Starbucks nitro faucet brand?

Homebrew Talk

Help Support Homebrew Talk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

eulipion2

Supporting Member
HBT Supporter
Joined
Sep 4, 2006
Messages
1,808
Reaction score
121
Location
Lakeville, PA
I was at Starbucks today and ordered the nitro cold brew. While waiting for my drink I noticed the nitro faucet was different from any I'd seen before, but I can't find them anywhere online, so I thought I'd ask here. Can anyone tell me what brand this is?
Image_1 2019-05-03_20-13-50.jpeg
 
Last edited:
My daughter used to work at Starbucks. I'll see if she can find out .

Well sorry I'm no help. She has no idea. They didnt have that set up where she was.
 
Last edited:
Ooo thanks for that! Looks about right. Can't find the stout option though; maybe it's a Starbucks exclusive?

Looks like something they do.

"
New product development and brand innovation is at the core of our business.

We passionately seek adventurous, customer driven projects that allow us the latitude to develop new and novel innovative solutions that enhance our customers on trade brand differentiation, inspires the consumer to select their brands and increases their revenue growth through improved dispense quality & performance.

We believe that brand innovation drives revenue and differentiation in a saturated market.

We believe that speed to market reduces product life cycles, enhances our customer’s margins and ensures they can rapidly develop their brands to the emerging market needs.

We believe that brand innovators win!

Our aim is new product concept to brand delivery in less than 6 months!

To learn more please browse our initial projects or contact [email protected]."

http://www.pipdesign.ie/trupour/brand/brand.html
 
Huh. Probably a slim chance of laying hands on one, but I like the design. It still might be worth an email; worst that can happen is they say no. It looks like it would be less likely to wear out/leak like a standard nitro faucet diaphragm does (EDIT: I'm assuming the guts are based on the same design as the ROTOtap, just with a different spout.)

That said, I've had my nitro setup for a couple years now and still haven't used it, so if I'm thinking logically it's obviously not a high priority. Still, shiny and new, so I obviously need it!
 
I have the intertaps . Just a swap of the tip and I have a nitro tap. I hear ya on the how many times you use your nitro set up. At my pace its about once a year lol. I'm the same way with shiny new toys haha
 
I have the intertaps . Just a swap of the tip and I have a nitro tap. I hear ya on the how many times you use your nitro set up. At my pace its about once a year lol. I'm the same way with shiny new toys haha
I have a couple Intertaps and stout spouts as well. While I haven't used them (the stout faucets), I've heard mixed reviews. That said, it's the cheapest, simplest option for the occasional nitro brew. I also have a Micromatic stout faucet, for which they recommend not allowing the handle to exceed a 45-degree angle or else risk damage to the diaphragm. I've been looking at the Taprite model, which doesn't have that warning, but the ROTOtap (apparently) eliminates that concern, and the diaphragm, altogether.
 
Last edited:
I can assure you they're awesome. I set my beer gas to 35psi . I get a nice solid minute cascade . I cant put up a video but heres a gif of it .20181129_180039_1.gif
 
It's been a little over two years, and I'm bringing this one back. We bought a house and I'm finally getting the brewery set up after more than a year and a half! The built-in "beverage cooler" in the kitchen died, and we just replaced it with a kegerator; I had to promise the wife that it would be used primarily for coffee since I have an 8-tap kegerator in the basement.

I currently have an Intertap (RIP) on the kitchen kegerator, but I just saw a Starbucks commercial the other day that showed this faucet, and it's jumpstarted my obsession all over again.

So, has anyone seen one of these for sale? When I first emailed the ROTOtap people about it my email went unanswered, and I've never seen one anywhere other than Starbucks. I'm beginning to resent Starbucks for hoarding these awesome faucets!
 
Arrgh! So close!

There are all kinds of Rototap faucets but the ones with the apparent stout spout seem rare.
But I came across a service bulletin for that Rototap faucet here: https://www.multiplexbeverage.com/asset/?id=fobwou&regions=us&prefLang=en
Check out the pictures - aside from the handle that's definitely the faucet pictured at the top of this thread.

Ok, so it's a Multiplex brand, owned by Welbilt (list of brands here Welbilt - Our Brands).
So we go to this page: Multiplex Beverage - Search
Scroll down ~2/3rd of the page to the "Rototap" heading in red font on the left - and try clicking on it.
Multiplex Beverage - Product

"Sorry - you can't see this"

WTF?

Ok, fine - you can change your region to the UK, reload the page, et voila!
But it's just the generic version shown - can't seem to get the stout faucet to show up...
 
Last edited:
Following the link in post #4, the TRUpour fonts seem to have the nitro variant installed, but that's about it. The "Related Products" links to the standard edition. Don't these people realize that homebrewers, and the craft beer industry as a whole, like shiny objects? C'mon, Multiplex - get it together!
 
Thanks to another user I have some (probably) good news, and a question. @BBBF sent me a link to an auction for two of these faucets. I made an offer, they accepted, and here we are:
1625250520784.jpeg

For some reason one of the spouts was cut off at an angle. Not entirely sure why, and I can't find out what it does for the pour until I figure out what kind of shank will work with these. Notice the little cone things sticking out the shank end. They extend too far, and my shanks aren't deep enough. The seller said they worked on his kegerator, so I'll shoot him a question as well, but does anyone have a suggestion? Surely they aren't just shiny paperweights.
 
The cone is for flow control. You need a euro shank that has room for it.

Is it actually part of the faucet or does the faucet screw into it? It looks like it is two parts.
 
It looks like two parts, but if you take off the flow control part it doesn't look like the threads would fit a beer shank. I need to take a little time and tear one down.
 
Here is a video on taking the faucet apart. It definitely needs a euro shank or an additional adapter. Although I still think you may be able to remove the flow control and use the faucet directly to your standard shank. For nitro coffee, that may be all you need.

 
I tore the faucets apart today for a much-needed OxiClean soak. I couldn't get the flow control portion off, and I'm really not sure if/how they come off. Fortunately I found a shank that'll work: the Intertap/Nukatap Tower Shank is basically hollow and fits the flow control shuttle perfectly. The body was a little wider than the previous shank, and also the hole in the tower, so I had to dig out my step bit and files, but now it's a perfect fit.
IMG_4126.jpg

On one of the faucets the piece that connects the spout to the faucet body came off. It looks like there should be some type of o-ring or gasket, but nothing was on there when it came apart. This part on the other faucet doesn't budge. I tried. I can't imagine it's metal-to-metal friction fit with so much pressure behind it, and also since the other one doesn't move.
IMG_4129.JPG

The only other concern I have with these is where to source the white barrel portion in the event that one wears or breaks. I'll have to contact Micromatic and hope for the best. The Multiplex/TRUpour people haven't responded to either of the emails I've sent in the past. That said, if I could find a food grade 3D filament I trusted I could possibly have them printed in bulk.
IMG_4128.JPG

I've only done one test pour from this tap, but it's pretty sexy. Since installing my nitro system in the kitchen a couple weeks ago I've had the Intertap w/nitro spigot, the Taprite stout faucet, and this one, and based on that single pour I prefer this, followed by the Intertap, although the Intertap is probably easier to clean. The Taprite is fine, but had a little whine during pours. I also own a Micromatic stout faucet, but haven't seen fit to install it yet. I think the Taprite and Micromatic might get sold off.

Hopefully I can get a couple pour videos if there's any discernible difference between the regular spigot and the one that was cutoff.
IMG_4133.JPG
 
I tried both spouts today. No video because there's no real difference in pour, but the angled spout doesn't give the liquid anything to hold onto resulting in less dripping after the pour.
 
Back
Top