Keggle use

I'm starting to do research and gather equipment for an all grain rig. I like the idea of using a keggle for its economic value. Which vessel would be most appropriate to use it for? HLT or boil kettle? I'm going to use a cooler for the mash tun. I think I'll only be able to get a hold of one keg shell for the project. I'm also debating using a turkey fryer.

I use a keggle for a boil kettle and don't even have an HLT. Do you know what *your* all grain process is going to be like? You may not even need an HLT.

Don't be scared of aluminum kettles too, they're cheap. I think if your shopping for a keg legally/ethically it's economic value may not be much better.

I use one for each, and I know folks who use three - one for HLT, one for MLT, and one for the BK.

If you're definitely limited to only a single one, I'd probably tend to say use it as your HLT, and then drop a few bucks on an appropriately sized BK. If you plan to do 5 gallon batches, a 10 gallon BK will give you all the room you need to do full volume boils and avoid boil-overs. If you plan to go to 10 gallon batches, well, I've found that the keggle will work well for that, but at times - particularly if you're doing something that calls for a 90+ minute boil, some sort of anti-foam agent is your best friend when it comes to avoiding boil overs.

I use one for my MLT and another for my BK/HLT. I use a 10 gal rubbermaid cooler as a makeshift HLT, in that I heat the water in the BK and transfer to the cooler when I go to fly sparge.

You can BIAB in one keggle.

You can use a keggle for all three.

A keggle makes for cheap, large volume BK.

I'm currently doing BIAB in a keggle and using an igloo cooler as a HLT. My final set up will probably have a keggle BK, keggle MLT, and my old 10 gallon BK as the HLT.

Ethics aside, a zillion people are probably using old kegs as brew kettles. They're practically free, large in size, and easy to work with. Nearly indestructible too.

Keggles make excellent BKs, The one thing id like to do to mine is put in a ball valve near the bottom with a false bottom similar to a mashtun.

Balloonknot said:

Keggles make excellent BKs, The one thing id like to do to mine is put in a ball valve near the bottom with a false bottom similar to a mashtun.

Click to expand...

I'm planning to do the same thing to mine with one of NorCal's filters on it so I can filter more hop cones & sediment out of my beers.

I'll go against popular opinion here....a keggle is typically worth a $35 - $50 deposit. A concord stainless 15 gallon kettle on eBay sells for $80 - $90 shipped to your door with a lid.

The additional cost is far worth it IMHO.

wilserbrewer said:

I'll go against popular opinion here....a keggle is typically worth a $35 - $50 deposit. A concord stainless 15 gallon kettle on eBay sells for $80 - $90 shipped to your door with a lid.

The additional cost is far worth it IMHO.

Click to expand...

And 100% legal...no gray area

One thing about a keggle, whether it is your boil kettle, mash tun, or HLT: you're going to want a valve on it. That sucker is far heavier than a stainless pot. It takes longer to heat up and it gets really, really hot. Trying to lift a keggle MLT with 5 gallons of water to pour into your mash tun will likely lead to burned fingers. I found this out on Sunday. I had oven mitts, but they are not enough. You need something far more heat-resistant. Or just put a valve on it. I won't be using my keggle until I get a valve kit.

Keep in mind if considering using one as a mash tun that they are quite a bit smaller than most of the coolers and that could limit some higher gravity beers if doing 10 gallons. I still use my 70qt cooler that gives me a bit of additional headspace on the 10 gallon batches we do.

I just BIABed 9.5 gallons in a keggle. However, I moved the bag to a different vessel for batch sparging.