Intertap beer faucets

I'm watching this thread closely as I'm getting ready to add faucets to my kegerator. The Intertap faucets are attractive for their price point and features, but I'm wary since they're so new to market and there are not substantial reviews out there for them.

I see that William's Brewing offers a 1-year warranty on any equipment they sell, which is great. But I would feel more comfortable if there was a manufacturer's warranty as well. Those of you who have purchased these taps from William's Brewing, is there any warranty information from Intertap/Keg King in the faucet's packaging?

JoshuaW said:

William's Brewing is the only authorized US distributor right now. They list another company too, but I couldn't find a valid website. I exchanged emails with William's and they were quick to respond to let me know they might get the flow control models in a couple of months. It would be worth asking if they can get the shanks and springs. They carry other products from Keg King, such as the new wort pumps, so I would imagine they will continue adding to what they are carrying, especially if people are asking for them.

I also have an email out to Keg King about the flow control. Their auto response says they are on holiday until the 12th. If they let me know of any other vendors, or will ship internationally, I will share that information.

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Thanks. I emailed Intertap directly using their Contact Us page and never got a response. I asked them if the cap and nut were solid SS or if it was chromed brass. That is not a big issue for me, but I was curious.

These faucet remind me of my Perlick 425's. I bought one at Williams Brewing Supply along with the growler filler. I noticed the faucet had the same profile, sealing looked the same. I unscrewed my Perlick 425 spout, screwed on the Intertap growler spout and it worked.

Anyone have more feedback on the stout nozzle?

I emailed Williams about the auto closing feature which requires the ss spring and a special shank and they don't sell it. Maybe if enough people ask for it...
I have an email into KegKing about sourcing in the US, no response yet.
It would be easy to mod existing shanks by drilling out a space for the spring behind the tap and sourcing ss springs.
Looking forward to more advancements, maybe it will push the market for US manufacturers to develop similar features.

What about if you used a shorter SS spring and then did not drill the shank?

cfrazier77 said:

What about if you used a shorter SS spring and then did not drill the shank?

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That's what I was thinking. I have a Milano tower and cannot change my shanks. I bet a shorter SS spring would work.

DoShek said:

I'm watching this thread closely as I'm getting ready to add faucets to my kegerator. The Intertap faucets are attractive for their price point and features, but I'm wary since they're so new to market and there are not substantial reviews out there for them.

I see that William's Brewing offers a 1-year warranty on any equipment they sell, which is great. But I would feel more comfortable if there was a manufacturer's warranty as well. Those of you who have purchased these taps from William's Brewing, is there any warranty information from Intertap/Keg King in the faucet's packaging?

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I just sent emails to Intertap/Keg King and William's Brewing about any warranties that may be offered on these faucets. I will post any information I receive for the benefit of others who may be considering these faucets.

is Intertap's tower shank different than the tower shank sold by Williams Brewing?

mucci2k said:

is Intertap's tower shank different than the tower shank sold by Williams Brewing?

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The taps will work with them, however the auto-close function will not work.

I am waiting to get my hands on the tap so I can figure out how much room I need in the shank and how long of a spring I can get away with.
Intertap has a pdf of their shanks here...
http://www.intertap.beer/Downloads/Long%20Shank%20-%207506%267483.pdf

meckisland said:

These faucet remind me of my Perlick 425's. I bought one at Williams Brewing Supply along with the growler filler. I noticed the faucet had the same profile, sealing looked the same. I unscrewed my Perlick 425 spout, screwed on the Intertap growler spout and it worked.

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That was my first thought too... I have the 425SS and they look pretty much just like them.
Good to know the spout's are the same thread size. I would only be interested in attachments, really like the 425SS faucets.

How do you think they compare?

JoshuaW said:

The taps will work with them, however the auto-close function will not work.

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This seems like a real missed opportunity of you ask me. N_G

I think we can find a way to make them work with standard shanks, just need to find the right springs. I bet you could even do this with 425s.

Here are some springs if someone want to try.

http://www.zoro.com/value-brand-stainless-steel-compression-springs-1-18/g/00166043/

milldoggy said:

I think we can find a way to make them work with standard shanks, just need to find the right springs. I bet you could even do this with 425s.

Here are some springs if someone want to try.

http://www.zoro.com/value-brand-stainless-steel-compression-springs-1-18/g/00166043/

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I'm guessing the shank ID is different for the auto close spring? Does that PDF have any info about it? (I can't open that PDF from here)

What's the normal shank ID? I would have to pull apart one of my 425SS but I'm pretty sure that inside flow thing (I don't know what to call it) is longer on the 425 which would change the spring length wouldn't it?

rekoob said:

I'm guessing the shank ID is different for the auto close spring? Does that PDF have any info about it? (I can't open that PDF from here)

What's the normal shank ID? I would have to pull apart one of my 425SS but I'm pretty sure that inside flow thing (I don't know what to call it) is longer on the 425 which would change the spring length wouldn't it?

