Less foaming = better carbonation and potentially longer lasting head
Here is a question for all of the mixer stick experts!!: Is there any other side effects to a slow pour besides waiting for your glass to fill up? For example, any carbonation, or head retention issues? The reason I ask is because I am set at 20psi for a honey weizen and have 2 mixer sticks in the keg liquid tube. The beer is not fully carbonated yet, but this question popped in my head after a few glasses of good beer!!!
I am using 5ft lines at 12-14 PSI with taps in the fridge door (also used them for months with picnic taps) and have never had a problem with head retention or anything else.. the only "problem" I have heard of with these things is the slow pour you mentioned.. Personally, I dont mind waiting 8-10 seconds to fill my glass... Except that I have to stare at my Seahawks tap handle the whole time and that gives me more time to get even more disgusted with them.....
Does anyone have any concerns about these not being food-grade? I was tempted to order some, but am having second thoughts.
Thanks
hmmm.... I'm just thinking that every drop of the keg comes in contact with that piece.
Are people that are inserting vinyl tubing into the dip tube having similar positive results?
Bought a few of these and am ready to try them with a keg this weekend. Have a question for those who have used these inserts and force carb their kegs: how do they work when forced carbing the beer with the shake method? When I force carb, I send the gas thru the "out" (dip tube) side to saturate the beer directly. I set the pressure at 25-30 psi and shake the keg vigorously for a bit. I am just a little bit concerned that the inserts might get forced out the bottom of the dip tube by the gas pressure/shaking combo - any known issues with that?
It has been a while since I read this whole thread. Is there any rough guideline for how many inserts at different levels of pressure? I suppose it would all depend on hose length too. I've been going with one with most of my beers. All taps are on five foot lines with 12 psi serving pressure. For low carbed beers I'm serving at about 5 psi and not worrying about an insert. I have a wheat beer on deck and am going to be up around 20 psi on that one. I'm thinking I'll need at least two inserts for that keg.
You can also put the inserts in AFTER carbing. I just did that for the Belgian Strong I just put on tap. I carbed it up naturally and it was foaming too much, so I vented it, took the gas in fitting off, popped in two sanitized inserts, put the fitting back on. Now I've got a nice smooth pour at 17 psi (8 ft line)
OK, just bought and installed these in my kegerator. Corneys were 40°F, 10psi, ~6 feet of hose, and pouring very fast but getting only about 1" of head when poured 1" away from galss and ~45° inclination. Not bad, but I figured I'd try these out because I will periodically take a keg to a bonfire in a bucket of ice with a party tap. Got them delivered today, sanitized them, installed one in each dip tube. Brought corneys back to 10psi. Now they pour really really slow and I get about 2" of foam. Didn't expect the foam increase. Anyone else get this?
OK, I broke down and ordered 30 of these from MMC. I know everyone was questioning the food safety of these, but I didn't know they were specifically labeled poisonous.
When I got the invoice from MMC, it said "Warning! This product contains chemicals known to be cancerous". YIKES, you guys are putting these in your beer? I guess I'd rather live with a little foam than die a horrible death from cancer. Anyone want to buy them from me? I paid $38.68, but make me an offer. The food grade tubing restriction in the dip tube is looking better.
You just need to do some research and then make up your mind.
They are made of polypropylene. Polypropylene is used in tons of food containers. The Coke you drank today has a polypropylene cap, and the pH is far lower than that of beer (extreme pH ranges tend to increase leaching of chemicals/materials). I would not worry.
Here's a link. http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/plastics.html
I occasionally creep the pressure up to 14-15 psi, but the blondes tend to get too bubbly and over-carbonated for my taste. I know folks advocate the use of these to allow multiple styles of beer on the same serving pressure, but I have found that if you leave any beer at a higher pressure it will take on that carb level regardless of the restrictor. Just something to think about...
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