1/4 keg good for anything?

[mev]

I have an opportunity to get a quarter keg for free, and was wondering if it's good for anything. I'm talking about the short fat one. I suppose I could make a keggle out of it and do 5 gallon full boils, or I could take it to a beer store and get a deposit back (I know of one that gives a cash deposit without a receipt). Any thoughts here?

 

[mrbowenz]

I have an opportunity to get a quarter keg for free, and was wondering if it's good for anything. I'm talking about the short fat one. I suppose I could make a keggle out of it and do 5 gallon full boils, or I could take it to a beer store and get a deposit back (I know of one that gives a cash deposit without a receipt). Any thoughts here?

Take the valve out and ferment a 5 gallon batch of beer, I did that yesterday

 

[billtzk]

When you say "1/4 keg" do you mean "1/4 barrel"? A standard 15.5 gallon keg is a half barrel. A quarter barrel keg is half the capacity of a standard half barrel keg at 7.75 gallons. See the different kinds here: Draft Beer Keg Size Dimensions

It would certainly make a great fermenter for a 5 gallon batch.

 

[dutchboy62]

i have one sitting around also how do you get the valve out? Is it worth making a keggle out of it?

 

[mev]

When you say "1/4 keg" do you mean "1/4 barrel"? A standard 15.5 gallon keg is a half barrel. A quarter barrel keg is half the capacity of a standard half barrel keg at 7.75 gallons. See the different kinds here: Draft Beer Keg Size Dimensions

It would certainly make a great fermenter for a 5 gallon batch.

1/4 barrel. That would be enough room for a full boil, right?

 

[billtzk]

i have one sitting around also how do you get the valve out? Is it worth making a keggle out of it?

Here is a description with pictures.

Sanke Keg Revealed

Someone on this forum, maybe Yuri or Bobby M, has a video that shows it also. It's not difficult to do.

 

[billtzk]

1/4 barrel. That would be enough room for a full boil, right?

It would be close, but if you are very careful, it could be done.

You have to cut a 12 inch wide hole in the top to use the keg as a boil kettle, so you can't really fit 7.5 gallons in it. You need about 6 gallons of wort at the minimum to end up with 5 gallons after an hour long boil. Usually you'll have a bit more wort than that. Many all-grain brewers boil down from 6.5 or 7 gallons to yield something between 5 and 5.5 gallons post-boil. Even with only six gallons of wort, you run the risk of an easy boilover.

Of course, you can do a nearly full boil by reducing the initial amount of wort from a mash and by using extracts in full or in part, and then topping up as usual.

 

[dutchboy62]

thanks for the info

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

It would make a very nice HLT. You could get 7 gallons of hot water in it.

 

[Jared311]

You could also use it for just a heat exchanger.

 

[Anthony_Lopez]

I'd use it for fermenting... It's pretty easy to source full size kegs (1/2 barrel) for actual brewing purposes...

 

[BrewBeemer]

I have 3 pony kegs, they will be cut just before the sides start to reduce in diameter then cut the bottoms off 15.5 gallon half kegs and weld together.
This will allow a volume before the top radius begins for 22 gallon keggles.
Different manufactures have different diameters not allowing for a perfect butt weld. All pairs (top and botom) must be of the same manufactrure of keg. You can make a nice small batch fermenter, the price is right.
One of mine was Full Sail bier the other two with red wine from Round Table after a fire remodel job.

 

[hopdog]

I acquired a keg that is stamped 13.5 gal. I had never seen one this size before.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I'd like to get a few of those slim quarter kegs. Those look like awesome fermenters!

 

[wild]

I have an old Boston Beer pony half covered with rubber that I've been keeping for the deposit that I'd love to turn in or use.

 

[BrewBeemer]

To the above reply; there are a lot of app 13.5 gallon kegs out there, some from Europe like France the most i've seen. This will screw up a brew system when you have all your other normal 15.5 gallon kegs operating at their maximum volume. That pony can be used for your HLT depending on the volumes you want to brew.

One European company makes pots not kegs that have metal turned finish sides that come in different sizes. One size I see a lot is the 50 or 50,000cc's in volume. This is to the brim so no boil or foam head space above besides only holds 13.21 gallons in volume and not cheap. Your paying for this pretty in finish "heavy 18 gauge thickness" material pot. How can the words "heavy 18 gauge thickness" change the pots thickness from the words 18 gauge thickness? Thes pots will limit your volume unless you purchase their larger volume pots. These pots are larger in diameter also exposing more surface area on the boil for more boil off vs a 12" opening in a keggle. Heck go to a 10" opening window in a keggle. Also look into how much heat can be applied to these thin bottomed pots if propane or NG heating is used before possibly causing any scorching of the wort.
I would rather have a thick walled keg converted to a keggle than a "thick 18 gauge pot" besides the money saved on keggles have better heat retention due to the mass alone. Talking 33 pounds for a 15.5 keg.

A balanced system is (what I call it) when all the container volumes are reached at their maximum together, by this the HLT, MLT, Boil keggle and fermenter all full without no one keggle holding you back forcing you to reduce the brew batch volume on your brew day. Sorry if I ran off topic here I just wanted to get a point across with adding the whole picture on building a brew system from scratch. To not have you waste money time and your labor. Start out right once is a hell of a lot cheaper than a live and learn process. Especially if you have to explain it to the War Department about your screw up. End of rant as I have been called only a "visitor" on this forun by one HBT member. CJ............

