The cure for your short hose troubles

Corey,

It is not known whether this item is food-safe or not.

Rob

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2009 11:31 PM
To: [email protected];
Subject: Your message to McMaster-Carr

While on our web site you wrote us a note:
I was curious if the plastic in item# 74695A58, a 5.3" (1/4" blunt tip) Polypropylene Mixer Nozzle, is food-safe. I know some guys who put these in the dip tube for their kegs for homebrewing beer in order to offer resistance for higher-pressure setups to prevent excess foaming. The parts work fantastically but the question has been raised as to whether there were any unsafe substances that could possibly leach into the beer in the lines. Thank you.

Requested By
Corey Matzkanin ([email protected])
(No company name given)
Norman, OK 73071
USA



Yep, pretty much Coastarine. I really appreciate how much detail he went into.

Well, let's assume it's OK...

Is this a technique that would benefit a nitro setup as well?

I just received my order of 3. I'm going to try to put them all into one dip tube. I've got an Indian Brown Ale I just kegged yesterday, will insert these and put it on gas. I just let it sit for a while until carbed, so I won't know how it works for a while, but I'm planning on this: Keg is at ~40F, will set gas to 11psi, aiming for 2.3 volumes. I have 3 feet of beer line. Not exactly sure of the diameter. Have had foaming/carbonation issues before, so hopefully this will work. I will obviously report back with results.

simps984 said:

I just received my order of 3. I'm going to try to put them all into one dip tube. I've got an Indian Brown Ale I just kegged yesterday, will insert these and put it on gas. I just let it sit for a while until carbed, so I won't know how it works for a while, but I'm planning on this: Keg is at ~40F, will set gas to 11psi, aiming for 2.3 volumes. I have 3 feet of beer line. Not exactly sure of the diameter. Have had foaming/carbonation issues before, so hopefully this will work. I will obviously report back with results.

Click to expand...

If I were you I would try 2 at most to start. It is much easier to add one than remove one from a full keg. When I put two in my keg I was pushing very slowly at 18 PSI.

dontman said:

If I were you I would try 2 at most to start. It is much easier to add one than remove one from a full keg. When I put two in my keg I was pushing very slowly at 18 PSI.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, that's what I did. My keg is a little wonky, and it was kinda tricky getting these things into the diptube. I had to wiggle and twist them a little bit to get them going. Tube opening must be a shade narrower. Once they got in and I gave them a nudge, they slid down a bit. Fingers crossed I'll be able to get them out, lol.

Sa-weet. I use all Corbra taps in my gangsta-style keger-at-a, so this is just what the doctor ordered... Since I have 14 kegs I'm ordering 28.

Finally I'll be able to carb my apfelwein at 3 volumes! :rockin:

so beer is nearly carbed, and i pulled off a few glasses last night. these things are great! my beer flows really slowly, but the carbonation level is great, no more ridiculous amounts of foam. for the record, i have a 2-tap kegerator, with about 3.5 feet of beer line. so if you're considering this as a way to de-clutter your kegerator i highly recommend!

i just put 2 in my keg and the pour is absolutely amazing, even at 14 psi. i am so happy i'm going to tell everyone in my brewing club at next weeks meeting. what a great idea!

I just kegged a wit last night, put 2 of these down the tube and hooked it up at about 17 psi. This is also my shortest liquid hose at 4.5 ft so I am hoping for little foam when it gets carbed up.

I am still getting a lot of foam with this in the dip tube. I had 2 in the tube on the previous keg but got clogged and had to transfer to a new keg. I put only 1 in because I just didn't want to transfer it again. Anyways, there is just as much foam as there was before.

This is on a 4.5ft hose with 15 PSI. I have 2 other taps with 10ft of hose on them and are really foamy too but haven't added one of these yet.

I have seen the tube being inserted into the dip tube you can get the same hose used for the ice maker/ water line at home improvement stores. it works great!
Wirsbo (Uponor) F1040250 - $29.99 - Wirsbo (Uponor) - 1/4" AQUAPEX - (100 ft. coil)

You're getting foam with 10 feet of serving line? What's the inside diameter. If it's 3/16", your beer must be overcarbed.

Bobby_M said:

You're getting foam with 10 feet of serving line? What's the inside diameter. If it's 3/16", your beer must be overcarbed.

Click to expand...

I agree on one of my taps as it is only a 4.5ft line and I have it at 15psi for a wit, it has it's own regulator and I have 1 of these in this kegs dip tube. The other 2 are on the same regulator and have 10ft lines at 10psi. These are all 3/16th lines.

I am going to get some new poppets as I think they could use some new ones anyways.

I just got some picnic taps that were pre-assembled with the disconnects and 1/4" line to set up my kegerator with, and then I started reading that 1/4" beer line is no good.

