Look out below! The Torpedo Keg Depth Charge series just dropped and they’re set to send blast waves through the homebrew world. Large-scale homebrewers will appreciate the ability to fit their entire batch into a single 10 or 15 gallon ball lock keg, and you can expect the same great features that have made Torpedo Kegs such a hit. Laser welded construction for superior quality, rolled stainless steel handles that will last a lifetime, and stackable design that won’t interfere with your fittings.
Thoughts from HBF: This is a great entry into the homebrewing keg market. Larger 10 and 15 gallon kegs are tough to find and even more difficult to find at a reasonable price. The current prices, $219 for a 15 gallon keg and $199 for a 10 gallon keg are.. bargains, especially considering that they ship for free to many US addresses. Beyond kegging larger homebrew batches these can be used as fermenters.
Update: MoreBeer fully expects to sell out of this first batch relatively soon. More will be on the way, but, it will take some time. I’ve you’ve been thinking about picking one or more of these up, my suggestion is to do it sooner rather than later.
Larger 10 and 15 gallon homebrew kegs have been very hard to find… for years. There have been a couple sources, eBay was a best bet, but that was touch and go at best. When you could find one, prices were… outrageous. $300++ for a used 10 gallon keg would not be uncommon. Again, that’s IF you could find one.
Great news homebrewers…. MoreBeer has introduced 10 and 15 gallon homebrew ball lock kegs via their Torpedo line of kegs and accessories. These are BRAND NEW kegs that are (hopefully) readily available at a reasonable price.
Why a larger 10 or 15 gallon homebrew keg?
The first and most obvious answer is for large batch brewers. If you brew 10 or 15 gallon batches, it sure would be nice to have a keg that fits your entire batch. Even if you don’t brew 10 gallons, you may want to brew a couple 5 gallon batches of the same beer (much like professional brewers do) and keg it in a single keg.
A less obvious answer to the question is… to use as a fermenter. Kegs are well-built stainless steel vessels that are pressure capable. You can easily move them around and they are built to be bumped around a bit. Using a keg opens up some really interesting possibilities…. fermenting under pressure with a Spunding Valve [See: Build a Spunding Valve! – How and Why], naturally carbonating in the fermenter/Krausening (again with the aid of a Spunding Valve), transferring under pressure, oxygen-free (or near oxygen-free) transfers, re-purposing expelled CO2 and more.
A third application is similar to the second… Use as a UniVessel. Ferment and serve in the same vessel. Save time and simplify your process.
A look at some info on the outside of the box. Made of 304 Stainless Steel, ISO9001 Quality Assurance. 38 Liter Volume Capacity and a warning not to exceed maximum rated pressure.A look inside the box. This was nicely packaged and arrived in perfect condition. A look at the 10 Gallon Torpedo KegClose up of the logo and specifications.A top down view of the kegA look at the bottom of the kegA close of look at the integrated handles. These are nicely rounded and comfortable to use.The top collar features some knock-outs or cut outs to help with drainage and drying.The top of the keg curls around presumably to strengthen it and provide a smooth surface. It also features some holds for airflow and drying.The skirt at the bottom of the keg also has some holes for ventilation. I think these are great. This is a fairly large keg and the fact that they are built to allow some air movement is a good thing.I wanted to test the keg for leaks. To do that I hooked up my C02 to fill the keg and planned to monitor with my Kegland BlowTie Spunding to see if pressure changed over time. I quickly noticed that CO2 WAS NOT flowing. I did some troubleshooting and finally realized… the keg was pressurized already.Checking pressure with my Kegland BlowTie Spunding – Hands on ReviewA close of look at the pressure gauge. This came shipped to me at right around 15 PSI. This proves that the keg holds pressure well.A look inside the keg. It’s really hard to tell