So why go perlick?

So I have standard faucets and there seems to be s general consensus the perlicks are the superior choice and I've heard numerous people say they were happy to make the upgrade. Pardon my ignorance.... But why?

So your taps don't stick shut on you,
Forward sealing means that all the parts are in the beer, so to speak, and reduces the sticking that regular taps seen to be haunted with due to less than normal useage. When I used the regular taps, my handles used to stick form time to time and I really had to tug on it to get it to open. I used to be afraid I would break the plastic tower I have.

plus they're cool... lol

If you want to only have to clean your faucets whenever you feel like it, as opposed to every time you go a day too many without pulling a pint, you'll buy the perlicks. Mine have never stuck, ever, and I keep my kegerator in a garage.

Because BowieFan makes an adapter so you can bottle off tap!

any difference between the 525PC and 525SS faucets? I know one is chrome(significantly cheaper) and one is SS. Is that the only difference?

The faucets that came with my kegerator stick a lot, so I have been looking to upgrade as well.

I have three not perlicks, and I have had all three freeze up when I didn't use the taps on a regular basis, and left them dirty.

Since I have learned that lesson, I still plan to replace my old spigots one at a time with Perlicks...

Oh, and have you ever imagined what it would be to like a cactus?

PC=Chrome Plated where SS=Stainless Steel.

I have three 575SS coming to move my kegorator conversion process along. I've been using the picnic taps, but get more foam than I want (5' lines)... I want to be able to pull a pint/glass of brew without opening the fridge door. So faucets are the only option. Since I'm going with faucets, I'm going with Perlick's. Since I'm also brewing porters (styles from the British Isles) and I don't want to get a nitrogen setup yet, the 575SS makes perfect sense (to me). The only thing I won't get is the cascade effect in the pour. I'm ok with not having that.

I'll probably get some 525SS faucets for the portable kegorator I'm gathering parts to build... That way, I can use them in other configurations as needed. Or just not worry if the brew I bring with me doesn't get finished right away. Plus, anyone that's ever tended bar should recognize the "P" on the faucet.

This is all hearsay based on various articles but...
Standard taps tend to stick. They're useful when you have a high volume of drinkers and can clean it up once a day. (Like a bar or resturant where one would hope it's cleaned anyways).
Perlicks as mentioned don't stick due to their construction, and so you can pull just one beer a day and not have to go nuts cleaning it or worry about it sticking.

Many posts about ss/chrome. See: http://www.micromatic.com/beer-questions/hoppy-beer-dispense-aid-97.html
Chrome:
Pros: cheaper
Cons: but some worry about it wearing away in the drink
and it will dissolve in high acid liquids and I believe the brass may as well. (soda, cider, wine)
Stainless steel:
Pros: wont'd dissolve with high acid liquids. So either this, or plastic should be used for dispensing wine, soda, cider from a tap.
Cons: more expensive

Yeah, the forward sealing is the important part. I think everything after that is the discussion about whether you want to be seen in a Mercedes or a Toyota. Either one will get groceries fine.
That said, Perlick SS is a one-time purchase that you can will to your kids, or easily re-sell with little loss. Think of it as an investment.

I use SS for anything I use on a regular basis, or at least I try to when I can.

For temporary setups, I don't mind using chrome plated brass. This is what I use on my Jockey boxes, along with rear-sealing faucets since I am only serving for one day, and I don't have to worry about my faucets sticking.

For my kegerator/walk-in cooler, I have forward sealing faucets on SS Shanks with SS tail pieces.

I started with new chrome plated shanks and tail pieces, but one time I was cleaning it, and saw the tarnished brass showing. There is only one place that the chrome and brass could be going - into the beer. That is when I changed over to SS (when I had the money).

bigbeergeek said:

If you want to only have to clean your faucets whenever you feel like it, as opposed to every time you go a day too many without pulling a pint, you'll buy the perlicks. Mine have never stuck, ever, and I keep my kegerator in a garage.

Click to expand...

Eh...not entirely accurate.

