I have been getting an off bitter flavor with my kegged beers. Took everything apart and cleaned the tap handles and kegs and all that is left is getting new beer lines. My question is can you use any old 3/16 ID vinyl tubing you can get at home depot or do you need to order it from morebeer or some other website. Also I was wondering at the braided tubing would work. I know the braided is better for higher pressures but dont know if it would be better than the vinyl for the beer out line. Any advice?
keg lines
- Thread starter chadbraun
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carlisle_bob
Well-Known Member
Hi
You want thick wall tubing. You can / might have enough pressure running around that thin wall might be a poor choice. Flexible tube is a bit less of a pain than braided. Most setups will have 10 to 15 feet of tube, some of which gets coiled up.
There are a number of places that sell the real food rated thick wall stuff at < 30 cents a foot. Cheap enough compared to a lot of what goes into one of these setups.
That of course ignores the question of weather it's the lines at all. Not actually seeing what you have done, that's a bit hard to second guess.
Bob
You want thick wall tubing. You can / might have enough pressure running around that thin wall might be a poor choice. Flexible tube is a bit less of a pain than braided. Most setups will have 10 to 15 feet of tube, some of which gets coiled up.
There are a number of places that sell the real food rated thick wall stuff at < 30 cents a foot. Cheap enough compared to a lot of what goes into one of these setups.
That of course ignores the question of weather it's the lines at all. Not actually seeing what you have done, that's a bit hard to second guess.
Bob
You want 'barrier line'- Accuflex Bev-seal Ultra. It is available from a few online HB shops in 1ft increments and 100ft bundles in 3/16". This is what bars use, only in 1/4" because they run ~50' lines. It is both less expensive and better than crappy plastic taste infusing vinyl lines.
Do a search on here for the numerous threads on it. Don't be scared of those who couldn't figure out how to get it over standard 3/16" (1/4" actual diameter) barbs- it is not that hard to do. Don't fall into the trap of buying 3/16" actual outside diameter (1/8" size) nipples/barbs, the internal diameter (<1/8") is too small and can create a foam monster.
The days of the bulk buys are over since some shops started offering the 100ft bundles for not much more than the bulk buys.
Do a search on here for the numerous threads on it. Don't be scared of those who couldn't figure out how to get it over standard 3/16" (1/4" actual diameter) barbs- it is not that hard to do. Don't fall into the trap of buying 3/16" actual outside diameter (1/8" size) nipples/barbs, the internal diameter (<1/8") is too small and can create a foam monster.
The days of the bulk buys are over since some shops started offering the 100ft bundles for not much more than the bulk buys.
Hoppylikerabbits
Well-Known Member
I use this stuff and its awesome!! http://www.farmhousebrewingsupply.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=300
Exactly. That is the stuff I referenced.
So few HB shops carry this, I believe there is a conspiracy by them to keep us buying the more expensive $.60-1.50/ft crappy plastic tasting vinyl line. It allows them to at least double their profits on the front end, and extract even more money on the back end when you buy all kinds of crazy brewing aids and replacement bev line to try to get rid of the bandaid taste in your beer.
Check with the beer and wine Distibuters in your area. they are usually glad to sell you as much of the same line used in the bars at a very reasonable price (CHEAP) along with tank refill and rental deals. What ever you need, they have in supply. Cheers
That would be great except bars *only* use 1/4" as general rule, and some still use crappy vinyl. If you don't want to use 50' per tap, and/or also have 3 times the plastic taste to enjoy, get the exact stuff linked and mentioned earlier- 3/16" Accuflex Bev-Seal Ultra. And use barbs that have 3/16" ID (~1/4" OD). They will be tricky to install the first time you try, but it gets easier once you get a process down.Check with the beer and wine Distibuters in your area. they are usually glad to sell you as much of the same line used in the bars at a very reasonable price (CHEAP) along with tank refill and rental deals. What ever you need, they have in supply. Cheers
The 3/16" was not even in circulation until very recently when somebody bought some old stock from the original run that never sold. It was going to be the last of its kind, but they did another run for an early bulk order. At least that is how the legend goes.