 

[hopdog]

To the above reply; there are a lot of app 13.5 gallon kegs out there, some from Europe like France the most i've seen. This will screw up a brew system when you have all your other normal 15.5 gallon kegs operating at their maximum volume. That pony can be used for your HLT depending on the volumes you want to brew.

One European company makes pots not kegs that have metal turned finish sides that come in different sizes. One size I see a lot is the 50 or 50,000cc's in volume. This is to the brim so no boil or foam head space above besides only holds 13.21 gallons in volume and not cheap. Your paying for this pretty in finish "heavy 18 gauge thickness" material pot. How can the words "heavy 18 gauge thickness" change the pots thickness from the words 18 gauge thickness? Thes pots will limit your volume unless you purchase their larger volume pots. These pots are larger in diameter also exposing more surface area on the boil for more boil off vs a 12" opening in a keggle. Heck go to a 10" opening window in a keggle. Also look into how much heat can be applied to these thin bottomed pots if propane or NG heating is used before possibly causing any scorching of the wort.
I would rather have a thick walled keg converted to a keggle than a "thick 18 gauge pot" besides the money saved on keggles have better heat retention due to the mass alone. Talking 33 pounds for a 15.5 keg.

A balanced system is (what I call it) when all the container volumes are reached at their maximum together, by this the HLT, MLT, Boil keggle and fermenter all full without no one keggle holding you back forcing you to reduce the brew batch volume on your brew day. Sorry if I ran off topic here I just wanted to get a point across with adding the whole picture on building a brew system from scratch. To not have you waste money time and your labor. Start out right once is a hell of a lot cheaper than a live and learn process. Especially if you have to explain it to the War Department about your screw up. End of rant as I have been called only a "visitor" on this forun by one HBT member. CJ............

I got the keg for free and turned it into a keggle. I only do extract and partial mash brewing. I barely have time for those at the moment. When things slow down for me (in like...18 yrs) I will set up an AG system.

 

[BrewBeemer]

When things slow down for me (in like...18 yrs) I will set up an AG system.

As long as things slow down and it's not you that's slowing down like old age you'll make it. Don't wait as time missed you can not get back especially the joy or thrill getting into AG brewing. Make time and enjoy going into AG.
While your waiting or times short always keep an eye out for collecting equipment you'll need later. Better to have it now than pay the higher prices later or when the items are no longer available. Collect hard to find items like corny's and kegs even if your just going to store them as they are on the way out now. I would not want to even guess what they'll be asking for them later on unless your into bottling which is another PITA that will get old real fast. Buy over time this will save you from an all at once purchase unless you run across a complete brewing system from someone that's getting out of the homebrewing hobby. A lot less sticker or wallet shock then.

 

[hopdog]

As long as things slow down and it's not you that's slowing down like old age you'll make it. Don't wait as time missed you can not get back especially the joy or thrill getting into AG brewing. Make time and enjoy going into AG.
While your waiting or times short always keep an eye out for collecting equipment you'll need later. Better to have it now than pay the higher prices later or when the items are no longer available. Collect hard to find items like corny's and kegs even if your just going to store them as they are on the way out now. I would not want to even guess what they'll be asking for them later on unless your into bottling which is another PITA that will get old real fast. Buy over time this will save you from an all at once purchase unless you run across a complete brewing system from someone that's getting out of the homebrewing hobby. A lot less sticker or wallet shock then.

I am acquiring AG equipment. I already keg my beer and have a collection of cornys. Also hundreds of bottles. I really don't mind the process of bottling. I still do quite a lot ... when I have time. I have been working 6-7 days a week lately trying to get our new house built. A couple days off lately have helped!

 

[jmgreen7]

i am in the same postiion, exception that my 1/4 keg is more tall and narrow than short and squat.
I'm wondering if it is worth it to forgo 50$ deposit to keep it for an unknown use...

 

[wilserbrewer]

They also work very well for their intended purpose...fill w/ beer, carbonate and serve. Seems too obvious, not sure why it is overlooked?

 

[Dwain]

i am in the same postiion, exception that my 1/4 keg is more tall and narrow than short and squat.
I'm wondering if it is worth it to forgo 50$ deposit to keep it for an unknown use...

Wait for it.... Wait for it....

 

[lorne17]

I too was looking at purchasing a 1/4 barrel for fermenting 5 gallon batches. Then transferring into my corny kegs. However, not sure how to get this setup going. Don't I need a specific key to take it apart to clean it? Isn't that super expensive, like $80-100 just of the key to remove?

What are everyone's thoughts. I'm honestly thinking of getting rid of my FastFerment and glass 5 Gal Carboy and just using a closed fermentation system. Then O2 doesn't hit my beer until it's in my pint glass.

Thanks,
Lorne

 

[hezagenius]

I use the short 1/4 barrel (pony keg) for fermenting. You don't need a special tool to take out the spear. Just a flathead screwdriver, some needlenose pliers and patience. Lots of videos online show you how to do it. Once you get a little bit of the ring out, it's pretty easy. You can use 2" triclover fittings to attach stuff to the opening. Fermenting in a keg makes pressure transfers super easy.

If you are taking the spear out, make sure to vent the keg first. You don't want that thing flying out

 

[Lax coach]

Collect hard to find items like corny's and kegs even if your just going to store them as they are on the way out now. I would not want to even guess what they'll be asking for them later on

Almost a decade after this post, cornys and sanke kegs are not difficult to find at all. I was at a brewery yesterday that was selling barrels for $25.