Would this make the 1/4" line usable and if not where would I look locally for 3/16? (no LHBS here)

smellysell said:

I just got some picnic taps that were pre-assembled with the disconnects and 1/4" line to set up my kegerator with, and then I started reading that 1/4" beer line is no good.

Would this make the 1/4" line usable and if not where would I look locally for 3/16? (no LHBS here)

Click to expand...

bump for the work crowd?

It should work, although it likely would take more of the inserts compared to a set up with 3/16" line. Another possible option is the inserts might fit in the line itself rather than in the keg. I did this for my 3/16th picnic tap sampling line, but I used the smaller sized diameter insert. I'm not sure if I have any 1/4 line so I could test it for you.

pjj2ba said:

It should work, although it likely would take more of the inserts compared to a set up with 3/16" line. Another possible option is the inserts might fit in the line itself rather than in the keg. I did this for my 3/16th picnic tap sampling line, but I used the smaller sized diameter insert. I'm not sure if I have any 1/4 line so I could test it for you.

Click to expand...

Would the 3/16 vinyl tubing from Lowe's work?

I'd skip the stuff from Lowes - mostly because it is not thick walled. The thinner walled stuff will actually expand a little under serving pressures and contribute to foaming issues. Well, I suspect it might be better than 1/4" of thick walled beer line, but not as good as 3/16". If you want it for a quick fix, going in with the idea that you'll eventually replace it, than it might be OK. You can always use if later as siphon hose after you buy the thick walled stuff.

Any concerns of the materials used leaking chemicals? Maybe I worry too much.

I've been using the Watts 3/16" beverage tubing from Lowes or HD for over a year now with no foaming issues (except when I overcarbed my California Common). I know many have negative input on this stuff, but it's worked for at least one of us.

McKBrew said:

I've been using the Watts 3/16" beverage tubing from Lowes or HD for over a year now with no foaming issues (except when I overcarbed my California Common). I know many have negative input on this stuff, but it's worked for at least one of us.

Click to expand...

Is it the stuff that says "not for icemakers" on it?

Sweet! ordered 4 today, gonna put these in my newly kegged root beer, and an american wheat.
Thanks for the tip!

Is anyone using this having low carbonation trouble? I have 1 swizzle in each of my 3 tapped kegs right now. Keezer is set to 42 degrees F +/-3* using 5ft picnic taps with my regulator set to 12PSI. According to beersmith I should be carbed to about 2.4 volumes, but it seems very subtle when I drink. Now, I have no reference for what 2.4 volumes should feel like, but comparing most beers to mine it seems low.... I increaesd pressure to 13PSI (a little under 2.5 V) today to see if that helps.

Am I the only one? Does anyone have any ideas of what could be the problem?

This works very well for me. Awesome!

avaserfi said:

Is anyone using this having low carbonation trouble? I have 1 swizzle in each of my 3 tapped kegs right now. Keezer is set to 42 degrees F +/-3* using 5ft picnic taps with my regulator set to 12PSI. According to beersmith I should be carbed to about 2.4 volumes, but it seems very subtle when I drink. Now, I have no reference for what 2.4 volumes should feel like, but comparing most beers to mine it seems low.... I increaesd pressure to 13PSI (a little under 2.5 V) today to see if that helps.

Am I the only one? Does anyone have any ideas of what could be the problem?

Click to expand...

Try pouring for a few seconds into another container, then pour into your serving glass and see if that helps.

Just thought I would throw my 2 cents in...

I picked up a 25' line of 1/4" OD / 1/8" ID plastic hose (pre-packaged) from Home Despot for about $3. I cut a length of line the same as the dip tube, placed inside the tube. It was an easy fit. Flamed the ends for a smooth surface. I have 5' x 3/16" beer lines in a keezer, running 15 psi, 40F beer. The pour/head is just right.

Many thanks for the ideas on this forum!

Just installed the part -- dropped it in, sealed the keg back up, burst carbed, and tried pouring -- I got a ton of foam. Anyone else experience this? Suggestions?

I had this happen once on a keg that was way over carbed. In this case I was pouring with my picnic tap line where I put the inserts in the tubing. I was sampling a number of kegs and all poured great except one. I then figured out that one was way overcarbed

First, I wanted to comment that people should be doing A/B pour comparisons on beer that they already have "carbonation stable". In other words, don't do elevated pressure/shake burst carbs and then try to decide if the pour restriction is helping. If it's 2x overcarbed, it won't help. Try it on a keg that has been sitting at the same pressure for a few weeks (at least 3).

In case anyone is wondering, the 3/16" diameter mixing nozzle things will NOT fit inside a 3/16" ID bev tube. I had the bright idea that I could equip my serving lines with these and not have to insert them into every keg. Nope, too tight.

I also picked up a short length of the 3/16" ID FEP-lined tubing from mcmaster and there's no way to expand it over a 1/4" barb even after heating and cursing.

