Need advice on a purchase please

Hello,

I have several non perlick faucets lying around and want to purchase the adapter to make these:

Does anyone use these for portable keg dispensing and if so do you like the pours you get from it?

Any reasons I should stay away from these?

Thanks
Joe

I am no expert, but I know there is a relationship between temperature, hose length, and pressure. Given that there is no hose in this setup I would be concerned about properly balancing the system. I am sure someone out there has had success in doing it since these are widely available at the LHBS's. Anyhow, the reason I am replying here is because I thought about this setup when I read about a device that helps with the short or non-existent hose. The thread about that device is here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/cure-your-short-hose-troubles-100151/
That may help.

The brewer at the downtown brewpub brought a 3 gallon keg of IIPA to the picnic we had in September. Turned it upside down so the tap was at the bottom and it worked fine. YMMV I guess.

They work very well especially when you use Ciliorozo's suggestion. (Epoxy mixer matrix in the beer out dip tube)

I also use the all metal beverage out connector:



Works like a charm.

Sweet...I'm checking it out...thanks

Chilorozo,

Thanks for the advice, I think that is a great idea. I was just looking at McMaster Carr and saw they come in a pack of 12. How many do you insert into each tube with great results?

Thanks
Joe

I think it works just fine and is easy to use. I simply set my serving pressure lower to stop foaming. Setting the pressure lower is easy to do and allows me to use less of the CO2 injector to dispense beer. However, you could just as easily use a CO2 tank/regulator setup with the same tap by simply adjusting the regulator down.

I have now idea why you would turn the keg upside unless you don't have a dip tube in the keg....

I also wonder if it is ok to just leave the McMaster carr inserts in fulltime with no ill effets?

I have a kegerator and normally set a lower temp, since I didn't really care to have 100' of hose for smooth pours (j/k on the hose length)?

I have one of these taps and I like it a lot. Very convenient and much classier than a pic nic tap.

You have a few options to reduce the foaming problem:

1. Reduce the keg pressure to the very minimum when pouring. This can be a PIA as you need to keep a close eye on the keg and add/relieve the pressure frequently. The pressure will tend to creep upwards between pours due to some of the CO2 coming out of solution and/or the keg warming slightly if not chilled with ice or refrigerated. It only takes about 1 psi to get a decent pour from this type of tap and more than that will likely result in foaming issues.
2. You can install the epoxy mixing tube(s) as suggested above.
3. You can get the same effect as the epoxy mixers using common 1/4" OD polyethylene water supply line. This tubing is also commonly used as water supply line to refrigerator ice makers and such. You can buy it at Home Depot or most any hardware store. It typically sells for about $3 for a 25ft coil, so it's very inexpensive and essentially disposable. Use it as you would the epoxy mixers. Just insert it into the long beer out dip tube. The poly tubing is semi-rigid and it's sort of slippery so it will slip into the dip tube easily. Use a sharp utility knife to trim both ends flush with the dip tube then re-install the dip tube and you're off to the races. The poly tube is very easy to remove from the dip tube for cleaning purposes and it is re-usable indefinitely. The poly tubing is a much cheaper alternative to the epoxy mixers and also easier to find locally. This works every bit as well as the epoxy mixers. I have it installed in all of my kegs, not just for the stubby tap shown.

ILOVEBEER said:

Chilorozo,

Thanks for the advice, I think that is a great idea. I was just looking at McMaster Carr and saw they come in a pack of 12. How many do you insert into each tube with great results?

Thanks
Joe

Click to expand...

I have actually never used these before, but came across the thread when I was learning about hose lengths and system balancing. So it has been sitting in the back of mind just in case. According to the OP in the thread I referenced above, they used 2 in a keg.

Catt22 said:

I have one of these taps and I like it a lot. Very convenient and much classier than a pic nic tap.

3. You can get the same effect as the epoxy mixers using common 1/4" OD polyethylene water supply line. This tubing is also commonly used as water supply line to refrigerator ice makers and such. You can buy it at Home Depot or most any hardware store. It typically sells for about $3 for a 25ft coil, so it's very inexpensive and essentially disposable. Use it as you would the epoxy mixers. Just insert it into the long beer out dip tube. The poly tubing is semi-rigid and it's sort of slippery so it will slip into the dip tube easily. Use a sharp utility knife to trim both ends flush with the dip tube then re-install the dip tube and you're off to the races. The poly tube is very easy to remove from the dip tube for cleaning purposes and it is re-usable indefinitely. The poly tubing is a much cheaper alternative to the epoxy mixers and also easier to find locally. This works every bit as well as the epoxy mixers. I have it installed in all of my kegs, not just for the stubby tap shown.

