Will Sanke kegs ever be popular with homebrewers?

[HOPtuary]

For the brewers who have made the jump, are you using something like this http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/ball-lock-conversion-kit-for-sanke-couplers.html

... and continuing to use your ball lock connectors?

Or something like this?

http://www.homebrewing.org/American-Sanke-D-Coupler_p_764.html

You can use the conversion kit but that adds height to everything and if you dont have a tall enough collar it will cause issues. I went right to the D couplers and never looked back cuz i knew i wasnt going back to cornies. So make sure your setup has the height available.

 

[mattd2]

I was just thinking the same thing. How is it that I pay 35 bucks deposit on a keg of Mich Ultra (back off...it was a test keg to set up my glycol system...no crying if I spill Ultra all over the floor...which happened by the way) for a total of 79 bucks (the beer was only 44 dollars) and if I keep the keg I only lose the deposit?? It's not even theft. It's a part of the contract! Of course I would kinda feel like a dick for getting my kegs this way. But if I can't find some sucker to drink all this pisswater before the time is up, I may consider keeping it.

It is theft. Have you read the contract? The deposit is just an incentive for you to return the keg, it is not a down-payment in case you decide you want to purchase the keg.

 

[Phunhog]

It is theft. Have you read the contract? The deposit is just an incentive for you to return the keg, it is not a down-payment in case you decide you want to purchase the keg.

That's why I contacted the brewery.....just so I can say I tried in good faith to return the keg to the rightful owner.

 

[hunter_le five]

How is it that I pay 35 bucks deposit on a keg of Mich Ultra .... for a total of 79 bucks (the beer was only 44 dollars) and if I keep the keg I only lose the deposit?? It's not even theft. It's a part of the contract!

This issue has been discussed to death. What you are talking about IS theft and it IS illegal. The deposit does not grant you ownership of the keg. It is merely a form of collateral, albeit a poor one, as the deposit nowhere near covers the value of the keg.

If you keep the keg, you are stealing. Period. Let's move on now to more productive discussion.

 

[November]

Like others, I got tired of chasing leaks in corney kegs. Seems like I never used a full 20# co2 tank, instead after a few months I would forget to triple check a keg lid or ball lock and leak it all. I've started switching to new Sankey's after that. Right now half of my kegs are Sankey and half the taps in the kegerator have Sankey couplers. I had mfl ball locks so I just got mfl tailpieces for the couplers in case I ever need to switch back and forth for some reason.

After a few times you get used to taking it apart and it really isn't that hard.

 

[passedpawn]

Like others, I got tired of chasing leaks in corney kegs. Seems like I never used a full 20# co2 tank, instead after a few months I would forget to triple check a keg lid or ball lock and leak it all. I've started switching to new Sankey's after that. Right now half of my kegs are Sankey and half the taps in the kegerator have Sankey couplers. I had mfl ball locks so I just got mfl tailpieces for the couplers in case I ever need to switch back and forth for some reason.

After a few times you get used to taking it apart and it really isn't that hard.

Like this? I made this from a cheap sanke coupler and an adapter kit I bought at my LHBS. Ball lock gas/liquid.

 

[November]

Like this? I made this from a cheap sanke coupler and an adapter kit I bought at my LHBS. Ball lock gas/liquid.

No. I thought about going that route but I didn't want to even deal with the disconnects. I used these on my Sankey coupler then unscrewed my mfl ball locks. Both ways let you go back and forth though yours is probably quicker.

Also, if you are thinking of converting, don't forget that Sankeys are just a bit wider than ball lock corneys. It took a little work to figure out how to configure them in my keezer.

 

[mannye]

This issue has been discussed to death. What you are talking about IS theft and it IS illegal. The deposit does not grant you ownership of the keg. It is merely a form of collateral, albeit a poor one, as the deposit nowhere near covers the value of the keg.



If you keep the keg, you are stealing. Period. Let's move on now to more productive discussion.

I pretty much agree with you I guess. Regardless, I'm moving to Sanke kegs now that all my Cornys finally gave out.

The couplers are a little more expensive but I find them just as easy to work with as Cornys if not easier. And now that prices are starting to equalize it's no longer that much of a financial decision.

Plus if you do have a Sanke keg setup it allows you to buy the occasional commercial cider or craft beer. I don't know about you guys but sometimes I hear about family or friends coming to visit and the keezers are bare!

It's nice to be able to run out and get a 1/6 of Fat Tire or Cider and have beer flowing when the party starts!

So it seems the answer is yes. In fact, if the pro manufacturers catch on and start making home systems they may even replace them before long.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[mattd2]

That's why I contacted the brewery.....just so I can say I tried in good faith to return the keg to the rightful owner.

Sorry I wasn't aiming my comment at you. I looked at the kegreturn.com website and that is a great place to do the right thing.
Looking a bit deeper they have a list from Tosca (a keg repair company) that list all the kegs held by them for various breweries - Boston Beer Co. has over 500 kegs on that list! Now there must be some reason that Boston Beer Co. doesn't just drive round there and pick up their 20 pallets of kegs.

 

[mapatane]

What about PubKegs? They have Sanke fittings. People seemed excited about them about a year ago but in don't see or hear about them. They were pricey new, but as a disposable for bars, I thought the homebrew world would embrace them.

 

[mikescooling]

I havent had a leak using sanke's, ever. The world uses them, because their freakin great!