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Author Topic: 7.5 Gal Sanke kegs  (Read 21936 times)

Offline liquidbrewing

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7.5 Gal Sanke kegs
« on: May 21, 2011, 12:39:24 pm »
Hey all!!  I have currently been fermenting my 10+ gallon batches in a 15.5 gallon keg and I love it.  I have been trying to find a source for buying 7.5 gallon kegs for 5 gallon batches.  Anyone know of any place that would sell used ones??  The tall ones not the short 1/4 barrels.  I'd like to get it legit, but the 7.5 gallon keg of Two Hearted they have at my local liquor store is looking mighty tempting!  $100.00 for a new fermenter and it comes with my favorite beer!!  

Dilemma ???
« Last Edit: May 21, 2011, 12:52:57 pm by liquidbrewing »
Justin
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Offline majorvices

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Re: 7.5 Gal Sanke kegs
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2011, 01:32:41 pm »
I own my own small brewery and have thousands of dollars wrapped up in cooperage. The deposit doesn't even come close to paying for the cost of the keg. Understand that what you are contemplating hurts brewers very badly and raises the costs for all of us. It is essentially stealing.

There's also a huge market out there for used kegs so you are going to have a hard time finding one. You could look at GWkent.com to look into purchasing a new one, but I urge you not to go out and steal one for your own purposes.
« Last Edit: May 21, 2011, 01:35:08 pm by majorvices »

Offline liquidbrewing

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Re: 7.5 Gal Sanke kegs
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2011, 01:38:22 pm »
 I'd like to get it legit,

Dilemma ???

Why don't you sell me four 7.5 sanke's then??

GWkent.com  seriously???  I"m small time dude.  I didn't even make $10,000 last year.  Let alone, can I afford that much to pay for a fermenter.

Why isn't there a source for equipment like this, like I said, I'd rather pay for one but there are no online sources and everyone local doesn't even respond to my communications.  They almost make you acquire it outside of the law, I mean seriously. 
« Last Edit: May 21, 2011, 01:42:37 pm by liquidbrewing »
Justin
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Offline narcout

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Re: 7.5 Gal Sanke kegs
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2011, 01:41:57 pm »
It's not exactly what you're looking for, but you can get 10 gallon cornelius kegs for a good price here: www.chicompany.net

I have two of them that I use as fermentors, and they work very well.
Sometimes you just can't get enough - JAMC

Offline majorvices

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Re: 7.5 Gal Sanke kegs
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2011, 01:43:04 pm »
I use 1/6th kegs, which are 5.25 gallons. And besides, I very often come up short on cooperage and have to buy new kegs. Makes it almost impossible to make money when you are having to spend $4000 on kegs every 3 months.

I know through my distributor that Bell's has been having a hard time keeping up with cooperage as well. You will do what you will do and no one can stop you but you should understand there are people out there barely managing to keep their businesses afloat (and in my case working 40+ hours a week for free) - don;t stab your brewing brothers in the back by stealing kegs.

Offline liquidbrewing

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Re: 7.5 Gal Sanke kegs
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2011, 01:48:53 pm »
Yes, I've considered that.  I'm actually about to order one for a serving vessel.  What I like about the sanke kegs, is that I can throw it on my burner to sterilize it, before racking my wort.  Plus a carboy cap fits right over the opening and I have never had to install a blow off, even with some 9% beers.  That's why I like fermenting in kegs.  Plus theres no risk of breaking glass!  See Zymurgy Vol. 33 No. 1.  Jan/Feb 2010.  A guy nearly lost his hand with a glass carboy incident...I read this article at least once a month to remind me to be careful with my two glass carboys, everyone else should be careful as well.
Justin
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Offline liquidbrewing

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Re: 7.5 Gal Sanke kegs
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2011, 01:51:21 pm »
Majorvices, I understand you, believe me.  I'm not trying to upset you, or intentionally drive up the cost of craft brew.  As a small business owner myself, not brewing, I can understand this very issue.  You have made my mind up.  The two hearted will stay there.  Now the quest to find four 7.5 gal sanke's begins!!!

And I know what you mean about working for free.  It sucks when your business makes money, but you are unable to make payroll.  This fact has been in my life for the last 10 years...Whether you believe me or not.  I feel your pain.  Or is it my homebrew talking...

