Sankey Fermenter

[Tarp Town]

I can't seem to find anything on this board about coverting a Sankey keg into a fermenter. I'd like to do this, but I'm not sure exactly how to go about it. I just know it would be cheaper than a 12 gallon conical.

1) The kegs are fairly easy to find, but to depressurize it I would assume a tap or sankey coupler could do the trick?
2) Removing the stem - are the $100 special tools required, or can I MacGyver it out with standard tools?
3) Cutting the hole seems to be the easy part. I would prefer to size the hole ( ) to fit a corney lid, but it may be out of my realm of expertise. A 8" diameter hole would be my secondary preference since it's easy to cut, and would allow easier cleaning.
4) Sealing the damn hole. If my dream comes true and someone could tell me what's necessary for a corney lid to fit snug, awesome. Otherwise, I have no clue how to seal a 8" hole on the top of a sankey keg.
5) Liquid removal. Would it be better to install a ball valve spigot, (somehow) syphon, or go all out and install in/out posts to create a 15.5 gallon corney keg?

Thanks in advance

[Quin]

I can't seem to find anything on this board about coverting a Sankey keg into a fermenter. I'd like to do this, but I'm not sure exactly how to go about it. I just know it would be cheaper than a 12 gallon conical.

1) The kegs are fairly easy to find, but to depressurize it I would assume a tap or sankey coupler could do the trick?
2) Removing the stem - are the $100 special tools required, or can I MacGyver it out with standard tools?
3) Cutting the hole seems to be the easy part. I would prefer to size the hole ( ) to fit a corney lid, but it may be out of my realm of expertise. A 8" diameter hole would be my secondary preference since it's easy to cut, and would allow easier cleaning.
4) Sealing the damn hole. If my dream comes true and someone could tell me what's necessary for a corney lid to fit snug, awesome. Otherwise, I have no clue how to seal a 8" hole on the top of a sankey keg.
5) Liquid removal. Would it be better to install a ball valve spigot, (somehow) syphon, or go all out and install in/out posts to create a 15.5 gallon corney keg?

Thanks in advance

I am using a sanke keg for fermentation also, but I left the keg intact. I use a commercial keg coupler with the one way valve removed from the gas side of the coupler. I installed two "beer thread" stainless valves from Micromatic.com so that I can close off the liquid or gas sides depending upon the stage of fermentation/transfer. I ferment the first 75% with a blow off tube and then close the valve on the gas side and carbonate naturally. I then make a closed transefer into a corny keg for serving. BTW, I cut off about 1" from the liquid inlet tube on the spear so that I will leave about 1 gallon behind when I transfer into serving cornies.

You can remove the spear without any special tools. However, installing the retaining ring while compressing the o-ring is a little tricky.

I have read from others that it is pretty difficult to seal a corny lid to a keg if you intend to perform pressure transfers.

It isn't necessary to install in/out posts. Why not use a commercial keg coupler?

Here are some links with additional information

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/closed- ... que-44344/
http://www.spearfishingspuc.org/dean/
http://www.physics.arizona.edu/~workman ... Sanke.html
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/install ... keg-64128/

[triple-oh-six]

I have a 7.5 gal keg that I'm fermenting in.

I removed the spear and cleaned it well.

All I do is fill it and put a carboy cap on it w/ blowoff or an airlock.
The orange cap for the 6 gal carboys fits around the post just right.

[rlsmith621]

I was going to pull the spear/unit in my sankey/fermenter but was concerned about cleaning the dirty rings off the sides. How to do that and know for certain everything is squeaky clean the next time? I cut the top out - to a size that just a bit smaller than the diameter on a 1 gallon stock pot. I cut the top 1" off the stock pot. Using a fender molly (sp) I hammered the cut lip of the hole in the top of keg up from the inside, until the rim of the stock pot fit snugly. The allowed me to tig-weld the stock pot rim from the inside, to the hammered-up lip of the hole and grind it off cleanly. I machined a S.S. 1/4" plate to fit, overhanging the rim, installed some swing bolts and cut slots in the plate so the bolts can clamp the lip down. I made a silicone gasket, drilled the plate for a pick-up tube, blow-off fitting and pressure fitting. Works nice. Cleans up well. This takes a bit of work but it's nice to have a 15+ gallon fermenter. It also doubles as a boil kettle on my whiskey still. I'm into re-cycling beer too.

[Mylo]

I was going to pull the spear/unit in my sankey/fermenter but was concerned about cleaning the dirty rings off the sides. How to do that and know for certain everything is squeaky clean the next time? I cut the top out - to a size that just a bit smaller than the diameter on a 1 gallon stock pot. I cut the top 1" off the stock pot. Using a fender molly (sp) I hammered the cut lip of the hole in the top of keg up from the inside, until the rim of the stock pot fit snugly. The allowed me to tig-weld the stock pot rim from the inside, to the hammered-up lip of the hole and grind it off cleanly. I machined a S.S. 1/4" plate to fit, overhanging the rim, installed some swing bolts and cut slots in the plate so the bolts can clamp the lip down. I made a silicone gasket, drilled the plate for a pick-up tube, blow-off fitting and pressure fitting. Works nice. Cleans up well. This takes a bit of work but it's nice to have a 15+ gallon fermenter. It also doubles as a boil kettle on my whiskey still. I'm into re-cycling beer too.

This probably sounds cool to you. To us it sounds like the teacher from Charlie Brown..... pix or it didn't happen.


Mylo

[Whitebeard_Brewer]

I was going to pull the spear/unit in my sankey/fermenter but was concerned about cleaning the dirty rings off the sides. How to do that and know for certain everything is squeaky clean the next time? I cut the top out - to a size that just a bit smaller than the diameter on a 1 gallon stock pot. I cut the top 1" off the stock pot. Using a fender molly (sp) I hammered the cut lip of the hole in the top of keg up from the inside, until the rim of the stock pot fit snugly. The allowed me to tig-weld the stock pot rim from the inside, to the hammered-up lip of the hole and grind it off cleanly. I machined a S.S. 1/4" plate to fit, overhanging the rim, installed some swing bolts and cut slots in the plate so the bolts can clamp the lip down. I made a silicone gasket, drilled the plate for a pick-up tube, blow-off fitting and pressure fitting. Works nice. Cleans up well. This takes a bit of work but it's nice to have a 15+ gallon fermenter. It also doubles as a boil kettle on my whiskey still. I'm into re-cycling beer too.

This probably sounds cool to you. To us it sounds like the teacher from Charlie Brown..... pix or it didn't happen.


Mylo

WAA WA WAA WA WA WA...........I was thinking the exact same thing Mylo.....words can't even start to describe it.....we gotta have beer porn RLS!!!

[Quin]

I was going to pull the spear/unit in my sankey/fermenter but was concerned about cleaning the dirty rings off the sides. How to do that and know for certain everything is squeaky clean the next time?

Completely disassemble and soak in PBW. How do you clean your cornies and know they are squeaky clean?

[Alemental]

Here is a bit more info in these links:
http://forums.moreflavor.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=30813&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&sid=571f2b0e8b608176deb69a1c88669420

http://forums.moreflavor.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=13712&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

http://forums.moreflavor.com/viewtopic.php?t=26103&highlight=transfer

I plan on cutting an 8" hole and fabricating a lid with a silicone o-ring from McMaster Carr as soon as I can get my mitts on a couple of Sankes.