Bobby_M said:

In case anyone is wondering, the 3/16" diameter mixing nozzle things will NOT fit inside a 3/16" ID bev tube. I had the bright idea that I could equip my serving lines with these and not have to insert them into every keg. Nope, too tight.

Click to expand...

Hmmm, I'll have to check my 3 ft sampling picnic tap. I put several of the 3/16" (smaller) inserts into it. It works great! I thought it was bev tube, and not just regular tubing. I'll check tonight. All my bev tubing is from Micromatic, in case manufacturer makes a difference. I do have other misc. tubing around and may have grabbed that to make it.

I have some more inserts and fresh tubing to double check if I did use the wrong tubing

These things would work great in a Immersion CHiller or a HEX ..... breaks up the boundary layer on the inside of the tubing for better heat exchanges....

just my two cents.

I finally checked my sampling picnic tap. Yes it is 3/8" Micromatic tubing that I put 3 of the 3/16" inserts into. I just checked my Ofest. Keg is currently at 70 F and @ ~25 psi. It was only a little more foamy than ideal with just a 2.5 ft line.

I think I might have heated up the tubing in hot water prior to putting the inserts in. I recall it was a tight fit.

I guess I won't give up just yet then. I know the tubing I was trying with was already cooled to 45F. The inserts are pretty delicate though and prone to snapping if pushed on too hard.

Simply awesome. I just put 2 of these into a keg of Belgian Wit that I had at 12PSI. I really wanted to run 15PSI, but with only 5ft it sucked to pour. Now 15PSI no problems. I may even run a 1/2 or 1/4 sized one in my 10 PSI beers.

Mike

I read this post, and ordered a few of the 'swizzle sticks'. My review is a little mixed, but I took some photos to show.

I believe they helped, but not as dramatically as I had hoped. First, my setup is 5' of 3/16 bev line, temp 40*F (or colder), 15 psi. I have two on tap for about two weeks now, and they are/were pretty foamy. I poured them into small glasses to make the foam more noticeable.

All pours had a 'line clearing' pour first to prevent line foam affecting the pour. Forward seal faucets.

First pour ALE no swizzle sticks:



SECOND POUR ALE, with 3 Swizzle sticks:



First pour Oatmeal Nut Brown No swizzle:



Second pour oatmeal nut brown with 3 swizzle sitcks:



Here's a pic of the swizzle before going in:



Here's a another just for fun:



Here's a full beer pour with the large 18-20 ounce glass:



So, hopefully these pics help you all out. Just for those who want to know I wick the throttle open and closed to prevent foam. I can't think of anything else to help the foam, save turning down the pressure. Granted most probably don't carb up to 15 lbs, but for the ale's I like it, for the browns I like a little less.

rshosted, I have the same 3/16, 5' lines as you and this solution hasn't helped much, if at all. I only 1 stick in each keg, though, so maybe that's the issue. I'm still working on it. I have a beer going to keg tomorrow that I'm going to set and forget instead of my usual force carbing. See if that helps.

shecky said:

rshosted, I have the same 3/16, 5' lines as you and this solution hasn't helped much, if at all. I only 1 stick in each keg, though, so maybe that's the issue. I'm still working on it. I have a beer going to keg tomorrow that I'm going to set and forget instead of my usual force carbing. See if that helps.

Click to expand...

I agree, I'm not sure it helped that much with three.... I did notice how much slower it poured, but other than that, it was similar to turning down the pressure a little. I may try another beer with the pressure down a few notches to see how that works.

Though, I have been drinking all the 'test beer' and my fingers are a little tingly, so I don't know how objective I will be.

With two of these I have my Apfelwein and my Berliner Weiss on tap at 21 PSI and 42*F. Needless to say since I'm using ghetto picnic taps in my 'rator, I would get 100% foam without these wonderful devices.

This is the greatest thread I have ever run across. Outside of the FC anyway.

What I am finding is that these stirrers do not have the same effect between party taps and Perlicks. Or am I imagining this? I have an upstairs kegerator with two party taps and these things work like a dream. Downstairs I have 5 Perlicks connected and all I am getting from the stir rods is slow flow. Funny thing is that I am getting the same amount of foam in my glass regardless of fill speed with the Perlicks.

Oh man, something else for me to think about. Which tap a keg is ultimately destined for so that I can decide whether to put a stir rod in or not.

rshosted said:

I agree, I'm not sure it helped that much with three.... I did notice how much slower it poured, but other than that, it was similar to turning down the pressure a little.

Click to expand...

I thought that was the idea, to get the same pour as if you had lower PSI while being able to keep the keg carbed at higher PSI. Or are you saying that the pour was slow like low PSI but foamy like high PSI? Thinking about the stainless version, and trying to clarify.