Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

got a 50 litre keg today with a drain tap welded in just wondering how hard it wil be to turn into a simple reflux build .. is it much effort .. an whats the price ill be looking at ... only reason i got the keg was because it cost me nothing .. thanks people :music-deathmetal:

G’Day newbie,

Are you able to put up a pic of the keg? Just would make it easier to see and then give you guidance...

As for how easy?!? That depends more on what skills you have! I have 2 left hands with 5 thumbs on each hand but was able to drill the holes for the elements... bought the elements from FSD as well as the ferrules I wanted, but had to bring it to a person that was skilled in welding SS to finish it of before taking it to a Sparky to wire up the elements...

This is the 50L Keg in question!

Ok, as it is the easiest set up looks to be a 2” still with gas heating... all you’d need is a tap, a gas ring burner and then either make or buy a 2” pot still...
The still would clamp to the top of your keg as is, the gas would be your heating source from underneath and your away.
That’s the simplest and most basic setup from where you are now.

Guess tho, you should make a few decisions first:
What is it you want to make?
How much $ are you willing to spend?
How long you want to do this for?


The ‘What’ and ‘How much $’ will influence the still you will need. I’d strongly suggest going to the newbie section to have a read, most of these questions are answered there, then read some of the builds (there’s easy pot still builds right thru to much more complicated bubble plate stills). These build threads will give you ideas and options for which way to go...

It’s an exciting hobby!

thanks for the reply just want to do a simple reflux packed with mesh i went through had a good read looking to spend 200-400 $ the tiny pot still i have just dose not make enough for me and the mates to have a big weekend with lol

forgot to mention .. i want to do it for as long as possible .. and wanna try make a bit of everything untill i find something i like then ill stick to that .. what do simple 2 inch reflux cost to setup ?

How little is your pot still?
You should be able to make enough with a 2" pot if you want rum or whiskey.

2" reflux stills will always cost more than a pot, because there is more to them.
A 2" boka 1.5m tall fully packed will probably set you back about $300-$400.
But it will give you the neutral you say you are after.

Also how much do you and your mates drink in a weekend?
You may need to go larger than 2" to get enough spirit to age while still having a good weekend.

You said it's a drain tap. Does it have a thread on the inside? And what size is it? If it's 1" bsp you'll be able to get an element to screw in there (and with an appropriate element guard) and you'll be able to run on electricity.

my buddies drink allot lol and the drain in the keg is 1" and threaded ... just realized this hobbie is very expensive ill hunt down some copper pipes and stuff if i cant get it sorted ill give the keg to someone who will use it cheers guys

You can make this hobby expensive if you want to, but you can make a great product with a home made still. If you have half decent use of your hands and some basic tools, you can make your own reflux still easily and cheaply. Have a look through some of the boka builds, they aren't that technical, it's just a matter of learning to solder if you have to. I had no experience in soldering before we built our pot still, and it is pretty easy to pick up. Youtube is your friend :handgestures-thumbupleft:

The easy flange is an easy way to join the still to the keg, and I wish I had gone that way. The hardest part of our build was soldering Stainless to copper, and we got there in the end. Don't be afraid to give it a go. It will be well worth it when you have great product from something you built with your own two hands.

not real sure why you suddenly want to get rid of the keg , a 2" ferrule clamps straight onto a keg without any messing about. The are by far the easiest and cheapest way to get started. :-B

newbie 1991 wrote:my buddies drink allot lol and the drain in the keg is 1" and threaded ... just realized this hobbie is very expensive ill hunt down some copper pipes and stuff if i cant get it sorted ill give the keg to someone who will use it cheers guys

as said above a 1" threaded hole is perfect for an element. fit a 3/4 drain and an element and your good to go!! :handgestures-thumbupleft:

crow wrote:not real sure why you suddenly want to get rid of the keg , a 2" ferrule clamps straight onto a keg without any messing about. The are by far the easiest and cheapest way to get started. :-B

:text-+1:

bluc wrote:

newbie 1991 wrote:my buddies drink allot lol and the drain in the keg is 1" and threaded ... just realized this hobbie is very expensive ill hunt down some copper pipes and stuff if i cant get it sorted ill give the keg to someone who will use it cheers guys

as said above a 1" threaded hole is perfect for an element. fit a 3/4 drain and an element and your good to go!! :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Drains aren't essential, just whack on an element and get making.

newbie 1991 wrote:got a 50 litre keg today with a drain tap welded in just wondering how hard it wil be to turn into a simple reflux build .. is it much effort .. an whats the price ill be looking at ... only reason i got the keg was because it cost me nothing .. thanks people :music-deathmetal:

ClownOfDespair wrote:This is the 50L Keg in question!

Same person? And neither been in welcome center :think:

my bro made an account to upload a pic for me .. sorry very new to the whole forum internet thing .. suppose lil bit late for welcome thingy now ... and as for the keg lost interest as my original hobbie needs Moore focus atm ...