using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Any hardware used for mashing, fermenting or aging.

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Stircrazy
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using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Post by Stircrazy »

I have done a few searches and cant seam to find anything.
is there any DIY info for converting beer kegs into mashtuns and fermenter set ups? or is it better to go to a Beer spicific forum to get that info?

Thanks
Steve
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Re: using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Post by Expat »

The word for this is Keggle

Here is a example of some previous discussion
https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 83&t=50406
Last edited by Expat on Sat Apr 10, 2021 2:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Post by Deplorable »

There are a few members here that mash and ferment on grain in a keggle. Twisted Brick for one, does 12.5 gallon ferments in a keggle.
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Re: using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Post by Twisted Brick »

There's a crapload of videos on YouTube. All one needs is a $2 cutoff wheel on a hand-grinder and a way to maintain a constant radius for your cut. Tip: get a stainless steel lid (not plexi or plastic - they scratch and harbor bacteria) before you cut your hole. If you put a drain (ferrule) on the side bottom, you could lauter single malt mashes to ferment off-grain.

I can't tell you how versatile this config is and how many hours it has saved. The keg ($35) and barrel dolly ($25) came from Craigslist. The lid ($5) from the scrapyard.
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Stircrazy
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Re: using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Post by Stircrazy »

nice. I am trying to source a few kegs right now.
two months ago they were all over now they seam to be hard to find.

Sence 90% of my plan is to do 100% grain, I want to set up a grain mashing/sparging rack and plumb everything in
so I just open valves to direct liquid to where I want it to go. I might go with the cooler for the actual mash tun,
but I think everything else will be from kegs.

Steve
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Re: using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Post by kmmuellr »

Consider flipping the keg, and using the sanke tap as a 2" drain on the bottom. Cut off the "top" that was the bottom.

You lose your handles this way, but mount some legs and wheels on it and its good to go!

The only downside is that you now can't use heat on it. Lots of blankets as insulation work fine when you dump boiling water in to gelatinize the corn.

K
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Re: using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Post by The Baker »

kmmuellr wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:57 pm Consider flipping the keg, and using the sanke tap as a 2" drain on the bottom. Cut off the "top" that was the bottom.

You lose your handles this way, but mount some legs and wheels on it and its good to go!

The only downside is that you now can't use heat on it. Lots of blankets as insulation work fine when you dump boiling water in to gelatinize the corn.

K
Can you run HOT water through a 'mash cooler worm thingy' as a heat source?
With a bit of innovative plumbing and a suitable pump you could run it from (and back to) a hot water system...

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Re: using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Post by Expat »

The Baker wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 6:23 pm
kmmuellr wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:57 pm Consider flipping the keg, and using the sanke tap as a 2" drain on the bottom. Cut off the "top" that was the bottom.

You lose your handles this way, but mount some legs and wheels on it and its good to go!

The only downside is that you now can't use heat on it. Lots of blankets as insulation work fine when you dump boiling water in to gelatinize the corn.

K
Can you run HOT water through a 'mash cooler worm thingy' as a heat source?
With a bit of innovative plumbing and a suitable pump you could run it from (and back to) a hot water system...

Geoff
Or better, steam the mash
Last edited by Expat on Sat Apr 10, 2021 6:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Post by Twisted Brick »

The Baker wrote:
Can you run HOT water through a 'mash cooler worm thingy' as a heat source?
With a bit of innovative plumbing and a suitable pump you could run it from (and back to) a hot water system...

Geoff
No, unfortunately. There simply isn’t enough heat in hot water to to be efficient. The piped water first needs to be heated under pressure to above boiling and it’s easier to just make a steam wand like a thumper.
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kmmuellr
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Re: using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Post by kmmuellr »

The Baker wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 6:23 pm
kmmuellr wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:57 pm Consider flipping the keg, and using the sanke tap as a 2" drain on the bottom. Cut off the "top" that was the bottom.

You lose your handles this way, but mount some legs and wheels on it and its good to go!

The only downside is that you now can't use heat on it. Lots of blankets as insulation work fine when you dump boiling water in to gelatinize the corn.

K
Can you run HOT water through a 'mash cooler worm thingy' as a heat source?
With a bit of innovative plumbing and a suitable pump you could run it from (and back to) a hot water system...

Geoff
In theory if you have very well insulated piping you could maintain the heat, but I don't think you could effectively heat. As stated above, a steam wand is a better option for this. (which I've considered, but not needed to do.)

K
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Re: using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Post by The Baker »

I was thinking of a 'mash cooler' with hot water, more as an aid to warming the mash before actual distillation...

Geoff
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Re: using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Post by Stircrazy »

kmmuellr wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:57 pm Consider flipping the keg, and using the sanke tap as a 2" drain on the bottom. Cut off the "top" that was the bottom.

