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limprizol

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I see that everyone has these set ups using modified kegs for their boil kettles, HLT, and MLTs.
My question is are most people using aluminum or stainless kegs. It is so hard to find a stainless keg but i know the beer distributors around here will let me buy the empty keg for $30 but they are all aluminum. Is using aluminum kegs a problem or it is ok.

Also when people turn a keg into an MLT what are they using to cover it so that no heat escapes.

Thank you and sorry for the Newb Questions.
 
Where are you finding Aluminum kegs? The VAST majority of kegs are SS. They experimented with AL a while back but they dented way too easily. I have to think that your kegs are SS.
 
but if they are offering them to me for $30 i figured they could not be stainless. Wouldn't they be worth more in scrap metal
 
I agree w/ kerklein2, I've almost never seen aluminum ones in my short experience. Yes I've heard of people getting them for 0-20 dollars regularly and they're SS.
 
they still use aluminum in imports (not all, but some). Newcastle is the leading user that I see in the market. The reason they are charging you $30 is because they have a security deposit on them for less than that (more than likely). These kegs are technically the property of the brewery and unless they are damaged in some way or belong to a brewery that no longer exists, you are probably getting "hot" kegs. There are many posts on here debating stolen kegs so read up, ask questions, and be sure you aren't buying stolen kegs. This problem trickles down to the consumer ultimately as the brewery needs to buy more kegs, overhead goes up, etc...

That said, my guess is they are Stainless if you are in the U.S.
 
It's common over this side of the water to get aluminium kegs, but from what I understand they are extremely expensive to make as the amount of electrickery needed to extract the aluminium from the bauxite is very high and as a result it's an expensive raw material to produce. It's so expensive that the IRA had a scam going a few years back where they went around stealing empty kegs outside pubs who were waiting on the brewery to drop off new ones and pick up the old, they were subsequently melting the kegs down to make aluminium door and window frames which were being sold to unsuspecting punters :)
 
I picked up 3 legit kegs (yes officer I have a receipt) today for $30 each. All stainless and for the most part in A+ condition except for 1 bent handle on one keg. You should have seen the stacks of kegs waiting to be inspected for repair or the reject pile!
 
I picked up 3 legit kegs (yes officer I have a receipt) today for $30 each. All stainless and for the most part in A+ condition except for 1 bent handle on one keg. You should have seen the stacks of kegs waiting to be inspected for repair or the reject pile!

Quit gloating and post a link! Other Portlanders would love the info.
B
 
Quit gloating and post a link! Other Portlanders would love the info.
B

PM me and I can provide email - did not want to post publicly. I got the only 3 ready at the moment, but as their workload lessens they get back to the repair process.
 
I would assume they are stainless steel kegs. I haven't seen an aluminum keg in use for years, but never know.

Did they even make aluminum Sankey kegs?
 
It's common over this side of the water to get aluminium kegs, but from what I understand they are extremely expensive to make as the amount of electrickery needed to extract the aluminium from the bauxite is very high and as a result it's an expensive raw material to produce. It's so expensive that the IRA had a scam going a few years back where they went around stealing empty kegs outside pubs who were waiting on the brewery to drop off new ones and pick up the old, they were subsequently melting the kegs down to make aluminium door and window frames which were being sold to unsuspecting punters :)

"Unsuspecting punters"? What does football have to do with this?:confused:
 
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