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  • Hoff Stevens- Sanke conversion process...

    Hi All- My brewery is now receiving requests for kegs by some local watering holes. This is good, but I need kegs with Sanke couplers, of course. Currently we use Hoff Stevens kegs for in-house sales.

    My question is, how does one convert the Hoff Stevens coupler to a Sanke coupler? I plan to continue with these kegs for a bit, until I get set up with the kegwasher, and a fleet of standard kegs.

    Is welding required? I can get the spears, but just don't know how to make the change.

    I see that, occasionally, converted kegs have been for sale, but have'nt nailed down a batch. Also, the shipping is very high, which kind of negates the value, anyhow.

    Has Anyone converted these, and care to share details?

    thanks so much in advance.

    Matt
    Constantine Brewing Company, LLC

  • #2
    The Hoff-Stevens to Sanke conversions that I have seen have the Hoff-Stevens spear removed and the neck around the spear cut out, then a sanke neck is welded in place of the former neck and a Sanke spear inserted.
    The Hoff-Steven's keystone on the side is removed, a patch welded over it, and sanded down.

    Even though the keg will dispense as a Sanke after conversion it will still need to be cleaned and purged through the bung hole, otherwise detergents and sanitizers will get caught in the depression around the top of the spear when it is being cleaned upside down. Oxygen will also get caught here when the keg is being purged upright.

    You could provide your accounts with a Hoff-Stevens coupler and the hardware to change it out with their Sankes, you'd have to gauge how willing and capable they would be to maintain this though.

    Sanke converted kegs shouldn't pose too many problems for you since you're already working with Hoff-Stevens but regular Sankes are just so much easier to use and maintain. If you can, start making the transition to standard Sanke kegs.

    Good Luck!

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    • #3
      You need to just buy new kegs!! You are talking about cutting a pressure vessel and unless the welder doing the work is a certified boiler maker and you have the ability to test these kegs under high pressure you are only putting your employees and the people who serve and deliver your beer at risk. The cost of a used keg is under $100, the labor cost of a certified boiler maker and the price of a replacement spear will more than exceed the price of a new keg. Kegs are serially produced pressure vessels tested to extremes that you don't have the equipment to perform. Please don't do it!!

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      • #4
        I don't want to rant on but consider just buying a new coupler for the customers to use while serving your product. It may well protect other beers from taking your products place.

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