Self closing faucet vs Perlick

[HOPtuary]

Guys I know this has been talked about somewhere out there but wanted to get everyones opinion. I am looking to get 4 new taps for my keezer build. Would you suggest going with the self-closing faucets to keep idiots from keeping them open or go with the Perlick faucets? Also would you go with SS or chrome for the faucets and the shanks? All comments are welcome. Thanks!

 

[day_trippr]

The only self-closing faucets I've seen are rear-sealing. Not a problem if you don't leave beer in your faucets for more than a few days between pours, but can be a big problem if you go on vacation for a week (I've read of folks that have literally broken tap handles trying to free up a stuck-fast faucet).

I'd go with stainless faucets and shanks every time - especially after seeing pics posted on the forums of shanks and faucets that have lost the plating in contact with beer. Not so much because of the exposed brass - but because all that lost plating ended up in someone.

Back to the faucets: I run a half-dozen 525-SS Perls from Perlick, but they will apparently be discontinuing that popular faucet in favor of a new (and hopefully improved) 600 series design that has yet to be released. I haven't had any problems with mine aside from having to tune one of the six up when I first installed them a few years ago, so I wouldn't be concerned with buying them, but there have been folks that have had trouble with theirs, so you might want to wait on the new series.

Or, alternatively, you could go with the Vent-Matic forward sealing faucets - once they come out with their latest tweaked set of bushings and gaskets (which should be any day now)...

Cheers!

 

[univ0298]

Back to the faucets: I run a half-dozen 525-SS Perls from Perlick, but they will apparently be discontinuing that popular faucet in favor of a new (and hopefully improved) 600 series design that has yet to be released.

Do you have any further details on this 600 series? I searched and could not find any other mention of it anywhere. I'm interested to know when they are expected.

Thanks

 

[day_trippr]

Do you have any further details on this 600 series? I searched and could not find any other mention of it anywhere. I'm interested to know when they are expected.

Thanks

Sorry, no. There hasn't been a peep published by Perlick directly in all of this yet, best as I can tell. When Perlick was offering to replace 525s with their rear-sealing faucet to folks who called to complain, I seem to recall someone mentioning that they were told there was a new design coming in the Spring...

Cheers!

[edit] A timely post on another thread sheds more light on the 525 replacement...

 

[Spartan1979]

What's wrong with the 525's? I have three of them.

 

[ocluke]

Guys I know this has been talked about somewhere out there but wanted to get everyones opinion. I am looking to get 4 new taps for my keezer build. Would you suggest going with the self-closing faucets to keep idiots from keeping them open or go with the Perlick faucets? Also would you go with SS or chrome for the faucets and the shanks? All comments are welcome. Thanks!

The Perlick 545PC was the only Perlick flow control option until recently. It is chrome plated brass. I have been holding out for the stainless steel version, which just came out as the 650SS, or 690SS if you want the creamer functionality (for your guests to spill beer all over your floor trying to shut it off). You can get the 650SS at a few places, including Beverage Factory, Adventures in Homebrewing, and Perlick's website. At the time of this post, they are currently 20% off at Beverage Factory, and if you sign up for the email newsletter, you get $10 off your first order of $100 or more.

As far as going chrome plated brass or stainless steel, that is an economic decision only. Chrome plated brass is cheaper. Stainless steel will last longer than the chrome plating will.

 

[30Bones]

I will post my $0.02 since I just pulled the trigger this week on 5 perlick 525PC and shanks from RiteBrew.com I have 2 old no-name cheap faucets that I have not used in years because they always gave me fits in my younger days of brewing and inexperience. Stuck faucets and gunk in my beers turned me to simple/cheap picnic taps for the last few years. I have 3 shanks already and ordered 2 more to complete my kegorator and none is SS. I hope I don't regret this purchase or being a cheap ass, but my $140 order would have doubled going with SS faucets, shanks and tail pieces.

I emailed them asking if SS was needed. I know that is a 100% subjective question and this is what I got in response.

I wouldn't worry about the chrome coming off, everybody seems very happy with the 525PC version. Plus if you're going SS, you should get SS shanks as well which is more $$.

I'd say the only good reason to go all stainless is if you plan to do a lot of sour beers (or wine) on tap. The low pH can eat away at brass.