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Yes would take some trial and error to find the right spring

nutty_gnome said:

This seems like a real missed opportunity of you ask me. N_G

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It looks like the Intertap shanks are using a special diameter. I would hope that William's will eventually carry this shank, as it seems like an excellent feature!

Like I said earlier in the thread, it looks like William's is starting to carry Keg King products. That alone is a good sign that they will be expanding their portfolio.

Turb said:

I am waniting to get my hands on the tap so I can figure out how much room I need in the shank and how long of a spring I can get away with.
Intertap has a pdf of their shanks here...
http://www.intertap.beer/Downloads/Long%20Shank%20-%207506%267483.pdf

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Hmmmm, I'm starting to have second thoughts about the spring. Based on the pdf it looks likes a nice plug of beer will be sitting at the warmest part of the shank. I'm guessing 1.25 to 1.5 inches?

Assuming the ID is roughly an inch and going with your 1.5" depth, the total volume would be .65 ounces (sans the displacement caused by the spring) - or about .5 ounces more than using a standard shank.

I'd guess there's at least that much trapped inside the faucet proper, so I'm not sure there's a game-changing issue there...

Cheers!

I sent Williams the following question and got the following reply. Might be a canned reply, but I suspect it's accurate.

Question: I'm interested in the Intertap faucets, but I want to buy them with the shanks and self-closing spring. Additionally, Intertap is hinting at a lot more faucet attachments. I see that you don't carry some of these Intertap parts. Any plan to carry them in the near future?

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Answer: Thanks for your interest Andrew,
We are unsure at this time if or when we will be carrying these parts.
Cheers

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rekoob said:

That was my first thought too... I have the 425SS and they look pretty much just like them.
Good to know the spout's are the same thread size. I would only be interested in attachments, really like the 425SS faucets.

How do you think they compare?

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Quality appears to be the same. I have not used the tap since the nozzle threads are the same as my 425s and I was just curious about this new tap as a spare. The growler filler is nice and the stout nozzle looks good. I have not had the opportunity to use. I might try this coming weekend for kicks.

I did contact the other distributor listed on Keg Kings website but they say they are wholesale only

I ordered 3 of these taps on Saturday. They arrived today (Monday). $6.99 shipping. That's faster than Amazon. Unbelievable! Great job Williams Brewing!!!

passedpawn said:

I sent Williams the following question and got the following reply. Might be a canned reply, but I suspect it's accurate.

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That is the same answer I got. I figure the more we ask the more they push Keg Kings.

I like the fact that I can have a stout tap that's much cheaper and would match my 425ss. What is the difference between the stout spout and English sparkler Spout?


On a side note, what kind of tap handles are those in the video? They look shorter than the cheap generic black handles.

passedpawn said:

I sent Williams the following question and got the following reply. Might be a canned reply, but I suspect it's accurate.

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We are unsure at this time if or when we will be carrying these parts.
Cheers

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That is the same answer I got. I figure the more we ask the more they push Keg Kings.

I ordered two of these and got them yesterday along with a growler filler and stout nozzle. I know some were looking for feedback on the stout pour. I replaced a micromatic JESF-3 with this. Clearly not the same control I had with the micromatic, but I was still able to manage pouring a Black and Tan (one intertap pouring an amber, the other with a dry stout and the stout attachment). Overall, with a much less bulky faucet and the ability to just change out the nozzle when changing to a stout, I think I'll be happy with these. Just let me know if you have any specific questions I could help with.

jczippy said:

Clearly not the same control I had with the micromatic

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Please explain. Thanks. I don't have a stout faucet, which is one of the reasons I'm interested in the Intertap.

passedpawn said:

Please explain. Thanks. I don't have a stout faucet, which is one of the reasons I'm interested in the Intertap.

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The micromatic has a two stage pour. You pull the handle down, it's fully open, and pours very similar to a standard faucet, but agitates the beer giving it the waterfall effect and the creamy head you would expect. All dependent on nitro and higher pressure, of course. The Intertap matches this portion of the pour. The micromatic, though, also allows you to push the handle forward instead of down for the last part of the pour. The speed of the pour is controlled by how hard you push. The biggest use I've had for this is topping off a Black and Tan with a slow pour to avoid disrupting the separation of the two brews. The Intertap doesn't do the second part. Still works fine, just less control.

I'm no expert, just started with my nitro setup in the fall, but that's the biggest difference based on my experience so far. I hope that helps.

Do you have it on beer gas or are you just pouring a normal co2 beer through that stout nozzle?

day_trippr said:

Assuming the ID is roughly an inch and going with your 1.5" depth, the total volume would be .65 ounces (sans the displacement caused by the spring) - or about .5 ounces more than using a standard shank.

I'd guess there's at least that much trapped inside the faucet proper, so I'm not sure there's a game-changing issue there...Cheers!

