Liquid Lines going into Jockey Box?

[Homercidal]

I'm pricing options for building a Jockey Box for our Homebrew Club. The club is going 50-50 with a local brewer who would want to borrow the jockey box for a couple of events a year. It's a 5-tap cooler box.

The thing is, adding the shanks, tailpieces, nuts, washers, clamps, etc. to get the beer lines INTO the box raises the price a LOT.

I'm wondering what people think about:

a) Cutting grooves into the top of the edge of the cooler and setting the lines in there, so that when you close the lid it almost seals the cooler.

b) Drilling holes through the side above the level of the ice water and pushing the lines through.

For an event where we'd use the jockey box having a watertight seal isn't a concern, since it will likely last a few hours, tops. As long as the water isn't leaking out all over, I think it would be ok, and maybe less of a hassle to have to clean and reduce the potential for agitation too.

Then again, I'm not sure it looks as professional. This may not be ideal to a brewer who wants to appear in the best light possible. (Then again, it's not hard to build a box to cover the "jockey box", which many consider inferior in appearance to begin with.)

What's the consensus? Any other ideas?

I'm going to submit a price sheet with options to the club members and the brewer to gauge their concerns.

 

[TallDan]

Pretty sure option a) is what was done with our club's jockey box. Advantage it has over option b) is that when not in use, the lines can easily be coiled up inside the cooler.

How "professional" it looks will depend more on how well the work is done than what kind of fittings are used.

 

[TWAL]

Considering what the cost of a 5 tap Jockey box is going to be I would want the thing to look as nice as possible.
It sounds as if you've weighed all the pros and cons,my thoughts from working Beer Services for events...

Where it's going to make a difference is dumping,cleaning and storing the box.I would guess there will also be an issue with beer glasses being set on top and spilling.

We use 2 and 3 tap boxes, having the lines dangling around when we do a quick dump clean for overnight storage isn't the end of the world but it does make it a bit of a pain,the inevitably get tangled up w/each other. I couldn't imagine having to deal w/ 5 lines hanging out of it. We're also cleaning 15 +/- at a time.

I'd honestly consider building one 2 tap and one 3 tap box,they are much easier to maintain fill and you don't need to bust out the giant cooler every time for a small event,BBQ,etc..

Where are you getting parts from LHBS or distributor?
The Brewery should be able to buy from Foxx,micromatic,etc.. and help save some cash.

 

[Homercidal]

Considering what the cost of a 5 tap Jockey box is going to be I would want the thing to look as nice as possible.
It sounds as if you've weighed all the pros and cons,my thoughts from working Beer Services for events...

Where it's going to make a difference is dumping,cleaning and storing the box.I would guess there will also be an issue with beer glasses being set on top and spilling.

We use 2 and 3 tap boxes, having the lines dangling around when we do a quick dump clean for overnight storage isn't the end of the world but it does make it a bit of a pain,the inevitably get tangled up w/each other. I couldn't imagine having to deal w/ 5 lines hanging out of it. We're also cleaning 15 +/- at a time.

I'd honestly consider building one 2 tap and one 3 tap box,they are much easier to maintain fill and you don't need to bust out the giant cooler every time for a small event,BBQ,etc..

Where are you getting parts from LHBS or distributor?
The Brewery should be able to buy from Foxx,micromatic,etc.. and help save some cash.

I see what you are saying about the extra lines, etc. I'm not sure we'd have 5 beers at once at club functions, but the cold plate is a 5 pass and was donated, so we thought why not have the jockey box ready to handle it?

IMO putting 5 more shanks and attaching hardware is even more clutter than simply pushing the lines through in some fashion. It makes assembly and teardown and cleaning more work too.

For club use, I suspect we would simply have the back of the box facing out so peopel can serve themselves. For the brewery they will have it facing the other way and will have pourers and I would imagine a fancy(er) cover. This would also give a place to put swag, laminated sheets describing the beers being served, etc. Although I have seen plenty of breweries with minimal extras simply serving beer from a cooler. I'm not sure what they will want to do.

 

[Homercidal]

I should model this up in Solidworks for a more visual example...

 

[TWAL]

Have you considered all the lines going through a single hole in the side ?
Be a lot easier to orient the box in either direction based on event.

You could get a clean hole or two glue or thread in some pvc for a pass through and and stuff it with foam pipe insulation when in use then just push the lines back into the box when it's time to store,if that's the route you're going to take.
Put the upgrade in the budget for the following year and plug a single hole.

The only thing to break down is your beer line to the box,the shanks/couplers stay in place.

 

[Homercidal]

Have you considered all the lines going through a single hole in the side ?
Be a lot easier to orient the box in either direction based on event.

You could get a clean hole or two glue or thread in some pvc for a pass through and and stuff it with foam pipe insulation when in use then just push the lines back into the box when it's time to store,if that's the route you're going to take.
Put the upgrade in the budget for the following year and plug a single hole.

The only thing to break down is your beer line to the box,the shanks/couplers stay in place.

