Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Keggle not kegel  (Read 6993 times)

Offline kentro8115

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 3
Keggle not kegel
« on: July 24, 2013, 06:22:13 am »
I'm looking into the benefits/limitations of utilizing a Keggle for my brew pot needs. Currently using a 10 gallon steel pot that is very difficult to lift and mobilize when full. I'd appreciate any information on the benefits or limits of this apparatus and recommendations on how to acquire or make one. Thanks all

Live long and propagate. 

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Re: Keggle not kegel
« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2013, 06:26:06 am »
Nothing with 80 lbs of liquid is easy or safe to move when full. The better solution is to make changes so you don't have to move it.
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958

Offline hopfenundmalz

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 10687
  • Milford, MI
Re: Keggle not kegel
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2013, 06:58:50 am »
Nothing with 80 lbs of liquid is easy or safe to move when full. The better solution is to make changes so you don't have to move it.
With boiling hot liquid, more so.

To address the original question, use a tiered stand and gravity to transfer the liquid. The more costly solution is a pump(s) to move the liquid on a single level set up.
Jeff Rankert
AHA Lifetime Member
BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline In The Sand

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 398
Re: Keggle not kegel
« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2013, 07:21:06 am »
Nothing with 80 lbs of liquid is easy or safe to move when full. The better solution is to make changes so you don't have to move it.
With boiling hot liquid, more so.

To address the original question, use a tiered stand and gravity to transfer the liquid. The more costly solution is a pump(s) to move the liquid on a single level set up.

+1
Trey W.

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Re: Keggle not kegel
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2013, 07:21:58 am »
Before I had a tiered stand, I would drain my mash tun into buckets and pour them into the kettle to break it into smaller volumes.
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958

Offline hopfenundmalz

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 10687
  • Milford, MI
Re: Keggle not kegel
« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2013, 07:57:14 am »
Before I had a tiered stand, I would drain my mash tun into buckets and pour them into the kettle to break it into smaller volumes.
i know some that do that. I am a little more lazy. ;)
Jeff Rankert
AHA Lifetime Member
BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Re: Keggle not kegel
« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2013, 08:02:13 am »
Before I had a tiered stand, I would drain my mash tun into buckets and pour them into the kettle to break it into smaller volumes.
i know some that do that. I am a little more lazy. ;)
Definately not a great solution.
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11337
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Keggle not kegel
« Reply #7 on: July 25, 2013, 06:45:52 am »
Yeah, arrange your kettle so that you don't have to move It. I have a three tiered deck, mash on top run off to boil kettle then run off to fermentor. Before that I used a pick nic table and cinder blocks.

And, I know it always gets a lot of controversy stirred up, but I don't mind: make sure if you get a keg it is a keg that has been junked by brewery. If you use any other keg - even if you pay the deposit - you are steeling the keg. Deposit does not pay for keg.

Offline In The Sand

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 398
Re: Keggle not kegel
« Reply #8 on: July 25, 2013, 07:01:32 am »
And, I know it always gets a lot of controversy stirred up, but I don't mind: make sure if you get a keg it is a keg that has been junked by brewery. If you use any other keg - even if you pay the deposit - you are steeling the keg. Deposit does not pay for keg.

+1 (...but haven't we discussed this before, lol)  ;)
Trey W.

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11337
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Keggle not kegel
« Reply #9 on: July 25, 2013, 07:08:22 am »
Yes. But many people still don't realize that acquiring a keg through a deposit is not legit. We need a PSA on NBC about it. The more you know....

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Re: Keggle not kegel
« Reply #10 on: July 25, 2013, 07:53:03 am »
Yes. But many people still don't realize that acquiring a keg through a deposit is not legit. We need a PSA on NBC about it. The more you know....
Seems like with ubiquitous credit cards, the industry could switch to a $0 deposit, but we charge your card full price if not returned within 6 months. I guess market forces might prevent that though.
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11337
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Keggle not kegel
« Reply #11 on: July 25, 2013, 09:05:48 am »
Yes. But many people still don't realize that acquiring a keg through a deposit is not legit. We need a PSA on NBC about it. The more you know....
Seems like with ubiquitous credit cards, the industry could switch to a $0 deposit, but we charge your card full price if not returned within 6 months. I guess market forces might prevent that though.

It's not a bad idea. But the problem is many states can't self distribute. So that would be up to the beer store to charge the amount then that goes through the distributor then back to the brewery. The logistics are challenging.

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Re: Keggle not kegel
« Reply #12 on: July 25, 2013, 09:22:17 am »
Yes. But many people still don't realize that acquiring a keg through a deposit is not legit. We need a PSA on NBC about it. The more you know....
Seems like with ubiquitous credit cards, the industry could switch to a $0 deposit, but we charge your card full price if not returned within 6 months. I guess market forces might prevent that though.

It's not a bad idea. But the problem is many states can't self distribute. So that would be up to the beer store to charge the amount then that goes through the distributor then back to the brewery. The logistics are challenging.
Yeah, and I doubt the industry would want to cut off cash sales. So you'd still need deposits for cash.
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958

Offline In The Sand

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 398
Re: Keggle not kegel
« Reply #13 on: July 25, 2013, 09:40:09 am »
I'm looking into the benefits/limitations of utilizing a Keggle for my brew pot needs. Currently using a 10 gallon steel pot that is very difficult to lift and mobilize when full. I'd appreciate any information on the benefits or limits of this apparatus and recommendations on how to acquire or make one. Thanks all

Live long and propagate.

Also, depending on how your burners are mounted (meaning how much air is available), a keggle is better than a flat bottom kettle because of the concave bottom.  I just built a stand out of unistrut and flat bottom pots won't work with my setup because of the lack of airflow to the burners.  I tried using a flat bottom pot and the flame just smothered.  Of course I could modify my setup to accommodate, but I already had some keggles fabricated from defunct kegs, so that's the route I chose.  All in all you end up spending close to the same amount if money for kettles as for repurposing and fabricating the keggles.  It may be a tad cheaper to go the keggle route.
Trey W.

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11337
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Keggle not kegel
« Reply #14 on: July 25, 2013, 10:00:54 am »
I've used both keggle and 14 gallon flat bottom kettle and they both work the same on my burner. My 14 gallon kettle came with ball valve, sight glass and diverter plate and (importantly) tight fitting lid. much prefer brewing on the latter. Maybe a little more  expensive but has lasted 10 years thus far.

Agree keggle route is cheaper, just be sure you find a decommissioned one.
« Last Edit: July 25, 2013, 10:12:25 am by majorvices »