You lose your handles this way, but mount some legs and wheels on it and its good to go!

The only downside is that you now can't use heat on it. Lots of blankets as insulation work fine when you dump boiling water in to gelatinize the corn.

K
why cant you use heat? sems to me it would be just as easy to put an electric element in, or are you talking for the sparge or fermenter? I am thinking the kettle. I wont be using gas heat or corn :wink: but reading the other posts has got me thinking, I will never need to boil water, unless I use corn, and then I can use the kettle, so it is feasable for me to build in coils and run warm/hot but sub boiling water through it to maintain temps. would just take a PDI temp control and a circ pump. so many things possible, its jsut time and money. on the bright side I have three Kegs coming

Steve
kmmuellr
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Re: using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Post by kmmuellr »

Stircrazy wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 6:23 pm
kmmuellr wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:57 pm Consider flipping the keg, and using the sanke tap as a 2" drain on the bottom. Cut off the "top" that was the bottom.

You lose your handles this way, but mount some legs and wheels on it and its good to go!

The only downside is that you now can't use heat on it. Lots of blankets as insulation work fine when you dump boiling water in to gelatinize the corn.

K
why cant you use heat? sems to me it would be just as easy to put an electric element in, or are you talking for the sparge or fermenter? I am thinking the kettle. I wont be using gas heat or corn :wink: but reading the other posts has got me thinking, I will never need to boil water, unless I use corn, and then I can use the kettle, so it is feasable for me to build in coils and run warm/hot but sub boiling water through it to maintain temps. would just take a PDI temp control and a circ pump. so many things possible, its jsut time and money. on the bright side I have three Kegs coming

Steve
No gas heat. The flame wouldn't be good for the seals in the tri-clamp fittings or whatever you're using to seal off the bottom port.

I suppose you could weld in a drain to the sanke fitting, and run that out past the side of the keg before putting in a valve. That'd get the seals away from the flame. I may actually try that!

Yes, of course you could use electric heat, but then you need to worry about scorching if you have grains in.

K

K
Stircrazy
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Re: using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Post by Stircrazy »

kmmuellr wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 2:49 pm
Stircrazy wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 6:23 pm
kmmuellr wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 12:57 pm Consider flipping the keg, and using the sanke tap as a 2" drain on the bottom. Cut off the "top" that was the bottom.

You lose your handles this way, but mount some legs and wheels on it and its good to go!

The only downside is that you now can't use heat on it. Lots of blankets as insulation work fine when you dump boiling water in to gelatinize the corn.

K
why cant you use heat? sems to me it would be just as easy to put an electric element in, or are you talking for the sparge or fermenter? I am thinking the kettle. I wont be using gas heat or corn :wink: but reading the other posts has got me thinking, I will never need to boil water, unless I use corn, and then I can use the kettle, so it is feasable for me to build in coils and run warm/hot but sub boiling water through it to maintain temps. would just take a PDI temp control and a circ pump. so many things possible, its jsut time and money. on the bright side I have three Kegs coming

Steve
No gas heat. The flame wouldn't be good for the seals in the tri-clamp fittings or whatever you're using to seal off the bottom port.

I suppose you could weld in a drain to the sanke fitting, and run that out past the side of the keg before putting in a valve. That'd get the seals away from the flame. I may actually try that!

Yes, of course you could use electric heat, but then you need to worry about scorching if you have grains in.

K

K
ya that makes sence, I wont be distilling on the grain so Ill be ok there. I was thinking by doing it upside down and using the sankey to hook a valve on to, I could put a little bulb on the other side and do kinda of a diy conical type fermemter. might not work as it wont have as sharp of a wall angle but worth a try.

Steve
Stircrazy
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Re: using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Post by Stircrazy »

Twisted Brick wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 5:51 am
The Baker wrote:
Can you run HOT water through a 'mash cooler worm thingy' as a heat source?
With a bit of innovative plumbing and a suitable pump you could run it from (and back to) a hot water system...

Geoff
No, unfortunately. There simply isn’t enough heat in hot water to to be efficient. The piped water first needs to be heated under pressure to above boiling and it’s easier to just make a steam wand like a thumper.
but if I wasn't planing on boils, and just wanted to maintain sparge temps, that could be possible. hmm lots to think about and might be a good use for a PID.
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Re: using Kegs for Mashtun and fermenters.

Post by Stircrazy »

Ok so I got three 50L kegs. I blan on using one just to boil water for mashing, I was going to use one to make a mash tun and one for a fermenter.
but now I am thinking, would it be better to use one of thoes big water coolers for a mash tun and have two fermenters? then I can start up double batches and do two full striping runs togeather, then maybe later add a third fermenter to it. I plan on doing long cool ferments, 7 to 14 days, so it might be nice to be able to run three at a time with staggered start days.

Steve
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