Re using old 8.8 keg. re edited with pics.

[spudbasher]

Hi,I wanted to see if I could reuse an old 8.8 keg ,( you can get them full of beer from most supermarkets,mine was from a local micro brewery) , so set about it with my usual hi tech tool (dinner knife) .
The valve consists of three parts ,a rubber grommet with a two piece plastic insert.
I just pulled the little handle on the red valve switch,this came out dead easy,then pushed the other half out with a pencil,this just drops into the keg.Then I levered out the grommet.
Getting the half of the red valve switch that fell into the barrel is best done by just tipping it over the sink and shaking it till it falls out,this can take a minute or an hour depending on your luck.
Dont be tempted to stick your finger in and try to retrieve it like that ,the hole is a snug fit and sharp inside with the edge turned in, its embarrassing sitting in a and e with a keg on your ......... :thumb:
Then its just a simple re-assembly.
It pushes back in the barrel really easy ,so after cleaning ,filling and priming thats it.
I havnt filled it yet and am guessing at about 10 grams of sugar to prime .
Anybody done this? I have seem the Brewferm kegs and these look the same kind of thing.
Use something blunt to avoid damage to the sealing edge of the rubber grommet and so as not to scratch the keg which may rust.

 

[ceejam]

I have 4 of these full of Cooper's Sparkling Ale.

I bought new bungs from www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk as I wasn't convinced about reusing the ones I had removed and taken to bits.

I went for 40g of sugar, based on 8g per litre for 5 litres

Sitting in the warm, and going to cold conditioning this week, so will start drinking next week sometime.

 

[evanvine]

Sounds like a possible solution for taking beer from your keg to a function/party. :thumb:

 

[timbim]

Sounds like a possible solution for taking beer from your keg to a function/party. :thumb:

And you're not taking the whole keg because? :drunk:

 

[mr_spin]

how many times can you reuse these? I recall a discussion about them rusting - it will be interesting to hear if that's **** or not.

 

[timbim]

how many times can you reuse these? I recall a discussion about them rusting - it will be interesting to hear if that's **** or not.

I suspect that as long as you don't scratch any of the internal surfaces, you'll be fine. Basically don't use a metal tool to open the thing.

 

[oz11]

I've a couple that I've had since last summer, been re-used a few times. I have been careful not to scratch them but they are both developing rust around the aperture for the bung, and a bit on the external seam down the side. It's not likely to come into contact with the beer at the moment, but clearly they ain't gonna last forever.

 

[screamlead]

I got exactly the same things here - Effes beer 5ltr. I have done the same thing with my beer too i have one cold conditioning in my beer fridge now.
Bit steep here 11 quid full but beats 8 quid plus postage from UK and you get to drink the contents too. I will be getting some more bungs for mine too.

 

[steve963]

wikipedia says the grolsh ones are made of alu. Surely they wouldnt rust?

 

[oz11]

Got mine from here. Maybe the grolsch ones would be better? :wha:

 

move to main topic....

 

[quixoticgeek]

I got given 4 of these empty from a friend who appears to be going through one a week. The oldest two had been stored in the garden once empty and had started to rust, the others are in fine condition. This said, in nearly all of them the red part of the Kombi-plug on the top seems to not be that durable and on most of the 7 kegs I have managed to aquire, it is in need of replacement. But, given the plugs are €0.66 each, that's no great hardship.

It seems therefore that they do rust, and this will be a limiting factor on the reuse life of the kegs, but the plugs are single use items.

J

 

[oz11]

I tend to agree, except providing you are careful removing the bungs then they can be used 3 or 4 times.