I had thought about cementing a flanged bushing of some sort to make getting the lines through the cooler wall easier. Hadn't thought about using a single hole for all lines. I'm not sure that would be better. I'll see what I can find for installing in the holes to make passing the lines through easier. Maybe something in copper would look nice.

 

[The_Dog_42]

Depending on how fancy the brewery wants to get, the idea of the lines through the top of the cooler has better flexibility. Put a disconnect (Tri-clamp or something) at the end of a short line from the chiller. The brewery can build a small plywood frame box with a 5 tap tower on it. Box slides over the cooler and tri-clamps to the jockey box. Club uses cheaper lines and presentation.

 

[TWAL]

Depending on how fancy the brewery wants to get, the idea of the lines through the top of the cooler has better flexibility. Put a disconnect (Tri-clamp or something) at the end of a short line from the chiller. The brewery can build a small plywood frame box with a 5 tap tower on it. Box slides over the cooler and tri-clamps to the jockey box. Club uses cheaper lines and presentation.

It's not the Faucets OP was asking about,its regarding Beer in lines,from kegs to the box.
In a "proper" Jockey box set up beer lines are fed to the box connected to a through wall coupler at the rear of the box into your draft coils (or in this case plate) and out to the faucets on the front side.

OP is looking to save money on the beer in side of the box.

 

[Homercidal]

It's not the Faucets OP was asking about,its regarding Beer in lines,from kegs to the box.
In a "proper" Jockey box set up beer lines are fed to the box connected to a through wall coupler at the rear of the box into your draft coils (or in this case plate) and out to the faucets on the front side.

OP is looking to save money on the beer in side of the box.

Exactly. I don't see the "need" for expensive additional set of bulkead fittings when a simple hole will do the trick.

I haven't heard back from the brewery guy yet. I may have to contact him myself and discuss the build with him.

I should go ahead and get the cooler to start with. That part won't change, and it might be useful for measuring and planning.

One other thing I'd like to do is get some insulation for the liquid lines as they run from the kegs to the cooler. I see a LOT of breweries with exposed lines in the summer heat and they are fighting foam unless they are pouring constantly. I think a little insulation will help prevent the beer from getting warm before the cold plate. Even something as simple as water line tubes might help that.

 

[TallDan]

One other thing I'd like to do is get some insulation for the liquid lines as they run from the kegs to the cooler. I see a LOT of breweries with exposed lines in the summer heat and they are fighting foam unless they are pouring constantly. I think a little insulation will help prevent the beer from getting warm before the cold plate. Even something as simple as water line tubes might help that.

Consider that the idea of a jockey box is to be able to keep your kegs at room temperature and cool the beer to serving temperature as it goes through the jockey box. This, of course, assumes a fairly slow serving rate. If you're keeping the kegs on ice, you don't need a jockey box to cool the beer.

That said, I'd at least make sure that the lines are protected from direct sunlight...

 

[Homercidal]

Consider that the idea of a jockey box is to be able to keep your kegs at room temperature and cool the beer to serving temperature as it goes through the jockey box. This, of course, assumes a fairly slow serving rate. If you're keeping the kegs on ice, you don't need a jockey box to cool the beer.

That said, I'd at least make sure that the lines are protected from direct sunlight...

Seems like everyone could just put their kegs in a tall trash can, fill the can with ice, and serve from a QD/Faucet? This would be MUCH simpler, cheaper, and easier to clean!

 

[TallDan]

Seems like everyone could just put their kegs in a tall trash can, fill the can with ice, and serve from a QD/Faucet? This would be MUCH simpler, cheaper, and easier to clean!

Yeah, but it takes a lot more ice, a lot more room, tends to be messier and less organized.

 

[Homercidal]

Yeah, but it takes a lot more ice, a lot more room, tends to be messier and less organized.

I can see the need for more ice, but I would think that it would actually save space to just have kegs and a CO2 tank and not an additional cooler.

Note I haven't really used a jockey box much. I poured for a brewery last summer. They didn't insulate their lines and had a cooler with either a cold plate or coils. Beer was very hard to pour unless it was pouring constantly. Even a few minutes between poured led to a lot of foam until the whole system was cooled down.

I actually used a 10 gallon drink cooler last summer for myself. I turned the keg upside down and kept the hose coiled around the keg inside the cooler, so the whole thing was submerged in the ice water. It poured really well, compared to the guys who used a jockey box. (Granted I was pouring constantly, but so was everyone...)

Anyway, I'm not suggesting the club and brewery forego a jockey box, I'm just making the observation that in my experience beers tends to pour better when it's chilled for the entire trip from keg to glass.

 

[Spartan1979]

We just cut a chunk of the lid away for the lines (7) to go through. The lines just go into the cooler when we're not using it. We do have a nice wooden cover for the jockey box to use at festivals so things look nicer.

 

[Homercidal]

We just cut a chunk of the lid away for the lines (7) to go through. The lines just go into the cooler when we're not using it. We do have a nice wooden cover for the jockey box to use at festivals so things look nicer.

