Keggle or Kettle?
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    I plan on upgrading to be able to larger batch sizes at some point this year. I've priced kettles of various sizes and I am poised to make the purchase. However, I also have a friend willing to give me an old keg that I can turn into a keggle. The kettle seems easier to deal with regarding cleaning, storage, etc. But the keggle is free.

    Fo those of you that have keggles what are your draw backs to using one? Weight? Cleaning?
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 88,418
    I use a keggle. Drawbacks..... When you cut the top out cut it as big as possible. Also I HAVE to use a diptube or else I leave over two gallons in the bottom. I'm thinking about switching to a false bottom and leaf hops for this reason.
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 88,418
    Weight is annoying, but not a deal breaker. I would definitely convert a keg before paying for the same sized kettle.
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,568
    Only drawbacks to a keggle over a kettle that I can think of...

    Only comes in one size.

    Aspect ratio is not ideal, tall and skinny boiling vessels tend to boil over and volcano more than more square vessels.

    Other than that, I've been using a keggle for a long time, they work very well.

    As cb said, cut the opening as big as you can, I set up my angle grinder so the guard was touching the inside of the chine as it went around. If you have a plasma cutter you can go even bigger.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • frydogbrewsfrydogbrews
    Posts: 44,679
    i really love my kettle. tight fitting lid as also very handy for when i am initially bringing up the temp.
    i cut the top off a keg once. i used a cutting torch and it left gloppy edges. tried cleaning them up with grinder and it was a giant pain in the ass.
    so i just wrote the check and got a quality kettle.
    another nice point about the kettle is that the footprint is larger on my burner. i use the big ass banjo burner and if i was using a keggle i would waste lots more heat simply because the base isn't as wide as my 15 gallon kettle.
  • BenvarineBenvarine
    Posts: 1,606
    I have a keggle. It is heavy. If you use one and cut the top, just make sure your lid will still fit on. If you use a false bottom, make sure it will fit inside too.

    It's a little tough guessing where the spigot should be.

    I cut mine with a plasma cutter, takes about 60 seconds, then clean up with angle grinder and finally Emory cloth.

    I almost boiled over a 5g batch last night, you just have to be careful, ferm cap helps.

    I tried the dip tube, but it runs so slow. Maybe I did something wrong, especially when it got below the spigot, mine did not siphon out. Do you need a pump to get it to work? I just end up tipping mine over to get it all out, because the bottom is concave, it holds the trub without much going into your fermenter. I'm going to get a kettle screen too to screen some of the trub.

    If money were no object, I'd probably buy a kettle, but I work with what I have. I'm actually looking for a third one for mash tun or boil kettle when I go all grain.
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    I'm a keggle guy, I love mine though they are a bit heavy.

    Never had a problem with my dip tube, it's off to one side instead of going to the bottom "trub divot", and is 1/2 inch dia copper pipe.

    Perhaps you don't have it sealed good enough so it's not able to siphon very well?
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,568
    azscoob said:

    I'm a keggle guy, I love mine though they are a bit heavy.

    Never had a problem with my dip tube, it's off to one side instead of going to the bottom "trub divot", and is 1/2 inch dia copper pipe.

    Perhaps you don't have it sealed good enough so it's not able to siphon very well?



    im thinking a poor seal is causing it to break siphon. i had that problem with some early designs.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • scoobscoob
    Posts: 16,617
    Lakewood said:

    azscoob said:

    I'm a keggle guy, I love mine though they are a bit heavy.

    Never had a problem with my dip tube, it's off to one side instead of going to the bottom "trub divot", and is 1/2 inch dia copper pipe.

    Perhaps you don't have it sealed good enough so it's not able to siphon very well?



    im thinking a poor seal is causing it to break siphon. i had that problem with some early designs.


    Exactly, I had a poor seal to the bulkhead and it would poop out after the threads were exposed, after sealing it would suck the keggle dry....

    Then I relocated the dip tube to one side to keep from sucking the trub into the fermenter
    Jesus didn't wear pants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,568
    azscoob said:

    Lakewood said:

    azscoob said:

    I'm a keggle guy, I love mine though they are a bit heavy.

    Never had a problem with my dip tube, it's off to one side instead of going to the bottom "trub divot", and is 1/2 inch dia copper pipe.

    Perhaps you don't have it sealed good enough so it's not able to siphon very well?



    im thinking a poor seal is causing it to break siphon. i had that problem with some early designs.


    Exactly, I had a poor seal to the bulkhead and it would poop out after the threads were exposed, after sealing it would suck the keggle dry....

    Then I relocated the dip tube to one side to keep from sucking the trub into the fermenter


    i use an o-ring to seal mine. works great
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 88,418
    Lakewood said:

    azscoob said:

    Lakewood said:

    azscoob said:

    I'm a keggle guy, I love mine though they are a bit heavy.

    Never had a problem with my dip tube, it's off to one side instead of going to the bottom "trub divot", and is 1/2 inch dia copper pipe.

