Lawrence Brewers Guild

Does anyone have a 1/6th barrel keg for sale for cheap?
The soda style or "Cornys" as I've been told they're called might be the best way to go....so that I can easily get the beer in.

I've been told they have a screw off top. I'm not sure how it would work if I got a regular 1/6 barrel keg (like a Boulevard keg for example).
Are those easily filled and cleaned as well? If so, I might be interested in one of those if you have one.

As you can probably tell, I'm a newbie to kegging.
I am looking for a cheap keg though. If you have any advise or info on how I'd re-use a regular keg, I'd be glad to get that as well.

Thanks!!

There is a "swap meet" section for this very topic, and this is the reason it's in the "General" as apposed the "Members Only" section.

6th barrel Sanke kegs will be very hard to come by cheaply. As they are the current commercial standard, everyone you find will most certainty be stolen property of the brewery from which it started life. Half Barrels are easier to find (especially here in Lawrence with students that forget/don't take the it back after a kegger) but they are also most surely stolen as well. I don't know of any home brew shops that actually sell Sanke kegs, online or otherwise.

Your best bet to start kegging cheaply is decide on Pin or Ball lock kegs. Ball locks are more prevalent because they where once very cheap and there were more of them made (they continue to be made in China). Pin locks are gaining popularity because the once plentiful ball locks are becoming scarce, as Pin locks have a higher available supply their price is now lower then ball locks.

Taking the center spike from a Sanke keg can be tricky at first. You also risk damaging the keg if done wrong.

FDillon00 wrote:..most certainty be stolen property of the brewery from which it started life. Half Barrels are easier to find (especially here in Lawrence with students that forget/don't take the it back after a kegger) but they are also most surely stolen as well. I don't know of any home brew shops that actually sell Sanke kegs, online or otherwise.

If there is a brewery stamp on the keg then it is the property of that brewery. They have in the past and still have the right to have the sheriff pick up any kegs that a rep sees in the market place, and citations are given. My keggle mash tun was purchased from SABCO and is not brewery marked. They are one of the largest producers of kegs for commercial use. They also manufacture and sell unmarked, and thus legal, kegs to the homebrewing market, and have for over 20 years. It is what they use in their BrewMagic systems.

Thanks for being a shit stirrer Jeff....

Good info but it ends up being a moral issue regardless how these stamped kegs are obtained.

Id say the majority of home brewers dont have the morals as Jeff does

Hmmm. Mini grinder????

So if I want to get my hands on a cheap 1/6th barrel reusable keg of any sort, what's the best way to get one?
What do you guys usually do when you keg beer?
When you say I should get a pin or a ball lock keg, where do I find those?
I'm still a newbie in all of this, so these terms don't make a lot of sense to me right now.

And I'm still not clear on how to open up a regular (non-Sanke) keg to clean it and pour the beer in.

Would a boulevard 1/6th barrel keg for example be a pin or ball lock? And would I be able to open it to clean and refill it easily? Thanks again!

Sorry for posting it in General vs the Swapmeet section. Newbie to this site as well...

I created a new thread in the Swapmeet section...

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3187

Sorry for putting this in the wrong section...
I will take a newbie pass on that...

It's ok.
Here is some base terminology.

1/6th Barrel Keg - Specificly means a "Commerical" type keg with a Sanke connection. Like the image bellow. These kegs are harder to find and most expensive.

Notice the big thing in the center? That is a "Sanke" connector.

Sanke - Is a specific type of connection (Just like ball and pin are other types). Think of different types of power outlets around the world, they all do the same thing but are configured different. A Sanke Keg requires this type of "tap". This connector is the most expensive. ($35+)


Now beer can be transfered into the keg via the above connection, however removing the center "spike" is how it's normally done.
This is the "spike"

It's difficult because it is held in place by a spring.

This is how it's done.
http://youtu.be/1ZPfZ_AL380

99% of home brewers use Pin or Ball Lock kegs (former soda kegs)
These are the kegs.


