Okay... I'm working on a wild hair here and need some advice. I want to build my own three-tier AG system and I'm riding the fence between half-barrel kegs and converted coolers. I'd really like to go the keg route, but I have to be able to get it done under a budget. Specifically, the kegs have to run about $50 each or less.
First and foremost, does anyone have any good suggestions where to track down used 15.5 gallon SS kegs? Sabco has 'em, but I don't like bending over that far. I don't know of any brew clubs near where I live, so that's out. There's eBay, but I think 95% of those auctioned are kegs that someone paid the deposit for and "forgot" to return. If I could find some locally, I'd sure like to avoid shipping a 35 pound hunk of steel. Of course, I live in a corner of the country known for micro breweries. I guess I could start calling them.
Secondly, is there any sure-fire way to determine if a keg is aluminum or SS? The magnet trick doesn't work too well, considering SS has such a small amount of iron in it.
First and foremost, does anyone have any good suggestions where to track down used 15.5 gallon SS kegs? Sabco has 'em, but I don't like bending over that far. I don't know of any brew clubs near where I live, so that's out. There's eBay, but I think 95% of those auctioned are kegs that someone paid the deposit for and "forgot" to return. If I could find some locally, I'd sure like to avoid shipping a 35 pound hunk of steel. Of course, I live in a corner of the country known for micro breweries. I guess I could start calling them.
Secondly, is there any sure-fire way to determine if a keg is aluminum or SS? The magnet trick doesn't work too well, considering SS has such a small amount of iron in it.