# Beer Keg to Kettle Conversion



## Barry

I've decided to move to the next level in brewing, all grain. Making a mash tun is pretty easy and inexpensive. I do need to get into a 15 gallon brew pot. May want to brew 10 gallon batches as well, so will start right out with the 15 gallon size. Buying a new brew pot this size will cost between $200 and $300. I like to make my own equipment as much as possible and have been looking to find a used beer keg to convert. Not so easy. Then there is the whole theft issue surrounding kegs. Any wisdom to offer regarding the keg conversion route? If I have to jump through too many hoops, I'll be inclined to buy a conventional brew pot, used if possible.


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## Ben Brewcat

First, good on you for not stealing one :thumbsup: ! It's a bad practice and brewers stealing from brewers is a darn shame. All-grain is super fun and it doesn't take much more work to make 10 or 15 gallons than 5. Keep an eye on craigslist and restaurant-closure sales. While not super cheap, used soup kettles/tureens can be had for a great deal less than new. Even aluminum is possible (though not preferred) as long as you make a sort of sacrificial batch and then DON'T scrub the dark oxidative layer. That said, I've never used aluminum. 

I use several kegs our club got from a distributor that were being retired, the connections at the spear were weakening but that's the part we cut out anyways. A buddy welded in the fittings, but weldless kits work well as well (B3, Williams, Northern Brewer, etc). Other kegs I got from a scrap hauler in trade for cidermaking consultation, when I tried to give them to a couple breweries and distributors they didn't want them as it wasn't part of their distributor stream , and even when I explained I was trying to do the right thing they still were kind of jerky to me. Might call around to scrap guys and just see. Craigslist is also good for kegs or keg conversions, and since the theft already occurred and the keg can no longer be used for its owner's purpose, it might be OK to get them that way. I've sold a few that I couldn't get back to breweries that way. Check with homebrew clubs too, they (like I did) can sometimes luck onto some through relationships with breweries or distributors.

Alternatively, I know you're a handy sort: you could consider an electric brewery? It takes some basic wiring skills, preferably a 220V circuit, and a couple water heater elements. They can be wired and mounted in to a vessel of choice (even an insulated cooler) and then if you feel froggy, rigged with all manner of temp controllers, made into a HERMS system, etc.

All that said, kegs are great brewing vessels and all but a good SS 20 gallon pot is pretty great, much easier to clean than a keg and you'll be surprised how often you use it for something creative (ours is a perennial favorite with punch and dry ice at the town's Halloween parade).


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## Barry

A sight glass for liquid level, a bell and whistle feature or well worth the extra cost? 20 gallon verses a 15? I've used aluminum for a long time now and can't find a fault with them. Like you said, season it first and then leave the coating on the inside be. But this time I'm going to go SS.


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## Ben Brewcat

I've never used a sight glass but they are kind of cool looking. They're OK for just water in the HLT but don't in the boil kettle (too hard to clean out). You can get the combo ones that mount off the ball valve, but the Bernoulli effect means you have to stop flow and let it equilibrate to get an accurate reading. I've just noted volumetric levels on the keg (10G = 1/3 of the way up the second rib etc), some folks scratch levels on a long spoon and use it as a dipstick. 15 G is plenty for 10-gallon batches, I really almost never do a 15-gallon batch but that would take a 20-gallon kettle.


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## David LaFerney

Is there a tried and true design available for dyi brew kettles? 

I'm a dedicated do it myselfer, but at this point I Know (capital K) that design version 1.0 rarely turns out exactly as hopped (hoped? Kinda works either way in this case) not a big deal when it's a bottom board or something, but I would probably tend toward shelling out $200 in this case if it would get what i want.

If there was a good design available, and I was a better welder, maybe not so much. Are you a skilled welder?


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## Barry

There are lots of ways to achieve the same thing. Soldering looks like it works well. I like this way:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhZM6yGf7iw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oHvEq6tm-o


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## Barry

As it turns out, I was able to get two half barrel kegs from a local guy off Craigslist. $50 each. Spent a lot of time researching the different ways to install the various attachments (valve, temp gauge, sight glass). By far, most use weldless (compression) fittings, but most everyone says they will leak, and I hate leaks/drips. Couldn't weld it, so opted for soldering. I was able to get everything I needed at Menards. Here's what I did.









Started by drilling a 7/8" hole about 4" up from the bottom using a step bit. Go slow and use oil to keep it from over heating.









The hole is as close to the bottom without being in the curved section.









