Keggle Fermenter?

Craigerrr

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Has anyone ever used, or seen a Keggle converted to use as a fermenter? The used 3V system I bought came with an extra Keggle. As I am brewing 10g batches, it would be nice to ferment it all together instead of in separate carboys... The top is cut out of it to 11-5/8" diameter, and it has one sanitary port towards the bottom. I could probably figure out some kind of lid that I could get to seal up fairly decently. Not sure if that port will be at a good height for racking or not. I could just put a plug on that port and make a new hole for one of those ports with the tube that you can turn as the level drops...
 
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Yep I've seen a hombrew use one without the top cut out he just put a large rubber bung in the 2 inch hole at top with airlock. Rack with cane once fermented. In Aus keg land do a kegmentor half size and full 50lt size they have 4 inch tri clover fittings at top so you can get your arm in to clean the keg.
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I know they do a preassure transfer lid attachment for them so you can ferment and transfer under preassure.
I've looked into them but a tad out of my price range.
 
No but I don't see any reason you couldn't. It's just a big brew bucket really.
 
Just going to have to figure out some type of closure, cover for the top.
 
Just going to have to figure out some type of closure, cover for the top.
I know you have a nice big boil kettle. Would it be easier to find a lid to seal it and use the keggle for boil kettle?
 
I know you have a nice big boil kettle. Would it be easier to find a lid to seal it and use the keggle for boil kettle?
Thanks for posting. The system I recently purchased came with 3 keggles like the one pictured above, and a fourth, more barrel shaped Keggle. I already had a 15g boil kettle which. I plan to use 2 of the keggles and my BK for the system, this is an extra Keggle.
 
Has anyone ever used, or seen a Keggle converted to use as a fermenter? The used 3V system I bought came with an extra Keggle. As I am brewing 10g batches, it would be nice to ferment it all together instead of in separate carboys... The top is cut out of it to 11-5/8" diameter, and it has one sanitary port towards the bottom. I could probably figure out some kind of lid that I could get to seal up fairly decently. Not sure if that port will be at a good height for racking or not. I could just put a plug on that port and make a new hole for one of those ports with the tube that you can turn as the level drops...

The height of the port shouldn't be a problem. A dip tube would get you where you want to draw from. The top would be my concern. Might take some ingenuity. ,
 
I took a 7.75 gallon keg and modified it. It's a combo Corny/Sanke keg. I brazed the Corny post adapters on with Muggy Weld silver brazing rod. The spear was pull out and a 2" tri-clover cover was used to cover the top of the spear opening. I added a corny post adapter to the blank plug, it has a liqiud post and I used a "Top Draw" floating draw tube on the output. I ferment and condition in the same vessel.

I used one port for liquid using the "Top Draw", one for off gassing co2 (through a corny connector) and one has a shortened liquid dip tube, I use that port to inject co2 into the lower half of the fermenter. It allows me to mix or scrub sulfur from the beer.

The ball from the "Top Draw" fits into the spear opening and a standard 2" tri-clamp fits the opening. I don't use a standard tri-clamp seal because they are too thick, I use a silicon o-ring instead. The tri-clamp fits better with the o-ring.

I have attached some photos. The floating pick up is here: https://www.williamsbrewing.com/Top-Draw-Beer-Pick-Up-Tube-P4643.aspx Post adapters are here: https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/kegpostweld.htm Muggy Weld is here:https://www.muggyweld.com/product/ssf-6-silver-solder/

There are so many advantages to using Sanke kegs, headspace, tall and skinny, closed transfers, it can be pressurized during cold crashing to prevent oxygen ingress, etc...
 

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Very nice.
I see Craig's opening is like 20cm across. Might be easier to just buy another 50lt keg and begin operation as above on it Craig. I'm spotting heaps of used 50lt kegs in Aus for 50$ if I had a welder I'd have a crack at something like this but would buy a 4inch tri clover for easier cleaning but then preassure rating would drop because of larger tri clover opening.
Oh and there is clad wrap or as you guys call it cling wrap:rolleyes:.
 

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