Newbie Kegging Question

[mmmmBeer]

I have a question about kegging beer...

I have been making beer and bottling it for years now, and i am looking to start kegging. Most of the information I have read talks about kegging in 5 or 6 gallon kegs.

so i have a couple of questions:

1) are there larger kegs available for home kegging, i.e. like the 15 gallon ones you get from breweries? i like to make large batches of beer for friends parties and stuff and 5 gallon kegs aren't gonna cut it when you have several hundred people

2) I have a couple of the 15 gallon shells laying around from past parties, can i use these? and if so, where would i get info/equipment on kegging in these?

thanks..
----

[mmmBeer...]

I am sure you can…the question becomes what it is going to cost you to set up to do it. Most people use the cornie kegs because they are easy to clean, fill and seal. I can’t imagine a 15 gallon keg as being that easy.

Plus there is the whole ethical question when you use empty kegs that are the property of a brewery.

[sallad]

not to mention, this dude stole your name, mmmbeer...

how ethical is that??

[mmmmBeer]

thanks, i didnt know that they were owned by the beer company, and sorry i stole your name, i didnt know..

[mmmBeer...]

Yeah, you just "rent" the kegs with a deposit. Not sure how much they are new, but pretty pricey I figure. They certainly cost more than the $20 deposit ;)

No problem about the name...actually you are the second person to do it...there was no way you could have known...

[danno]

using half barrels for homebrew can be done, but it's tricky. there is a retailer, I can't find a link or remember who at the moment, that sells a replacement ring kit for Sankey kegs. basically, you as a homebrewer would have to remove the ring from the spear, and then do all the cleaning and maintenance from that 2" hole in the top. you'll need this kit, because the commercial ring that holds the spear in is not reusable once you get it out.

btw, Sabco (http://www.kegs.com/kegandcon.html) is one vendor that sells new and used kegs, in addition to the aforementioned illegal keg procurement...

[toneyc]

Sabco also sells a 15 gallon keg with ball lock fittings and a corny lid for about $160 each.

:)
Toney.

[mmmmBeer]

thanks.. y'all have been very helpfull...

[danno]

OK, I found it....

http://kegman.net/keg_kit.htm

[mmmmBeer]

thanks... i'll check it out.

have you any experience using it?