm tubing from anywhere? I was think even something softer like air ducts might work/be easy to get a hold of.

 

[Kingy]

Most new subdivisions have 300mm PVC. Ask the guys laying water or sewer main. Water is in 300 aswell.

 

[b00ner]

Ok so here's an option:

Buy one of these bad boys for $15

Chuck everything in and fill with ice

Fits in with plenty of space

Done. A draw back is a lot of ice is needed and on a hot day it's gonna melt pretty quick so I thought I'd try an upgrade. I bought a couple of old buckets for $6

Cut into the rim of one of the buckets

Chuck it inside the other one

Cut the top off and... Bam, PVC pipe for $6 instead of ~$100

Chuck that whole thing inside the barrel. Now there's an air buffer to keep the ice cooler for longer with less ice required to cover the whole keg.

Concerns are if the buckets are too small to get enough ice around the whole keg, but I figure once its crushed and melts it should be fine. If it starts out cold then this shouldn't be too much of an issue. You could probably get away with just the buckets and some insulation for simplicity.

Next steps are:

- Putting a tap in, ala Surly
- Adding a drain hole and line to the buckets
- Insulate the outside of the buckets or inside of the barrel
- Put a lid on the buckets
- Chuck some wheels on
- Maybe paint it up a bit

Thoughts/suggestions?

 

[punkin]

Supercheap for a $15 trolley and a couple of straps?

 

[Yob]

Supercheap for a $15 trolley and a couple of straps?

That's the route I'm taking, pvc mounted on a trolley, will probably box it out with timber to make it Purdy.

 

[b00ner]

Small trolley would be a good idea, might be able to mount the cylinder to it too. Gonna be a bulky thing by the end of it.

Unless you know someone or somewhere to pinch it from, PVC pipe big enough is tricky to find without buying at least 3 metres of it for $300+. 2 old buckets is a cheap alternative, and if it doesn't work out, then you've only wasted a few bucks.

 

[stevepreece]

b00ner, you can flip the lid insert and glue it on, have a look at mine, it worked great over cup weekend.
Like the double bucket, I was trying to work out a way of getting a large bucket but gave up.
I insulated mine with expanding foam which work ok although I did make the standard mess.

When I attempt version 2 I will use expanding foam to hold the buckets in place at the bottom and then some wall insulation for the top part, this also goes on top of the keg in the lid bit.
Will probably also add a "access hatch", some old lid from drinking chocolate, so I can get a hand in to hock/unhock the disconnects and stop me knocking the tap whilst turning the lid.
I too will add a drainage system, I look forward to seeing yours first.

This sound slack but mine worked well a chilled (5 degree) keg stayed nicely chilled for 2 days without extra ice......by then it was empty and the oversight was only spotted then.

 

[b00ner]

Yeh that's a nice setup. I'm gonna make a second lid for the buckets to access the keg directly, then run a line through the walls to the side of the barrel so I'm not touching the tap all the time. The buckets are sticking up through the lid so that'll hold them in place, I reckon once I have the drain put in I might use some expander foam at the bottom like you said. I'll also make a small groove in the top of the buckets so I can leave the gas attached if need be.

 

[beer-head]

What about one of these with a modified lid?

http://www.bunnings.com.au/willow-50l-bullet-bin_p4520319

 

[maldridge]

Better post my little setup. Not quite finished, still need to mount the lid, font, taps, and gas bottle mount.

Wooden box houses a polystyrene box, which will have a round hole cut in the top where the keg slots into. The top rubber section of the keg actually pokes out the top of the hole, which allows easy access to disconnects etc.

The polystyrene box is then filled with ice. The whole thing connects up to the frame of a bicycle, and away you go!

Looking forward to taking it out for a spin in a couple of weeks when the bloody weather gets better!

 

[surly]

maldridge, I love the the idea of a bike trailer keg. Genius

 

[punkin]

I can get the sewer pie for nicks, but i just bought ten of the Keg King stainless caps with gas disconnects to go on 2 or 3 litre bottles. I find that way i can take more beer, in an esky, with a few different types and if i give the bottles a quick zap from the gas after filling them slowly from the taps they stay carbonated just fine for the two or three days it takes me to drink them.

I have a craftbrewer CPBF but have never bothered fitting it as the cabonation caps work just fine. I pour slowly from my tap system.

 

[angus_grant]

RIS from home using exact same method

 

[Danwood]

300mm stormwater pipe end caps to go with the pipe I salvaged from work... $64....EACH !!

No thanks, Reece. I'll have to find a cap substitute.

 

[surly]

300mm stormwater pipe end caps to go with the pipe I salvaged from work... $64....EACH !!

No thanks, Reece. I'll have to find a cap substitute.

Damn, those caps cost a bomb.
I have been eyeballing my piece of 300mm pipe and thinking about how to use it. Might need to try and make my own cap..

 

[b00ner]

Walk around bunnings and a few other hardware/scrap places and find a bucket that's just a tad bigger, cut off most of it and should do the trick.

 

[Danwood]

That's what I was thinking. Needs to be tough though

 

[bradsbrew]

to go on 2 or 3 litre bottles.

Punkin, where are you getting 3L pet bottles from?

 

[shaunous]

Kegs are fun and all, but shit there is a lot of effort to go in, and worry, let alone the responsibility and abuse you'll cop if an army of campers are dehydrated and your fukin around with to much foam, or to hot or whatever to keep them hydrated.

I like the idea of trailering around a keg, but camping wise, isn't it just easer to fill up a heap of 2L coke bottles of beer and launch in the Engel/Esky???

i'll wait for the abuse :unsure: