Turning A Keg Into Fermenter

[captain_booze]

i found a thread about this somewhere on the site but it didn't really relate specifically to my situation so i decided to start new one.

i've got a 50 litre keg with the top cut out of it (hole about 35cm diameter) and am interested in converting it to a fermenter. i saw a perspex thing you can buy that attatches to the top but it was about $80 or something.

the keg also has a tap in it at the bottom similar to a plastic fermemter so thats why i think it'd make a good fermenter

any cheaper ways. the only thing i can think of is buying some perspex and making something
thanks

 

[big d]

if my memory serves me correctly i think gerard was going to post some pics of some kegs as fermenters.apparently they look real good and will no doubt give any interested people some ideas.
just wish i could remeber the posting title.

cheers
big d

 

[dicko]

Hers a pic someone posted earlier on this subject.

 

[captain_booze]

yeh that one on the left is what i need. but probably expensive.
anyone know where to get it or something similar

 

[PeterS]

Hers a pic someone posted earlier on this subject.

[post="50813"][/post]​

I am also interested in this. I must say however, how many commercial kegs are floating around that remains the property of the brewery. They seem to fell off the back of their trucks..

Keep on Brewin'
:chug:

 

[captain_booze]

indeed

 

[pint of lager]

The cheapest way is to pull the dip tube out and get a bung to fit the opening. Or, you can anglegrind the neck off flush with the top and fit a bung to this opening.

To clean it use napisan for a long soak. If you don't feel confident about napisan, which will do the job, you can extend the handle on an old bottlebrush, bend this up and clean with it. Or, use a high pressure cleaner.

To get the beer out, use a siphon with a solid stem.

 

[dicko]

Hi Peter Shane,
I agree that many people use kegs for different reasons.
I have even seen them for farm mailboxes.

I think if you have a close look at the pics you might see that appears that they are from o'seas or at least they look that way to me.

There was a guy on here not long ago offering 50 litre kegs from o'seas to any who wanted to purchase them.
All quite legal - I believe.

Cheers

 

[captain_booze]

unfortunatly the opening on my keg is too big for a bung, similar to the left picture above.

ill try and make something though

 

[captain_booze]

We'll, i successfully turned the keg into a fermenter and it worked great. had to modify the fridge a little to get in in though. will post some pictures when i get a chance

 

[kman]

id love to see the pics, was it very hard to do? work well? easy to clean? other questions?

 

[vlbaby]

that keg fermenter idea is a winner i reckon.
i think the clear plastic lid looks the best. I like to able to see the beer as its fermenting. the bung idea is ok i guess if you dont mind brewing blind.

i'm thinking it wouldnt be too difficult to rig something up like that. perspex is available fairly easily, and i remember seeing somewhere a type of rubber seal that clips over a sheet metal edge. Maybe add some clips or screws to fasten the perspex on, and it should be just as good.
The best thing about this idea i think is that you can reuse peices of equipment. eg use the keg first as a HLT, then later in the brew it becomes you fermenter. You wont even have to sterilise it as it has had boiling water in it all day. BRILLIANT!

vlbaby.

 

[Wortgames]

Here's another method of securing the perspex which looks like it might be a better way to do it:

 

[vlbaby]

I like the look of that one. Looks like it would be simple as to do. Cant quite see how the lid is sealed. It almost looks like it isnt.
I think this is gonna be my new fermenter, just have to check it fits in my brew fridge.

vlbaby.

 

[big d]

mmmmm can see it now in the cub board room meeting.
look at what these people are doing to our kegs.
covering them in stout foam.and other unmentionable things.

keep em guessing.cover the names before naked pictorials expose the truth of what we get up to.
btw love the pic

cheers
big d

 

[Hoops]

There we go Dave, I've edited the photo to fix the problem.
Not too hard guys, I just used PAINT to do a quick dodgy job.

Hoops

 

[vlbaby]

I actually picked up a keg recently, semi-legit ( excuse spelling ), from the local tip. Asked the guy if i could buy/ take it, picked it up for $20, and as a bonus the top had already been cut out. Would've payed $20 just to have the hole cut.
Happy camper here

vlbaby.

 

[Wortgames]

vlbaby - I think the perspex has some foam rubber attached to it. You could get a cheap closed-cell foam camp mat from Rays Outdoors (about $5 - the same thing in Clarke Rubber would probably cost about $120...) and cut out a ring to fit.

 

[captain_booze]

I finally took a picture of my keg/fermenter set up.
the middle section comes off and is being held in place by two bent strips of alluminium. i have a bung in the hole in the top of the middle section and a hole through the alluminium strips so the air lock goes through the allumium into the bung. there's a rubber seal sealing the top which i picked up at a homebrew place in melbourne.

for most kegs you'll simply need the bung though. i also have a tap in the bottom of the keg for easy bottle filling.

even though that looks like the CUB logo on the side........it's a miss type

perspex would be great so i could see inside, but i don't really mind brewing blind. finshed my first batch in this fermenter and it came out great. no leaky seal. had to make a few modifications to the fridge for it to fit in though.

also sorry for the blurry photo

 

[Pumpy]

has anyone considered how heavy the kegs are to lift full ,why bust your back lifting it to drain into the secondary or to bottle when a nice light plastic bucket will do .

You cant claim compo with home brew you know .

Pumpy