Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

G'day All,

I pick up a great condition 18 gallon keg tomorrow.

Just curious if I've covered everything in the order which I'm about to send to Mac.

4" ferrule for still mount
2" x 2 ferrules for my elements
2" x 1 for the bottom drain
3" thermo probe kit
4" ferrule for fill port

What's every thoughts on a 3" sight glass? I'm going with not required and potentially won't have the room on the keg anyway.

Thanks all

Looks good. I would use the 4" fill as your sight glass :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Or a 4" sight glass at most used level and a 1.5" for fill port...

Great ideas ! I have a couple of 60 litre fermenters so that will be the most common height, but to be honest my temperature gauge will be measuring boiler temp so I'm not sure why I need any sight glass mounted on the boiler as well, unless it's just to impress random strangers lol

I have had a couple of random strangers just glad they were understanding and liked my rum.. :laughing-rolling: sight glas makes filling boiler less of a chore..

Trust me ..... go a sight glass on the boiler so that you can always monitor the boil.... six inch fill port is only just big enough :handgestures-thumbupleft: :obscene-drinkingdrunk:

I use a 3" SSG as my fill port and sightglass. Glad I've got it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I also have a three inch fill port which gives plenty of viewing inside the boiler while filling.

I used a 2inch 90' elbow with ferrule for a fill port and another 2inch ferrule for a sight glass or thermo mount and as I welded a 1/2inch bsp fitting to a 2inch end cap with a hole drilled in it,then have the option of useing it in either position,with a 4inch sight glass(probably not really needed) centered on the max fill level of 70 lt wich I never remove as thats when I seem ta break them,the 2inch port is enough ta stick the hose in for a quick rinse after each run,haveing a silicone seal makes it quick and easy to remove and replace.Mounting on the side and not ontop works well for me the fill port with elbow holds the large funnel I use rock steady,and when I use the thumper my access to ports is not infringed .cheers hillzabilly :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Another thing I did was get a 150mm by 2inch pipe section with ferrules from FSD ,and cut 50mm with the ferrule off each end ,this is so I could mount the elements paralel and as low as possible as the standard ferrules just donot have enough length to do this,the curve of the keg takes up bit of length ,allowing me to run as little as 25-30lt comfortably.cheers hillzabilly ;-)

Hi Hillszabilly,,

Does the 90o bend and thermo port provide accurate readings throughout the run? I thought it would be pretty dead air at the end of the 90 degree bend?

I'm trying to work out should I place my thermo in the wash liquid or steam path for a more accurate reading?

Can I ask where you sourced the threaded adaptor for the top of the keg? I was actually planning on removing my thread and replacing it with a 4 " ferrule.

I love the idea of keeping the top clear and a sight glass at the typical fill level. I might settle for a 4" tho lol

Thanks everyone

Like this.

Matt_Pl wrote:Hi Hillszabilly,,

Does the 90o bend and thermo port provide accurate readings throughout the run? I thought it would be pretty dead air at the end of the 90 degree bend?

I'm trying to work out should I place my thermo in the wash liquid or steam path for a more accurate reading?

Can I ask where you sourced the threaded adaptor for the top of the keg? I was actually planning on removing my thread and replacing it with a 4 " ferrule.

I love the idea of keeping the top clear and a sight glass at the typical fill level. I might settle for a 4" tho lol

Thanks everyone

I have tryed both positions and the difference is f k all,the only time it did not give a good reading was a really foaming rum wash,temps are a guide for me in that position anyway so its not a worry ,I like it were its easily seen and not going ta get banged into and damaged and were I have ta bend over sideways ta see it ,not were it may be 100% accurate ,haveing the ports the same size gives you a choice,the 18gal swan kegs come with a larger threaded opening and a 4inch ferrule is a close match ,that area is quite thick and gives good surport in my mind and I left it as is,just TIG welding the ferrule ontop.Ifn ya go the 4inch sight glass on front ,you will need ta get long ferrules or add some to the standard ones as again the shape of the keg and the need for clearance for clamps,I actually cut up a 4inch 500mm packed section for the one in the pic wich is about 50mm long and the other end is used in my thumper.cheers hillzabilly :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Great looking boiler there Matt :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:
I once bought a package deal off a guy up in the hills. 9 postmix kegs,two fridges,an allgrain keg with a false bottom,a wort chiller and an 18 gallon keg. I only went there for the big keg but the fucker wouldn't split.
Your build makes me wanta get cracking.

So Im going with the following items:

4" ferrule Long to allow for curveature of keg for Sight glass.
4" SGK ( short 4" ferrule will be used for still mount)
2" 90 BEND (for fill port)
2" end cap and tri clamp (for the 90o Bend)
2 x 2" Ferrulle (for element mounts) I will fabricate a box section to allow them to be mounted low in the keg for small runs.
2" Ferrulle for drain
2" Ferrulle for side mounted temp sensor
2" cap and clamp to cover temp side mounted ferrule.
1/2inch bsp fitting to weld onto 2" end cap to enable me to move the temp gauge to 90o bend or fill port.

New boiler:


Current boiler:

Those old kegs can't be too easy to come across now days. Great find!

Nice! Have been on the lookout for one of these in Brisbane....Thinking about buying a milkcan or pot belly instead they're so hard to find!

I particularly like the dual parallel element ports, very nice for small runs.

If anyone has a 18gal keg boiler mounted horizontally I would be interested to know what the height of their 4inch ferrule used ta mount the still is compared to running it vertically.cheers hillzabilly :handgestures-thumbupleft:

The guy above me stole my question!!

Hillz your a champion :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I'm still torn between verticle and horizontal

Mine is 73cm from ground to the top of the 4 inch ferrule,guess ya not running a block head or ya shed roof is low,I had a look at mine and thought yeh maybe you could gain some height there by flipping it but I wasn't sure how much ,it would at least want to be 150mm plate's worth in my opinion,I would love to see one done with a set of buffalo horns and a cow skin over the top or done as a feral pig .cheers hillzabilly