I've found much of it has to do with the beer that's being dispensed.

I had an Imperial Stout on a non-Perlick and your assertion was true.

However I have four beverages on tap now (Bitter, Lager, Trappist and Cider) and I came back from ten days vacation and had no issue pulling a pint that night.

Now, the cat has been awfully sleepy as of late, but it seems unlikely that he grew thumbs and took up drinking while I was away.

For heavier beers a Perlick is the way to go. If you can afford to do it, then by all means do so.

However for non-heavy beers a non-Perlick will work fine. I also generally clean my taps in between a keg change out when I do the line as well. There's not that much more work to take it off, dump it in some StarSan, rinse it out and put it back on.

i was scared to death i was going to break my faucets, and/or tower back before i had perlicks, even if it was just two days between pours. i can let a beer sit for months with the perlick faucet, and still pull with my pinkie, no problems.

love my perlick

heckels said:

love my perlick

Click to expand...

+50

Skarekrough said:

Eh...not entirely accurate.

I've found much of it has to do with the beer that's being dispensed.

I had an Imperial Stout on a non-Perlick and your assertion was true.

However I have four beverages on tap now (Bitter, Lager, Trappist and Cider) and I came back from ten days vacation and had no issue pulling a pint that night.

Now, the cat has been awfully sleepy as of late, but it seems unlikely that he grew thumbs and took up drinking while I was away.

For heavier beers a Perlick is the way to go. If you can afford to do it, then by all means do so.

However for non-heavy beers a non-Perlick will work fine. I also generally clean my taps in between a keg change out when I do the line as well. There's not that much more work to take it off, dump it in some StarSan, rinse it out and put it back on.

Click to expand...

I had a sanke kegerator a few years ago with a generic beer faucet. I always had bud light on tap and if I didn't use it for a few days it would be completely stuck. I had to hold the tower because it would have broken off. I wouldn't recommend regular beer faucets to heavy or non heavy beer drinks. The extra $15 (buy them on sale) makes the Perlick a no brainer. I have gone without using my Perlick for over a week and it opened with easy

Skarekrough said:

Eh...not entirely accurate.

For heavier beers a Perlick is the way to go. If you can afford to do it, then by all means do so.

However for non-heavy beers a non-Perlick will work fine.

Click to expand...

Certainly: beers of different FGs are going to have different "sticking rates" with cheaper faucets...




...but if you're suggesting that nothing short of a RIS is going to stick a faucet, you're mistaken. Search on this forum or elsewhere about snapped faucet handles -- happens all the time with a wide range of beers. Perlicks don't stick with any beer, and for many brewers (myself included) that's worth spending a few extra bucks.

Edit: as the above post demonstrates, bud light can gum up a non-perlick faucet. I'm sure you'd agree that bud light is a "non heavy beer"

trevor_b said:

any difference between the 525PC and 525SS faucets? I know one is chrome(significantly cheaper) and one is SS. Is that the only difference?

The faucets that came with my kegerator stick a lot, so I have been looking to upgrade as well.

Click to expand...

I bought the chrome ones, i'm happy with them.

i bought the perlick pearl faucets. it works out really well because people come over and think i spent all this money on custom faucets since my last name begins with a "P". the only thing i dont like about them is that the handle can spin around and i dont think there is a way to stop it.

chainsawbrewing said:

i was scared to death i was going to break my faucets, and/or tower back before i had perlicks, even if it was just two days between pours. i can let a beer sit for months with the perlick faucet, and still pull with my pinkie, no problems.

Click to expand...

This.

I can't wait to have the cash to upgrade to perlicks. I went to pull a pint from a tap I hadn't used in 2 days last night and through the plastic handle was going to break! 2 days!

Its like going from stove top to full boil.
Its like going from extract to all grain
Its like going from ice bath in the sink to a real chiller
Its like going from fermenter in a corner to fermenter into my temp controlled chamber
Its like going from Bud Light to an IPA.