Click to expand...

I've never heard of this trick but it makes sense. Is anyone else doing this? Does it work as well as the epoxy mixers?

Scut_Monkey said:

I've never heard of this trick but it makes sense. Is anyone else doing this? Does it work as well as the epoxy mixers?

Click to expand...

Yes, it works just as well and it's a lot cheaper to implement. I'm not fond of the epoxy mixers as they are rather fragile and much more difficult to remove for cleaning purposes. Give it a try. Worst case would be your out a grand total of $3 bucks or so. Report back if it works for you or not. It will not solve over-carbonation problems, but neither will the epoxy tubes. I use these in all of my kegs and I was able to shorten up the beer lines in my kegerator to about 3ft when prior I had to keep them at about 8ft to get a decent pour at 12-13 psi. It was a major improvement at little cost in money or effort.

I haven't had a need for epoxy mixers or anything like this in the past but if it comes up I'll definitely try this first. Much cheaper.

Disclaimer: I've only used this tap once and don't keep kegs on tap regularly (I don't have dedicated fridge space nor room for a dedicated keezer where I am now).

This worked great for me - just dialed the pressure down to like 2 psi (for a 3 gallon keg). The important thing to remember is that you are not trying to reach a state of equilibrium (i.e., balanced system) - this is only a temporary solution. As others have mentioned with reduced pressure in the headspace of the keg, you'll have CO2 coming out of solution (increasing the pressure). Also, if the keg is warming, you'll have CO2 coming out of solution (increasing the pressure). However, these are easy to compensate for.... keep the keg cold (ice, keg glove, just wrap it in a blanket, etc...) and every once in a while pull the pressure relief valve on the keg. It worked perfectly fine for me for 3-4 hours. There was only one compliant about the start of one pour being "a bit foamy and fast" (the keg didn't have a pour for a while and I had neglected to tell my company to bleed the pressure before pouring).

"There was only one compliant about the start of one pour being "a bit foamy and fast" (the keg didn't have a pour for a while and I had neglected to tell my company to bleed the pressure before pouring)."

Therein lies the main problem with these taps. You (or someone hip to the serving pressure thing) must be available to check it frequently and bleed off pressure if necessary. It's simple to do, but your average non-brewer will be clueless on this. It's only a minor inconvenience really, so I give these taps a thumbs up.

For my boy's baby shower I brewed two beers and made a quick trash can (2 keg) makeshift kegerator. It worked great. The beverage was dispensed through two 5' beer lines and two picnic taps. Basically what I did for that was to fill the kegs with 10 psi and shut off the cylinder....by the time I needed another beer I was able to evaluate the pours (which were constant) and recharge the system without having to worry about it overcharging.

The reason I was looking into the taps is that I have everything except for the 10.00 fitting to join these faucets to a beer "out" and to also simplify taking a keg to say for example a football game etc.

ILOVEBEER said:

... The reason I was looking into the taps is that I have everything except for the 10.00 fitting to join these faucets to a beer "out" and to also simplify taking a keg to say for example a football game etc.

Click to expand...

I understand that. Here is what I did a bunch of years ago at a family reunion.



Four 3 gallon kegs of my brews were going in a hurry (as you can see by the frost lines) and the cases of Killian's Irish Red were not even opened. This was a 3 day event about 12 years ago.

P-J,

How did you keep them cold? It looks like very NICE drinking weather, but then again when is it not?

ILOVEBEER said:

How did you keep them cold? It looks like very NICE drinking weather, but then again when is it not?

Click to expand...

It was in the Catskills in NY in July - not to hot. I'd drop the kegs in an ice bath after dinner (drinking) time to keep them at decent temps. It worked out nicely.

Those are some fine looking 3 gallon keggers. Look brandy new.....12years ago.

Speaking of 3 gallon kegs, I had a few questions.

Why are they so damn expensive?

Why buy them when you can get a 5 gallon keg for 30.00?

I have always wondered

Supply and Demand...

ILOVEBEER said:

Speaking of 3 gallon kegs, I had a few questions.

Why are they so damn expensive?

Why buy them when you can get a 5 gallon keg for 30.00?

I have always wondered

Click to expand...

1. Yes, as mentioned, supply and demand. There weren't nearly as many 2-1/2 & 3 gallon corny kegs in circulation as there were 5 gallon ones. They are very scarce.

2. The smaller kegs are much more convenient to transport and otherwise handle. I managed to acquire four of the 3 gallon kegs years ago just before the prices went through the roof. Now it's hard to find used ones at all. I wish I had a bunch more of them.

Makes sense. I do love my 30.00 cornies!

3 gallon cornies are super convenient for mobile kegging setups. I love my baby kegs!