Aluminum Kegs?

[SCmedic]

I know this has been talked about at great lengths, and I spend a fair amount of time reading a lot of the threads last night - but I still am not really sure if my kegs are stainless or aluminum.

I bought two anheuser busch kegs yesterday off some guy on craigslist for $40 (for both). He was pretty adamant that they are aluminum, and I was pretty sure that they are SS - but then I read a thread last night about how on the top of the kegs there is a date code which shows the year they are made. According to the date code on my kegs one was made in 82 and the other in 79.
What I read last night is that SS wasn't really fully implemented until the early 90s...so that's what threw me and why I still have some doubts about them being SS. I read the thing about running a metal file to see how much metal comes off but I figured I'd ask before I go out and buy one – having never done that before, I'm not so sure I will be able to tell as it seems kind of subjective a test to me.

I have a guy that I was going to have plasma cut the tops and weld couplers on to make these into keggles, so that's why I'm trying to find out before sending these over to him.

Here's the pics:

 

[MidTNJasonF]

I have cut over two dozen kegs for brewers so far and have not run into an aluminum keg yet. AB, Miller, Coors, ect. and not one of them was aluminum.

 

[slarkin712]

Shouldn't a simple test with a magnet tell you if they are steel or aluminum?

 

[SpikeBrewing]

Shouldn't a simple test with a magnet tell you if they are steel or aluminum?

Neither SS or Al are magnetic.

They are SS. I've never seen a Al keg before. Back in the 70's and 80's they were using Hoff-Stevens kegs that looked completely different than the Sankes. Another easy way to tell... A SS keg is like 30lbs and Al keg would probably be half that.

 

[slarkin712]

Some stainless steel is magnetic. I believe the 400 series is magnetic and 300 series is not. I don't know what kegs are made of, but it's probably 300 series. Either way, weighing the keg would be the way to go.

 

[dmfa200]

Today's kegs are mostly 304.

304 is costs less than 316.

304 is less corrosion resistant than 316.

316 is used in extremely corrosive environments.

 

[SpikeBrewing]

Some stainless steel is magnetic. I believe the 400 series is magnetic and 300 series is not. I don't know what kegs are made of, but it's probably 300 series. Either way, weighing the keg would be the way to go.

Ha ok! Without getting too deep yes some SS is magnetic BUT SS used for brewing should not be. 304 or 316 are the types you'll see and neither are magnetic.

 

[Monster Mash]

You will definitely know if they are SS or aluminum when you cut the top, aluminum is much easier to cut. I highly doubt they are aluminum though.

 

[dmfa200]

They are most definitely stainless.
I've been welding and fabricating for 22 years and I'm absolutely certain the kegs are stainless.

 

[mpcluever]

Ha ok! Without getting too deep yes some SS is magnetic BUT SS used for brewing should not be. 304 or 316 are the types you'll see and neither are magnetic.

Not to argue, but more a question as to what alloy this is, but I've got these kettles and they'll pull a magnet right out of your hand. http://www.midwestsupplies.com/heavy-duty-stainless-steel-brew-pot-100-quart.html Some of the strongest magnetic attraction of anything in my house.

 

[ajm163]

the easiest thing to do would be weigh it. But I'm pretty sure they are stainless

 

[SCmedic]

Thanks everyone. Now onto deciding whether to send them out to be plasma cut, or buy an angle grinder and it do it myself so I can polish after, or buy a crap load of disks and roll the dice with the dremel. I am leaning towards the angle grinder so I can polish them..I saw a cheap one for sale on Craigslist for $20

 

[SpikeBrewing]

Get a cheap Harbor Freight angle grinder and a pack of 60 grit cut off discs. Trace on a line and cut it by hand (no special rig is needed). Plasma cutting can leave a bunch of slag coating the inside which is damn near impossible to get off. Plus you'll have the unit to polish the keg later on.

 

[PintoBean]

I can tell just by looking they are stainless. Not to mention, I don't think Kegs made in '79 or '82 would still be in circulation, they'd be beat to all hell by now.

 

[PintoBean]

Not to argue, but more a question as to what alloy this is, but I've got these kettles and they'll pull a magnet right out of your hand. http://www.midwestsupplies.com/heavy-duty-stainless-steel-brew-pot-100-quart.html Some of the strongest magnetic attraction of anything in my house.

Might be 404 or 430 SS, both are magnetic and common alternatives to 304.