Picnic Tap Crowd

mgo737 · Dec 21, 2009

So I just got my kegerator setup with picnic taps. I plan on drinking a beer or 2 every night or so from it. What do you do with the taps in between use? I presume it is ok to leave them connected? Does it matter that there's beer in the tubing?

I know this is a dumb question but just wanted to make sure...

Fingers · Dec 21, 2009

Mine is always connected and I've not had any trouble. In fact, I don't clean it as often as I should and it still works famously. I keep the tap and all the tubing in the keezer so there is no light and no thermal differences.

lyacovett · Dec 21, 2009

I keep mine connected and ready to go all the time as well. I use a retractable key chain thing to keep the taps hanging where I need them too.

Ace_Club · Dec 21, 2009

Shouldn't you just leave the taps sitting in a bowl of Star San (at proper concentration of course) in between uses?

dwarven_stout · Dec 21, 2009

danielwhitted said:
Shouldn't you just leave the taps sitting in a bowl of Star San (at proper concentration of course) in between uses?

Nothing improves the taste of homebrew quite like starsan dripping off the tap.

Montanaandy · Dec 21, 2009

+1 on just keeping everythig in the freezer connected and ready to go. I assume the beer/alcohol in the tubing keeps things sterilized

Once the keg is kicked then I clean the keg and the lines. Seems to be working just fine. Montanaandy

AnonyBrew · Dec 21, 2009

I like the retractable keychain idea....what do you mount that to?

So far I've only had one keg finished & all i did is hook the picnic tap & hose up to a keg pressurized with starsan & pumped out the beer....i then dunked both ends in some starsan & hung the hose up for next use primed with starsan.

RogerMcAllen · Dec 21, 2009

I would recommend closing the tap between uses, other than that don't worry.

If beer went bad at room temp we would all be dead.

BargainFittings · Dec 21, 2009

Just be sure to have hose clamps on all your hoses so we don't read about a fridge full of beer.

Wade E · Dec 21, 2009

I too have them on all the time in the fridge and only clean when the keg is empty.

TXCrash · Dec 22, 2009

I keep mine connected as well.

lyacovett said:
I keep mine connected and ready to go all the time as well. I use a retractable key chain thing to keep the taps hanging where I need them too.

Pics?

Shooter · Dec 22, 2009

I use the little wire basket that came with my freezer to hold the taps. I put a Tuperware container in there and the picnic taps sit in that when not in use, keeps them from dripping anything onto the regulator located below.

jeffmeh · Dec 22, 2009

I keep mine connected. I would suggest that if you are going to force carb at a high pressure (say 30 PSI), that you disconnect the liquid fitting. I have had a picnic tap drip when connected under high pressure.

Cpt_Kirks · Dec 22, 2009

My kegerator is...odd. I got the fridge off CL cheap. The fridge part does not work (bad fan), but the freezer does. So, the guy I got it from just cut a hole between the freezer and fridge compartments. The whole thing, top and bottom, is a "fridge" now.

I enlarged the hole and covered it with a grill, so I can use the freezer space for bottles.

The grill is perfect for hanging taps from the bottom.

mummasan · Dec 22, 2009

RogerMcAllen
If beer went bad at room temp we would all be dead.

Very funny - I sprayed a little bit of spittle on my computer screen when I read that.

As for picnic taps, I use one all the time and only disconnect when the keg is tapped. Sometimes I will even clean it. A word of caution, I read a post where a guy closed his kegerater door and the door squeezed the picnic tap and the contents of his keg emptied inside his kegerater. I'm sure this is a very bad thing and should be avoided.

riored4v · Dec 22, 2009

Keep mine connected all the time as well (7 of them). I just coil the hose up on top of the keg so if the tap drips, it'll just drip on top of the keg.

PantherCity · Dec 22, 2010

@ lyacovett
I just set mine up with the retractable key chains. I thought I was the smartest dude ever and it was the best idea. Then got on BHT to post about it but did a quick search first to see if it had been done before. You beat me to it which is no surprise because it works awesome! I just put the key ring around the hose by the cobra and clipped the reel on the lid handle with the cord running the through the rubber handle hole.

Yooper · Dec 22, 2010

PantherCity said:
@ lyacovett
I just set mine up with the retractable key chains. I thought I was the smartest dude ever and it was the best idea. Then got on BHT to post about it but did a quick search first to see if it had been done before. You beat me to it which is no surprise because it works awesome! I just put the key ring around the hose by the cobra and clipped the reel on the lid handle with the cord running the through the rubber handle hole.

I can't picture this at all. Can you take a picture, and post it, so I can see what you did?

I have three regular faucets, but I have room for 5 kegs and sometimes use cobra taps for the fourth beer, or for a soda. I would love to find a way to make it more convenient to pour a pint from the cobra tap.

PantherCity · Dec 22, 2010

@ Yooper
I cant post pics here but I can email them if you PM your Email. If you want to post them it would be great.

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