My DIY keggle setup. pics!

So i've been absorbing advice from this forum over the last several months and i am almost done with my setup. I have a few final tweaks and then i'll start my first all grain batch. Any advice anyone can offer me at this stage is welcome. Also, hopefully someone else can use this thread to help get their all grain set up going!!

Got the kegs from a buddy who runs a small bar.



Got the idea for the cutting jig from the forum. Thanks passedpawn! https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/simplest-keggle-cutting-jig-143048/



Here is the result of the cutting jig. A perfect 12" circle. Just need to sand off the burrs.

Nice work so far, what kind of setup are you going to build, single tier etc...

With the tops cut and cleaned up, i drilled tje holes for my shiny new fittings from bargainfittings.com. 13/16 step drill does the trick.



Cleaned up the holes and installed the fittings!



Next project was the false bottom for my mash tun. Managed so snag a piece of perforated stainless from one of our awesome members!!!

I fashioned a cutting jig for the false bottom using a punch (purchased from Harbor Freight) hammered into a piece of wood under the stainless steel. I then drilled a hole into the handle of the grinder so that it sat at exactly 7 1/8" inches from the center. This way i was able to cut a perfect 15.25 inch circle for my false bottom!



The cut. I was actually able to cut 2 more half circles from this sheet using the same technique. I ended up using the 2 halves to make a hinged bottom.

You're using Russian River Brewing kegs just too mess with us aren't you......Salt to the wound..

Magnanamous said:

You're using Russian River Brewing kegs just too mess with us aren't you......Salt to the wound..

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I started to type something about using a potential Pliny keg, but then I deleted it.

The finished product. Stainless steel hinges and bolts all purchased from Westmarine.
Noticed just recently that the dip tube does not reach the center of the keg. In order for the tube to go down through the hole on the false bottom, it has to be just barely resting on the compression fitting. Maybe I ordered the wrong tube or maybe I set it up wrong. Any advice?



I decided to use a wort chiller for this setup. Decided to make my own.

Wrapped 50 ft of copper tubbing around an old trash can.





The finished product after soldering everything together.

And this is what i got so far! I also customized an old turkey fryer burner to accommodate the size of the keg. Ill throw pics of that up later.

Being a brewery owner this thread makes me sad.....

humann_brewing said:

Nice work so far, what kind of setup are you going to build, single tier etc...

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Thank you!! I would love to do a single tier setup! As of now i do not have a pump so i will probably just do a few batches using gravity. Upgrade later. I did also just snag a third keg. Any suggestions??

Monster Mash said:

Being a brewery owner this thread makes me sad.....

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Why?

Because those kegs cost me $150 each and people turn them into keggles for the price of the deposit...

Ouch!

Monster Mash said:

Because those kegs cost me $150 each and people turn them into keggles for the price of the deposit...

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Then raise the price of your deposit. This is not the thread to be bringing it up...

back on topic, nice cutting jig, want to let me borrow it Any plans for a sight glass?

Dhruv6911 said:

Then raise the price of your deposit. This is not the thread to be bringing it up...

back on topic, nice cutting jig, want to let me borrow it Any plans for a sight glass?

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Thanks!! Actually I wouldn't mind letting you borrow it at all. Orange county right? I will add a sight glass at a later date for sure.

Nice work!

Dhruv6911 said:

Then raise the price of your deposit. This is not the thread to be bringing it up...

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Tell that to RR....

passedpawn said:

Nice work!

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Thank you

They look good, it's a shame they weren't acquired in a less devious fashion.

paparker21 said:

They look good, it's a shame they weren't acquired in a less devious fashion.

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What's wrong with you? This guy didn't have to post his build thread here for you. Now, he puts it up here, clearly the result of a lot of hard work, and you climb on his ass.

How about you post your equipment here and we'll all have a good laugh.

Deleted my rant...

continue with your build

How about we not ruin this guy's thread with this debate. It's been done before.

Let it go.

.

Nice keggles, but this thread is headed south.

Unsubscribed.

pinback said:

Nice keggles, but this thread is headed south.

Unsubscribed.

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Agreed - I really just want to see how this build goes. Keep it going man!

Thanks everyone for your support. I am sorry that I have offended so many of you though.

I just bought 3 legal 1/2 kegs and I will probably be starting a keggle next week.

Meh... sweet find! Keep us posted... Your flaw was honesty... You didn't steal them... the onus is on the bar friend to return them. I pay a 10 cent deposit on every wine bottle I drink when I buy them and I give them out half the time... home vintners grab them off me all the time... dimes or dollars... same diff... %99.9 of kegs that go out come back and brewers aren't being broken by you... if they were beer would ship in giant ziplocks... lol (I kid!!) I'm jealous I don't have bar friends and have to buy pots!

Two questions:

1: Are you planning on putting a mirror-like on those kegs? They are already really clean (but for the big label)

2: no handle on the false bottom? Isn't it hard to lift out?

passedpawn said:

Two questions:

1: Are you planning on putting a mirror-like on those kegs? They are already really clean (but for the bit label)

2: no handle on the false bottom? Isn't it hard to lift out?

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I am plannimg on buffing them out for sure! And for the false bottom i just use the dip tube to lift it out.

Beautiful build so far, can't wait to see the rest.

Thanks TaylorInOk & codfisboys! I'll be doing some more work on these on Monday and Tuesday. I'll get those pics up too. HOPEFULLY I can get together with my buddy next week and knock out a batch of beer as well. So ready to give it a test drive!!

Awesome DIY thread :rockin:

I was wondering if you can post more detailed images on how the 1/2" NPT stainless steel 3 piece ball valve attached to the keg and and any other parts you have used, this would really help me out. I'm very new to brewing, but I know I will be going down the same route you are, in the near future.

Thank you, ThwWorm. Nice inspiration for myself. I have started alot slower than this, but it gives me something to look forward to. I will be refering to this thread many times in the future.

ThwWorm said:

Thank you!! I would love to do a single tier setup! As of now i do not have a pump so i will probably just do a few batches using gravity. Upgrade later. I did also just snag a third keg. Any suggestions??

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Hot liquor tank

Found a lid for the mash tun.



Here is the turkey fryer burner modifed to hold a keg. Just some scraps of stainless bent and bolted to the side. Nice and snug fit. I didnt actually do the bending of the stainless. My dad did that part for me since he has access to some pretty cool equipment at his job.

Ralphadopolis said:

Awesome DIY thread :rockin:

I was wondering if you can post more detailed images on how the 1/2" NPT stainless steel 3 piece ball valve attached to the keg and and any other parts you have used, this would really help me out. I'm very new to brewing, but I know I will be going down the same route you are, in the near future.

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Thanks man!!! I just used the instructions from bargainfittings.com. I didn't actually take any pictures myself.
http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=14

Good luck with the build!!!

This guy has a really helpful video on how to install these weldless fittings.

spongerob said:

Thank you, ThwWorm. Nice inspiration for myself. I have started alot slower than this, but it gives me something to look forward to. I will be refering to this thread many times in the future.

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Sweet! Keep us posted!

My partner in crime has been working on a mash paddle. This is what he has so far. 4 feet tall made out of maple. This thing is rad!