Let's talk about Hoses

I'm looking for a recommendation on a great hose for brewing purposes. A hose that doesn't kink, can handle running high heat water through it for cleaning, and is extremely durable.

Anyone have something they've actually used that fits all this criteria? I bought the hose marketed as "The Best Hose on the Planet", and it was terrible. Kinked like crazy and split within 3 months. That was actually the brand name of the hose. ha ha.

Suggestions?

"A hose that doesn't kink, can handle running high heat water through it for cleaning, and is extremely durable"

Solid copper or stainless steel?

In reality, any hose is a trade off between values. Different materials work better for different applications. On brew day, I use silicon hoses with cam locks. On transfer and bottling days, I use vinyl hoses.

ianw58 said:

"A hose that doesn't kink, can handle running high heat water through it for cleaning, and is extremely durable"

Solid copper or stainless steel?

In reality, any hose is a trade off between values. Different materials work better for different applications. On brew day, I use silicon hoses with cam locks. On transfer and bottling days, I use vinyl hoses.

Click to expand...

I'm talking about a hose that's hooked to the faucet and used for cleaning purposes and hooking up to my plate chiller. Not for transferring or anything else. Just a tough as nails garden type hose that can handle heat.

you want nylon reinforced silicon. http://www.midwestsupplies.com/tubing.html

I have a couple of these red hoses and they work good for hot water

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Goodyear...-Rubber-Red-Hot-Water-Hose-20258070/100580705

have not had them kink at all also they have nice solid brass fittings

On transfer and bottling days, I use vinyl hoses.

Click to expand...

so do I but the vinyl hose get stiff as a board racking the ice cold beer into the kegs

all the best

S_M

I got a Goodyear 50ft rubber garden hose from Home Depot. Chopped it in half and used half for my counter flow chiller and put new hose ends on the other half. It's held up really well no kinks, tolerates hot water, (I circulate boiling water in my chiller to clean it). I couldn't be happier for spending only $25 or so.


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Lodovico said:

[...] I bought the hose marketed as "The Best Hose on the Planet", and it was terrible. Kinked like crazy and split within 3 months. That was actually the brand name of the hose. ha ha. [...]

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Sorry to hear about you're getting hosed. Sorry couldn't resist.
But what did you expect? Anything that's advertised as "the best..." is suspicious. The more dramatic the phrasing, the more elaborate the description, the more testimony, the worse the product, no exceptions.

I've had good experience with the "braided" vinyl hoses like the ones you can buy at HD, Lowe's, etc. They hold up to heat, cold, stepping on, even driving a truck over.

No they are not food quality so don't use them to transfer wort or beer particularly at high temps.
There are braided silicone hoses around, but are horribly expensive $5+ a foot.

Just like ianw58 I use silicone for brewing and vinyl for racking. Braided for chiller waterside connections.

brew_ny said:

I have a couple of these red hoses and they work good for hot water

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Goodyear...-Rubber-Red-Hot-Water-Hose-20258070/100580705

have not had them kink at all also they have nice solid brass fittings



so do I but the vinyl hose get stiff as a board racking the ice cold beer into the kegs

all the best

S_M

Click to expand...

Thanks for the post. It sounds good, but man, when you read the reviews for that hose on the link you posted, it's hard to actually go for it. Seems to have been good for you, but the majority of reviews are terrible.

Lodovico said:

Thanks for the post. It sounds good, but man, when you read the reviews for that hose on the link you posted, it's hard to actually go for it. Seems to have been good for you, but the majority of reviews are terrible.

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I saw that but it has worked out great for me, I have a small farm with livestock and have lots and lots of hoses

the Goodyear hoses have been some of the best

as with everything sometimes it is user error not a bad product with that being said I buy lots of 100 foot cheap hoses

with horses walking on them or my wife mowing them it better to buy cheap

all the best

S_M

The hoses for hooking up washing machines are tough and handle hot water. There is a new style out that is reinforced with braided stainless steel.

brew_ny said:

I have a couple of these red hoses and they work good for hot water

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Goodyear...-Rubber-Red-Hot-Water-Hose-20258070/100580705

have not had them kink at all also they have nice solid brass fittings



so do I but the vinyl hose get stiff as a board racking the ice cold beer into the kegs

all the best

S_M

Click to expand...

