other uses for kegs

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:34 am

just wondering what weird and wonderful uses people have come up for the humble SS keg??

if its just an idea or something you have in the back yard.

wineo · Post by **wineo** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:00 am

Big fermenter! Bulk aging container for a big batch of wine.

Post by **HookLine** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:23 am

I use them for fermenting, and clearing finished ferments.

I have seen them used for crab boilers, and home beer brewing.

I saw one a while back that had been encased in foam and sheet metal, had the top cut out and a insulating lid made up, that was used as an esky cooler. Worked well too, but a lot of work to make it.

punkin · Post by **punkin** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:24 am

I have one with the whole top cut of 1/4 of the way down the side, a piece of flat bar welded to the bottom piece all round as a lip. It also has an inch ball valve in the bottom for draining. It makes a wonderfull BOP. Great for boiling up mashes ect. Also use it after a spirit run for cutting a large batch back to 65% all at once.

Have another with just the spear pulled out and an oak bung made up for it, that i use for storage of finnished spirits when i have a surplus. It also has the ball valve.

stoker · Post by **stoker** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:40 am

(click)

punkin · Post by **punkin** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:43 pm

stoker wrote:
(click)

Forgot about that.
I have a 21.5 gallon (80 litre) keg split as a cold smoker with seperate smoke box (electric), and 50 litre one as rottiserie/spit roast (gas fired)

cannon.co.tn · Post by **cannon.co.tn** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 1:09 pm

once upon a time they were real popular as hotrod gas tanks.

wineo · Post by **wineo** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 1:18 pm

I had one with the top cut out and a drain valve in the side for a B.O beer pot,but got a nicer 60ltr pot for large boils.I gave it to pint to make something out of it.It will probably end up in his collection of stills.

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 3:29 pm

I have a 21.5 gallon (80 litre) keg split as a cold smoker with seperate smoke box (electric), and 50 litre one as rottiserie/spit roast (gas fired)

i think i remember you talking about your smoker and i think i remember pics too lol

i just finished my BOP i cut the keg just under the top weld and up the handles so she still has the nice solid handles but no ring round the top so i can tip and pour mash form her easy.. or the stocks i plan to make in her also

frikz · Post by **frikz** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 3:51 pm

I use mine as a boiler, but if I had more kegs I would use them as fermenter.

Guess you could also make a nice vodka dispenser out of one

Ricky · Post by **Ricky** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 6:31 pm

my machinist buddy was going to make a fish scaler out of one but he decided that he didnt catch that many fish!

i just about got him talked out of the keg1

that would put me at 4. 1 boiler,1b.o.p.,2 fermenters!

Big J · Post by **Big J** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:24 pm

At the brewery I work at we use a keg as a gas tank on our forklift.

Cheers,
J

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 1:54 am

i love the gas tank idea thats great... makes me think about the methane digester idea i had years ago again...

use a 44 gallon drum as the digester and then a compressor to fill the keg and then the methane to run the still... the distillers grain will do well as the extra carbon needed to get a good ferment going in the digester and I'm left with a great fertiliser when finished...

now i just need some chooks to make the poo... hmmm or i can get it from the duck farm thats local... you got me thinking, just what i wanted from this thread

Post by **MudDuck** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:25 am

A buddy of mine used two kegs as gas tanks on a boat once. I have also seen guys who train for strongman competitions use them in their training, the slosh of the liquid adds a whole new dimension to lifting the weight.

Post by **bourbonbob** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:56 pm

I just scored a 50 litre Toohey's keg, gunna use it for ageing.

Little Lukie · Post by **Little Lukie** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 4:09 pm

I use one in my blacksmith shop as a slack tub, It holds water for cooling steel when needed from the forge.

Dutchmancreek · Post by **Dutchmancreek** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 4:24 pm

Little Lukie wrote:I use one in my blacksmith shop as a slack tub, It holds water for cooling steel when needed from the forge.

A blacksmith!!! I thought I was the only blacksmith around here. Glad to meet you.

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 3:16 am

lol another one o my many hobbies.. so make that 3

Little Lukie · Post by **Little Lukie** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:05 am

Great to know some other smiths are making hooch too. Go to my profile and go to Myspace and see some of my work in my pics section.

Dutchmancreek · Post by **Dutchmancreek** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 6:20 am

Blacksmithing, distilling, home made sausage & bacon, real Barbeque (low & slow), chili, outdoor cooking over a fire pit......how did I ever get anything done before I retired?

Now I gotta go pick up a couple of new goats...hope it doesn't snow anymore.

You guys got photos of your smithy?

Dutchmancreek · Post by **Dutchmancreek** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:11 am

Here's a photo of a part of my smithy and one of my outdoor firepit/cooking area. Great to have fellow stillers and smiths around.