Tap a Watermelon! or How to Make a Watermelon Keg

Intro: Tap a Watermelon! or How to Make a Watermelon Keg

Wow your guests and enjoy a delicious drink in style!

After seeing an incredible watermelon keg online, I knew I needed to try it for myself.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a similar tap and pvc adapter, so I had to modify the design somewhat.

***update*** I've added pictures of a bigger melon keg we made for a recent party.
For more info on my watermelon kegs or my other projects, you can check out my blog.

STEP 1: What You'll Need

From the hardware store:
-Hose Bibb, Quarter Turn (that's the tap)
-Faucet Lock Nuts (those black circles)
-Brass Pipe Nipple 1/2" (the piece with threads on both ends)
-Coupling 1/2" (what looks like a hex nut)
-drill bit (optional)

From the grocery store:
-Watermelon (I used a very small melon for this demo, but you'll need a big one if you want more than two drinks out of it)
-Saran wrap (or similar cling wrap)

From your kitchen:
-paring knife
-ice cream scoop (a spoon could work in a pinch)
-large bowl
-blender
-strainer / sieve

From the liquor store:
-vodka or your poison of choice (this is optional, but there's not much of a point without it, right?)

STEP 2: Cut Off the Top

Use your knife to cut the top off your melon.

Try to keep the hole fairly small, but make sure it's big enough to stick your hand in.

Make sure you cut on an angle (like you would if you were carving a pumpkin) so you can use the top as a lid without it falling in.

You can cut a small notch out of the lid to make it easier to refill your melon after your guests inevitably finish off the original contents.

STEP 3: Gut the Melon

Scoop out all of the delicious insides and set them aside.

STEP 4: Make a Hole for the Tap

Using the drill bit, make a hole near the bottom of your melon. Be sure to put it on the prettiest side of your watemelon (this is, after all, what all your guests will be admiring).

If you don't have a drill bit handy, a corkscrew would work.

Using a paring knife, make the hole the same size as your coupling. Take your time with this step as you'll need a good fit if you don't want it to leak.

Don't just shove your coupling in the hole as a bruised melon won't be watertight.

STEP 5: Connect the Hardware

Wash all the hardware.

Screw your nipple into the coupling with one of the lock nuts inbetween. It's not nearly as nasty as it sounds.

Push the coupling through the melon.

Place a small piece of saran wrap over the coupling and cut an opening in the middle. The plastic wrap should help prevent leaks.

Screw on the tap with a lock nut between the tap and the coupling.

Wrap the excess saran wrap around the edge of the lock nut and trim it so it looks pretty.

STEP 6: Blend

Throw the watermelon guts into a blender and turn it into juice.

Pour the juice through a strainer to get the worst of the pulpy bits out.

Add a generous helping of vodka and stir.

STEP 7: Enjoy

Relax and enjoy a cool drink.

Bask in the adoration of all your party guests.

Comments

[watermelon060304]

thanks bro hi fives to everyone ???

[LiveCrafts]

Hi! I just stumbled upon this after reading all of the 'ibles for your son's helmet, and it looked interesting. Nice job, I love this! I'm following you, just so you know! But, I was wondering if you could provide links for my sake? I have no clue what will work and what won't. Thanks! I'm a huge fan!

LiveCrafts :D

[Binny the first]

Your Instruct-able is commendable. Nice job. I would like to caution everyone about using brass fittings in this design tho.All brass contains lead and lead compounds As a home brewer for the last 45 plus years. I know brass and alcohol should not mix if you don't want lead poisoning.Lead poisoning is a lot like arsenic poisoning and may take years to affect you or could kill within days or months.It depends on ones tolerance and exposure limits. Also avoid stainless steel valves that aren't rated for potable drinking water as they contain carcinogens that cause cancer. All of these things have a cumulative effect over time so my advice is that if you want to be healthy and live to be a ripe old age is to avoid these materials as much as possible.In closing I would like to recommend a plastic spigot (HDPE I believe) From any beer and wine home brew shop. They are safer,much cheaper and come with all the gaskets and nut necessary to install. If there is not a home brew shop near you they are readily available on line and are commonly used for the sparge bucket construction for all grain beer brewing.Please do not be offended or discouraged in any way by my comments,as I said you have done a great job of putting together this Instructable.

[simonches]

"Also avoid stainless steel valves that aren't rated for potable drinking water as they contain carcinogens that cause cancer."

That is completely untrue.

[wb7ptr]

I have heard there is a risk of this, but perhaps he should have reworded it that they CAN contain cancinogens rather than that they do.

[Binny the first]

I have to politely disagree with that remark as it is specifically labeled as carcinogenic on the handle tags of the hardware store variety s.s. ball valves. I suspect it has more to do with their Teflon or nylon seals Than anything in the steel itself.

[sveegaard]

Teflon and nylon is completely harmless as-is.

[simonches]

Could be. Sorry if my comment came across a bit blunt :)

[Cyberscann54]

just a word for the wise stainless steel contains chromium cheap stainless steel can rust and chromium can become carcinogenic at different levels of rusting so unless it is rated food safe or for potable drinking water don't use it. If you don't believe me look up chromium-6 that it chromium at its 6th stage of rusting witch is capable of not only causing birth defects but capable changing your DNA causing defects if full grown people cancer being only one of limitless outcomes. Be safe, Be Smart, Do some research before you make an false statement against some one else its one thing to be wrong but to be wrong trying to make a statement thats very stupid it only makes you look bad

[simonches]

I did do some research. While Hexavalent Chromium(what you call chromium-6) is indeed carcinogenic, it is not used in stainless steel.

Chromium will not oxidize into hexavalent chromium simply from exposure to oxygen.

Don't confuse the rusting of stainless steel with the oxidation of chromium.

Just to be clear, I'm by no means an expert on this matter.

[wb7ptr]

I was thinking about that reading this. Lead poisoning is sneaky stuff and one does have to be careful. Be sure you use fittings rated for drinking water. When they make these, they are more careful about the purity and composition of the metals used. I'd use a plastic fitting personally.

[TrevorG4]

[Nightmare54]

I think I would add One step to this. Create a full day in advance, freeze melon keg, and only bring out 10 minutes before the guests arrive...that way what ever you fill it with stays colder a lot longer! Great idea I can't wait for my next party!

[ModMischief]

I thought about freezing it but I was worried that it might expand or shrink and ruin the seal. You don't want a leaky melon! We kept the spiked watermelon juice in the fridge until just before the party, and used another melon for extra juice (kept in another pitcher) to refill the keg when we inevitably ran out. It was refreshing and cold all night, but if you wanted it even colder, you could throw a bit of ice into the keg along with the juice.

[lross3]

I agee, I think your seal would probably be ruined. You might put the ice in a bag and throw it inside the melon, so you don't dilute your drink. Or put your watermelon mix in the freezer until it's slushy, then crush whatever ice formed using a hand blender.

[jongscx]

You could probably freeze it hollowed out, THEN insert the nipple through it... Worst case, it would contract around it and make a tighter seal...

[ymagination]

Perhaps, placing some of the "fuel" already mixed, in molds, could do some ice-cubes... then place them inside... they will cool your drink, without watering it... I´m sure it will get empty before the ice melts, LOL Great idea...!!!

[sister_sister]

yaah!!!.. i love it!!...nice,nice,nice...hehehehehe....

[jorlo]

Like this? Check out http://www.MelonKeg.com they sell a kit for this!

[mwears]

wow that's awesome! I'm a home brewer and this gave me the idea to make a watermelon infused beer, that I'll then serve out of this watermelon keg!..I even already have the beer faucet and everything. I'll need a pretty big watermelon!