Stout or "Creamer" faucet

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dontman

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I am making a move to getting set up with stout serving capability.

I am trying to do this as inexpensively as possible since I don't drink all that much stout.

Question: What is the difference between a standard stout faucet and a creamer faucet besides the long spout? Is the long spout all that critical? They both have a restrictor plate to foam. I know the creamer is not ideal for the purpose but it is only $23 versus $70 is the cheapest actual stout faucet.

Has anyone tried to accomplish the stout serving through beer gas/nitrogen on a creamer and has it worked?
 
You're not gonna get that cascade effect from the creamer faucet. It will produce more foam, possibbly creamier. I just bought the Perlick creamer faucet, its alright. I dont care for the internals of the faucet. It feels like it can swing forward real easily, and if you make a stout correctly your have a creamy head. I'll keep the creamer faucet on there for now, but it was definately an impulse buy.
 
Id also lijke to know.

plus where do you find a 23 dollar creamer faucet? Not a perlick eh?

Actually, AHS was offering a special on the Perlick. I think through today.

Thanks for the input Jesse. This is kind of what I suspected.

What I plan on doing is carbing my stout very lowly. Maybe 1.2-1.4 volumes. And then using a co2 charger with a nitrogen cylinder to push the beer. As I supected the nozzle will make the difference in this technique. So I will want to make the investment in the full on stout faucet.

I don't need any assistance in adding head to my beers. My constant battle is to keep the carbiing low enough to get an actual full glass of beer so I would never use the creamer feature on anything but stouts. And apparently, from what you are saying I would not be happy with the performance there.
 
yeah, if you are used to the plain old Perlicks, which I was, I was disappointed that the innards are different. Without any pressure on it, it swings back and forth with out any effort.
 
I'm replacing the faucets on the my kegerator and was looking at getting the 575SS's; are you recommending not to?
 
I woulon't get all of them as Creamers. This inside is different. I just prefer the old one. Here are some pics of the inside, I'll let you guys decide:

Old 425ss, notice part #2 Shaft which isn't part of the 525/575ss design.
425ss.jpg



Here are the insides of the new 525ss and 575ss creamer faucet. The Creamer is the one on the right.

creamer.jpg
 
Given that both the stout faucet and the creamer faucet have restrictor plates, would you even need the $80+ stout faucet, if you could just run the nitro on the creamer faucet to the same effect?
 
I'm considering purchasing a 575SS faucet too. Jesse, is the lever action not "solid" when attached to a pressurized beer line?

I'd like to use the 575SS faucet to serve at low pressure in my portable kegerator, and use the creamer action to make a nice creamy head, if desired.
 
I got a pair of the 575SS, but have no experience with other perlicks and am interested in what others might say. I've played around with them, but haven't found the creamer really useful. My real life experiences:
- The creamer action will spray beer everywhere if you don't have the faucet IN the glass.
- If you have a long run between tap and faucet (I have about 10 feet) and the beer in the line is SLIGHTLY too warm on the first pour resulting in just a tad too much head, you can use it on later glasses to get the perfect head rather than just drinking the beer. This is why I got them. It has happened to me exactly once in the three weeks I've had the setup.
- Guests will be confused and hilarity will ensue. They may push resulting in a creamer action (see spray issue above), jerk the glass back in surprise while pulling forward to stop, instead getting a full flow which will quickly overpower most drip trays. Or they may start will a full flow, then push too hard getting the creamer action, holding their glass with foam pouring over the lip and across their hand, shooting a look of shock and panicked help at you while repeatedly jamming forward and back on the handle alternating between full and creamer flow eventually overwhelming your drip tray with foam. In both of these situations you will be laughing too hard to provide any useful assistance, SWMBO will come in to see what all the yelling and laughter is, and then everyone else gets a good laugh while you clean up the mess from "YOUR @&!# beer toys". Good laughs all around. Note that if SWMBO didn't get to see it from the start she may be completely unamused, so I recommend making sure she's present from the start.

I will say that I don't have an issue with them easily going into creamer mode, you have to give it a good push with beer in the line and hold it. The empty line stays in the normal off position as well.