It was just a suggestion, never hurts to ask. I did and got 25 ft. 3/16 beverage line for cheap to fit my pinlocks. I have 6 used, corny keg at $10 each plus a 20 lb. O2 tank with gauge, tubing and party tap for a cost of around $100. All from local distibuters. The pin locks are no longer in use and they are often part full and pressurized; I can get a tank cheaper than fittings. If you look you may have a pleasant suprise. Cheers all
Pour yourself the first ~2 oz. from a faucet that hasn't been used for a day or more, and see if you still like your vinyl bev line. And I would be surprised if you got your bev line for less than ~.35/ft, which is what the barrier line costs shipped. Most vinyl retails for at least twice that. Even if you did get it cheaper, it is doubtful they continue to be that friendly if a horde of homebrewtalkers come a pounding on their door looking for the cheap cornies, bev line, CO2 tanks, etc.It was just a suggestion, never hurts to ask. I did and got 25 ft. 3/16 beverage line for cheap to fit my pinlocks. I have 6 used, corny keg at $10 each plus a 20 lb. O2 tank with gauge, tubing and party tap for a cost of around $100. All from local distibuters. The pin locks are no longer in use and they are often part full and pressurized; I can get a tank cheaper than fittings. If you look you may have a pleasant suprise. Cheers all
The barrier line is a perfect fit for homebrewers, since we have taps that sit idle for relatively long periods. It being cheaper then vinyl bev line is a bonus. You can also theoretically run rootbeer through it, then beer, but I still wouldn't try it.
The odds of a local bev distributor having 3/16 barrier line are almost zero. Up until a few months ago, the only way to get it was straight from the one manufacturer or its distributor. A few online HBS carry it now. Read my conspiracy theory a few posts back as to why more don't carry it. The only part I feel is really true is that they will lose money because the superior product is 50% less than what they currently sell. It being more difficult to install probably factors into it as well, since they cater to a lot of newbies. Definitely worth the effort though.
dallasdb
Well-Known Member
A couple guys mentioned it being hard to install. Not sure if you use this method but it goes on like butter if you just put the end in HOT water for 30 seconds before installing. Makes it pliable and slips on easy.
Some folks also like to know why their beer tastes like crap, like the OP and the point of his thread.
All bev line is not the same, and the barrier bev line I am talking about is vastly different from the standard vinyl junk you got such a good deal on.
Before continuing to comment further, maybe read up a bit about the barrier line. I have given the full precise name, and another post has a link to an online HBS that carries it. Since it is both cheaper and better, there really is no excuse not to use it.
I have a process that involves boiling water, which makes is relatively easy to install, but I wouldn't exactly say it goes on like butter. I have a metal cone to stretch it out first, enough to get it barely started, then multiple dips to get a 1/8" push or so each time. I found than dipping too deep, or dipping too long, softened too much line, and the line would collapse when I went for a push. For swivel nuts/barbs, you will also need some kind of male flare fitting to be able to push on the barb effectively.
There are small differences in the OD of different makes/runs of barbs. Even the shape of the barb makes a big difference. That may be why yours went on more easily. However, make sure you are using true 3/16" ID barbs. The naming convention in the bev world is more jacked up than plumbing parts. In most shops, a 3/16" barb is actually ~1/4" OD. It is meant to go on soft vinyl and keep the ID constant in the line/barb junction for less foaming and better flow. Some shops use the OD for their naming convention, so a 3/16" barb for them is actually a 1/8" ID.
For hard 3/16" line, like the barrier line, most shops recommend 1/8" barbs (1/8" ID, 3/16" OD), because it goes on easier. The price paid is a flow restriction, and foaming issues.
Going to the trouble of installing this stuff is well worth it. For a new installation it is a no brainer, considering it is both cheaper and better than using vinyl.
carlisle_bob
Well-Known Member
Not sure what that means, since you originally suggested using 'thick walled tubing', which the barrier line definitely is NOT, but vinyl bev line is.
Accuflex Bev-Seal Ultra- It's not your father's bev line.
There have been many tests posted here on various brands/types of bev lines. They were done with water to get the true taste addition. No vinyl line was free from imparting a plastic taste. Some were just better than others about the length of time it took to become detectable, but were all less than 8 hours. The barrier line, which (from memory) is polypropylene with a PETE liner, went days without imparting any detectable taste. It also largely prevents gas permeation, both in and out.
