Can a sankey keg be a brite tank?

[CTolino]

I have a pair of sankey kegs on us and another euro style. I was wondering if anyone knew if there was a way to carbonate directly in them like corny kegs, or if there was a way to modify them to act basically as a brite tank? We are currently make 1/2 barrel batches and the fridge is getting full of corny kegs. Any help would be appreciated.


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[PosterGuy]

I have cask conditioned, force carbonated, and served from these.
- You'll need to keep the spear intact to hold pressure.
- You'll need a method to pump cleaner, sanitizer, rinse water through it.
- For safety you'll want to keep a closed tap in it whenever it's under pressure for the pressure release valve.
- A pressure gauge can also be added to the tap.

Occasionally you will need to service the spears and/or inspect the interior.
There are some simple tools available to facilitate removing the spears.

There are also tri-clover kits available to use these as fermenters, but the gasket will not hold much pressure.

The keg itself should never exceed 60 psi.
The release valve on keg taps should let go at 45 - 50 psi.

I have seen people use a much lower pressure or adjustable release valve (spunding valve) to avoid over carbonating.

 

[CTolino]

Isn't there a check valve in the sankey that won't allow you to force CO2 down the beer tube?

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Yes but you can remove the check valve.

I am in the process of building a brite. I'm going to flip the sake upside down and weld a 6"tc ferrule in the bottom so I can add pressure relief, gas in, beer out. With the bottom drain I'll be able to cip. I plan to make a glycol jacket and just add it to my glycol circuit.

 

[CTolino]

That sounds awesome! Are you going to post pictures of your build? I have a friend who's a welder and was looking into just adding a corny keg post on top of the sankey to force carb that way

 

[sandyeggoxj]

I can. Cash is tight right now so it is a little ways off. My hope is that I can use it to lager so that I don't have a lager plug up my single fermenter.

 

[CTolino]

I can relate on that. Well when you get underway I would love to see the process. I'm just trying to move away from corny kegs. The only reason I use them now is because I can carbonate in them

 

[b-boy]

I've got 15 gallons of RIS sitting in a sanke keg in my basement. It was the first time I tried using one. The only issue we had were the check valves in the sanke tap. Once we figured out how to remove them, it was pretty easy. I don't think it's any harder to use than a corny keg.

I've got it aging in my basement. Once it's done aging, we'll carbonate in the sanke and tranfer directly to cornys. I like the idea of adding a ball lock connection to make carbonation easier. We're planning on using the sanke tap and just plugging up the outflow (Possibly using a co2 check valve in the outflow if that will fit).

While it's in the basement, I put a piece of glass on top. It makes a nice end table.

 

[mikescooling]

I don't think I understand the question? If you want to use them as fermenters, pull the spear and put a better bottle cap on them. If you want to carb the beer up in them, put the spear back in and carb up as normal with a sanke D coupler. If you want to transfer the beer and not the trub, cut the spear down 2". Did that help? I use sanke's for everything, they are great.

 

[CTolino]

I was just going to use them for carbonation. I was under the impression there was a check valve that wouldn't allow the gas to be forced down the spear. I want sure if that check valve could be removed or not. I know you can get a kit that allows you to screw corny posts on the sankey coupler.

 

[b-boy]

The check valve is just a small rubber insert that can be removed. It's built into the sanke tap. You can buys spares as needed.

There is another check valve in the liquid-out port that stops liquid from being forced into the keg. It is a small plastic ball. That can be removed as well.

Once they are out, you can easily push liquid or gas into the keg though either port.

They also make ball-lock/pin-lock conversions that will screw right onto the sanke tap, so you can hook a regular QD to both sides. The kits aren't cheap, but they make the process very easy.

http://www.cornykeg.com/resources/corny-keg-tips/converting-sanke-ball-lock-keg/

Here's a diagram:

 

[CTolino]

Is there a website or something that goes through the steps of removing the check valves from the couplet and the spear? I'm going to search, but didn't know if you had one you've used before.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Is there a website or something that goes through the steps of removing the check valves from the couplet and the spear? I'm going to search, but didn't know if you had one you've used before.

There is no check valve in the keg spear, removing the check valves in the coupler is shown in the photo above, they are located under the beer line and gas line connections.

I don't know why one would want to remove the gas line check valve, the beer line check valve must be removed from a keg if you are filling through the coupler. If you are filling by removing the spear, the coupler check valves can remain in place.

A sanke keg can be force carbonated with all the check valves in place, no different than force carbing a corny keg. With a little practice using sanke kegs becomes pretty simple IMO.