Overall I'm not unhappy with them since they serve their purpose, but I don't think I'd get them again. My biggest worry is guests making a mess. I can always pour more down the center of the glass to get more head.
 
Given that both the stout faucet and the creamer faucet have restrictor plates, would you even need the $80+ stout faucet, if you could just run the nitro on the creamer faucet to the same effect?

I would say yes, mostly because of the beer spaying everywhere which I experience with creamer mode. I have a stout faucet as well. I've not used it yet, but I think the long nozzle on the stout faucet keeps it in more of a stream.

I serve the perlicks at 11+PSI with a very balanced system. I wouldn't want to imagine what 30PSI of creamer action would look like.

Once I get a stout on tap in a few more weeks I'll experiment and report back.

I'm considering purchasing a 575SS faucet too. Jesse, is the lever action not "solid" when attached to a pressurized beer line?

I'd like to use the 575SS faucet to serve at low pressure in my portable kegerator, and use the creamer action to make a nice creamy head, if desired.

Mine is very solid at 11PSI of beer pressure and fine with nothing behind it. Depending on how low the pressure is you may not be happy with how long it takes to form a head.
 
I'm considering purchasing a 575SS faucet too. Jesse, is the lever action not "solid" when attached to a pressurized beer line?

I'd like to use the 575SS faucet to serve at low pressure in my portable kegerator, and use the creamer action to make a nice creamy head, if desired.


I am not sure what you mean by "solid", without the pressure of the beer, the lever swings easily from off to on. I kinda like the resistance that the older perlicks had with use of the shaft (part #2). You will get a creamier head with use of the push of the handle, I just think you could do the same with an ordinary faucet by pulling the handle open ever so slightly.
 
Well I'd either get the 525 or the 575 since they're about $10 cheaper than the 425 so if I'm paying $4 more for the creamer action I figure why the hell not, right?
 
Stout faucets aren't just for stout. Any beer can pass through one. and the restrictor plates can be removed all the same.

I always keep a stout faucet on the beer box. Both for the bling and the need for the faucet. If I don;t have a stout on, I just remove the restrictor plate, and lower the CO2.
 
Stout faucets aren't just for stout. Any beer can pass through one. and the restrictor plates can be removed all the same.

I always keep a stout faucet on the beer box. Both for the bling and the need for the faucet. If I don;t have a stout on, I just remove the restrictor plate, and lower the CO2.

This is funny.

I have been waiting to purchase a stout faucet until I got the chance to check out a usually very good HBS about an hour from me, hoping that they had a good price on one. So I went today to look. $146. That's right. $146 they were asking for a SS faucet with apparently solid gold restrictor plate.

I didn't buy that one.
 
Ok, I just got my stout faucet!!! I take back everything I have said about them being overpriced. This thing must weigh 2 pounds and is just rock solid. There are lots of parts to it too. A very solid piece of equipment and a beautiful addition to my wall of faucets.

I ended up paying $70 shipped.
 
I agree, if you want a stout faucet , get a stout faucet. I'm gonna take my creamer faucet off and just put my 425 back on. Another reason to get the 425 vs 525 or 575 is that the 425 have the removable spouts. I just bought a spout filler to fill bottles and growlers, cant use it on the 575/525.
 
Another reason to get the 425....I just bought a spout filler to fill bottles and growlers, cant use it on the 575/525.

Ha, me too. Showed up last night. :)

I also purchased three 8mm spouts, which, based on my limited side-by-side testing, provide a better pour with less foam than the OEM 10mm spouts.

Jesse, have you attended any Bexar Brewers meetings? You should, you know. :D
 
Where at, pray tell?

E-bay.

Morebeer has them for $75 shipped ($78 for brass finish.) I actually would have bought the MB one if I had looked there first. I needed a couple items from them and would have gotten the free shipping on that stuff.
 
Ha, me too. Showed up last night. :)

I also purchased three 8mm spouts, which, based on my limited side-by-side testing, provide a better pour with less foam than the OEM 10mm spouts.

Jesse, have you attended any Bexar Brewers meetings? You should, you know. :D

Where do I get a filler spout? Any more info on that?
 
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