Locking off a Tap

Hello!

I'm looking into getting a bar setup, but SWMBO has one issue. We have a son (less than 1 year old) and when he gets older she doesn't want him having access to a tap whenever he wants. I agree with her so I found a mini fridge that has a lock on it and I figure i'll store 2 kegs in there and attach the beer out line when i want to use my keg and keep it locked/disconnected when I'm not using it. are there any alternatives to this method?

This is her biggest concern with having it on tap. I'll notice a bottle or two missing, or lower levels in my liquor, but a keg I won't notice a loss in level.

Go to austin homebrew or northern brewer. They sell keyed tap handle locks so you dont have to disconnect. The lock the tap handle from moving and dispensing beer.

Nice! didn't even know something like this existed!

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/beer-faucet-lock.html

if you're going to have to connect/disconnect the beer line every time, i would just use a cheap locking fridge and picnic taps.

They do make locks, but i think they're pricey...

Jota21 said:

if you're going to have to connect/disconnect the beer line every time, i would just use a cheap locking fridge and picnic taps.

They do make locks, but i think they're pricey...

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I want to incorporate it into my basement bar build. so I'd rather not use the picnic taps. I'll save money by not having to get the locking fridge and apply that to the locks.

you have an infant - which means years before you have to worry about him swiping yoru beer.

build it how you want it now and figure out how to lock it later.

l1ranger said:

you have an infant - which means years before you have to worry about him swiping yoru beer.

build it how you want it now and figure out how to lock it later.

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I would do that but SWMBO wants me in the habit of doing it so that when he is old enough I will be used to doing it. I think i'll win her over quicker by doing what she wants then by saying "Damn you woman! I'll do whatever I want to!" I'll be on the couch for weeks.

maybe thats why im not married yet, lol

are you really gonna lock your taps every night for ~15 years before this even becomes an issue?

is your fridge even gonna last 15 years?

motobrewer said:

are you really gonna lock your taps every night for ~15 years before this even becomes an issue?

is your fridge even gonna last 15 years?

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I agree with you 100%. But like I said before, What she says goes. All I can hope for is that I play into her will enough now that I can get some leeway later. Tis' married life.

In the defense of the OP (or moreso his wife), the kid doesn't have to drink the beer for it to become a concern. In a year or two, he'll run the risk of the kid just pulling the lever because it looks fun and daddy does it.

Also, a lock will keep your friends out!

I'm putting locks on all 3 of my taps, more for piece of mind. I have two cats that love to make trouble and to find a spilled keg of beer on the floor would not be good. That and I can keep my kids/friends out of it.

I found the nice perlick locks on ebay for $19 + shipping (each).

SWMBO needs to know that children like animals can be trained. you need to let you wee one know when he's old enough to reach the taps that its a "NO NO" and he isn't to be touching them. once the wee tike is of school age he will know RIGHT and WRONG and its up to the parents to make sure their kids act proper.

there is a block here on HBT that has his 2 year old push a chair up to the kegorator and fill him up a pint and bring it to him. I think its great and his son/daughter will likely know between right and wrong.


-=Jason=-

Go for the locks. They are quick, easy, look good and make the wife happy.

I don't worry about my 5 year old, but babysitters are a different story.

run the lines through holes in the side of a locking tool box, and put in line ball valves on the beer lines and throw the whole thing in the keezer. when you want to drink, unlock the box and open the valves, when done close the valves and lock the box. alternately get a locking keezer and do the same.

you probably will get some gunk in the ball valves, i would just pull em and sanitize them when you replace the kegs if it was me.

Atl_Brew said:

Go for the locks. They are quick, easy, look good and make the wife happy.

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Don't argue with her when it comes to the safety of your children. You won't win. You'll just p*ss her off.

L

So many comments, so few useful replies! I just built a 4 tap keezer, there's no way I'm gonna spend another 200 bucks on tap locks.

I have a 1 year old as well. When I started my build, she wasn't tall enough to reach the taps. I'm pretty sure she's grown an inch or two since then, so I can't put this issue off for long. So, my idea which I'm gonna check out today, is a tap chain. This isn't going to be a locking system, like to prevent teenagers drinking your beer, but it should be smart enough to fool children for a couple of years.

Since I'm using a collared keezer, I'm planning on screwing a bolt and chain to the collar, and hook it to the tap handle. The difficulty will be reducing the slack in the chain, as the tap handle probably only moves .5 inches or less.

