Opinion - picnic or shanks/permanent taps?

Hello,

I am super green to the kegging side of home brewing. Thus, I need all the insight from the community I can get.

I have:

chest freezer
four 5 gallon ball locks

The freezer will accommodate all four kegs (one on hump) and a 20# CO2 tank. Unfortunately, that's how I want it. Why is that unfortunate? Because that configuration will require a collar...which (duh) requires more work.
So, the thought I had was "I would like to dispense beer nicely using flow control taps (Perlick 650SS). Because I must install a collar, it would probably make sense to install shanks and taps." Right?

However... the concerns I have with that setup are:

• cost of shanks/Perlicks.
• I'm not handy so there is a chance I could mess up the collar.
• Would more maintenance and/or more frequent cleaning be required with these taps versus picnic taps?

And that's why I've landed here, scratching my head. I am under the impression picnic taps would get me to serving kegged beer sooner (less expensive than shanks). I am also under the impression that the picnic taps would allow the dispensing of beer to an acceptable pour although, perhaps not as nice as the flow control Perlicks. The big one - if the picnic taps require less maintenance/cleaning/headache than the Perlicks, I am practically sold on it.

Realistically, I know there is no shortcut to good beer. However, I am willing to compromise on the way the beer is dispensed if it means I can save money, get the beer into kegs instead of bottles sooner, and won't have to be cleaning stuff as often.

Note - the look of the keezer with permanent taps is only a bonus. I've got a FUGLY freezer - the goal is to keg, not to showcase the dispensing vessel.

Thanks for your opinions and advice!

I prefer a pluto beer gun to picnic taps on my collarless keezer.

I've been using picnic taps in my cooler simply due to cost. After a year or so, I'm moving to real taps. The picnic taps are more like.... temporary use. I had 2 fail, the handle came off of 1 (little plastic pins bend), the rubber stopper inside 1 started leaking, and just this weekend I had to wire the handle to keep another one from falling off.
I bought a Perlick 630SS package at brewhardware.com a while back, but have yet to mount it. I did do a portable setup for this past weekend with it, and now I'm building my shopping list for the second one. I'll keep the picnic ones around, just in case.
If cost is the critical point, go with the picnic taps, but keep spares on hand.

I serve one keg in a beer fridge and use a picnic tap - it is easy peasy.

I will look into Pluto, haven't heard of it. Thanks.

Cost is less the factor but a close second to convenience/ability to maintain and clean the taps with less involvement. Thanks.

Intertap flow control will save you some cash. I have their non flow control and nice faucets!

I've been using picnic taps for almost two years. Finally stepping up to faucets. I have two Intertaps, a regular with the self closing spring and a flow control. I'll get a second of whichever I like better.

Maintenance is really minimal once you set it up. You have to clean your kegs anyways so just run the PBW and Starsan through the taps when cleaning. Buy once Cry once IMO. Up to you though. Is that more of a pain then constantly lifting your lid? Maybe not.

I started with picnic taps. What a PITA to open the door, find the tap, pour the beer, recoil the line and close the door just to get a beer. Get the taps!!!

Plus mine is in a fridge so every time I opened the door all the cold air came rushing out. It is an energy waster.

I have been using picnic taps for the last couple of years. Mainly b/c I had a mini fridge with one keg sometimes two. Earlier this year the mini fridge died so I replaced it with a full side by side and converted it to keep the kegs in the freezer side and a fermentation chamber on the fridge side. I have also upgraded to doing 10 gallon batches, so I normally have three beers on tap now. With that being said, one of the picnic taps broke and wouldn't stop dispensing beer this weekend. I've had these picnic taps break occasionally and it's frustrating b/c it always seems like it happens when its busy (gatherings, cook-outs, parties, etc...). So I am in the process of ordering Intertap SS flow control taps, SS Shanks and all the other equipment.

Also as others have said, I can't wait to pour a beer and not open the fridge and have the unit kick on almost every time.

Damn! Seems that participants here are in a different camp that participants over there:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=588325

Not making my decision any easier to make haha

So, losing the cold air from opening the freezer lid isn't a big deal, to me. At least, with consideration to the expenditure of energy it would create. However, someone mentioned the factor of finding the tap and recoiling the line once the pint is poured. Boo. Besides that nuisance and the potential for broken taps with ::GASP:: an unintentional uncontrollable flow of beer, what other case can be made for why not to just use the picnic taps?

The "cool factor" of pouring off a faucet means **** to me. I do find the concept of sturdy construction versus picnic tap appealing, however. See above concern re: broken picnic causing big mess. So, please argue this...

Required method and frequency of cleaning picnics versus faucets and shanks. Do I need to disassemble the shanks and faucets to clean and/or sanitize them? How often? I've been given the impression that the picnic taps require less maintenance. Combine that with the drastically reduced cost of picnics versus faucets and I'm leaning towards picnics.

All ears, links to other threads/articles welcome. Thanks!

the collar build is really simple. just four 2x6 or 2x8's depending on how tall you need for the keg on the hump. then just use construction adhesive (liquid nails is typical brand) and glue the collar to the top of the freezer. screw the hinges of the lid into the collar and voila. then you can get a tap and shank for $15 or so from lhbs in cheap chrome finish. upgrade to intertap later if desired. I push a gallon of star san mixed water through my keg and out the tap between each keg. I rack directly into the keezer and rarely lift my kegs out. they're kinda frozen to the bottom anyway.

I don't think there is any difference between the two when it comes to cleaning them. When the keg kicks and you clean the keg, clean the lines at the same time too. Here's what I do with my picnic taps and would do the same with the Intertaps once I have them.

After cleaning the keg and before rinsing it it, place some of the warm cleaning solution in the keg and attach it to the tap. Run the cleaning solution through the tap for a few minutes. Disconnect the keg, dump and rinse. Place some hot water into the now clean keg and run that through the tap which you just had cleaner running through it. After a minute or two of running hot water through it, then you're done.

Now it might be over kill after every keg that kicks, but I wouldn't want it to sit with beer in the lines for an extended period of time. I think the maintenance of the two is quite similar. I find it is always best to clean items as soon as possible to prevent anything from drying up and sticking to it.

That's just my two cents. Good luck with your decisions.