Filling/cleaning hatch in a SS keg

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 4:00 am

ok id like to put a hatch in the top of my keg next to the flange on the top, but not sure what i can use that would be 4-5 inches round and resealable.

any ideas?

markx · Post by **markx** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 4:14 am

Maybe a bolt on SS plate if you don't need a quick action hatch.

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 4:47 am

i thought of that but the top of the keg is domed and it could make it a problem sealing it

Post by **Tater** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 4:54 am

cut top out of like keg say 10 in cut your keg 8 in bolt on.

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 4:56 am

yeah thats probly the best option, even so still would rather have a hatch for some reason lol

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 5:01 am

i am toying with the idea of cutting the top outta 2 kegs one slightly smaller than the other so i can get a nice overlap, then i have the keg with the other one for a boil kettle

AllanD · Post by **AllanD** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 12:20 pm

The option that I've seen a picture of right here on these forums was to
weld a short length of pipe with a 4" Tri-Clover sanitary flange into the top of a Sanke keg...

I don't recall offhand who did it but it looked like a neat and clean way of dealing with the problem of cleaning the kegs....

AllanD

level Joe · Post by **level Joe** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 4:52 pm

May have been me.

4" tri clover ferrule welded to top of 15 gal keg

4" to 2" reducer and a tri clover to mnpt adapter to join the copper

with the valved head (condenser coil and shell is on floor in front)
I also have a pot still head I can screw on instead

Anvil02 · Post by **Anvil02** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 6:02 pm

myself i used a 2"" male threaded fitting for my main connection,(column to vessel) used a hole saw and popped a 2"" hole farther out toward the rim,then silver brazed another 2'' male into the hole,use a 2'' cap to hold it closed. used a angle grinder to reduce the keg collar a bit to fit the male fillting over the collar.

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 9:54 pm

so you can get your arm in a 2" hole to clean it???????? lol i have a 2" hole in the top already, but thanks for the help guys i have decided to cut the top outta 2 kegs and put the bigger top over the smaller hole with some bolts

AllanD · Post by **AllanD** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 10:37 am

There is another way to clean that doesn't require getting inside the keg.

3oz of caustic soda (Red Devil brand Lye) then fill the keg with HOT water and allow to soak overnight... It'll clean the stainless very effectively.

It even removes the coagulated clumps of protein and tannin
that collects in the "head" of the keg when distilling apple cider.

Caustic Soda is what breweries and commercial distilleries use as a primary cleaning substance and it is what the automated keg cleaning systems use to clean kegs when they are returned to the brewery
(though they are also rinsed with other chemicals before being refilled)

Though a big hole is "nice" it is also a luxury that not all will indulge in.

AllanD

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 5:01 pm

I've been using caustic but the keg still seems to have some marks i might leave it longer, and try that, i mean i have enough kegs to rotate them if i like lol i have about 5 now, but i will be cutting at least 2 up to make a HERMS, anyway thanks for the help guys

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:32 pm

I'm pretty set on building a herms or rims or what ever you want to call it too. Its a whiskey mashing machine for me... I have way too many of the parts already to not build one.

so I agree that a large hole in the top of a keg is optional... If you use the caustic soda your boiler will stay perfectly spotless. Its got its own problems too, but its a lot easier and more accessible than stainless metalwork.

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 4:25 am

lots o difference bettween a rims and a herms lol Recirculating Infusion Mash System and Heat Exchanged Recirculating Mash System, the herms is better for beer but not needed for whiskey, infact you dont even need to sparge for whiskey just do it in one big pot with a false bottom

hornedrhodent · Post by **hornedrhodent** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 4:32 am

="absinthe"]ok id like to put a hatch in the top of my keg next to the flange on the top, but not sure what i can use that would be 4-5 inches round and resealable.

any ideas?

Could you put your large round hole in the centre of the keg with your column off to the side so you dont disturb it when you open the hole to drain and refill?

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 5:33 am

dont see the point in that, as the keg fitting is what my tower connects too, so i would need todo even more mods todo that

zeff · Post by **zeff** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:06 pm

I overlapped my keg ie cut out the top of a keg and then cut out a smaller hole in my boiler and placed the larger cutout over it. It works well but i ended up sealing mine on anyway cos it was a pain to remove and was hard to seal anyway, but my main objective in doing the whole thing was to get an element in there anyway.

Home Distiller

Filling/cleaning hatch in a SS keg

Filling/cleaning hatch in a SS keg

looks great,

Re: Filling/cleaning hatch in a SS keg