Strange plastic keg..

[Stauffbier]

I was given this keg by a guy that owns a local craft beer store. I'm wondering if anyone can give me any input on it.. I believe it is solid plastic and not coated SS. If it is plastic, what can I do with it? Mash tun, or maybe a fermentor? How do I de-pressurize it so it's safe to drill or cut up?

 

[ElevenBrewCo]

can you post another pic....its not showing up for me

sunking brewery here in indy uses only plastic kegs, why not keep it and reuse it as a keg...

 

[insurgus]

Picture isn't working... repost?

 

[Stauffbier]

Sorry, let me try again..

[/IMG]

 

[509inc]

That is the oddest looking keg I've ever seen.

 

[Stauffbier]

That is the oddest looking keg I've ever seen.

Yeah I thought the same thing..

 

[insurgus]

I'd put pastic in my "sketchy" category for fermentors.

 

[Stauffbier]

I can't find any info on it as to the manufacturer or type of plastic..

 

[iijakii]

Looks like a nuke, watch out!

 

[Stauffbier]

I'm determined to make something out of it if I can!

 

[audger]

some places use plastic kegs due to much lower cost, and they are not as desireable to steal either for scrap metal or to make kettles out of.

they are usually food grade polyethelyne of some type. im sure it could work as a fermentor, but its plastic, so all the negatives that come with that still apply.

 

[CCBrewer]

i dunno save some money up and get one of those plastic connicals and make a wooden stand out of it...


I've been mulling home brewing over since I was 18 and my uncle was a brewer.. I am now 26 and jsut got my 4 15.5G stainless steel kegs to build my own brewery setup.

Time... it's a killer and a saint.

 

[Stauffbier]

So, how should I de-pressurize this sucker? Maybe drill a tiny hole in the top real slow?

 

[509inc]

So, how should I de-pressurize this sucker? Maybe drill a tiny hole in the top real slow?

Does it have a sanke fitting? Can you not just push in on the valve to depressurize?

 

[Stauffbier]

Hmmm I don't know.. I haven't arrived at the kegging part of this hobby yet, so I have no clue what a sanke fitting is. I do however understand what you're saying, and it appears that the fitting does have a "button-like" valve in the middle. I'll try to push it down with a screwdriver and see if anything happens...

 

[Revvy]

There's some info in an ancient post of mine. Check the links

I don't think that's a plastic keg, I believe it's one of the rubber coated metal ones...This guy talks about it and stripped the old rubber off it...

Morebeer's Brew Chat • View topic - Rubber Coated Keg

But he doesn't show the before pictures....

THESE are the only plastic kegs made, we have a couple threads on them here.

Plastic Kegs America

It's doubtful they would ever show up on craiglist since they have built in rfid chips embedded in them..

And know, they are not interested in selling to homebrewer's, we've checked already...

 

[Stauffbier]

There's some info in an ancient post of mine. Check the links

Revvy I actually read this thread of yours and the links the day I brought this thing home. I'm not sure if this odd keg falls under either one of the two categories, though. I'm almost sure it's not metal covered in plastic or rubber. It just seems too light. The plastic is extremely hard and dense. It's really an odd looking beast! I'm not sure what the people were using it for. The only markings on it from the manufacturer are warnings about "contents under pressure".. Aside from that there is a spray painted logo that reads; BJ's Restaurants Inc. and BJ's Brewery. It also has a "Vanilla Creme" sticker on the side. I can hear a little liquid sloshing around in it. I don't know if it's pressurized. I was unable to depress the tap valve to let out pressure. I'm thinking about drilling a hole on top with a very small drill bit, really slow... I'd be shocked if there was metal underneath, but it would be great if there was! If it is indeed plastic, I'm wondering if I could make a mash tun out of it??

 

[outside92129]

It's probably polypropylene but can you confirm with any recycling numbers stamped anywhere? PP is 5. Assuming it's PP the melting temperature is 320F so it's definitely suited for a MLT (also assuming you're not going to direct fire it : )

BJ's makes good pizza and decent beer. I wouldn't have thought they go though enough vanilla creme to justify buying it in keg quantities for any given location.

 

[Stauffbier]

It's probably polypropylene but can you confirm with any recycling numbers stamped anywhere? PP is 5. Assuming it's PP the melting temperature is 320F so it's definitely suited for a MLT (also assuming you're not going to direct fire it : )

BJ's makes good pizza and decent beer. I wouldn't have thought they go though enough vanilla creme to justify buying it in keg quantities for any given location.

I can't find a recycle stamp on it. I'll look again. The guy who gave it to me had 2. They both had the vanilla creme sticker. I only took one..

So, once again... Can I just drill a hole in it to de-pressurize?

 

[outside92129]

Just don't stand over the hole or you might get sprayed. Or just depress the ball on the valve (also away from you) and that'll depressurize it too.

99% it's just like the picture at right, just replace the stainless w/ PP. There is an extra stem in the picture that normally isn't in there.
Keg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Stauffbier]

Just don't stand over the hole or you might get sprayed. Or just depress the ball on the valve (also away from you) and that'll depressurize it too.

99% it's just like the picture at right, just replace the stainless w/ PP. There is an extra stem in the picture that normally isn't in there.
Keg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It's nothing like the kegs in your link.. Did you see the photo I posted of it? I tried to depress the valve, but it doesn't budge on bit!

 

[Stauffbier]

OK! I just figured out how to get the valve to de-pressurize! It was indeed full of what smells like vanilla creme soda or something (smelled good!).. Now that it's de-pressurized I'll see about cutting it up and making a MLT out of it...

 

[Revvy]

We demand pics of the demolition.

 

[Stauffbier]

We demand pics of the demolition.

And you shall have those pics my friend... Maybe later today I can squeeze it in.

 

[audger]

Assuming it's PP the melting temperature is 320F so it's definitely suited for a MLT (also assuming you're not going to direct fire it : )

unfortunately plastic deformation occurs well before the melting temperature, that along with plastic exponentially leeching chemicals as the temperature increases is why plastic + food + heat are almost never used together. something that is food grade at 70 degrees can be dangerous at 170. a plastic with a "melting temperature of 320*" can loose 80% of its structural integrity by 200*. the melting point is only one of a dozen important numbers to have.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

unfortunately plastic deformation occurs well before the melting temperature, that along with plastic exponentially leeching chemicals as the temperature increases is why plastic + food + heat are almost never used together. something that is food grade at 70 degrees can be dangerous at 170. a plastic with a "melting temperature of 320" can loose much of its structural integrity as low as 200. the melting point is only one of a dozen important numbers to have.

Oh jeez, here we go.

*going to get the popcorn*

 

[Stauffbier]

unfortunately plastic deformation occurs well before the melting temperature, that along with plastic exponentially leeching chemicals as the temperature increases is why plastic + food + heat are almost never used together. something that is food grade at 70 degrees can be dangerous at 170. a plastic with a "melting temperature of 320*" can loose 80% of its structural integrity by 200*. the melting point is only one of a dozen important numbers to have.

Well, then I guess there is only one good way to find out.. I'll dump 200F+ water into it and see what it does. I'll leave the hot water in for an extended period of time until it cools and then taste it. Then I'll make a decission on that.

 

[Lennie]

Don't cut it up, just get a sanke adapter and do pressurized fermentation in it. Theres a loong thread about this and there is an adapter you can buy to use the keg as is.

 

[Stauffbier]

Don't cut it up, just get a sanke adapter and do pressurized fermentation in it. Theres a loong thread about this and there is an adapter you can buy to use the keg as is.

Really?! Well then... Glad I got online real quick before heading out to the garage! I'll have to look into this! Thanks for the input!