because of lighting, but the inside looks really good.The collar on this keg means there is little room to turn a wrench. The pictured wrench is a Craftsman Ratcheting Flat Box Wrench with two sizes 11/16″ and 7/8″. Those are the most common two sizes of standard posts, so, in my opinion, this wrench is a perfect keg wrench. This keg has 7/8″ posts. See: Craftsman 5 pc/10 Sizes Wrench Set, Ratchet Box End SAE 42160 via Amazon.You can also put a wrench through the handles. In my experience it was possible to loosen and tighten the ball lock posts on this keg with a wrench, however… it’s not easy. If you’re going to get one of these, you should pick up a socket to tighten and loosen posts.A look at the gas side dip tube, poppet and post. This uses what appears to be a standard universal style poppet.A look at the liquid side dip tube, poppet and post.The liquid side dip tube is about 14″ in length.A look at the lid. Standard ball lock/pin lock size lid. Includes a manual PRV like most ball lock keg lids do. That’s a good thing. It should vent automatically for safety reasons, but the manual PRV is super handy for relieve pressure when required. A close up look at the lidFor size comparison next to a standard Cornelius Style Ball Lock KegThis standard ball lock keg measures about 25″ in heightThe Torpedo 10 Gallon Ball Lock is about 18 1/2″ in height
Using your Keg the First Time
New kegs come from factory environments. It’s important to give this keg (and any brand new keg) a thorough cleaning. A good soak in a strong PBW solution, maybe a second PBW soak for good measure, followed by a thorough rinse and round of sanitizer.
Official Specs of MoreBeer’s 10 and 15 Gallon Ball Lock Homebrew Kegs
10 Gallon Torpedo Keg
Total Capacity: 10.1 gal.
Max Pressure: 130 psi
PRV Rating: 85 psi
Height: 18-1/2″
Diameter: 15-1/2″
Made from 304 Stainless Steel
15 Gallon Torpedo Keg
Total Capacity: 15.2 gal.
Max Pressure: 130 psi
PRV Rating: 85 psi
Height: 24-5/8″
Diameter: 15-3/4″
Made from 304 Stainless Steel
Top down compared to a standard ball lock corny kegMeasuring the top of MoreBeer’s 10 gallon Torpedo KegI’m seeing a diameter of about 15 1/2″. That’s right in line with official specs.For size comparison next to what I would call a standard/old style 10 gallon Cornelius style ball lock kegFor size comparison, next to a 2.5 Gallon Ball Lock Torpedo Keg
Kegs are well-built stainless steel vessels that are pressure capable. You can easily move them around and they are built to be bumped around a bit. Using a keg opens up some really interesting possibilities….
Fermenting under pressure with a Spunding Valve
Naturally carbonating in the fermenter/Krausening – again with the aid of a Spunding Valve
Transferring from fermenter to serving keg under pressure
Transferring already carbonated beer from fermenter to serving keg under pressure
Oxygen-free (or near oxygen-free) transfers
Use as a UniVessel. Ferment and serve in the same vessel. Simplify your process and clean less.
Use CO2 produced by fermentation for flushing kegs and carboys – requires a BlowTie Spunding Valve.
Illustration: Using expelled CO2 from fermentation to flush kegs, carboys and such. A side benefit if you use the Kegland BlowTie Spunding – for fermentation is that you can use expelled CO2 for flushing kegs and such. See my Hands on Review for more on that.
Converting 10 Gallon Torpedo Ball Lock to a Fermenter!
Two real things need to be done to use these as fermenters… #1 an airlock solution and #2 a way to transfer or serve without pickup up yeast and hop trub.
Air lock solutions…
Spunding Valve. Use a ball lock Spunding Valve on the gas side – either fermenter under pressure or open up the valve to let gas flow freely.
Remove the gas side poppet and use a blow-off tubing going into a container of sanitizer.
Modified keg lids are available that have a hole dripped for a stopper and airlock.
Transfer solutions…
Replace the liquid out dip tube with a Torpedo Keg Buoy… keep reading!
Trim the liquid out dip tube so that you leave trub behind – the downside of that is that it’s a guessing game and changes from beer to beer.
Siphon – nah… that’s no fun. Siphoning takes some of the benefits of keg-fermenting away.
