Mecjar? Anyone got one, know much about them?

[Ralph]

So today I picked up a Mecjar. Cost me $5 off trademe.

 

It is basically a little aluminium keg of about 2 Gallon. It has a screw down top with a rubber seal and fittings for gas in and beer out.

 

Is in pretty dirty condition, so I will see if I can clean it up. Anyone know what would be best for cleaning up the inside of a aluminium keg? I can get my hand in so am able to give some mechanical action, but something that would clean up the oxidised crap that is in there would be great.

 

Rubber seals need replacing, no surprise there.

 

Looks like it would still function, but I probably need a couple of bits to make it functional. I am thinking a soda stream bottle and fitting to be able to gas the mini keg, and some sort of tap fitting to be able to get the beer out? Anyone know what I might be able to use?

 

[Chris Banks]

Myself I would avoid putting beer I was going to drink in there regardless of how clean it was! -  but if you are keen there are plenty of acidic aluminium cleaning solutions available Supercheap do one cant remember what its called alibrite ???

[Ralph]

You would avoid putting beer in there because of the Alzheimer - Aluminium link or because storing beer in aluminium is bad for beer?

[Chris Banks]

I reckon the whole Alzheimer - Aluminium link is rubbish myself - but raw aluminium and mildly acidic beer sounds like a recipe for disaster taste wise (think metallic).

I know these kegs were used for beer for many many years maybe even succesfully? - but these are just my thoughts surely there must be someone around whos tried beer from one?

You could probably pull it off if you were going to drink the whole keg in the space of a day - get the keg nice and clean (inside) and give it a bit of a bake in the oven to build a bit of a oxide layer (to protect the alu from the beer in the short term) cool and fill it with beer then get stuck in!

 

[Smiffy]

I've just collected one I bought months ago (before I got some s/s sanke kegs). Did you find a chemical that would clean it without corroding it?

Mine is black and smelly on the inside, and the weld (on the outside) has left a gap on the inside, so the only way to clean it effectively will be with a liquid.

Having seen the inside of mine, I'm thinking that it will only be suitable for decoration.

[Ralph]

Yeh, I decided that my one was only worthy of decoration as well. 

I put a bunch of unscented homebrand napisan in mine (33% sodium percarbonate) and left it soaking. It seemed to clean up ok, but then there did seem to be a bunch of oxidation once the cleaning solution was removed. As I decided not to use it I was not terribly worried about it...

[Smiffy]

I remembered that anodising involves creating a thicker tougher oxide layer, but on looking it up, the layer is also porous and needs a sealer, so that doesn't look like a good idea. I think its best use might be as a plant pot.

[Ralph]

I hear they make good mail boxes too :)