ilikethetrees
Well-Known Member
I was tooling around on the inimitable braukaiser.com and I struck upon this:
http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php/Kompensatorzapfhahn
This looks like a great thing to have for us keg-at-home types who often have setups that request a shorter serving tube length. Basically, the needle valve in the beer faucet allows one to increase or decrease the serving resistance, allowing for equidistant serving line length for multiple beers under varying carbonation. So you can have a hefeweizen or a belgian running to the same faucet from the same distance as a porter or a barleywine without worrying about foaming.
I am aware of the epoxy mixer inserts for the diptube that Bobby_M uses to restrict flow for high-carb beers (and I've ordered some from Grainger myself) but it occurred to me that the effect of Kompensatorzaphahn faucets could be replicated with a simple needle valve of some sort. McMaster-Carr has many types available.
For example: http://www.mcmaster.com/#flow-control-needle-valves/=e04yek
The benefit would be that flow restriction could be dialed in for any type of beer at any carbonation level without spending the extra money on a fancy faucet. If it works, it would be much easier to ensure proper cleaning and sanitation of an inline needle valve like those made by McMaster-Carr, as well. Though this method of restricting flow might be a bit more expensive than using epoxy mixer inserts, it would allow one to modify a pressurized system without breaking down a keg altogether and recarbonating beer, and would be much more customizable.
Anyone tried something like this? Any potential downsides to the idea that I'm not thinking of here? I'm new to kegging but I think I'd like to give this method a whirl very soon. My results to follow.
http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php/Kompensatorzapfhahn
This looks like a great thing to have for us keg-at-home types who often have setups that request a shorter serving tube length. Basically, the needle valve in the beer faucet allows one to increase or decrease the serving resistance, allowing for equidistant serving line length for multiple beers under varying carbonation. So you can have a hefeweizen or a belgian running to the same faucet from the same distance as a porter or a barleywine without worrying about foaming.
I am aware of the epoxy mixer inserts for the diptube that Bobby_M uses to restrict flow for high-carb beers (and I've ordered some from Grainger myself) but it occurred to me that the effect of Kompensatorzaphahn faucets could be replicated with a simple needle valve of some sort. McMaster-Carr has many types available.
For example: http://www.mcmaster.com/#flow-control-needle-valves/=e04yek
The benefit would be that flow restriction could be dialed in for any type of beer at any carbonation level without spending the extra money on a fancy faucet. If it works, it would be much easier to ensure proper cleaning and sanitation of an inline needle valve like those made by McMaster-Carr, as well. Though this method of restricting flow might be a bit more expensive than using epoxy mixer inserts, it would allow one to modify a pressurized system without breaking down a keg altogether and recarbonating beer, and would be much more customizable.
Anyone tried something like this? Any potential downsides to the idea that I'm not thinking of here? I'm new to kegging but I think I'd like to give this method a whirl very soon. My results to follow.
