Keg Aluminum or SS?????

Putting older posts here. Going to try to keep the novice forum pruned about 90 days work. The 'good' old stuff is going to be put into appropriate forums.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
TryMe
Bootlegger
Posts: 104
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:15 pm

Keg Aluminum or SS?????

Post by TryMe »

I have a 15.5 gallon keg that has "Bestco Beatrice Nebraska" stamped on the side and on the top it says "JOS Schlitz Brewing Co. Tampa Florida 6-66" Anyone have any idea how to determine if this keg is Stainless or aluminum?? I tried a magnet but it didnt stick, however it didnt stick to my stainless pans either..Thx for any input.
Old_Blue
Rumrunner
Posts: 500
Joined: Mon Dec 24, 2007 2:30 pm
Location: High Ground

Post by Old_Blue »

Put the point of a Barlow to it. If it picks up a curl its aluminum, if not ss.
Fire is the devil’s only friend - Don McLean
Jump in where you can and hang on - Brisco Darling
new_moonshiner
Trainee
Posts: 964
Joined: Sun Jan 21, 2007 7:15 am

Post by new_moonshiner »

have you tried a knife point to scratch it .. if Aluim it will scratch rather easily .. sorry blue looks like we posted at the same time
TryMe
Bootlegger
Posts: 104
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:15 pm

Post by TryMe »

A knife point will scratch it but no easier than it will scratch my stainless pans..You cant really cut shavings off like soft aluminum.I will try to post some pics in a few.
TryMe
Bootlegger
Posts: 104
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:15 pm

Post by TryMe »

Here are some pics..Someone painted it black and it's flaking off..

Top

Image

Side

Image

Bottom

Image
Old_Blue
Rumrunner
Posts: 500
Joined: Mon Dec 24, 2007 2:30 pm
Location: High Ground

Post by Old_Blue »

New_moon.. No harm..Barlow good for checking for bondo too.

Tryme: Hard to tell from pics. Some say Aluminum doesn't carry past column, you decide that.
Magnet ain't no good on aluminum or certain grades of SS. Is it lighter or heaver that you expected when you picked it up?
Fire is the devil’s only friend - Don McLean
Jump in where you can and hang on - Brisco Darling
TryMe
Bootlegger
Posts: 104
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:15 pm

Post by TryMe »

It doesn't scratch all that easy..As for the scratches already on it this thing has been around and been abused...I have thrown it around my garage on the concrete and everything else for 4 yrs..Its pretty heavy (quite a bit heavier than I thought) so even if it turns out to be aluminum it wont hurt my feelings I will make decent $$ scraping it lol....
User avatar
Husker
retired
Posts: 5031
Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:04 pm

Post by Husker »

Old Schlitz kegs are one of the ones where you can run into AL kegs (Hams and old coors also made some AL kegs).

However, that one "looks" to be stainless to me. At least the way that bottom rim scratched. Those look like stainless scratches, which are usually a large majority of shallow scratches. AL will have some very deep cuts and gouges from a keg that beaten up.
Dnderhead
Angel's Share
Angel's Share
Posts: 13666
Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 8:07 pm
Location: up north

Post by Dnderhead »

put small drop of sodium hydroxide solution on it will react with
aluminium not with ss

Caution Makes -- hydrogen----Causes BURNS
HookLine
retired
Posts: 5628
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 8:38 am
Location: OzLand

Post by HookLine »

The heaviness, and the sheen of the metal means it is almost certainly stainless.
Be safe.
Be discreet.
And have fun.
Pikluk
Swill Maker
Posts: 332
Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:22 pm

Post by Pikluk »

the weight should give a clue.
The more you read the more you learn.
The more you learn the more you realize you don't know shit :)
big worm
Trainee
Posts: 758
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2008 4:19 pm

hmmmm

Post by big worm »

s/s and some bung holes to boot. thats cool in its self.. what could an idea man do with a drum like that. ...on its side boiler more room to flash off surface area..perhaps a small continueous unit. its a find for sure :idea:
GOT BAIT?
small children left unatended will be sold as bait
new_moonshiner
Trainee
Posts: 964
Joined: Sun Jan 21, 2007 7:15 am

Post by new_moonshiner »

Seems pint did an on the side boiler if im not mistaken with a keg that looked very similar if im not mistaken ..
zymos
Swill Maker
Posts: 258
Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2007 8:19 am

Post by zymos »

Old_Blue wrote:Some say Aluminum doesn't carry past column, you decide that.
I think that's really the only issue worth considering in this case.
And how could it get carried over in the distillate? Some kind of volatile aluminum compound that boils as low as EtOH?
Doesn't seem likely...
inspeedway
Novice
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:22 am
Location: indy

ss or al

Post by inspeedway »

hit it with a hammer
bong = al
bing =ss

put a grinder to its rim
inspeedway
Novice
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:22 am
Location: indy

oops

Post by inspeedway »

better watch for pressure though if you start messing with it!!
liable to get a black eye or wet
Dnderhead
Angel's Share
Angel's Share
Posts: 13666
Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 8:07 pm
Location: up north

Post by Dnderhead »

hint that patch on side "were bung is " is filled with ? remove patch?
then you wold have flat place to put coll um
TryMe
Bootlegger
Posts: 104
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:15 pm

Post by TryMe »

Dnderhead wrote:hint that patch on side "were bung is " is filled with ? remove patch?
then you wold have flat place to put coll um
The flat spot on the side just has a wooden cork in it which would be easy to remove.
Dnderhead
Angel's Share
Angel's Share
Posts: 13666
Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 8:07 pm
Location: up north

Post by Dnderhead »

yes it is wood cork but if alter as drill or Wald on you mite have problems
the ones i have two layers of ss with something between
big worm
Trainee
Posts: 758
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2008 4:19 pm

Re: ss or al

Post by big worm »

inspeedway wrote:hit it with a hammer
bong = al
bing =ss

put a grinder to its rim
blat = yer thumb :lol:
GOT BAIT?
small children left unatended will be sold as bait
BW Redneck
Trainee
Posts: 775
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:57 am
Location: 1000 acre farm, Ohio

Re: ss or al

Post by BW Redneck »

big worm wrote:
inspeedway wrote:hit it with a hammer
bong = al
bing =ss

put a grinder to its rim
blat = yer thumb :lol:
Scratch that-

@#$%=yer thumb :lol: :lol:
"If you can't dazzle them with brilliance... baffle them with bullshit."
"Don't steal. The government hates competition."
"Believe none of what you hear, and only half of what you see"

20lt small pot still, working on keg
LawsonB
Novice
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2019 4:24 pm

Re: Keg Aluminum or SS?????

Post by LawsonB »

I know this thread is 10 years old, but an interesting one at that. I also have an identical keg with identical date. If you still have that keg, and the spear is still in it, I would ask to procure it.
User avatar
kiwi Bruce
Distiller
Posts: 2324
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:38 pm
Location: Transplanted Kiwi living in the States

Re: Keg Aluminum or SS?????

Post by kiwi Bruce »

This is a zombie tread, the OP has not been with us for a decade...when you see the "last visited" of the OP you'll see it's blank, meaning he was removed from HD forums for breaking the rules.
Getting hung up all day on smiles
Post Reply