Portable Inline Chiller Questions

[gometz]

So I am planning on building a beer chiller so that I can bring kegs to parties/camping this year. My plan is to use a 5 or 10 gallon igloo cooler with a 50 ft copper coil and a tap on the outside (using ice and water inside to cool the beer as it flows through).

I do have some concerns though about the temperature of the kegs: would it be bad for the beer if the keg is warm before getting cooled in the chiller? I am building this for use at my father's 60th birthday party at the end of May and a camping trip in June/July, both in Texas. How would the beer fair in a 80-90*F keg? Would it start tasting nasty? Should I also invest in a few kegloves for them?

For my father's party I am planning 2 kegs, but they can sit inside when not tapped, which would mean about 75*F. But at the camp out, well it's central Texas in June/July, so it could be as hot as 100*F out during the day and I wouldn't have anything to keep the keg cooled (only planning on 1 keg for that trip).

Thanks for any help you can provide!

 

[gometz]

Anyone? No one has any thoughts on this?

 

[mattd2]

Search for Jockey box - that is the normal ter for these.
Firstly I would use a SS instead of copper. From what I have seen most do sit the kegs out during serving but that is usually just for the night. Your dad's party should be fine but not sure on the camping trip. Someone else may chime in but if you were really concerned you could dig a hole, put the keg in a plastic rubish bag and burry it with only the top sticking out!

 

[gometz]

Search for Jockey box - that is the normal ter for these.
Firstly I would use a SS instead of copper. From what I have seen most do sit the kegs out during serving but that is usually just for the night. Your dad's party should be fine but not sure on the camping trip. Someone else may chime in but if you were really concerned you could dig a hole, put the keg in a plastic rubish bag and burry it with only the top sticking out!

Hahaha, that would be an awesome way to do it. I was thinking copper because it's quite a bit cheaper, easier to work with, has good heat conduction, and has anti microbial properties. I really didn't see an upside to stainless steel, maybe i missed something?

Sent from my SGH-I747 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Leithoa]

Copper/Aluminum in direct contact with beverages imparts a taste to acidic beverages. Also you would have to clean the copper line religiously to prevent any oxide from building up. This would not be feasible in small diameter tube.
The oxide(Verdegris) is pretty toxic to us too.
Copper can also react with alcohols and make aldehydes but that only occurs at elevated temperatures.

 

[gometz]

Thank you for that information, looks like stainless is the way to go.