Modifying a snake keg to ferment 15gal

promontory · May 21, 2011

Would it be possible to modify a sanke keg and weld a conical SS to one side and corny top... That would improve head space and you could ferment a 15gal batch... The costs would still come in cheaper than a 15gal conical...

How much head space would be required for a 15gal batch of beer? I know it depends on the beer but in general???

Also I assume the welds needs to food safe...

thoughts?

mattd2 · May 21, 2011

Yuri did this a few years ago https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/diy-chilled-conical-keg-fermenter-123770/
From memory he also tried using a peltier to cool the thing, pretty cool read.

promontory · May 22, 2011

Could you ferment 15gal in this thing or is that not enough head space?

I have a 6.5gal carboy that I fill to 6gal. and its fine. I have to use a blowoff tube not one of those little blowoff things...

???

ScubaSteve · May 22, 2011

You can use fermcap and decrease the headspace needed....and a sanke keg with a brewers hardware (or even a carboy cap) fermentation kit will work fine....

promontory · May 22, 2011

I want to avoid something like fermcap... for Reinhiesgabot and all that...

But the other thing I am thinking is doing a one of the conicals that has the same diameter as the keg, then adding a few inches to the height and a few gallons to the head space.

I think I could get headspace up to 5gal... any other thoughts?

thanks so much for all the response. This is cheaper than a conical fermenter.... Just gotta trade beer for the labor...

mattd2 · May 23, 2011

promontory said:
I want to avoid something like fermcap... for Reinhiesgabot and all that...

But the other thing I am thinking is doing a one of the conicals that has the same diameter as the keg, then adding a few inches to the height and a few gallons to the head space.

I think I could get headspace up to 5gal... any other thoughts?

thanks so much for all the response. This is cheaper than a conical fermenter.... Just gotta trade beer for the labor...

A 16" hopper from Toledo metal spinning is at least 7 gallons extra volume so there you have it (or 12 if you get the bigger one).
http://www.toledometalspinning.com/products/hoppers/priceList.asp

I wouldn't care about the Reinhiesgabot much at all, from what I have read it has more to do with the quality of bread than beer (beer was given barley which was not so good for bread making as wheat), but then again what do I know

promontory · May 23, 2011

I am not overly concerned about it, but it seems like adding the 7gal extra makes a ton of sense.

Its actually cheaper than doing it the way the Yuri did it the first time. I also found: http://nilrodbrewery.blogspot.com/2010/12/how-to-make-conical-fermenter.html this guy has a price list and everything set and ready to go...

thanks for all the responses. I'll post pics if I go ahead with this.

Modifying a snake keg to ferment 15gal

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