Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

I've spent a lot of time reading these forums over the last few months. It's a great place to learn. Many thanks everyone for making this information available. Haven't posted much but time to start. I am in the process of moving on from my HBS reflux still and boiler. I am going to put an electric keg boiler together. I was planning to make one out of a standard sized 50L keg a mate gave me with weldless elements and drain but then I saw this beat up old thing going cheap and bought it. I figure I could fit a 60L wash in it - I have two 70L fermenters so that suits. The drawback would be it would need ferule welded on to mount the still. Also that hole would need to be patched. I can't weld so that means waiting around for a mate to do it (always takes longer than you think) it or paying someone.


Also not sure about the dodgy drainage port - is it an issue?



I have been making neutrals to this point, going to get a pot still and give bourbon and rum a try. Any thoughts on which keg I should use? I was planning to run a 2400w and a 3600w heating element from Mac.

Nah. Don't use it, looks terrible.

Send it to me and I'll do something with it....... 8-}

It would make a great boiler mate nice volume, spend the time on big one you won't regret it. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Those kegs hold 80 litres and theres been quite turned into boilers

Thanks for your replies - seems like a goer. I reckon I'll bite the bullet and pay someone to do the welding.

you wont regret paying to have that keg welded, just make sure you get it all done at the same time & make sure you draw a mud map for the welder and tape it to the keg :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Becoming rare as rocking horse shit those, good score

Thanks Mac I'll do as u suggest.

Does the outer wall need to be removed to install heating elements - weldless or ferrule mounted? It seems to be double walled.

You'd need a pretty good welder and a big hole to leave the outer on, have a talk to him about it if it can be left on and what you'd need to do it.

Most take the outer off, but if your welder can leave it on that's the way I'd go..... A jacketed 80L keg boiler would be effin awesome :happy-partydance:

Pay the money dude :happy-partydance: :dance: :dance:
Get it purge tig welded :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Right, I reckon do it once and do it properly. Mac what is the advantage of keeping the outer wall? Insulation? Seems like I need to find someone in Melbourne who can back purge TIG weld fittings to this keg through the double wall. Any recommendations?

That is not really the sort of keg you could effectively skin and there is no real reason to, The old CUB straight sided ones not these barrel ones are the sort that often stripped :handgestures-thumbupleft:

2" ferrule in the side hole with a SGK?
You will probably need some handles to move the beast about.

MacStill wrote:You'd need a pretty good welder and a big hole to leave the outer on, have a talk to him about it if it can be left on and what you'd need to do it.

Most take the outer off, but if your welder can leave it on that's the way I'd go..... A jacketed 80L keg boiler would be effin awesome :happy-partydance:

Jees Mack are you trying to confuse the guy that keg doesn't have a skin those kegs in the photo came after the original ones with the skin I will see if I can dig up photos of both

One of those old ones with the skin was on ebay in Melbourne last week went for $20.00

toil wrote:Thanks Mac I'll do as u suggest.

Does the outer wall need to be removed to install heating elements - weldless or ferrule mounted? It seems to be double walled.

Aussiedownunder01 wrote:Jees Mack are you trying to confuse the guy that keg doesn't have a skin

No, just answering the question as it was asked..... :roll:

Mines still in the building stage... ran out of $$$
Currently no work, so can't play with the keg

Will put a couple of electric elements in when I can.


DBV