Hoff Stevens Keg

[benbradford]

I just came accross an old keg that has the side bung, and is barrel shaped. Has anyone thought of turning it into a kind of semi-conical fermenter by just putting a bulkhead and valve in the side hole, laying it on it's side, and putting another hole in the top with an airlock?

This seems like a nice way to create an inexpensive stainless 10+ gallon fermenter.

Maybe build a wooden stand on wheels so that it easy to move to!

 

[Sawdustguy]

I just came accross an old keg that has the side bung, and is barrel shaped. Has anyone thought of turning it into a kind of semi-conical fermenter by just putting a bulkhead and valve in the side hole, laying it on it's side, and putting another hole in the top with an airlock?

This seems like a nice way to create an inexpensive stainless 10+ gallon fermenter.

Maybe build a wooden stand on wheels so that it easy to move to!

A better idea would be to put a rotating racking arm in the side so you can extract the beer without sucking up the gop (sediment) at the bottom. This would allow you also to use it right side up. If you use it on it's side all the gop (sediment) will flow out with your fermented beer.

 

[benbradford]

isn't that the point of a conical?


I don't know, aren't you just able to pull the first .5 gallon or so and discard or something...maybe my idea of a conical is not right...

 

[sparkyaber]

Oooww, I just came into possession of an old hoff stevens. I have no clue what to do with it, I was thinking about a HLT, or a boil kettle, now maybe a fermenter.... What to do??

 

[Rowdybowdy07]

You can still buy Hoff Stevens Couplers for the Top of the keg... Good For easy 15.5 gallon kegging just cork her and hook the co2 up

 

[benbradford]

I still have this keg and am stumped as to what to do?

It does have a regular sanke tapping setup.

What do we do?

 

[Rowdybowdy07]

Get a hole saw cut out of a piece of wood my original looked like pine. a whole that fits the keg if it has a sanke coupling fill it up with edworts apple wine and tap it mm 15 gallons of apple wine on tap

 

[JetSmooth]

I have a NASTY old one of these. Been trying to unload it to someone to turn into a grill, or trade for a Sanke so I can make a keggle. I may just have to suck it up, cut the top off, rivet some handles on and get the bung welded up to make an ugly keggle.

 

[benbradford]

I researched yesterday, and I believe that my latest idea is to build a type of cradle for this, put a bulkhead in the side of it, lay it on it's side with the bulkhead down, and then on the other side (the new top), install a lid from an old soda keg.

You can buy these on chicompany for about $10 or so. Will be tackling this in the next few weeks, and this should be my new fermenter.

It will have a bottom bulkhead like a conical. We'll see how it works.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Make a grill out of it.

Otherwise, get a bung and brew something that needs a long aging period like a barleywine. Bung goes on top, then you siphon out of that hole when transferring.

Harvesting yeast can easily be done by collecting trub and decanting....I think you're gonna have trouble treating this like a conical.

 

[Simphoto02]

Make a grill out of it.

Otherwise, get a bung and brew something that needs a long aging period like a barleywine. Bung goes on top, then you siphon out of that hole when transferring.

Harvesting yeast can easily be done by collecting trub and decanting....I think you're gonna have trouble treating this like a conical.

They make great grills. I made a cooler out of one in H.S. stole it from a party, BAD BOY......

 

[benbradford]

They are selling pretty well on ebay for about $60 as rat rod gas tanks...I may take this approach and put the money toward a pump for the herms

 

[benbradford]

Sold that first one, but came accross another, and this is what I am thinking...cut hole in side and top for lids from old corny kegs so that I can have decent access to inside of keg, but can seal so that it sits vertical and horizontal while closed.

Can brew with this keg as as second boil kettle or hot liquor tank depending, while keg is vertical and top open. I am going to install two 120 volt hot water heater elements for this keggle. I will also put a bulkhead, valve, and dip tube for this purpose also. During brewing it will sit vertically, and the side hole should stay sealed with lid.

After brewing, I will lay keg on its side, to be treated as a fermenter. This is the only way that it will fit inside my fermenting chamber. I am hoping that I will be able to arrange dip tube in a way that i will be able to pull off of this to remove beer, and leave sediment behind.

Will keep u up to date this week as I move forward on this project.

 

[benbradford]

just recieved my lids from chicompany.net, and the elements are on the way from amazon...I ordered a new march pump today, and am hoping that it arrives soon! I have a few parts coming from bargainfittings.com too. Hopefully, I can start this build this week.

 

[lzrdkng14]

just recieved my lids from chicompany.net, and the elements are on the way from amazon...I ordered a new march pump today, and am hoping that it arrives soon! I have a few parts coming from bargainfittings.com too. Hopefully, I can start this build this week.

Any updates on your setup? I just came across an old hoff stevens keg that I want to convert into an electric keggle.

 

[benbradford]

Couldn't fit the corny lids onto the keg. I would have to manipulate the steel more than I have the tools for to do so. I have this, but it is kind of junk, and am planning on scrapping it. IMHO, just get a straight sided keg and do this modification. Sell it on ebay as a rat rod gas tank, take the money, and buy a nice keg for a kettle.

Other than that, use it to ferment in.

I am actually getting matchy matchy on a lot of my stuff, and this will never make a set.

Ben

 

[lzrdkng14]

Well the guy wanted $30 for it...he runs a beer distributor and somebody traded the thing in for a deposit refund ($30)

I was gonna offer $20, but now I am thinking not. thanks

 

[benbradford]

Sell it on ebay for $75 plus $25 parcel post shipping and you will be happy

 

[shanestain]

I have a NASTY old one of these. Been trying to unload it to someone to turn into a grill, or trade for a Sanke so I can make a keggle. I may just have to suck it up, cut the top off, rivet some handles on and get the bung welded up to make an ugly keggle.

I have three of those, they make great keggles.

 

[benbradford]

Three matching would be different than the ugly duckling keggle on the end

 

[redm18]

I thought these worked good for serving real ale

 

[lzrdkng14]

Sell it on ebay for $75 plus $25 parcel post shipping and you will be happy

Do you really think someone would pay that much for it?

 

[benbradford]

Search rat rod gas tank on ebay... Nothing right now i guess, but i sold one a year ago for that exact price. Did it in about 5 days.