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If at least that much trapped inside the faucet proper, then the total is now 1 oz. I use a 4 oz tasting glass if I happen to be passing by while doing yard work, so that's about 1/3 the pour if I only pour 3 oz to allow for the extra head caused by the warmer portion of beer.

But I still agree with you!

BBBF said:

Do you have it on beer gas or are you just pouring a normal co2 beer through that stout nozzle?

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I have it on beer gas. Not sure if the pour through the restrictor plate would work without the high pressure.

Those faucets definitely strike me as a knock off of the ventmatic design. If they were based in the US, I would expect a lawsuit unless proper royalties have been paid (this is as long as the patent is still good).

With that said, the surface roughness would definitely concern me. My ventmatics were machined and polished to an impressive degree. My Perlick faucets weren't even polished that well, though they are still smooth.

They do seem like they are trying to innovate with the self closing mechanism as well as the new spouts that they are trying to come out with, including the stout spout, which is an interesting thought.

Have any of you sent an email to ventmatic to see if they licensed his design?

gnef said:

Have any of you sent an email to ventmatic to see if they licensed his design?

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You might be right, but why go looking for dragons to slay?

I was first considering the Vent-Matics, and likely will get them anyway considering the unavailability of the add-on stuff from the Intertaps. A guy on the ausiehomebrewer forum said the autoclosure thing drove him crazy and he hated it (different tap, same function though). So maybe that particular feature wasn't really useful.

passedpawn said:

You might be right, but why go looking for dragons to slay?

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I guess to confirm what kind of company you are supporting. This may or may not be important to everyone though.

gnef said:

I guess to confirm what kind of company you are supporting. This may or may not be important to everyone though.

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Pfft. Do you do a patent search on every product you buy? Of course not. And, BTW, given the irresponsibility of the US patent office, the entire patenting thing is irrelevant and just a way for lawyers to stay busy. I've been involved in this stuff (patents, which I have, and infringement lawsuits) for a long time and it's just rubbish.

passedpawn said:

Pfft. Do you do a patent search on every product you buy? Of course not. And, BTW, given the irresponsibility of the US patent office, the entire patenting thing is irrelevant and just a way for lawyers to stay busy. I've been involved in this stuff (patents, which I have, and infringement lawsuits) for a long time and it's just rubbish.

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Well, as you seem to be the expert, I'll just say one last thing and be done. This, to me, seems to be a pretty clear knock off (similar to the Perlick 425ss which had to be discontinued due to the patent issues, if I remember correctly). There aren't that many game changing innovations in the homebrew world, and I consider the ventmatic faucet to be one of the very few, as he essentially invented the forward sealing design. I could understand if we still couldn't purchase his faucets (lots of drama there, and in full disclosure, I did buy 425ss faucets when ventmatics weren't available), but now that he is selling direct, it just doesn't seem right to me, unless intertap has either paid royalties, or have done their due diligence to ensure they are not infringing on intellectual property. To each their own, I suppose.

gnef said:

Well, as you seem to be the expert, I'll just say one last thing and be done. This, to me, seems to be a pretty clear knock off (similar to the Perlick 425ss which had to be discontinued due to the patent issues, if I remember correctly). There aren't that many game changing innovations in the homebrew world, and I consider the ventmatic faucet to be one of the very few, as he essentially invented the forward sealing design. I could understand if we still couldn't purchase his faucets (lots of drama there, and in full disclosure, I did buy 425ss faucets when ventmatics weren't available), but now that he is selling direct, it just doesn't seem right to me, unless intertap has either paid royalties, or have done their due diligence to ensure they are not infringing on intellectual property. To each their own, I suppose.

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Don't go away. Why don't you contact Vent-Matic and post their response here. I was playing the devil's advocate; I'd prefer to buy 100% American-made products and I have no hesitation spending more $ to ensure I get the best product.

passedpawn said:

Don't go away. Why don't you contact Vent-Matic and post their response here. I was playing the devil's advocate; I'd prefer to buy 100% American-made products and I have no hesitation spending more $ to ensure I get the best product.

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Well, I sent them an email, and received a quick response. I asked if I could post it, but they haven't gotten back to me yet.

In summary though, this is an infringement of their patents, and they did not license the use of Ventmatic's intellectual property.

With that, I can only recommend brewers not purchase these faucets, and for those that already bought them, to complain to the retailer that they are selling what amounts to a counterfeit product.

Just post it. Certainly if they responded to some stranger's email, they aren't being secretive.

gnef said:

Well, I sent them an email, and received a quick response. I asked if I could post it, but they haven't gotten back to me yet.

In summary though, this is an infringement of their patents, and they did not license the use of Ventmatic's intellectual property.

With that, I can only recommend brewers not purchase these faucets, and for those that already bought them, to complain to the retailer that they are selling what amounts to a counterfeit product.

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