Anyone Used the "Tap Rod" style kegs?

[kirscp]

A little background.

For many years my Grandpa was a Grain Belt Beer distributor. I don't know exactly when he started, but it was in the 50's, I believe. He had tons of beer and tap stuff. In the 90's he retired, and the business was sold. At this time Bud and Miller were becoming big, running the old classics out of business.

My uncle has told me he though he had some odds and ends things laying around in a couple of buckets. This Christmas, he brought what he found. Got 3 taps, 2 secondary regulators, several Hoff-Stevens keg couplers, and other odds and ends fittings.

I have been talking to a guy that had old 1/4 barrel Hams kegs. They are the tap rod style, which has the wooden bung and a hole in the top of the keg. With my odds and ends items, my uncle gave me two tap rods:

Do any homebrewers use these? I'm thinking about using them, when I get together with the family. There is a lot of history with these.

I just have a few questions, if anyone actually uses them.

 

[IrregularPulse]

I've not seen any mention in the past year I've been a member. I think they would be more practical and very cool as wall "art" in the home bar!

 

[Hodawg]

I don't know, Kirscp, but they look VERRY interesting. I'll see what I can find out about them, but in the mean time, I agree with Irregularpulse, pub wallhangers would be great!
Beers y'all,
Ken

 

[kirscp]

I took the time and obtained my tap rod style keg. I cleaned it up, cleaned the tap rods, obtained new washers and gaskets, though that was a challenge.

Here is a picture of the keg: A 1963 Schlitz keg.

The tap hole and the bung hole:

How they sealed them up. Used a tapered cork in the top hole and the wooden bung in the fill hole.

Here is the tap rod taken apart. The air hose job is so I can use my current co2 system. The brown rubber piece is a one way valve, I was a little surprised to find that. I used garden hose washers stacked on top of each other for the compression washer.

(this picture was before cleaning it up and letting it soak)


I'm going to give the system a trial run this weekend, just to make sure everything is working properly. If all goes will, I'll keg my apple ale into it.

I believe these are the first style of aluminum kegs. If I'm wrong, someone please correct me. I know there were wooden kegs with that type of tap coupler on it.

 

[kirscp]

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

Cool. I see a lot of those style of kegs when I hit the the salvage yard in town.

 

[kirscp]

That body style was used for many years after. I know of at least 4 different coupler styles used.

The one pictured, one with a threaded connection, but similar to the tap rod, Golden Gate, and the Hoff-Stevens. I don't recall any other couplers with that style.

 

[kirscp]

Tested everything out. No leaks.

It was under 10lbs of pressure. I'm surprised that ribber one way valve worked. Wasn't leaking any co2 after I unhooked it. The rubber bung is just for cleaning, I wouldn't trust it to hold too much pressure. I blew it off with 15lbs. The wooden one pounded in should easily take 35lbs.

It isn't beer, but everything works. Of course a tap will be hooked up to the barbed fitting.

 

[Chinook-hopper]

I really need to get a tap like that! I have the keg, just dont know where to get the tap from. What is the specific name for the keg, tap and mount for this system ? Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[fattywaters]

I just recently got my hands on one. Are you still interested in getting one?