Ideas for Hoff-Stevens and Golden Gate Kegs
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frolickingmonkey
Well-Known Member
Hmm, there doesn't seem to be much information out there on Golden Gate kegs, so here I am posting in an old thread! I just acquired a GG keg, and like the OP, I am not sure what exactly I should do with it. I've actually never even seen a GG like this, with top and bottom chimes (but no handles). Has anyone converted one of these into a keggle? Seems like the liquid out port on the side could serve as a pre-built weldless fitting of sorts (with a tap, of course). Since I have already built a boil kettle out of a fatboy sankey keg, I was thinking about using this as HLT or MLT, but I've also read about their use as fermenters and serving casks. Maybe this would be better suited for one of the latter? And, though I realize this is the wrong area of the forum to advertise this, if I don't come up with a great use for this GG, I might be willing to trade it to someone for a sankey.
KillerKellers
Well-Known Member
That is too cool.. no ideas spring to mind, unfortunately =(
Is there a bung hole (heh heh, he said bung hole) in the side of that keg?
I picked these up to use as a HLT and 2 fermenters. I pulled the valves out and I'm going to have stainless threaded plugs made to seal them. A silicone bung and voila! Fermenter!
Do you have a close up shot of the valve area? If it's the same and you're interested, I can see about getting extra plugs made. A couple of guys I used to work with are machinists and willing to work for beer.
I picked these up to use as a HLT and 2 fermenters. I pulled the valves out and I'm going to have stainless threaded plugs made to seal them. A silicone bung and voila! Fermenter!
Do you have a close up shot of the valve area? If it's the same and you're interested, I can see about getting extra plugs made. A couple of guys I used to work with are machinists and willing to work for beer.
An electric HLT, a fermenter, or get some taps and use it to serve. Maybe a bright tank for beer or wine.
frolickingmonkey
Well-Known Member
Indeed there is a bunghole! Now if I only had some TP for my bunghole...
Here is what the valves look like. I haven't removed them yet... I would quite possibly be interested in acquiring several plugs.
I definitely want to build an electric rig, and I like the electric HLT idea... Wonder if I could rig up a hot water heating element through either the bunghole or the bottom valve? If I use this as a HLT, I'm thinking I shouldn't even have to bother cutting the top out of this guy.
wehumble, what do you think about a stainless screw plug that is drilled out to accept a threaded hot water heating element? Or maybe I need to look into this a little further and see if luck is on my side and I can just screw one right into the existing valve hole (YEAH RIGHT! :cross
...
Yep, that looks like the same valve as mine. The piece with the 4 slots is a locknut. You can unscrew that, then the valve body can be pried out.
The threads are 2" diameter if I recall correctly, so a heating element *might* fit that. Alternately, an adapter sleeve could be manufactured.
If you want silicone for your bung hole, check out MoreBeer's FE482, Silicone Bung (Solid) - Large Barrel. It fit my kegs perfectly, though they are out of stock on them right now.
I will keep you in the loop on the plugs. I was planning on putting 1/2" NPT in the center for valves and what not, but anything is possible.
The threads are 2" diameter if I recall correctly, so a heating element *might* fit that. Alternately, an adapter sleeve could be manufactured.
If you want silicone for your bung hole, check out MoreBeer's FE482, Silicone Bung (Solid) - Large Barrel. It fit my kegs perfectly, though they are out of stock on them right now.
I will keep you in the loop on the plugs. I was planning on putting 1/2" NPT in the center for valves and what not, but anything is possible.
frolickingmonkey
Well-Known Member
Cool. Thanks for the info, wehumble! I'll keep in touch with you via PM regarding the stainless plugs. Really, Morebeer is out of stock of something? WEIRD!
Cool. Thanks for the info, wehumble! I'll keep in touch with you via PM regarding the stainless plugs. Really, Morebeer is out of stock of something? WEIRD!
Yeah, I know. But they were super nice about it when they put them on backorder.
BrewBeemer
Well-Known Member
Add them to a rat rod project as a fuel tank up front.
frolickingmonkey
Well-Known Member
Interesting suggestion, but that means I'd have to start a rat rod project... If/when I ever do start a car project, it's going to be an EV, anyway!
Any advice on how best to unscrew the locknuts? I took a stab at unscrewing them today, but even with penetrating oil, my methods were nut budging these suckers! Is there a tool(s) that you found is best suited to this job?
I cut off a piece of angle iron that was just long enough to span the diameter of the locknut and clamped on a pair of vise-grips. Instant wrench.
One or two of them were too tight for that method so I used a punch and hammer to drive the rotation. That's a little harder on the appearance of the locknut, but it works.
One or two of them were too tight for that method so I used a punch and hammer to drive the rotation. That's a little harder on the appearance of the locknut, but it works.
rscowboy1
New Member
I used mine as en electric HLT. I found that an electric hot water tank heater element fits nicely when either one of the fittings in removed. I found a high temp silicon grommet at the hardware store that allowed the element to seal perfectly. Works great!
zincter
Member
Does anyone know the pipe size and thread tpi of the lock nut? Is there a reducer bushing that will fit?
