Commercial Kegs

[Portreath]

looks like I'm about to get my hands on some empty commercial beer kegs, I know one looks like a coors style fitting, I've not looked over the other three yet, but there are 4 ranging between 50 and 30ltrs I think. Does anyone use these for there home brew set up. I'd like to get some tips on cleaning and setup etc.

 

[skulltat280]

I used this to clean mine, I use it for mashing and boiling

 

[MyQul]

I assume you're getting you kegs legally?



https://www.kegwatch.co.uk/

WELCOME TO KEGWATCH LIMITED.

Each year the brewing industry loses many millions of pounds through the theft and misappropriation of kegs, casks (containers) and dispense gas cylinders. Keg Watch is the organisation committed to reducing these losses.
Keg Watch is a Trade Association limited by guarantee. We represent the interests of over 1000 members from micro to international brewers, cider makers and the major suppliers of dispense gases to the industry.
The aim of this website is to provide information about Keg Watch to licensees, the industry, the police and the public and to raise awareness of the issues involved.
If you are involved in handling stolen kegs, the penalties are severe.
Keg Watch pays rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the theft or unauthorized destruction of containers.
Keg Watch operates a confidential free phone line for any general queries or information you may have, call us on 0808 100 1945.
Are you having problems getting your containers uplifted? Phone Keg Watch now.

 

[Portreath]

Thanks for the cleaning aid tip.
@MyQul yes, I'm taking over the lease on a property that was a restaurant and there are some empties there. As there are no supplier labels etc on the kegs, and I have no idea of the who or where of the previous occupants, I thought rather than toss them out I would put them to good use in my own brewing. I have a local brewery that will be supply all my keg and bottle beer for retail. I did mention the empties to the brewery rep and they were not interested in the empties. Shame to see them go to waste.
I never realised there was such a problem with beer kegs being stolen. Do you know if this problem is mainly down to the scrap value of the metal. Many years ago when I worked on the roofs we were always seeing lead and zinc nick from sites.

 

[Leon103]

Yes the price of metal and so many people turning them into various things like toilets and wood stoves

Some have gps trackers. I often read that most supplies won't take them back unless they know they supplied them. I think some have codes that can be used to track the owner

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Could i ask

I'm taking over the lease on a property that was a restaurant and there are some empties there. As there are no supplier labels etc on the kegs, and I have no idea of the who or where of the previous occupants, I thought rather than toss them out I would put them to good use in my own brewing. I have a local brewery that will be supply all my keg and bottle beer for retail. I did mention the empties to the brewery rep and they were not interested in the empties. Shame to see them go to waste.

We have had a few threads here where the member wasn't too keen to say where the kegs came from hense Myquls earlier post about Keg Watch.

 

[Portreath]

A beer keg karzy, well I never. Although the idea of a beer starting and ending its existence in a keg might have some appeal, in a perverse sense.

 

[prog99]

I’ve been in at least one bar where the gents urinals were modified kegs.
Best of luck in your new venture.

 

[Portreath]

@Chippy_Tea, no worries bud. I'm all for outing any thieving toerags, especially ones giving us home brewers a bad reputation.
Cheers @prog99 Loads of work to do, so will need all we can get

 

[MyQul]

Thanks for the cleaning aid tip.
@MyQul yes, I'm taking over the lease on a property that was a restaurant and there are some empties there. As there are no supplier labels etc on the kegs, and I have no idea of the who or where of the previous occupants, I thought rather than toss them out I would put them to good use in my own brewing. I have a local brewery that will be supply all my keg and bottle beer for retail. I did mention the empties to the brewery rep and they were not interested in the empties. Shame to see them go to waste.
I never realised there was such a problem with beer kegs being stolen. Do you know if this problem is mainly down to the scrap value of the metal. Many years ago when I worked on the roofs we were always seeing lead and zinc nick from sites.

Yes, I imagine it's the scrap metal value that causing all the theft. I dont think it's loads of American flying over here to steal kegs to make keggles (keggles seem to be very popular in the US not really over here though)

Good luck with the new venture

 

[Portreath]

Cheers @MyQul . I'm about to Google Keggles as I've not come across that one

 

[MyQul]

(brew) kettle + (made from a)keg = Keggle

 

[skulltat280]

Looks like that oxi active plus I recommended may only be good for light stains. I've tried cleaning an element that burnt stuff onto it but to no avail

 

[Portreath]

I've managed to take a few photos of the barrels I have. Turns out the brewery guys are going to rip out the taps, lines and chiller and replace these with a new set up. So as well as having a complete new beer setup up for our bar I've now got myself a complete beer chill & dispense set up for my home or man cave.
Does anyone have any info on how to clean and reuse these barrels? I'm definitely going to use these 30l and 50l kegs for my own beer.

 

[Snoop]

You need to defeat the security on the spear first which believe me is incredibly fun...not. well actually the American d-type ones aren't too bad. You have neither of the types i have gotten into though so not sure what they use. Sankey stypes are a full on PITA.

 

[Portreath]

I can see the barrels take the G type or Grundy couplers. are these easy to clean? I should clarify, I'm not interested in taking apart or using the keg for other purposes, I just want to use, clean and fill with my own beer.

 

[Snoop]

The type of spear makes no difference to how hard they are to clean. You can't your hand in so it's either use oxyclean or a pressure washer. I tend to simply rinse them with water, starsan then just fill em. As long as they have not been empty for too long. You can get a torch and just about see enough to decide if it's clean enough to just rinse. If not, hot water and oxide clean for a couple of hours does the trick.

 

[Portreath]

I'm assuming you remove the spear for cleaning? Can you use the coupler with lines in and out disconnected to purge any CO2 before removing the spear?

 

[Snoop]

Yeah you can do it that way for sure. It's alot of wasted gas though getting the cleaning fluid, rinse water and star San into and then out of the keg. It would purge it nicely tho :)

I'd just remove the spear and do it the quick and easy way tho. Pressure washer works a treat.

 

[Portreath]

Cool, that's a great help. I think I'll have a play with the 30ltr keg first and see how I get on. Looks like a good enough excuse to get my little Karcher out of the garage