Beer line tests & solution to the "plastic" taste - Page 3

mike_g08 · 12-22-2008, 06:00 PM

I just purchased some generic home-center 3/16 vinyl tubing for my soon-to be running kegging operation.

I am glad I ran across this, because I am a bit sensitive to plastic aromas, and also a bit concerned about the chemical ingestion (if it smells and tastes bad, is it good to ingest??)

Anyway, I did a bit of searching, and came across Tygon tubing, sold a US plastics, and other places. Has anyone used it? It is available in 3/16 ID, and promises to be taste- and odor-free.

**Bobby_M** · 12-22-2008, 06:23 PM

Tygon will definitely be better than generic pvc. Also, you really want to get the thickwall stuff. It should be close to 1/2 OD.

**kal** · 12-23-2008, 02:49 AM

From speaking to the engineers who make this stuff, one thing they all said was: If you truly don't want any flavour leeching you need to use 'barrier tubing'. Nothing else will give you that level of flavour isolation.

Barrier tubing is lined with PET material.

Kal

Diablotastic · 12-23-2008, 10:24 AM

Better Bottle has the PET barrier Bev-Seal tubing on there website. They show a handful of distributors in the US and a ton in Canada.

They also show a bucnh of vendors (HBS) that carry there products.

I've been meaning to replace the majority of my tubing and this seems like a good idea

**conpewter** · 12-23-2008, 02:39 PM

I really wish I could find 3/16" bev-seal tubing, but they don't make it.

**kal** · 12-23-2008, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by conpewter

I really wish I could find 3/16" bev-seal tubing, but they don't make it.

Nope. Only 1/4" ID and bigger. Which is why I didn't consider it for the longest time. I was told that you should always carbéserve at around 12PSI and that as it turns out is WAAAY to carbonated for me. So I went 1/4" ID on my 12 foot hoses and my PSI is set to only 4-5 PSI and the beer is PERFECT.

Kal

TwoHeadsBrewing · 12-23-2008, 10:29 PM

I had a similar issue with the normal beer line that was sold in my LHBS. For the first keg, it was very noticable especially in the first few ounces of the pour. If I discarded whatever was in the beer line, the taste was quite a bit less noticable. After running the same lines for a couple weeks this flavor disappeared, and since then I haven't tasted it. I've put maybe 4-5 kegs through since I build my kegerator and except for that first one, I've had no problems. Maybe it's just a manufacturing thing, or there is some sort of residual on the lines that doesn't easily clean off. I still don't know why I got that flavor, but it's gone now and I'm happy

!

McKBrew · 12-23-2008, 10:33 PM

Not sure why some people have issues and some don't. Maybe super sensitive taste buds. I use that cheap-a$$ Home Depot beverage tubing and have for months. Never noticed a plastic taste in any beer.

cincimatt · 12-23-2008, 10:42 PM

This is what I've got. Its what the LHBS gave me when I asked for beer line. I'm not sure what the difference is though.

**Bobby_M** · 12-23-2008, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McKBrew

Not sure why some people have issues and some don't. Maybe super sensitive taste buds. I use that cheap-a$$ Home Depot beverage tubing and have for months. Never noticed a plastic taste in any beer.

Let it sit unpoured for more than an hour for a change!

No, seriously, after letting it sit overnight, pour only a 2oz taster, then pour off another few ounces into a pint glass, then pour another 2oz taster. Do an A/B blind taste test. The last 2oz pour will taste much better than the first.