Been given 3 empty, full sized kegs.

Ohoopee · Joined: 21 May 2011 Posts: 4

I am always on the lookout for stuff like this because there is all sorts of things you can do with empty kegs. I am thinking about trying to make a smoker out of them. I think one of them alone would be the perfect size for the fire box as for the cooking compartment... I am not sure. Someone suggested to me... use one of the kegs for the fire box, cut the end with the seals off of the other two then wield them together and it should be big enough for the cooking compartment but I don't know. I have a friend who is a professional welder who has offered his time for free to get this done but I am hesitant to just go at it without having some idea of how to build it. I looked on Google to try find a smoker that someone had build out of gets and the only one I found was this one:

http://www.australianbbqsociety.com/how-to/15-vertical-keg-smoker.html

This really isn't what I have in mind as I live in Ireland and there is an American style steak house in my town that has ribs and other items. I know the owner and he is willing pay me to smoke items for him such as brisket so he can put a BBQ'd Brisket Sandwich on his menu. But I may need to cook more than one brisket at a time... which is why I don't think the keg smoker in that link will work.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

bud-wie-ser · Posted: Wed Jul 20 11 2:15 am Post subject:

What are the dimensions of the Kegs? You might be able to make a smaller version of a triple barrel smoker.

http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19547
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BBQMAN · Posted: Wed Jul 20 11 7:42 pm Post subject:

Welcome aboard from across the pond!

They are small for what you intend to do.

The firebox needs to be commensurately larger than what they will provide, and if used will need to be reinforced fairly well- stainless moves when subjected to heat.

I'll skip the legalities end of your raunt friends offer as the rules there may be more relaxed than here.

But as someone in the business I'm just curious as to why he does all the other items and not brisket?

I've done whole hog for raunts here mainly because they don't have the size capability to do them themselves.

Some pics of your area would be nice to see! Very Happy

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Jarhead · Posted: Wed Jul 20 11 9:46 pm Post subject:

Welcome aboard Ohoopee
Empty? What kind of friend is that? Wink

Get them refilled.
Build a couple UDS's.
Cook 2 briskets on each and enjoy a few cold ones during the cook.
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BBQMAN · Posted: Wed Jul 20 11 9:52 pm Post subject:

patruns · Posted: Thu Jul 21 11 4:16 am Post subject:

I'll chime in before the brewers here do. You cannot get full size kegs anymore as no one makes them. What you likely have are what are called 1/2 kegs. Full sized would be those behemoths that you see wine aged in that no one could possibly move due to the size. Wink

BTW, aren't kegs usually made of aluminum? That's not a very good material for a smoker due to the quick transfer and loss of heat.
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BBQMAN · Posted: Thu Jul 21 11 4:28 am Post subject:

gbque · Posted: Thu Jul 21 11 4:58 am Post subject:

Build a pot still! Not that I would ever advise someone to break the law but, mmmmmmm whiskey!
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patruns · Posted: Thu Jul 21 11 11:34 pm Post subject:

Jarhead · Posted: Fri Jul 22 11 1:11 am Post subject:

How to Make a Reflux Still From a Beer Keg
Call me when you finish your first batch. Wink

Make sure it is SS before you do this.
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BBQMAN · Posted: Fri Jul 22 11 1:51 am Post subject:

Thanks for the link Gunny! Mr. Green

Dagummit, no pictures? Confused

Instructions for a good mash? Very Happy

Edit, found some of the links located below it!
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Jarhead · Posted: Fri Jul 22 11 4:05 am Post subject:

I guess this qualifies as a vertical cooker, don't it? Laughing

If you can find an old SS Milk Can w/Lid, they are the best for building this kind of "cooker". I KNOW my cuz won't let me take a picture.
You see them every once in a while where people have put their mailboxes in them. Crying or Very sad

They pretty high dollar at auctions and flea markets, if you can find them.
I wish I had one and I would build a discada burner to set it on, then fire that bad boy up.
Of course the end results would be for cooking, medicinal and gasoline additive uses only.
Bottoms-Up, err, I mean CHEERS Exclamation

Warning: Don't drink it straight. It will kill you. Start with 50/50 (spring/bottled water, apple cider, lemonade, kool-aid, whatever) = 100 proof.
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Ohoopee · Joined: 21 May 2011 Posts: 4

Hello everyone, sorry for my late reply... I have had internet problems.

Well yeah, it is probably what is considered a half keg, the type most often used at bars/pubs for the beer taps. I am actually a former homebrewer, won an award once...but was several years and another life time ago.

So it sounds like these kegs are not really good for what I need. You just can't beat the fact they are free so I will still find something to do with them. Might be a good excuss to get back into brewing...or even distilling which I have done some of as well.

I really want to build a smoker though...there is NO American style BBq here, people don't even really know what it is but based on the local tastes, it is something that I think people would really really like. We have a market here in town every Wend with food vendors and all, if I could get a smoker that was portable, I could pull it downtown, set it up and sell pulled pork BBQ sandwiches, I think they would sell well here.

But oh well, back to the drawing board.

Jarhead · Posted: Fri Jul 22 11 11:54 pm Post subject:

About $100 each, The Ugly/Upright Drum Smoker
Load 'em on a trailer or stick 'em in the back of a truck.
Heck, I've even put two of mine in the back seat of a car.
They are fantastic cookers. Comparable to a $400, 22.5" WSM.
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patruns · Posted: Sat Jul 23 11 2:35 am Post subject:

Jarhead · Posted: Sat Jul 23 11 4:58 am Post subject:

Pat, I ain't got no wife.
The two that I had over the years, couldn't cook, wouldn't do laundry, wash dishes, work, mow the yard, make a beer run, etc.
My dear ole Daddy always told me, "Son, you don't have to buy that cow, when your gettin' the milk for free."
He told me that both times I got married.
Now, I think I know what he was a talkin' about.
Come on down, I'll leave the light on for ya.
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Jarhead's World Blog
KCBS CBJ & HMFIC Debbie's Q Shack

patruns · Posted: Sat Jul 23 11 11:19 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I kinda learned that with the first wife. I consider the first marriage "practice". If ya don't get it right the second time and still try again ya just haven't learned a damn thing! Razz

Gunny's place:

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Char-Griller Outlaw with SFB
Weber Smokey Joe
Weber Q 220
LIAR#49

Kronk · Posted: Tue Jul 26 11 6:24 am Post subject:

Jarhead, good to see a fellow shiner on this board!!
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Jarhead · Posted: Tue Jul 26 11 6:39 am Post subject:

day_trippr · Posted: Tue Jul 26 11 6:56 am Post subject: