My Keggle/Cooler Rig Build

This thread is to document my 3 tier setup from start to finish...loosely based on this guide: Home Brew

PARTS LIST:
*2 Kegs
*1 10 Gal MLT Cooler(see https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cheap-easy-10-gallon-rubbermaid-mlt-conversion-23008/)(insulated lid with "Great Stuff)
*2 Weldless Ball valve & Bulkheads (brass) - Bargain Fittings ($48 shipped) Bargain Fittings
*Hop Bag Assembly
--6"-to-4" HVAC Duct Coupler at Home Depot - $6
--long bolt to go across w/2 nuts to hold across
--hop bag from LHBS - Couple bucks
*Burners - $99.94 shipped @ Amazon - 2x Banjo SQ14 - Amazon.com: Bayou Classic SQ14 Single Burner Outdoor Patio Stove: Patio, Lawn & Garden
*2 3" Thermometer weldless - Ebay - $56.98 Shipped - 3" SS Weldless Bulkhead Thermometer HomeBrew Home Brew - eBay (item 190221726668 end time Oct-08-08 16:56:32 PDT)
*2 Propane Tanks
*Wort Chiller - Immersion w/ 600 GPH Bilge Pump
*Sparge setup
*Misc Stuff

Total cost has been around $450 so far...(as of 10/23/08)

Pictures of the progress:

Cutting top off Keggle:


Top Off:


Temp & Bulkhead installed:


Many more pictures to come. Next steps:
*Buy different 10 Gal Cooler, bulkhead & screen
*Swap Galvanized pickup with copper
*Make flashing shield for burners (I about melted my last cooler)
*Do a wet "Dry" run
*Brew some beer!!

MORE PICTURES BELOW

Looks pretty good.

I'm currently in process of going to all grain with similar hardware, though I currently am just using 1 keggle and a cooler MLT with a small stock pot for hot liquor.

Have you decided on what sort of wort chiller you are going to use? I was considering building an immersion chiller and perhaps later move into pumps and a plate chiller.

Where are you getting your false bottoms?

Ya I thought about doing a stock pot too but I had 2 extra kegs that I own so I figured, what the hell.

I still haven't decided on the wort chiller. I'm hoping to get a copper tubing hookup and if I do, I'll do a counterflow: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/cheycos-cfc-9395/.

However, for the meantime, I'll go with the immersion because my buddy already has one.

The same buddy has the false bottom but my LHBS has some too.

I'll get some pics up soon and will keep this up to date with my build.

where would be a good place to find used kegs for conversion to kettles?

troutrvr32208 said:

where would be a good place to find used kegs for conversion to kettles?

Click to expand...

any local metal recycling yard, kegs.com, ebay, etc

Got the whole rig put together & close to ready to go...it's not pretty but it should get the job done.

Galvanized Steel Pickup (switching this out with copper/Brass/SS)


Sparge Arm


Rig (needs a few minor adjustments)


Need before I can brew:
*Something besides Galvanized Steel pickup tube (copper/brass/SS)
*I think I'm going to do a different MLT - not positive on this yet. I might do one batch with this 5gal and upgrade in the near future - I need a manifold - my 12" false bottom does not fit.
*I need flashing/heat shield around the burners - I almost melted my cooler for the 'dry' run.

Getting close to being able to brew this weekend but I've had a few mishaps...

Last night I got a 600GPH marine bilge pump to pump through my immersion chiller - I hooked it up to a 700mA 12V power supply and ran it - worked like a charm but hooked up through all that tubing it only ran at 40 GPH. I forgot about it and it ran for 2 hours until I came back out and it wasn't working anymore - the power supply was really hot so I unplugged it for the night, went back this morning and it still didn't work. I hope I didn't ruin the pump - I'm hoping it's just the power supply. (any ideas) I needed one with more mA's anyway to boost my GPH.

I also got a 10 gallon round rubbermaid cooler ($37 @ Home Depot) and did the braided steel conversion. I have a false bottom too just in case I don't like this thing. I need to pump the lid full of Great Stuff and that will be good to go.

I got new pickup tubes (brass) but they totaled $50+!!! holy hell! It consists of a 1/2x6" nipple, 1/2" elbow & a 1/2"x2.5" nipple. F my hardware store.

On Saturday I hope to get some flashing for around my burners & possibly a range hood so I can ventilate my setup without having to blow cold air into my garage since it's starting to get pretty cold out.

Other than that, I think I'm ready to go for Saturday's Sierra Pale Clone. I've been pretty motivated by the milled grain in my fridge that I'm starting to worry about (been there in airtight for 2 weeks).

More pictures to come...