Falcon3 said:

I got a Goodyear 50ft rubber garden hose from Home Depot. Chopped it in half and used half for my counter flow chiller and put new hose ends on the other half. It's held up really well no kinks, tolerates hot water, (I circulate boiling water in my chiller to clean it). I couldn't be happier for spending only $25 or so.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

Click to expand...

That was a great hose for a while, but after about 3 years it got stiff and started developing bubbles, then leaks. Went in the garbage about 6 months ago.

I've got 3 hose reels around my house, and I've been through some hoses.

The best hoses I've bought (and it's all I have now) are the Crafstman Rubber Hose. I haven't had one of these fail yet in any way. Only good up to 160F.

Since my hoses stay in the shed, I had similar issues during the cold months, especially with the cheap, plastic/vinyl hoses stiffening and kinking no matter how I stored them.

I have since found the Goodyear rubber hose works nicely. I use it for CF chiller as well as cleaning equipment.

---
Thanks for that note about the 3 year issue with the Goodyear rubber hose. I've only had mine for a little over a year, and will keep my eye on it.

passedpawn said:

That was a great hose for a while, but after about 3 years it got stiff and started developing bubbles, then leaks. Went in the garbage about 6 months ago.

I've got 3 hose reels around my house, and I've been through some hoses.

The best hoses I've bought (and it's all I have now) are the Crafstman Rubber Hose. I haven't had one of these fail yet in any way. Only good up to 160F.

Click to expand...

Thank you for the link I will have to try couple of those hoses for something I am doing and need a bulletproof hose

all the best

S_M

as far as garden hoses go.....i've had this one for a year now, seems to be holding up quite well.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002N8OW/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

This 50 footer gets some pretty solid reviews. I think I'm going to give this one a shot:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B1051S4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Thanks for feedback.

EDIT- I just realized that this is the same on that was linked earlier in the thread. Gets great reviews on Amazon, but terrible ones on Home Depot site. Just as confused as before.

Lodovico said:

This 50 footer gets some pretty solid reviews. I think I'm going to give this one a shot:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B1051S4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Thanks for feedback.

EDIT- I just realized that this is the same on that was linked earlier in the thread. Gets great reviews on Amazon, but terrible ones on Home Depot site. Just as confused as before.

Click to expand...

I can assure you that hose sucked bad after a while. It got very stiff, hard to use at all, then developed large aneurysms. I never ran hot water through it, and it never experienced a freeze of any kind. It was not in the direct sun, and was kept on a hose reel. It became completely unwieldy. It was the "commercial grade" one they sell at HD, and I think was the most expensive one too.

Here's a pic of it (in the background, coming from the hose reel). I'm sure it's the same one.

passedpawn said:

I can assure you that hose sucked bad after a while. It got very stiff, hard to use at all, then developed large aneurysms. I never ran hot water through it, and it never experienced a freeze of any kind. It was not in the direct sun, and was kept on a hose reel. It became completely unwieldy. It was the "commercial grade" one they sell at HD, and I think was the most expensive one too.

Here's a pic of it (in the background, coming from the hose reel). I'm sure it's the same one.

Click to expand...

So what hose did you upgrade to?

Lodovico said:

So what hose did you upgrade to?

Click to expand...

See the link in Post #11. I already had one of those on another hose reel, I just moved it over. Great hose. I've since bought more of them.

passedpawn said:

See the link in Post #11. I already had one of those on another hose reel, I just moved it over. Great hose. I've since bought more of them.

Click to expand...

Awesome. I just called my local Sears and they have that model in stock. Normally $34.99, they have it for $19.99 right now. 50 footer.

Going to go pick it up. Thanks for the help!