Ball lock kegs is this type of connector. Black for the Liquid side, Grey for Gas side. ($15 for the pair)


These are the posts that they attach to. The one with the notches at the base is the gas side. Ball bearings in the connector hold them in place, thus "Ball lock"


Pin Lock kegs is this type of connector. Black for the Liquid side, Grey for Gas side. ($15 for the pair)


These are the posts that they attach to. Notice the small pins sticking out the sides, thus "Pin" lock.


Both Ball and Pin locks are referred to as "Corney" Kegs because Cornelius was one of the most prominent manufacturer of them.

This is the basics needed to buy. (Ball Lock)
http://morebeer.com/view_product/18190/ ... _Ball_Lock

Here is a good run down on how to keg and what's involved.
http://handsonbrewing.com/brewers-refer ... s/kegging/

So to answer your questions, a Boulevard 1/6th barrel is neither ball or pin lock but a Sanke keg. I can be easy to use but you have to remove the spike. Over all using Sanke keg is not the cheapest/easiest way to go.

Kegs and Kegging supplies can be found a nearlly any homebrew shop. Here are a few online.
http://www.morebeer.com
http://www.northernbrewer.com
http://www.midwestsupplies.com
http://www.austinhomebrew.com
Look for thier "Kegging" section on the menu.

All that aside you need to decide on what type of serving system is your end goal. There are 4 basic "end goal" type systems with several stopping points where it can still serve yet not be completely finished.

You can serve from any of them with a basic picnic tap that is attached via a short piece of tubing. Looks like this.


Using a deep freeze to make a "Kreezer" (Keg-orator + Freezer, is how the world is derived).
Staring out looks like this.

Starting all you need is a deep freeze, a temperature controller and a basic picnic tap. Starting out all you need to do is open the lid and serve via the picnic tap.

They look like this finished.

This one is "collared" as there's a wooden collar added for the taps to attach to.


This one is "towered" as there's a tap tower attached to the lid for the taps.

If this is your goal using Ball lock kegs (which are more narrow) will allow you to fit more kegs, but in some cases will require some sort of collar since they are taller. Pin locks are wider so there you may not get as many kegs in but you most likely won't need a collar because they are not as tall.

Using a standard Refrigerator.
Looks like this finished

This one has the taps mounted out to front door.
Starting out all you need is the refrigerator and a basic "picnic" tap open the door to serve. Ball locks would be ideal here because height is generally not an issue as width and depth are.

A Stand-up Freezer is a combination of the above. You'll need a temperature control like the freezer, yet you can mount taps to the door like the refrigerator.

Finally is a mini-fridge type. These are available commercially produced that look like this.


Or they can be hand build out of "dorm"/mini fridges and look like this.

Starting out just as before you'll need the fridge and a picnic tap. Ball locks are almost the only choice for this as the largest mini fridges aren't much wider then 18" inside.

Based on what you like from this post, crossed with what you'd like to pay for kegs from the post above the decision is yours to make.

Wow Frank! Nice job covering all the basics and then some.

Ken

Good thing classes start back up on Monday. Frank has just a little too much time on his hands lately.

I know, Jeff. It sucks having such an inspired and motivated person around, constantly making us lazy bastards look bad.

Matt

Wow, Frank. That's an excellent consolidation of info!

(It'll save someone actually having to look at the forum and reading, too.)

Wow Frank!!! That's awesome!!
That pretty much answers every remaining keggin question I had. THANKS!!
This info would be a great thing to teach during one of the upcoming LBG meetings.
It would be great for people who want an all-in-one summary on kegging beer.

I'm surprised how easily the Sanke post is removed from that Youtube video.
I'm thinking that the Corny keg would be ideal though. Then I wouldn't have to hassle with the spring.

I was given a loaner Corny style keg to use for this next batch.
I would still like to find one of these to buy for future batches. I'd probably try and find a used one though. I don't think I'm wanting to spend $200 on one at this point.

Here are pics of the keg I was loaned.
From your description above, I see that it's a ball lock Corny Keg! Thanks again for all the info Frank!