I decided to use this brass fitting. I can thread the ball valve on one end and attach a flared copper pipe on the other for my pickup tube.









From the inside of the keg, I inserted the fitting into the hole. I put some flux on the fitting and the SS.









Since I was soldering the fitting from the outside, I cut a piece of wood to hold the fitting tight.


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## Barry

I used silver solder and a liquid flux that works on SS.









It looks ugly, but it all cleans up.


















The valve I used for my keggle.









Filled it with water, no leaks. Next I'll do the same for my temperature gauge.


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## David LaFerney

Nice. Looks like professional quality work. What did you use to cut out the top?

The thing is my policy of no matter how it turns out I have to drink all 50 bottles might not scale up successfully.


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## Barry

http://www.menards.com/main/tools-h...-straight-grinder-wheel/p-1477077-c-10099.htm

I used one wheel/disk per top cutting.










I just got as close as possible to the outer lip on the keg top. Hindsight, I would have made it exactly 12" dia. as a lot of the glass lids would fit 12". My old brew kettle lid fits the opening nicely, but it's not glass.


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## Ben Brewcat

Looks great Barry, nice work! Good catch on the full-port ball valve.


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## Barry

Had a brief moment today to work on the pickup tube.









I used this nut to attach the pickup tube to the soldered fitting.









I used 1/2" ridged copper pipe type L. Flared the end.









I'll cut to length once I get my screen for the false bottom. I like being able to take everything off down to the soldered fitting for cleaning.


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## Barry

Picked up a temperature gauge at my local home brew shop. The gauge has 1/2" male NPT.









I decided to use this fitting for the gauge port.









I cut the male threads off and left a shoulder to fit into the hole in the pot.









Inside view with gauge installed.


















Boil pot done.


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## Vance G

Yer a better man than I. I used ever more expensive silver solder and flux trying to solder a flat fitting over a hole cut in the keg and never got it to hold liquid. I traded a half gallon of honey to get it tig welded finally.


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## Barry

I was very apprehensive about soldering. I didn't find much stainless soldering in searches, yet what I did find said it could be done. Not having ever soldered on stainless, I was prepared for it being tricky, yet it went quite smoothly. I've had 35 years of experience soldering copper, so maybe that was the difference. I'm surprised more don't do it but opt instead for the weld-less fittings . . . that leak. Tig is the best, but that is the hardest for the do-it-yourselfer to achieve.


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## Ben Brewcat

If I'd known it could work that well I'd have tried it myself years ago! Nice work.


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## crofter

Barry is that lead free plumbing solder or a dedicated solder for stainless?


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## Barry

It's silver solder, lead free.

http://www.menards.com/main/plumbin...-solder-0-84-1-oz-carded/p-1456909-c-8533.htm


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## Haraga

Barry it looks like you used a low temperature silver bearing solder. Is this correct?


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## Rader Sidetrack

Melting temperature range of the solder _Barry _linked is 420°F - 460°F.



> Reccommended for use on plumbing/potable water systems for sweating joints in a copper water distribution system.
> 
> * Also effective on stainless steel, brass alloys, chrome alloys, galvanized steel and cast iron piping.
> * Complies with CA & VT lead content regulations.
> * Alloy of copper, bismuth, tin and silver.
> * 420°F - 460°F melting range.
> * Meets ASTM Standard B-32 and the requirements of the Safe Water Drinking Act



Nice looking job on that kettle, Barry. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


Are you perhaps considering a _bottling tank_ for your next stainless project? 
Perhaps a superior design with oil instead of water between the inner and outer tanks?


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## aunt betty

I SEE BRASS!

There is a thread in the distilling forum where they talk about pickling brass.
You soak it in a mixture of acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide to remove the lead.
The newer brass has less lead but you want to clean the surface of any brass that touches your brew.

You need to pickle that brass buddy.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=20910


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## Barry

Not sure how that study applies to a one hour boil. I take care of the pickling when I drink by homebrew! My whole inside gets pickled.


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## aunt betty

All my stuff is copper with a couple brass fittings. I'm not brewing but something more powerful.  
The world-class internal reflux ***** (thing, don't say that word) but I had to make it smaller. Price some 3 and 4 inch copper fittings and you'll see why I went with 3/4". It's small and it works. 

Have the ten-gallon copper boiler. That's a big deal. Found it in a barn. Asked for it and they said you want it take it. Then found the 5-gallon one under some straw. 

There is a guy out there named assateague and too bad he don't like bees. You'd love that guy. I can tell by the way you do things.


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