Perlicks are magic.

they're also like Nike - as in...
Just Do It!

bigbeergeek said:

Certainly: beers of different FGs are going to have different "sticking rates" with cheaper faucets...

...but if you're suggesting that nothing short of a RIS is going to stick a faucet, you're mistaken. Search on this forum or elsewhere about snapped faucet handles -- happens all the time with a wide range of beers. Perlicks don't stick with any beer, and for many brewers (myself included) that's worth spending a few extra bucks.

Edit: as the above post demonstrates, bud light can gum up a non-perlick faucet. I'm sure you'd agree that bud light is a "non heavy beer"

Click to expand...

Haha yeah I think bud light is the least heaviest beer out there. those faucets are just not worth it. That faucet would stick with any type of beer i had. If I ever open a brewpub or regular pub I would invest in perlicks. It tells the customer you care lol

Perlink SS faucet with shank, $25 right now... Typically $60 for faucet and shank, I ordered 4!
http://www.beveragefactory.com/EB525SSSHANK4___28302.shtml

idigg said:

Perlink SS faucet with shank, $25 right now... Typically $60 for faucet and shank, I ordered 4!
http://www.beveragefactory.com/EB525SSSHANK4___28302.shtml

Click to expand...

It almost seems to good to be true. Keep us updated on what you receive from them. I will definitely be ordering 4 myself if it's $25 for the faucet and not just the shank. That's an awesome price!

Wow. $25 is a good deal.

Has anyone used the 575 with good success?

jaynik said:

Wow. $25 is a good deal.

Has anyone used the 575 with good success?

Click to expand...

The one for sale is 525. The 575 is the one with the foaming "feature". For me that isn't worth it. The 525 are great

Whatever you have to pay, just get them first. If you don't, your faucet WILL stick after a few days, albeit some beers worse than others, and you will eventually upgrade to the perlicks. The only reason most bars don't have them is because they pour so often. Btw, a trick for sticky faucets is to keep a small spray bottle of vodka or grain alcohol handy and spray up the nozzle.

I have not had a single perlick stick since I've had them and it's been quite a while now.

-TK

thanks for posting the link, i bought some too. Beveragefactory has a good name here in SD, there shouldn't be any problem and it should come as advertised.

idigg said:

Perlink SS faucet with shank, $25 right now... Typically $60 for faucet and shank, I ordered 4!
http://www.beveragefactory.com/EB525SSSHANK4___28302.shtml

Click to expand...

i just ordered 2 thanks for the link with shipping that is still under the price i would pay for just the 2 faucets not including the shanks too.

It will be interesting to know if the Beer Shank with Nipple is also stainless. Could not find any reference on the page.

thanks

tom

millstone said:

It will be interesting to know if the Beer Shank with Nipple is also stainless. Could not find any reference on the page.

thanks

tom

Click to expand...

nope, its chrome plated. Even if you buy it and throw away the shank and buy your own ss shank it is still cheaper than a stand alone perlick.

chemman14 said:

nope, its chrome plated. Even if you buy it and throw away the shank and buy your own ss shank it is still cheaper than a stand alone perlick.

Click to expand...

You can probably sell the shank on eBay. Even if you get $5 or $10, you can use that towards another Perlick lol

I only need one more Perlick to complete my keezer. With shipping from BF, it comes to the same price as I can get it else where with free shipping. Still a great deal though. I wish they had over $100 free shipping like other places.

h22lude said:

You can probably sell the shank on eBay. Even if you get $5 or $10, you can use that towards another Perlick lol

I only need one more Perlick to complete my keezer. With shipping from BF, it comes to the same price as I can get it else where with free shipping. Still a great deal though. I wish they had over $100 free shipping like other places.

Click to expand...

yeah unfortunately I just ordered 4 perlicks. got them for 30.89 each with 7.50 shipping. I bet with tax and shipping it would of came out about the same (I live in ca). Oh well. Cant wait for my 4 perlick tap kegerator!!

Nice price, I just ordered 6 for my keezer build. I've been waiting for a nice price.

Thanks.