But some people just like Stainless Steel, so it's your choice.

 

[tnlandsailor]

Around 2004 - 2005, Perlick had competition in the forward sealing faucet market from Vent-Matic. Vent-Matic then had some devastating manufacturing problems (the Tsunami of late 2004) and legal issues with Perlick regarding the design. From 2005 until just last year, Perlick was the only game in town.

But, at long last, the Vent-Matic faucets are available again. You can get them at the link below:

CHI Company

I have not personally evaluated the new Vent-Matics but have used 6 of the ones from 2005 and they are of extremely high quality and flawless operation. I can't recommend the Vent-Matics highly enough. No affiliation, blah blah blah.

 

[dobe12]

I upgraded to 525SS faucets at the beginning of the year and could not be happier. They are better for so many reasons. No sticking, better pour, don't need to hold the faucet while pouring, etc.

If idiot friends don't know how to shut off a tap, you don't need new taps. You need new (smarter) friends

 

[30Bones]

Around 2004 - 2005, Perlick had competition in the forward sealing faucet market from Vent-Matic. Vent-Matic then had some devastating manufacturing problems (the Tsunami of late 2004) and legal issues with Perlick regarding the design. From 2005 until just last year, Perlick was the only game in town.

But, at long last, the Vent-Matic faucets are available again. You can get them at the link below:

CHI Company

I have not personally evaluated the new Vent-Matics but have used 6 of the ones from 2005 and they are of extremely high quality and flawless operation. I can't recommend the Vent-Matics highly enough. No affiliation, blah blah blah.

There are/were a handful of these in the FS section recently, but the price was well out of my budget (and used) or I would have bought them

 

[tnlandsailor]

I thought that the Perlick 425's were great (still have a couple on my jockey box). They had the same basic design as the Vent-Matics which I think was the reason they were discontinued - there was a design lawsuit. Eventually, the 525's came out which eliminated the shuttle part of the design and got around the lawsuit. I never really liked the 525's but I probably stand in the minority. I thought the "throw" on the faucet was really long - you had to move the handle about twice as far as the previous design. Also, the shut off was not very secure - it seemed like I was always trying to push the handle closed a second time because it didn't seem like it seated very well. There was also some care involved in reassembling the faucet to make sure the plastic slotted washer was in the correct orientation. Small things like this are reasons I would pick one over the other.

I haven't been in the faucet market for quite some time, but a quick look at some of the standard retail websites show only a few bucks more for the Vent-Matic faucet vs. the Perlick, but I didn't dig very deep. I'm sure there are bargains to be had. From a pure performance and design standpoint, I think the Vent-Matic is a better faucet.

 

[ocluke]

I have not personally evaluated the new Vent-Matics but have used 6 of the ones from 2005 and they are of extremely high quality and flawless operation. I can't recommend the Vent-Matics highly enough. No affiliation, blah blah blah.

There are at lease a couple of threads on here (here's one, and here's another) discussing problems with the new Vent-Matics. I'd read those before ordering.

 

[ocluke]

I will post my $0.02 since I just pulled the trigger this week on 5 perlick 525PC and shanks from RiteBrew.com I have 2 old no-name cheap faucets that I have not used in years because they always gave me fits in my younger days of brewing and inexperience. Stuck faucets and gunk in my beers turned me to simple/cheap picnic taps for the last few years. I have 3 shanks already and ordered 2 more to complete my kegorator and none is SS. I hope I don't regret this purchase or being a cheap ass, but my $140 order would have doubled going with SS faucets, shanks and tail pieces.

I'm sure you'll be happy with your taps/shanks. The reason I spent the extra money for stainless was because (A) it's a one time purchase, not an ongoing cost, and (B) the parts in question are not visible, and therefore if there was a compromise between the chrome plating and the brass, it wouldn't be evident.

Another thought that my paranoid mind had was that Star San works at a pH below 3.0 (at the recommended dilution, most people report a pH closer to 2.5). That pH is well below the pH of any sour beer you are going to make. So, if you're regularly cleaning and sanitizing your draft system, and leaving Star San in empty lines when not in use, you're exposing your taps to a low pH solution on a regular basis.

 

[30Bones]

I have never soaked items in starsan. I flush the line/faucet with starsan after every keg, sooner if I have off flavors or the keg is lasting longer than normal.