How do I open this keg? What type of valve is this?

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dave_0613

dave_0613

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Okay, I was given this Anheuser-Busch pony keg the other day. It's got two of these valves on it. One on the top and one on the bottom side. It also has a bung on the side. I initially thought it was a U - type valve system, but I'm not so sure. And I can't figure out how to get that retainer ring off... help?

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i37/cossda/IMG_1787.jpg
 
If only I had one... it's like it needs some sort of key or something. I couldn't find anything that fit in there well enough that I could apply enough pressure to get it to budge.

And yeah, definitely not a D. Looked like a U except for that center pin..thingy. But it's an Anheuser-Busch keg.. U is usually used on Guinness no?
 
Yeah.. tried screwdriver and..wrench.. couldn't find my hammer. lol. Tomorrow I guess.
 
That set-up is know as a Golden Gate. It has one connection for gas inlet and another for liquid outlet. It is filled through the bung hole. You do not need to remove the valves of a golden gate keg to clean it. The valves are a real PITA to remove and should only be taken out when they need work (seals changed, etc...).

Make sure all pressure is released from the barrel before proceeding. The bung hole is usually removed and the barrel is cleaned by pumping caustic inside the keg through a spray ball

From Brewing Techniques:

"Golden Gate systems. The Golden Gate keg is very similar in shape to the Hoff-Stevens; it is barrel-shaped, has no chime or handles, and has a bunghole. The difference is in the tapping device. A Golden Gate keg has two valve housings instead of one: one at the top center of the keg for adding CO2, and the other near the bottom on the side for drawing beer out. These kegs are difficult to empty completely; the keg must either be tilted or a "snorkel" device used to reach the last bit of beer. Thus, two-valve kegs usually leave from 6 to 23 oz in the keg, whereas single-valve kegs rarely leave more than 2-3 oz of beer. Furthermore, the beer outlet is difficult to reach and frequently leaks when the rubber washer is not seating well or is getting worn. Golden Gate kegs are very difficult to find today. In a market almost completely dominated by single-hole kegs, it is quite possible that distributors or draught accounts will reject Golden Gate kegs. Most Golden Gate kegs have been converted to single-hole kegs by welding closed the bottom valve and bunghole and installing a Sankey or Hoff-Stevens fitting on the top. These modified Golden Gate kegs cost $25-30 for a 1/4-bbl keg and $30-40 for a 1/2-bbl keg, depending on condition.
The few intact Golden Gate kegs still in use are best used to serve cask-conditioned beers, because they can pour by gravity through the bottom valve while venting through the top valve."


GGATE3-Golden-GateTap-b2.jpg



http://www.beerkegaccessories.com/golden-gate-beer-keg-coupler
 
If you're looking for a set that have threaded ends so you can attach CO2 & a tap tower or picnic faucet, I have a set I could part with.

edit: I found a picture online that is the same as what I have. The picture only shows the bottom valve piece, but I have both the top and bottom pieces.

GoldenGateTap.jpg
 
klyph said:
He posted a link for you...
Click to expand...

The link re-directs to KegWorks, and they no longer carry them.

JonW said:
If you're looking for a set that have threaded ends so you can attach CO2 & a tap tower or picnic faucet, I have a set I could part with.

edit: I found a picture online that is the same as what I have. The picture only shows the bottom valve piece, but I have both the top and bottom pieces.

GoldenGateTap.jpg
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm interested. How much $ are we talking?
 
Wow, I just looked them up on ebay to get a reference price. Those prices are crazy there. I can send you the set I have for $60 including the shipping.

Here's a picture of them:
GoldenGateTap2.jpg
 
JonW said:
Wow, I just looked them up on ebay to get a reference price. Those prices are crazy there. I can send you the set I have for $60 including the shipping.

Here's a picture of them:
GoldenGateTap2.jpg
Click to expand...

Sweet. I'll take you up on your offer. But it wont be for 2 or 3 weeks if that's okay?

Send me a PM if that sounds good to you. We can discuss payment from there.
 
mordantly said:
yeah, and exponentially faster!



so, it appears you won't need to remove the spear now?
Click to expand...


golden gate kegs don't have spears, just a pair of valves. the valves unscrew, but you have to make a tool and they're usually pretty tight.... hammer and chisel won't work, it will just destroy things...
 
marzsit said:
golden gate kegs don't have spears, just a pair of valves. the valves unscrew, but you have to make a tool and they're usually pretty tight.... hammer and chisel won't work, it will just destroy things...
Click to expand...

Good thing we figured out they didn't need to come out.
 
Hey everybody,

I am late to this thread, but I've got a couple of Golden Gate kegs, and can't seem to figure out how to get the valves out. I'd like to try to cask condition some beer in them.

Anyone know how to get the valves out?

Much thanks!
 
Thanks for your reply, however, in order to cask condition and serve, I'd need to pull out at least one of the valves. Any ideas how to?

Thanks!
 
How so? Use a shive and spile in the bung hole to condition it. If you're talking about putting a keystone in there in place of the valve, I'm not sure why you would bother. When you're ready to "tap" just attach a coupler.

Anyway, If your intent on getting them out, I don't know how to help. When I first got mine I tried everything and couldn't get the retainer rings to budge. Lol.
 
Buy a piece of two inch wide flat steel from the hardware store and make your own wrench. You'll need to grind or file down the end narrower it so that it will fit in the locking ring. From there, a crescent or a pipe wrench is your best friend.
20210521_132423.jpg
20210521_132435.jpg
 
Otoh, after reading the whole thread for the first time, nobody actually addressed how to get the top valve assembly out until @Bufaird offered a suggestion. Once it was determined that valve only "needed" to be removed for conversion or repair the notion of how to remove that valve was abandoned.

So, maybe the next person will have been helped...

Cheers! (I would dump a keg like that for its scrap value and move on. Don't need any more special-cases in my life ;))
 
day_trippr said:
Otoh, after reading the whole thread for the first time, nobody actually addressed how to get the top valve assembly out until @Bufaird offered a suggestion. Once it was determined that valve only "needed" to be removed for conversion or repair the notion of how to remove that valve was abandoned.

So, maybe the next person will have been helped...

Cheers! (I would dump a keg like that for its scrap value and move on. Don't need any more special-cases in my life ;))
Click to expand...

ditto.
 

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