Synthetic keggle conversion

[Jshine42]

I recently bought a lot of brew equipment from a lady that was liquidating it. One of the items was a black Synthetic Pony Keggle. I've been wanting to get into all grain. Could I convert this into a mash tun?

 

[Bobby_M]

Are you sure it's all plastic? I know they exist but there are also rubber coated stainless varieties.

 

[Tinga]

do you know what type of plastic it is?

I would assume a synthetic keg would never need to be warmer than 100* F and mashing would require temps around 150 so I would try to find out if the synthetic material is food safe up to those temps.

 

[Jshine42]

It seems to be some type of composite. There's a broken corner. Looks like some sort of synthetic particle board. Good point on the temps.

 

[BargainFittings]

Can you post a picture?

 

[Jshine42]

Here's picutres. I took a picture of the broken part to show the inside materal and it's not coated metal (I wish). It's embossed with Miller brewing Co. It's also full. so I might be able to get it swaped out at a distributor.

 

[Lucky_Chicken]

just the handle is composit... the tank inside should still be stainless... I would depressurize it and take the dip tube out to see the inside

 

[hatfieldenator]

Yeah, that's probably stainless on the inside

 

[Jshine42]

Would that mean that It could handle Mash temps? I was wondering about the shell. It might have a better insulation value than just stainless.

 

[socalboomer]

It should. I've read several systems using those for electric ...

 

[Zamial]

That is a Miller 1/4 bbl it is rubber coated and has a stainless "bulb" inside it. IF you were to cut away all the rubber you would have something that looks much like a carboy but with a round bottom, FWIW I do NOT recommend doing that! To depressurize, lay the keg on its side and depress the ball in the center of the spear. (Laying it on it's side will make it so you do not spray the contents all over yourself and everything in a 30' radius. Then use a small screwdriver to pop out the retaining ring, lastly pull up on the spear (you may need to pry it up a little with a wrench or screwdriver) then twist a little counter clockwise and lift it out the rest of the way.

That will make a piss poor MLT. The rubber walls are super thick and will be a PITA to get a ball valve on and to cut the top off. Not to mention it is going to be to small. Do your self a favor and build your MLT from a cooler and a SS braid.

IMO I would use that as a 7.5 gallon fermenter. I have 2 that I use this way that are EXACTLY like the one you have in the pic. You can depressurize it and pull the spear (save the ring and the spear you will want it later...trust me...) You can heat up an orange carboy cap in some boiling water and stretch it over the opening and it works GREAT! Then if you want to, you have a bbl all set for completly closed pressurized fermentation but do not worry about that now focus in on the AG equipment you need.

 

[hammis]

i cut that stuff off of one of the kegs i'm using in my system and i agree with zamial, its a HUGE PITA to cut that rubber away. i would consider using that keg as a fermenter

 

[Lucky_Chicken]

or an electric HLT