This is kind of what I was thinking for the brewery. Looks pretty nice.

You can see the jockey box next to that one has lines going in through the back. I don't think it looks as nice, or is as easy to manage, and costs more.

 

[The_Dog_42]

Exactly. I don't see the "need" for expensive additional set of bulkead fittings when a simple hole will do the trick.

I haven't heard back from the brewery guy yet. I may have to contact him myself and discuss the build with him.

I should go ahead and get the cooler to start with. That part won't change, and it might be useful for measuring and planning.

One other thing I'd like to do is get some insulation for the liquid lines as they run from the kegs to the cooler. I see a LOT of breweries with exposed lines in the summer heat and they are fighting foam unless they are pouring constantly. I think a little insulation will help prevent the beer from getting warm before the cold plate. Even something as simple as water line tubes might help that.

SO because there was agreement with that post, I'm going to assume my idea wasn't understood.

With my idea, you can use picnic taps to keep the club cost down. They'd be routed, as you originally stated, through small grommeted cutouts at the top.

Using TC or camlock disconnects on the chiller (or on a small line from the chiller), the brewery can change out the picnic taps to any number of tap ideas. The idea is that the brewery can make a shell that covers the cooler and runs lines (perhaps to a draft tower?) into the quick disconnect.

The club just needs to put in the effort to purchase the picnic tap lines, and balance the system. The brewery fronts the bill for the disconnects and their shell.

 

[madcowbrewing]

The Jockey Box with the lines coming out the back is what most breweries use. I agree it would be better if the customers being served couldn't see them. I poured for a few breweries in CA and I would just drape a table cloth over the lines to keep them out of the sun and so they couldn't be seen. I really don't think the brewery will want picnic taps, it would look unprofessional for them. The club could get away with it, but I think you have to spend the money up front to look good and build one that will last awhile. This is what my club built after a year of saving....should last a long while.

 

[microbusbrewery]

My club poured at a fest last year. We were pouring 10 beers, 4 on a borrowed jockey box and six from picnic taps. The picnic taps worked, but they drip resulting in a big sticky mess after a little while. I'd consider them a backup plan at best. I also have one of those adapters so you can attach a tap directly to a liquid disconnect. Since you have a regular tap handle, they don't get sticky like picnic taps, but in my experience the tend to be a bit temperamental and you need to fiddle with the serving pressure.

I recently built a jockey box. Fittings can get pricey really quick. I went with these for the beverage bulkheads, http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=376_17_46_425&products_id=3368. Definitely cheaper than standard shank bulkheads.

The cheaper route would be grommets, but they'd still have a clean look. Whichever route you go, I'd mount them high. Even though you're not concerned about water leaking out, you don't want water getting between the inner and outer layers of the cooler. If you use a steel cooler it'll lead to rust. Plastic and steel could get really funky with mold if you get water in there.

 

[Homercidal]

Picnic taps are out. I've had enough experience with them to know none of us are going to want to work with them.

The brewery seems to do a decent job with designing nice looking things for the taproom, so I have no doubt they would be able to come up with something to fancy up the jockey box if need be. I haven't heard back from the brewery yet, so maybe I'll try and contact the owner myself and see what he thinks. I'd like to move forward so we can have a get-together to do the build.

 

[NoahBeach]

My club poured at a fest last year. We were pouring 10 beers, 4 on a borrowed jockey box and six from picnic taps. The picnic taps worked, but they drip resulting in a big sticky mess after a little while. I'd consider them a backup plan at best. I also have one of those adapters so you can attach a tap directly to a liquid disconnect. Since you have a regular tap handle, they don't get sticky like picnic taps, but in my experience the tend to be a bit temperamental and you need to fiddle with the serving pressure.

I recently built a jockey box. Fittings can get pricey really quick. I went with these for the beverage bulkheads, http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=376_17_46_425&products_id=3368. Definitely cheaper than standard shank bulkheads.

The cheaper route would be grommets, but they'd still have a clean look. Whichever route you go, I'd mount them high. Even though you're not concerned about water leaking out, you don't want water getting between the inner and outer layers of the cooler. If you use a steel cooler it'll lead to rust. Plastic and steel could get really funky with mold if you get water in there.

This is what I used as well, works perfect and inexpensive!

 

[dfess1]

I don't have mine at the moment to take a picture (fellow member has it), but all I did was drill a hole near the handle of the standard colman cooler. Up high enough so you don't have to worry about water/ice line. Then I took a piece of pvc, rounded the edges, and glued it inside the hole. The four beer lines run out the hole. When it's time to pack it away, the beer line just slides back into the box. For the brewery, I'm going to assume they'll make a cover of some sort, just make it wide enough to allow the lines out the side.

Having helped my buddy with enough beer festivals, their jockey box cover is all collapsable. The top just lays over the sides/front in a channel. And the sides are secured to the front with big piano hinges. Makes it super easy to move around.