Where do you guys get kegs in Auckland?

[Richard Jack]

Hey fellas (and fellettes?), I dropped in briefly last year, and have lurked around your fine establishment since. I'm Richard, I'm mostly a distiller (not of the carbon filter and essence variety) but I'm getting into some AG beer (skipped the partial / extract stuff and got straight to the point. The moment of clarity came when I was drinking an Emerson's Dunkelweizen, and I thought, hell, I could probably make something like this. I've got a few batches of various persuausions in the pipeline now, but the makeshift equipment is getting to me.

I'm getting serious about tooling up for AG. I'm trying to find some kegs for the HLT and kettle - I've got a good chillybin which will be sacrificed for the mash / lauter tun.

The reason I want to use kegs over pots is that then they can be a modular part of my distilling setup, which is all based on kegs, and I seriously don't need more than 50l. No, really, I don't, even without brewing beer there is just way too much alcohol lying around in my garage :).

You guys that are based in Auckland, any tips and tricks for finding kegs? Cooperative bars, scrappies, liquor stores, that sort of thing? Trademe seems crazy expensive, they rarely ever go for under $100. Maybe I'm just spoiled? I got my three kegs for distilling for about $20 each in Chirstchurch, and toted them up with me when I moved.

Thanks for any and all help,
Richard

[Reviled]

Gday mate, so youre up in Auckland now? Are we still on for that collaboration distilling?? Cos I am still very keen!

As far as kegs in Aucks go, I've only ever purchased the 19L 'corny' or 'soda' kegs from Steve at Hallertau for around $75 each, but they are fully functional kegs for homebrew purposes, not really for cutting up..

The 50L ones I think scrappies are your best bet, or Trademe, but I doubt youll find one for less than $50/$60

[Richard Jack]

RE the collaboration, sure thing! I've actually been up for a while, but busy with some other projects. Summer is coming though, so beer is on my mind! Still interested in going for a Single malt? I'm not sure on the availability / pricing of peated malt here in nz. A few options - pay for peated malt, use some peat to create a smoke essence, just make an irish, attempt to smoke our own. what sort of dram are you interested in aiming for? I'm sure we could replicate a smooth and easy highland scotch with what we can just purchase in NZ, cloning an Islay... may require some outside the box thinking :) I've got some bourbon on oak at the moment that's about ready to come off, the oak would be excellent for aging scotch by now. I'm sure this could be best discussed over one of our fine beverages, though :)

Thanks for the corny keg tip, I'll be looking into that soon - next project after a better mashing setup is of course the kegerator.

Interesting that scrappies might have them - the ones I spoke to down south said they wouldn't take them for legal issues (because they're all stolen, etc).

[Reviled]

"what sort of dram are you interested in aiming for?"

To be honest the idea of a nice rye whisky entices me as I have a couple of bottles of good islay malt in the cupboard, but the only rye whisky I've seen in NZ has been Jim Beam (shudder), which was nice enough but still not as good as I know it would be...

Would something like 40% rye and 60% Pilsner malt work for that? If peated malt is a must it can be acquired in NZ but believe its about $6 a kilo from memory

[Reviled]

Do you wanna meet up for a beer and discuss this further mate? I'll send you a PM

[denimglen]

Scrappies are where I got mine - you're looking at at about 60 - 80 bucks a pop depending on what they're selling stainless for.

I've got two here - predrilled with three holes (can't remember the sizes off the top of my head) for thermo, valve and sight glass (or whatever). And of course the big hole cut in the top. They're both in good nick. Would be willing to sell for 60 bucks each. I'm in AK so pm me if you're keen - I'm not in a rush to get rid of them so take your time to see if you can find any better prices - I just wanna cover what I paid for them.

[Richard Jack]

Done and done :) I guess I'm no longer looking for kegs!

[Reviled]

Dont ya love this place?!

[Ged]

Couldn't agree more re the help you get on here and also how bloody tough it was to find them in the Church. Called 8 scrappies - nope, never see them, dont deal in them, not legal etc etc etc. Even the breweries seemed to be hugley evasive on selling off old bashed ones...I felt like a P addict at one point trying to find a fix !!!

Had a mate who's company often sells waste metal to a scrappy...He walked in 2 hours after I called them ( sorry don't have any story) and walked out with one keg...5 days later he got another 3 for me and the boys down here...Go figure...Definitely who you know and not what in the deep south :) But now we know Dave the Brewmonster we're sorted with his stainless steel skills...

[Richard Jack]

Yeah, less than a day to get sold some kegs and get a collaborative project slated, guys ARE a good bunch! I think I just lucked out in CHCH - I found some for $20 on trademe, they had a whole trailer full, all unmolested aside from spears removed. shoulda bought some more I guess.

For what it's worth, I rang up allied liquor down there, and told them I wanted a keg but didn't want to steal it off them. They laughed and said they'd try to sort something out for me (the number $35 was thrown out there), but then I got some off trademe and called it off. Maybe could be something to try if you're down there and needing?

[Dean Nicholson]

Hi Denimglen do you still have those kegs?

[Richard Jack]

I flinched them :( sorry. you could drop these guys a line: http://kegresources.co.nz/keg01/products/kegs-second-hand.html

They're on the shore, bit more expensive, yet they seemed easily corruptable, maybe a few bottles could grease the wheels of commerce. Also, they're legit keg scrappers, so you don't have to feel bad about cheating the brewery that has their name stamped on the keg. I get their 25L kegs for storing distillate, pretty reasonable price for them.