Different shanks..

[underwaterdan]

I am hoping someone can help my confusion. There seems to be a number of different types of shanks(excluding sizes of course). There are Staineless and non stainless with a nipple, without a nipple, 1/4 inch bore or 3/16 inch bore. I understand the different bore size, just whatever one you use stick with it . I however don't understand what you would do if you got a shank without a nipple, how do you hook the beer line up to it? Seems like you would need to buy a nipple to do so.

 

[McKBrew]

You are right, you would have to buy a seperate nipple.

Not including the faucet you will need

1) The shank (most of these come with the outside cover and the large nut to hold it onto the collar, door, etc...

2) Neoprene washer

3) Nipple (also referred to as tailpiece).

4) Tailpiece nut.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

What you'd need has been said.

Now here is a why.

I personally prefer the multi-piece assembly. Shank, Tailpiece, Washer, Beer Nut. As opposed to the shanks with the barb already brazed or welded on.

Purely from a cleaning standpoint, I like to be able to take the tailpiece and hose assembly loose for cleaning. Of course, I also soak my lines in a tub of line cleaner rather than use the pump style cleaner. Otherwise, I'd have to remove the shank and lineset from the keezer to clean it this way.

You can also get a MFL tailpiece thus making line removale independant.

 

[Myrdhyn]

^^ Multipiece is what I went with, but I don't take apart to clean/sanitize. What I do put my cleaner of choice (oxyclean atm) and 2.5gal of HOT water in my keg then shake shake shake and pump it out the faucet with CO2. I repeat with plain hot water, and then Starsan. Cleans, rinses, and sanitizes the keg, fittings, lines, shank, and faucet all at once. Yeah it uses a bit of CO2, but it is cheap and much faster.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

^^ Multipiece is what I went with, but I don't take apart to clean/sanitize. What I do put my cleaner of choice (oxyclean atm) and 2.5gal of HOT water in my keg then shake shake shake and pump it out the faucet with CO2. I repeat with plain hot water, and then Starsan. Cleans, rinses, and sanitizes the keg, fittings, lines, shank, and faucet all at once. Yeah it uses a bit of CO2, but it is cheap and much faster.

Really? Wow, If I didn't use a line cleaner after at least every other keg I'd have beerstone throughout my line. Maybe you drink faster than I do.

 

[Myrdhyn]

I'm only on my first batch, so we'll see how well the method works in the future.

However, I don't see why running hot cleaner (oxyclean, detergent, PBW, etc) throught it, then hot water, then starsan wouldn't keep everything clean. Remember I'm pushing each of these iterations out as if they were beer, from the keg, through the diptube and post, through the ball-lock fittings, through the beverage line/barb/shank, and then faucet. So everywhere beer would be gets cleaned, rinsed, and sanitized. I also start and stop the faucet a handful of times throughout each step of hte process to make sure the seals and whatnot get cleaned also.