what to use as boiler?

[wkcrawler]

i need a boiler quick and cant seem to find a keg, so i was thinking of other cheap alternatives such as the pressure cooker.

but like i 20L capacity aye.

thanks!

[LWTCS]

20 L pressure cooker gonna cost you more than an empty keg, no? Specially if it's SS.

Picked my first lil pot up (6 quart) for $38 at Walmart.

Lots of debate on aluminum.
I got some pitting but no failures.

[Braz]

Not sure if this fits your definition of cheap or not, but I use this 36qt stainless pot from Bayou Classic.

http://bayouclassicdepot.com/1036_stain ... el_pot.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Braz

[MuleKicker]

Go to likker store, buy a keg o beer, have a party and keep the keg. $40 deposit or so? Cheep boiler.

[wkcrawler]

what about making my own with some steel sheet or copper?

[olddog]

The copper for the thumper on my Frankenstill cost $90.

I can check on a keg for you tomorrow if you want.

OD

[kiwistiller]

cant seem to find a keg

I was desperate for one while back so I just drove round every bottle shop I could find until someone would sell me an empty. watch out, the shops will probably try and make out it costs them heaps, it's $35 round here.

[toofless one]

mulekicker had a great idea


walmart always has something to use as a boiler. research SS pots with lid and using flour paste for the seal. seems to work for a lot of people.

or cruise arounf the back side of resturants/pubs at about 8 or nine when they are busy...

[rad14701]

I shop about at the discount stores and can usually come across the "cheaper" stainless steel stock posts for ~$0.75 USD per liter... Just saw a nicer 16 liter one for ~$1.00 USD per liter but it had a glass lid rather than SS... Big Box department stores charge closer to ~$2.00 USD per liter...

Anything above 25 liters and you might be better off with a keg, if you can source one "legally"... I've never been keen on the forfeiting the deposit method of stealing a keg...

[evilpsych]

oh god. I hated my stockpot boiler.. the lid problems were enough to make me hate that thing..

Craigslist is your friend. Pose as a homebrewer of beer looking for kegs as wort boilers.. You'll have some folks contacting you soon. I got both my main boiler and my thumper pony for $60.

Recommendation - if you go thumper, get a 'tall' pony keg instead of the short fat one.. You'll thank yourself later (longer vapor contact with thumping liquid)

[rubber duck]

You could build one out of stainless or copper sheet, but that's not going to be cheep or easy. Craigs list, offer 30 or 40 bucks for one and watch how many hits you get. You will have one tomorrow if you post the add in a collage town. Make sure it's a sanky keg and not golden gate.

[HookLine]

I do not recommend that you get your kegs by clearly illegal means, especially straight theft. That will not do any good for the reputation of this forum and hobby, and will make it harder to get the hobby legalised.

A little common sense about it goes a long way here. Buying one second hand from the local recycling shop, or from Craiglist, etc, may or may not be strictly legal, but it is on the right side of reasonable.

Just my 2c.

[rubber duck]

I agree with Hook, don't go ripping off a keg. It's not necessary and while getting one off craigslist or a scrap yard might not be totally legit, who's to say the receipt wasn't lost, or it has a leek.

[NcHooch]

I dont think theres anyway to legally get a keg unless you buy one from a salvage yard ....and even that's iffy ... I was at a local brewery recently chattin with the owner over a couple porters and he was tellin us how they purchase the kegs (new) for about $200 and thieves steal the empties from behind the bars & restaurants and keep em , or turn em into the scrap yard for money ... Bam! there's 200 bucks out of your local brewery's pocket.

Anyway, if you can find a stainless milk pail like this:

works for me.

cheers,
NcHooch

[LWTCS]

$200.00?

Somebody was yanking somebody's chain.

[rad14701]

New kegs cost breweries roughly $170 to replace... As long as the name remains on the keg, the brewery owns it... Only the brewery can legally scrap a keg... Around here scrap yards don't accept kegs ...

[NcHooch]

That's what he said ...new 1/2 barrell stainless keg, $200

[casino_boy]

I use to use a stailes steel pot but love the MIle High cream cans.
You might think that they are overpriced but i think i will get a life time of use out of it.
Worth every penny.
JMO

[mrhooch]

Try a small water heater. I use a 6 gallon beastie for my boiler and it works like a charm. You can find them used.

Hooch.

[boingk]

Empty 20L oil drum. I found a bunch of them in a recycling bin out front of an industrial premise. Asked a fellow if it was alright to take one and he said no worries.

First, cut off any rubber pouring attachment the drum may have. Wash out twice with degreaser and water, then give a good flush. After that, use a good detergent to clean it out again. Lastly, rinse until no smell of detergent remains and do a boil with straight water. Clean out and call it a day.

You should be able to seal the hole where the pourer was with a simple jar lid and flour-paste arrangement.

Cheers - boingk.

[rad14701]

I would not recommend using a used oil drum as a boiler if it is not copper or stainless steel... And I still wouldn't recommend using it as a boiler if it previously held non-food grade products, like oil... boingk, you're just talking crazy now and definitely not adhering to HD safety guidelines...

[Samohon]

Try and get a beer keg. I got a 50L keg given to me by a publican here in the UK, he used to use it as a doorstop to the cellar. Now the door has to be closed for health and safety so he gave the keg to me. It does have the breweries name embossed at the top of it, but what the heck, I'm not advertising this hobby anyway...

Took the sankey valve out of the top, cleaned with soap, water and rinsed very well. I use it at the moment to store my low wines, but I already have plans for it. He has another 100L barrel shaped SS keg, may get it from him to make another fermenter...

My pot still uses a 40L SS Stock pot...

S.

EDIT: I made a very nifty looking racking cane with the SS Sankey Inlet valve from the keg... Great for the sweetfeed, UJSSM washs...

[Kentucky shinner]

show us the pic of the raking cane Sam... I may have to make one of those.