Homemade Keg

My homemade keg using a 5gal water bottle that had a threaded top. Uisng natural carbonation and a co2 gasser( co2 bike tire inflator) to keep up the pressure and or replace the beer once dispensed.

Using a metal tire valve for releasing pressure or pressurizing. A 3/16id plastic tube with compression fitting for beer uptake. going to a beer line attched to a thumb tap.

EDIT: PLEASE USE A PRESSURE RELEASE VALVE TO AVOID KEG RUPTURING IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY DUMP TO MUCH PRESSURE INTO THE HOME MADE KEG

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK

What? Have I gone to Urban Redneck for comments?

How does it work out?

What kind of water bottle?

Cool. That's a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll! How's it working out?

Does the cost of rigging that compare with picking up a used Corny, or was the purpose more for fun?

Truble said:

Does the cost of rigging that compare with picking up a used Corny, or was the purpose more for fun?

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One might ask us all: Do you save time by brewing your own beer, or is it more for fun?

So, why not homebrew your equipment as well as your beer?

But I think I would put a pressure relief valve on a home made keg. It is a glass bomb without one.

AAand hydro test it- fill to top with water, then add air pressure. If it fails, it will shatter, but not explode. later, as the beer level drops, you have the potential to explode. I think I will stick with my stainless steel pressure cooker for home experimentation....

Well, It works just fine. It didn't cost much for parts. I'd have to buy a tap regardless what keg I was using so the parts were really under $10 Canadain. (line with tap was another $12) We already had a few of these lying around since the place we get bottled water uses these, so I snagged one for use. Since it just the Cap of the bottle I've modified I can still return the empty botlle for the deposit when ever I want.

It's a 5 gallon plastic water bottle that has a threaded top. I drilled two holes in the cap and added the fittings. I test pressure with a tire gauge. If it's to high then release some pressure. If you need to add more then you can use a co2 tire inflater, whcih is exactly what a lot of people use with those other plastc kegs or 5L party kegs.

Since you don't need to purchase a regulator, CO2 bottle etc it's fairly cheap. It's good is you have you'd like 1 or 2 batches in kegs.

Cornys are more convenient but the platic keg is good if you don't yet want to drop the coin to purchase a corny setup.

Besides. It's a fun thing to build if you are bored!

Good call i will give it a crake

Spoonta said:

Good call i will give it a crake

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Just remember to let the co2 in slowly since those co2 inflators can dump a lot of pressure really fast.

Not to revive up an old thread, but did you have to add any kind of gasket or extra seal to the cap to make it work? I just bought a 5 gallon water bottle with threaded cap at HEB on sale for $5. Now I'm tempted to go buy two more....

No I did not. But

CAUTION: USE A REGULATOR OR PRESSURE RELEASE VALVE AS THESE BOTTLES CAN NOT HANDLE HIGH PRESSURE


I accidentally opened the valve on the tire inflater all the way (touchy things) and the container BLEW UP.


Pressure release valve might be the cheapest way to go.

Plus, with the plastic you can see how much beer you have left. Nifty.

You think something like this would've worked? AutoZone.com | Shopping | Accessories | Product Detail - Slime 0-60 PSI Magnetic Dial Tire Gauge with Bleeder Valve

It's a tire pressure gauge with built in bleeder valve

The bleeder valve on that tire pressure gauge is manual. Meaning you have to push the button and hold it in to bleed off pressure. It is not the same as a "pop off" safety valve which would probably be a good idea on a setup like this.

I placed a bid on a psi regulator with gauge on ebay which I hope to use with this setup.

Not sure what kind of water bottle you used, but the standard 5 gallon PET plastic water bottle I used started bulging at 3psi. There's no way you could use one of these as a keg.

I really can't imagine that these bottles would be able to handle more than about 10 psi without danger of breakage. At best this could mean a very very big beer mess to clean up and a lost batch. At wost it could result in dangerous flying plastic shards.
You know Corny's are $24 at Princess Auto right now ...yes?

Auto parts store selling kegs...?

No, it's more like a surplus/department store. Canadians have odd ideas when it comes to the names of stores.

It's all in code man. It's to keep you all confused if the US were to ever invade Canada. For example, Tim Hortons are really secret miltary establishments that house a giant mind control network.

OH ****.. is that CSIS at my door?

BTW, that water bottle was polycarbonate, but PET should work. Of course the bottom expands.

And if you look at the OP date, that was s 3 years ago and kegs here were $90 each. By Naturally carbing the beer it worked fine. I do advise a pressure release on it. Dispense at low pressure. And move on to really kegging as soon as you can. This was to hokey.

I no longer trust those tire inflators. To easy to have one dump 400psi into the the keg.

Denny's Evil Concoctions said:

......
And if you look at the OP date, that was s 3 years ago ....

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Oops...........

You have made my day!