Using the Torpedo Keg Buoy For Fermentation Transfers
The Torpedo Keg Buy consists of a float, flexible silicone tubing and a short dip tube. It replace the liquid out dip tube of your keg. It’s designed to pull beer from the top or your keg while serving. That gets you clearer beer that’s carbonated more quickly (as compared to the beer on the bottom) and leaves trub behind. The float goes down with beer level and should settle on top of any trub layer. I don’t know that this was intended to be used as part of a fermentation setup, but hey, it’s a good idea.Here’s the Torpedo Keg Buoy Installed in the 10 gallon kegSo, a problem with this idea, is out of the box, the tubing is just too long to work in the 10 gallon keg. The excess tubing causes the float to hang up on the way down. As you can see from all the segments, I had a lot of trial and error while testing. I ended up trimming about 13″ off. I’m not saying I have this process completely dialed in yet, but I feel like it’s close, if not all the way there. If you try it, please test for yourself and don’t over-trim your tubing.Filling up the keg with water for one of several transfer testsA gravity transfer test draining into my stainless steel brew area sink.I also tried a CO2 pressure transfer test. I considered lifting this full keg to somehow get the test lined up, but that I realized I have EVABarrier Tubing and DuoTight Fittings – which basically makes me a super hero when it comes to plumbing draft lines – so I just got a coil of tubing out and ran across my brewing area.This is the result of my final gravity test. Hard to see because of lighting, but the Keg Buoy is sitting at the bottom of the keg and almost all of the water is drained. It’s really just a couple ounces. I tried to measure, but there wasn’t enough liquid to accurately pour.The modified Keg Buoy. Using this and a Spunding Valve allows you to convert the 10 gallon Torpedo Keg to a fermenter. Since the Buoy floats, there’s no guessing dip tube lengths and you can transfer under pressure. Look for more info in a future revision of this review as I continue testing.
Conclusions
This keg is versatile. It can function as a keg, as a fermenter and as a UniVessel. MoreBeer has done a great job with the design and build quality is good. Availability problems have plagued larger homebrew kegs for years. I’m glad that MoreBeer has filled this need with these awesome kegs.
Special Thanks to MoreBeer for providing the unit used for evaluation in this review.
Prices, shipping and availability can change quickly. Please note that product prices and availability are subject to change. Prices and availability were accurate at the time this post was published; however, they may differ from those you see when you visit the product page. Check the product page for current price, description and availability.
Make sure the components you use are compatible and rated for your intended application. Contact manufacturer with questions about suitability or a specific application. Always read and follow manufacturer directions.
Fully functional 5 gallon b-grade ball lock kegs. Guaranteed to hold pressure. Possibly have loose rubber handles and more than average scratches or dings. Includes free set of replacement o-rings.
More Info
From Keg Connection:
***B GRADE Kegs might have loose, or missing rubber handle/s. They will also have more stickers on the outside of the keg, more scratches and possibly more dings but nothing that will affect the integrity of functioning of the keg itself. These are guaranteed to hold pressure and work for your homebrew kegging needs!***
This is a re-conditioned 5 Gallon Ball Lock, Soda Keg (pepsi style). This keg has been cleaned and soaked in a hot “Brew Clean” solution, re-rinsed, lubed and re-pressurized to check the seals. The kegs are in good shape, but could have small dings, dents or scratches. These will not effect the function of the kegs. Many have stickers on the outside. We have used these types of kegs extensively for homebrewing and we will send you a keg that will work well. We fully guarantee your satisfaction with the kegs you purchase. ***FREE O-RING PROMOTION, GET A FREE SET OF New O-RINGS in addition to Orings that come on keg, 1 LID, 2 POST AND 2 DIPTUBE O-RINGS FREE WITH YOUR ORDER!***
As of this posting, these kegs are selling for just $29.95. That’s a bargain!. Shipping is a flat $7.95 no matter how much you purchase, or free with a $100 order to addresses in the contiguous US. Availability of these is touch and go. Check Keg Connection for current price and availability.
Max 2: Although the graphic for this deals says the maximum is 3, it’s actually showing at max of 2 on the product page. If you want more that two you can place multiple orders.