Just chiming in, I live with a 3 year old (room mate's son) and before I had a live keg in my fridge, she walked into the living room and saw him, mouth under the tap, hand on the handle shouting "Look ma'! I'm drinking!" :cross:

I thought a while about building in a locking dowel across the handles, using hooks to secure the handle to the fridge, and the locks. In the end, I just went with the locks for the Perlick taps that have been mentioned on this thread before.

I can say, two weeks since using them, they are awesome. Nothing I would construct could compare to how easy they are to use and how professional they look. They aren't that big, they work with my Perlicks, and neither the kid - nor my room mate or her friends! - can steal my brew.

They are a bit pricey if you ask me, but 100% worth it.

Yeah, it's tempting to purchase the real tap locks, but 200 bucks will get me like 50 gallons of homebrew!

First, wait at least two years before worrying about it, then you can put some valves inline with the beer line. If you have to, you can then put a lock on the fridge door. However, if locking up the alcohol is your method of stopping your kid from drinking, you've already failed. You have to change the attitude of the kid because access is never the problem.

I'd actually use the locks more to prevent myself from accidentally opening a tap when I change a keg out of my keezer (yup, it's happened) than to prevent my 2 year old from hitting up a tall cool one.

With Flomaster on training the kids well. We have gates at the top and bottom of the stairs, but we know parents who have EVERYTHING gated. Like gates walling off the front of the TV, room to room, fireplace. We just train our kid not to touch certain things. We have a fireplace, and she knows she can go anywhere on the carpet, but "don't touch the marble (slab in front)".

But I definitely endorse tap locks for accident prevention!

Bobby_M said:

First, wait at least two years before worrying about it, then you can put some valves inline with the beer line. If you have to, you can then put a lock on the fridge door. However, if locking up the alcohol is your method of stopping your kid from drinking, you've already failed. You have to change the attitude of the kid because access is never the problem.

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Not sure quite what your point is here, but I'm not trying to prevent teenagers from misbehaving, I'm trying to prevent toddlers from accidents. Like having safety locks on cabinets containing glass, volatiles, and cleaning supplies.

DubbelDach said:

I'd actually use the locks more to prevent myself from accidentally opening a tap when I change a keg out of my keezer (yup, it's happened) than to prevent my 2 year old from hitting up a tall cool one.

With Flomaster on training the kids well. We have gates at the top and bottom of the stairs, but we know parents who have EVERYTHING gated. Like gates walling off the front of the TV, room to room, fireplace. We just train our kid not to touch certain things. We have a fireplace, and she knows she can go anywhere on the carpet, but "don't touch the marble (slab in front)".

But I definitely endorse tap locks for accident prevention!

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my son Ryley knows "Hot" when I'm brewing he knows to stay away and keeps saying "hot" "HOt" "hot" when we are near a fireplace he knows "HOT" and doesn't touch.

last night I was cleaning a Growler and had HOT water it it put the cap on and sake it up a bit. yeah I know about exploding glass I kept releasing the pressure.. but I told him it was hot and he didn't even want to touch it after I said that.

kids are very smart and absorbent like a sponge when they are younger.

fugazzi said:

Not sure quite what your point is here, but I'm not trying to prevent teenagers from misbehaving, I'm trying to prevent toddlers from accidents. Like having safety locks on cabinets containing glass, volatiles, and cleaning supplies.

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having safety locks on cabinets is not the same as locking up your beer taps. a toddler is not tall enough to get at the taps at my house at least. I build towers on top of my keezer for that exact purpose. I didn't want the wee little man pulling the handles and wasting the precious nectar of the gods. but to lock up beer taps 2 years before the child can even reach them is a little silly.


-=Jason=-

Yeah, I suppose you're right. And even if we have random kids over and they pour a pint or two on the ground, I suppose it is just spilled beer. Maybe I'll just scrap the idea all together and just keep a mop handy.

Here's where I bought my Perlick locks. I got 3 of them for 19.99 a piece + shipping. I think he only has like 4 or 5 left, but contact him and give him a price for multiple locks while they last. It's cheap insurance against accidents.

http://cgi.ebay.com/BEER-FAUCET-LOC...ultDomain_0&hash=item2a0ef05d5e#ht_500wt_1156

I would be more worried that by the time he wants to sneak a beer he has probably been helping you make beer. Why should he steal yours, he'll know how to make his own beer by then. Worry then if you have a missing carboy or Fermenting bucket.