Beer line

[mrkeeg]

pre-amble:
Sorry for this being a rather bad cross post from a question I asked in another thread. Also sorry because I know I've seen discussion of this somewhere else on the forum... can't seem to search it out though. Seems like something worth it's own thread though?

Beer line:

How important are the characteristics of the line from keg to tap?

One merchant's site (forget where) claimed that some unsuited lines can cause off-tastes and foaming. The local large hardware store has food-safe vinyl tubing... cheaper than the "beer line" at LHB. What about the reinforced (white fishnet) vs plain clear line?

Thanks,
Keegan

 

[bikebryan]

pre-amble:
Sorry for this being a rather bad cross post from a question I asked in another thread. Also sorry because I know I've seen discussion of this somewhere else on the forum... can't seem to search it out though. Seems like something worth it's own thread though?

Beer line:

How important are the characteristics of the line from keg to tap?

One merchant's site (forget where) claimed that some unsuited lines can cause off-tastes and foaming. The local large hardware store has food-safe vinyl tubing... cheaper than the "beer line" at LHB. What about the reinforced (white fishnet) vs plain clear line?

Thanks,
Keegan

What's important is knowing the resistance in pounds per foot, so you can balance it to your keg pressure. Buying from somebody who KNOWS what this number is (aka, you LHBS or an online supplier) ensures you get the right stuff. Buying unknowns results in unknowns.

 

[mrkeeg]

Hmm, ok, thanks Bryan.

I have a few unknowns anyway... since I run it through the soda pop/ electric jockey box kinda thing, with an unknown length and resistance of metal tubing in the cooling coil....

I guess the food grade vinyl should be fine then, since I'll have to experiment anyway...

I need about 12ft of vinyl, then there is this metal tube (guessing 10ft) ... I think I'll have to go with 1/4" then...

Let ya'll know how it goes... (PS: lots of foaming last year with "original equipment" - 6 ft 1/4" reinforced line before the metal coils, kegs kept basically at room temp.....) The longer line will let me keep the kegs in a slightly cooler spot .. and the length should increase resistance/decrease foaming as well...

Keegan

 

[PT Ray]

There are a couple concerns I can think of. Vinyl tubing is more prone to expanding causing a slight decrease in pressure. This drop in pressure will foam the beer in the lines before it ever exits the tap. The larger the tubing the more expansion will occur. Most of the vinyl tubing has a wall thickness of 1/16" regardless of the size (if I did my math correctly) so it does not get thicker with bigger lines. Braided hose is pretty rigid and won't expand minimizing the foaming effect. Down side is it's a little harder to work with. I can't say how big of an issue this really is but just something I have observed.

 

[kneemoe]

Keegan,
i use normal food grade vinyl tubing, 3/8 ID and keep my pressure reg. set at 6-7lbs...rarely if ever do i need to adjust the regulator, i dont have over-foaming problems or any of the like, so i'd say go for it so long as the line from keg to tap is short (mine's just about 3')

-just be aware that if you're keeping your keg at near room temps and using a jockey-box element to cool it, your keg may (and likely *will*) spoil earlier than you'd like it to