This link shows you all kegs that are on sale and sorts so that the most popular deals show up first. Results are dynamic based on what’s on sale and what’s popular.
Keg Connection can have some stellar deals on kegs. Those change regularly. One very nice bonus with these deals is the fact that Keg Connection offers $7.95 flat rate shipping to addresses in the contiguous US. That means no matter how large your order, it ships for a low flat rate to qualifying addresses.
This link shows you all kegs that are on sale and sorts so that the most popular deals show up first. Results are dynamic based on what’s on sale and what’s popular.
Brand new ball lock kegs, ISO 9001 Certified, NSF Certified, 5 Gallon Capacity and have double rubber handles. I like double rubber handle kegs. Double rubber handle kegs are easier to carry and you can flip them upside down to drain and dry. 25″ tall and 8.5″ diameter.
Buried in Kegs Sale! As of this posting, Adventures in Homebrewing is marking down their lineup of brand new ball lock kegs to just $75. The deal includes 5, 3, 2.5 and 1.75 gallon sizes. These are great kegs! Check out my Hands on Review of the 2.5 and 5 gallon sizes. Used kegs start out at just $30. No coupon code is necessary. Check product page for current price and availability. >>>>> AIH’s Buried in Kegs Sale!
From the product description, check product page for current description, price and availability:
These are re-conditioned 5 Gallon Pin Lock, Soda Kegs (Coke style). These kegs have been cleaned and soaked in a hot “Brew Clean” solution, re-rinsed, lubed and re-pressurized to check the seals. The kegs are in good shape, but could have small dings, dents or scratches. These will not effect the function of the kegs. Many have stickers on the outside. They might be of either Cornelius, Firestone (also called Spartenburg) or Italian construction. All types of kegs are manufactured to the same specifications and are of the same quality. The lids and O-rings are interchangeable. We fully guarantee your satisfaction with the kegs you purchase. ***FREE O-RING PROMOTION: 1 LID, 2 POST AND 2 DIPTUBE O-RINGS FREE WITH YOUR ORDER!***
Deal 1: As of this posting, these are on sale for just $124.95. Check product page for current price and availability. Price, promotions and availability can change quickly. Please note that product prices and availability are subject to change. Prices and availability were accurate at the time this this post was published; however, they may differ from those you see when you visit the product page. Check the product page for current price, description and availability
Deal 2 – HBF Reader Coupon! As of this posting, coupon code HBF5OFF takes an additional 5% off. Check Keg Connection for current availability. That makes these four kegs just $118.70 or $29.68 per keg!
Deal 3 – Free Shipping! As of this posting, Keg Connection is shipping all orders of $100 or more for free to addresses in the contiguous US. Every single thing sitewide qualifies with no limit. No prom code is required, check Keg Connection for current availability. Free Shipping at Keg Connection
FREE SHIPPING: As of this posting, Keg Connection is shipping all orders of $100 or more for free to addresses in the contiguous US. No coupon code is needed.
This link shows you all kegs that are on sale and sorts so that the most popular deals show up first. Results are dynamic based on what’s on sale and what’s popular.
HBF Reader Coupon! As of this posting, coupon code HBF5OFF takes an additional 5% off.
This link shows you all kegs that are on sale and sorts so that the most popular deals show up first. Results are dynamic based on what’s on sale and what’s popular.
Fully functional 5 gallon b-grade ball lock kegs. Guaranteed to hold pressure. Possibly have loose rubber handles and more than average scratches or dings. Includes free set of replacement o-rings.