« Last Edit: May 21, 2011, 01:54:08 pm by liquidbrewing »
Justin
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Offline majorvices

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Re: 7.5 Gal Sanke kegs
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2011, 01:55:16 pm »
Good on ya, bro! Maybe look at some small breweries in your area. They often buy used kegs and sometimes find one or two in the lot with a leaky seal they can't use.

Offline tubercle

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Re: 7.5 Gal Sanke kegs
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2011, 01:57:04 pm »
Do what the rest of poor brewers do, use a plastic 7.5 gal bucket. It won't break and is sanitized perfectly with a few cents worth of star san. Or, scour the scrap yards.

Wanting something and not having the money to buy it never has been and never will be justification to obtain something illegally.
Try increasing you income or or cutting your out go or sacrificing somthing until you have the money to buy it.
Sweet Caroline where the Sun rises over the deep blue sea and sets somewhere beyond Tennessee

Offline tygo

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Re: 7.5 Gal Sanke kegs
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2011, 01:59:52 pm »
What about ebay?

http://cgi.ebay.com/15-5-Gallon-Sanke-Beer-keg-Beer-Wine-/250822857622?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a66351396

I don't know if there's any way to determine if these were legally obtained kegs before buying.  And with shipping it's more like $150.
Clint
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Offline liquidbrewing

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Re: 7.5 Gal Sanke kegs
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2011, 02:05:42 pm »
Do what the rest of poor brewers do, use a plastic 7.5 gal bucket. It won't break and is sanitized perfectly with a few cents worth of star san. Or, scour the scrap yards.

Wanting something and not having the money to buy it never has been and never will be justification to obtain something illegally.
Try increasing you income or or cutting your out go or sacrificing somthing until you have the money to buy it.

  Ummm, first of all, I said I wanted to buy one, I never said I wanted to steal one.  Secondly, you will always have to replace plastic buckets.  Third, the fermenters I was referring to on that GWkent.com site were seriously thousands of dollars.  Fourth...increase my income? Why didn't I think about that.  I'll just increase my income!!!  It's so easy when you're in the construction industry and new houses haven't been built in my area for almost 4 years.  But if  you wanna help increase my income, I'll email you my bank account number and you can help me increase my income... ;D

Somehow as I posted the original post, I knew this was going nowhere.  Aside from wasting my time and giving me some amusement!! 

And Tygo, thanks for the link, but If you read the original post, I already have a 15.5 gal keg.  I want 7.5 gal kegs to ferment my 5 gallon batches.
« Last Edit: May 21, 2011, 02:07:25 pm by liquidbrewing »
Justin
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Offline tygo

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Re: 7.5 Gal Sanke kegs
« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2011, 02:13:42 pm »
And Tygo, thanks for the link, but If you read the original post, I already have a 15.5 gal keg.  I want 7.5 gal kegs to ferment my 5 gallon batches.

Ah, yeah, missed that.
Clint
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: 7.5 Gal Sanke kegs
« Reply #12 on: May 21, 2011, 03:48:17 pm »
What about ebay?

http://cgi.ebay.com/15-5-Gallon-Sanke-Beer-keg-Beer-Wine-/250822857622?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a66351396

I don't know if there's any way to determine if these were legally obtained kegs before buying.  And with shipping it's more like $150.
The seller is right by my house, can't be more than 10 miles.  Maybe I could go pick it up, if I wanted one.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline Will's Swill

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Re: 7.5 Gal Sanke kegs
« Reply #13 on: May 22, 2011, 09:45:10 am »
You've probably tried this, but I see the 7.5 gallon sankes on CraigsList frequently. 
Is that a counter-pressure bottle filler in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

Offline tom

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Re: 7.5 Gal Sanke kegs
« Reply #14 on: May 22, 2011, 09:54:26 am »
I got 2 "slim" quarter kegs from a wholesaler in Vancouver through the probrewer.com forum.  They were $80@ plus shipping.  I love them.  I can get 2 in my kegerator/fermentation chamber.  I was planning on using the original stainless spear, but have been happy just using the orange carboy cap.

What parts are you from?  Other sources are junkyards or ask your local brewery if they have any that are too damaged for them to use.
« Last Edit: May 22, 2011, 08:55:27 pm by tom »
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