 

[jason1973]

use either one of these, either can be set with a spunding valve.
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/sankefermenterkit.htm

https://www.brewershardware.com/American-Sanke-Keg-Fermentor-Kit-with-Thermowell.html

 

[mikescooling]

If you have a normal sanke and normal coupler, you can carb up a keg. The gas will go in the gas line as normal and carb the keg up.

 

[b-boy]

There is no check valve in the keg spear, removing the check valves in the coupler is shown in the photo above, they are located under the beer line and gas line connections.

I don't know why one would want to remove the gas line check valve, the beer line check valve must be removed from a keg if you are filling through the coupler. If you are filling by removing the spear, the coupler check valves can remain in place.

I remove the gas line check valve when filling through the liquid out line. If you don't you'll build up pressure in the keg, and it won't fill anymore. The gas in the keg must be purged.

It's like filling a corny and purging the keg of CO2 every once in a while as it fills.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Open the vent on the coupler when filling

 

[b-boy]

Mine doesn't have one.

 

[CTolino]

Awesome, thanks for all the info. I'm going to try and remove the check valve in the beer line and going to get the corny conversion kit to try and carb a batch. In still going to see if my friend can weld a corny keg post onto another sankey. See which way works best.

 

[jason1973]

Awesome, thanks for all the info. I'm going to try and remove the check valve in the beer line and going to get the corny conversion kit to try and carb a batch. In still going to see if my friend can weld a corny keg post onto another sankey. See which way works best.

soon as my conversion kit arrives and i assemble it i'll post pics, ill be able to ferement with blow off or under preasure, could even use it as a corny, now just need buy my sankey

 

[CTolino]

I have two, a U.S. Standard and a euro, but I can't for the life of me get the spear out of the euro. It will unscrew to a point, but there is some kind of catch and it won't let me pull it all the way our

 

[jason1973]

Here's my sankey conversion kit
With liquid and gas ball locks

 

[wilserbrewer]

I have two, a U.S. Standard and a euro, but I can't for the life of me get the spear out of the euro. It will unscrew to a point, but there is some kind of catch and it won't let me pull it all the way our

Search around a bit, I believe there is a key you need to depress with a slender screwdriver to free the spear.

 

[CTolino]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1429403394.418879.jpg

This is what my friend welded up for me. I mean I ruined one of my corny kegs, but If I get another sankey I could have 2-15.5 gal brite tanks

 

[brewman !]

Yes but you can remove the check valve.

I am in the process of building a brite. I'm going to flip the sake upside down and weld a 6"tc ferrule in the bottom so I can add pressure relief, gas in, beer out. With the bottom drain I'll be able to cip. I plan to make a glycol jacket and just add it to my glycol circuit.

I'm in the process of doing the same thing only with a 4" tc ferrule.

I'm doing 1/4 and 1/2 barrel sankes. I'll be using them for fermentation and for aging.

Fwiw, the opening on a corny keg is 3" x 4". A 4" tc is a bigger opening than a corny keg.

 

[brewman !]

View attachment 272006

This is what my friend welded up for me. I mean I ruined one of my corny kegs, but If I get another sankey I could have 2-15.5 gal brite tanks

That weld got way too much heat. Was it back purged ?

 

[jason1973]

View attachment 272006

This is what my friend welded up for me. I mean I ruined one of my corny kegs, but If I get another sankey I could have 2-15.5 gal brite tanks

easyer way would have been one of these and built own conversion kit
https://www.everwoodavebrewshop.com/product/tri-clover-kit-1/

 

[brewman !]

easyer way would have been one of these and built own conversion kit
https://www.everwoodavebrewshop.com/product/1-5-tri-clover-kit-2/

The link you provide is for 1.5" TC hardware. Sanke kegs need 2" TC hardware, at least mine do.

 

[jason1973]

The link you provide is for 1.5" TC hardware. Sanke kegs need 2" TC hardware, at least mine do.

i linked wrong one suppose be this https://www.everwoodavebrewshop.com/product/tri-clover-kit-1/

 

[Spellman]

Oh no, you hacked a post off a corny? Next time get one of these: http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=376_1_3_260&products_id=3276

You might even be able to get by with a silver solder "weld."

 

[CTolino]

Spellman I was actually looking around for those and couldn't find them anywhere. That's for the link! I'm going to buy a few of these.

 

[Spellman]

I found them a long time ago when I was looking for something else. They look handy as hell, but I haven't found a specific use for them yet. They do help keep your mind open when you are looking at converting non standard items for what you want.