More Info
From Keg Connection:
***B GRADE Kegs might have loose, or missing rubber handle/s. They will also have more stickers on the outside of the keg, more scratches and possibly more dings but nothing that will affect the integrity of functioning of the keg itself. These are guaranteed to hold pressure and work for your homebrew kegging needs!***
This is a re-conditioned 5 Gallon Ball Lock, Soda Keg (pepsi style). This keg has been cleaned and soaked in a hot “Brew Clean” solution, re-rinsed, lubed and re-pressurized to check the seals. The kegs are in good shape, but could have small dings, dents or scratches. These will not effect the function of the kegs. Many have stickers on the outside. We have used these types of kegs extensively for homebrewing and we will send you a keg that will work well. We fully guarantee your satisfaction with the kegs you purchase. ***FREE O-RING PROMOTION, GET A FREE SET OF New O-RINGS in addition to Orings that come on keg, 1 LID, 2 POST AND 2 DIPTUBE O-RINGS FREE WITH YOUR ORDER!***
As of this posting, these kegs are selling for just $29.95. That’s a bargain!. Shipping is a flat $7.95 no matter how much you purchase, or free with a $100 order to addresses in the contiguous US. Availability of these is touch and go. Check Keg Connection for current price and availability.
Max 2: Although the graphic for this deals says the maximum is 3, it’s actually showing at max of 2 on the product page. If you want more that two you can place multiple orders.
This link shows you all kegs that are on sale and sorts so that the most popular deals show up first. Results are dynamic based on what’s on sale and what’s popular.
Fully functional 5 gallon b-grade ball lock kegs. Guaranteed to hold pressure. Possibly have loose rubber handles and more than average scratches or dings. Includes free set of replacement o-rings.
More Info
From Keg Connection:
***B GRADE Kegs might have loose, or missing rubber handle/s. They will also have more stickers on the outside of the keg, more scratches and possibly more dings but nothing that will affect the integrity of functioning of the keg itself. These are guaranteed to hold pressure and work for your homebrew kegging needs!***
This is a re-conditioned 5 Gallon Ball Lock, Soda Keg (pepsi style). This keg has been cleaned and soaked in a hot “Brew Clean” solution, re-rinsed, lubed and re-pressurized to check the seals. The kegs are in good shape, but could have small dings, dents or scratches. These will not effect the function of the kegs. Many have stickers on the outside. We have used these types of kegs extensively for homebrewing and we will send you a keg that will work well. We fully guarantee your satisfaction with the kegs you purchase. ***FREE O-RING PROMOTION, GET A FREE SET OF New O-RINGS in addition to Orings that come on keg, 1 LID, 2 POST AND 2 DIPTUBE O-RINGS FREE WITH YOUR ORDER!***
As of this posting, these kegs are selling for just $29.95. That’s a bargain!. Shipping is a flat $7.95 no matter how much you purchase, or free with a $100 order to addresses in the contiguous US. Availability of these is touch and go. Check Keg Connection for current price and availability.
Max 2: Although the graphic for this deals says the maximum is 3, it’s actually showing at max of 2 on the product page. If you want more that two you can place multiple orders.
This link shows you all kegs that are on sale and sorts so that the most popular deals show up first. Results are dynamic based on what’s on sale and what’s popular.
From the product description, check product page for current description, price and availability:
These are re-conditioned 5 Gallon Ball Lock, Soda Kegs (pepsi style). They have been cleaned and soaked in a hot “Brew Clean” solution, re-rinsed, lubed and re-pressurized to check the seals. The kegs are in good shape, but could have small dings, dents or scratches. These will not effect the function of the kegs. Many have stickers on the outside. We fully guarantee your satisfaction with the kegs you purchase. ***FREE O-RING PROMOTION, GET A FREE SET OF New O-RINGS in addition to Orings that come on keg, 1 LID, 2 POST AND 2 DIPTUBE O-RINGS FREE WITH YOUR ORDER!***
The kegs that you could receive could be either single handle or dual handle kegs.
These are on sale for just $199.95. That figures to just $50 per keg. $7.95 ships your order – no matter how large your order is – to addresses in the the lower 48 US states. Check product page for current price and availability.
Stacks With:As of this posting, coupon code HBF5OFF takes an additional 5% off EVERYTHING. That makes this four pack just $189.95 and flat rate shipping is still at play.
FREE SHIPPING: As of this posting, Keg Connection is shipping all orders of $100 or more for free to addresses in the contiguous US. No coupon code is needed.