    Perhaps you don't have it sealed good enough so it's not able to siphon very well?



    im thinking a poor seal is causing it to break siphon. i had that problem with some early designs.


    Exactly, I had a poor seal to the bulkhead and it would poop out after the threads were exposed, after sealing it would suck the keggle dry....

    Then I relocated the dip tube to one side to keep from sucking the trub into the fermenter


    i use an o-ring to seal mine. works great

    That's in a thread somewhere, right?
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • Ace_ClubAce_Club
    Posts: 1,947
    Keggles all the way. Kettles look nice, but not $300+ nice.

    For $30 and a little time, you can't go wrong with an old keg.
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    Ace_Club said:

    Keggles all the way. Kettles look nice, but not $300+ nice.

    For $30 and a little time, you can't go wrong with an old keg.



    @ace_club, where'd you get em? i haven't found a source as of yet.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,568
    C_dubbs said:

    Lakewood said:

    azscoob said:

    Lakewood said:

    azscoob said:

    I'm a keggle guy, I love mine though they are a bit heavy.

    Never had a problem with my dip tube, it's off to one side instead of going to the bottom "trub divot", and is 1/2 inch dia copper pipe.

    Perhaps you don't have it sealed good enough so it's not able to siphon very well?



    im thinking a poor seal is causing it to break siphon. i had that problem with some early designs.


    Exactly, I had a poor seal to the bulkhead and it would poop out after the threads were exposed, after sealing it would suck the keggle dry....

    Then I relocated the dip tube to one side to keep from sucking the trub into the fermenter


    i use an o-ring to seal mine. works great

    That's in a thread somewhere, right?


    Ptfe (teflon) tape on threads, I have a slip fit elbow that uses the o-ring
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • Ace_ClubAce_Club
    Posts: 1,947
    FromZwolle said:

    Ace_Club said:

    Keggles all the way. Kettles look nice, but not $300+ nice.

    For $30 and a little time, you can't go wrong with an old keg.



    @ace_club, where'd you get em? i haven't found a source as of yet.


    I bought one from a friend who works in a small brewery. They were getting rid of some since they needed to make room for a canning line.

    The other two I got from a craigslist ad. I posted on CL that I was interested in kegs. I specifically mentioned in the wanted ad that I was offering $30 for them. I ended up getting a couple emails. I replied to one of the emails and picked up two kegs from some guy who had them in his garage. He was glad to be rid of them.

    I even got an email from a guy who had 12 in his yard. I ended up passing that email on to a friend who was in the market and he bought the guy out since he uses sankes as fermenters.
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 88,418
    Lakewood said:

    C_dubbs said:

    Lakewood said:

    azscoob said:

    Lakewood said:

    azscoob said:

    I'm a keggle guy, I love mine though they are a bit heavy.

    Never had a problem with my dip tube, it's off to one side instead of going to the bottom "trub divot", and is 1/2 inch dia copper pipe.

    Perhaps you don't have it sealed good enough so it's not able to siphon very well?



    im thinking a poor seal is causing it to break siphon. i had that problem with some early designs.


    Exactly, I had a poor seal to the bulkhead and it would poop out after the threads were exposed, after sealing it would suck the keggle dry....

    Then I relocated the dip tube to one side to keep from sucking the trub into the fermenter


    i use an o-ring to seal mine. works great

    That's in a thread somewhere, right?


    Ptfe (teflon) tape on threads, I have a slip fit elbow that uses the o-ring

    Ha... I meant your description and possibly a model or picture of your design.
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,568
    C_dubbs said:

    Lakewood said:

    C_dubbs said:

    Lakewood said:

    azscoob said:

    Lakewood said:

    azscoob said:

    I'm a keggle guy, I love mine though they are a bit heavy.

    Never had a problem with my dip tube, it's off to one side instead of going to the bottom "trub divot", and is 1/2 inch dia copper pipe.

    Perhaps you don't have it sealed good enough so it's not able to siphon very well?



    im thinking a poor seal is causing it to break siphon. i had that problem with some early designs.


    Exactly, I had a poor seal to the bulkhead and it would poop out after the threads were exposed, after sealing it would suck the keggle dry....

    Then I relocated the dip tube to one side to keep from sucking the trub into the fermenter


    i use an o-ring to seal mine. works great

    That's in a thread somewhere, right?


    Ptfe (teflon) tape on threads, I have a slip fit elbow that uses the o-ring

    Ha... I meant your description and possibly a model or picture of your design.


    oh.. ha. my bad. yeah it's somewhere out there. i need to take some better pics though really. i'll try to do that this weekend.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,454
    I've decided to go with the keggle fr now. It's free, hell my friend is modifying it for me this weekend. Then if I don't like it I will buy a kettle.
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    jlw said:

    I've decided to go with the keggle fr now. It's free, hell my friend is modifying it for me this weekend. Then if I don't like it I will buy a kettle.



    If you don't like it ...... I'll take it .....
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
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