TAP-A-DRAFT: first impression...

[limulus]

I still use the old style with two carts (I have 2 of those regulators). I can use one CO2 and one N cart when I want to. Do you guys who have both types like one better than the other?

 

[sengsational]

Really? Those fit the tap-a-draft?

No. Do not buy threaded.

If you jump to about 10:30 in this video, you'll see the cartridges they sent with the kit (unthreaded).

 

[sengsational]

I still use the old style with two carts (I have 2 of those regulators). I can use one CO2 and one N cart when I want to. Do you guys who have both types like one better than the other?

I have both types. 8 gram cartridges are cheaper by the gram, so that's the main reason I like to use the old style tap. The new style tap has a flakier connection between the cartridge and the tap. I'm still using the box of 16 gram cartridges that came with the newer tap, but I even use the 8 gram cartridges in the miller home draft taps (I use a home-made converter). I like using 8 gram units because sometimes 16 grams is not enough to push out all the beer, so can get it delivered with 3 x 8 rather than 2 x 16. I'm not much for the nitrous mix, but that is a benefit to the old tap style. But since you can't get the old taps anymore, really not much to talk about except that if I had a good old style tap, I'd not be in a rush to get the new style.

 

[nut4wine]

Actually, that is not true (former law weasel here). If they have a store return policy posted they don't really have to take them back. That is true in almost every state. Now the ethical thing would be to take them back.

The concept of "Fitness for a Particular Purpose" says that if the seller knows of a particular purpose for which the goods are being purchased, then there is an implied warranty of fitness. So, if they knew you were buying cartridges for a tap-a-draft and told you they would work in it and they don't, the implied warranty has been broken. The seller is obligated to take them back.

 

[mewithstewpid]

No. Do not buy threaded.

If you jump to about 10:30 in this video, you'll see the cartridges they sent with the kit (unthreaded).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8YGKqpWp_E

there are others on amazon.com that are not threaded:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0064ONF5I/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Tiroux]

Hey guys! I mostly heard about the 8 gram carts system, but I'm about to buy the 16 grams, because it's the only one available.

Have you tried it? Is there 2 carts in it or only one?
If there's only 1 cart, what is the way to use N2 for stout?

 

[Shooter]

Hey guys! I mostly heard about the 8 gram carts system, but I'm about to buy the 16 grams, because it's the only one available.

Have you tried it? Is there 2 carts in it or only one?
If there's only 1 cart, what is the way to use N2 for stout?

Only one cart in the new system. As for using nitrous with it, I think the truth is, you probably don't. I suppose you could carb it up with CO2 and see if you can just push with nitrous, but I don't know if that would work correctly. Honestly, I was never too impresed with the nitrous pour on my 2 cart system.

 

[mewithstewpid]

Hey guys! I mostly heard about the 8 gram carts system, but I'm about to buy the 16 grams, because it's the only one available.

Have you tried it? Is there 2 carts in it or only one?
If there's only 1 cart, what is the way to use N2 for stout?

i have the 2 cart. just use co2, the N2 does nothing, although i still sometime use a mixe of co2/n2 just to save on co2 carts.

Remember, its not the actual gas that does anything for nitro stouts on tap, its the high pressure through the filter nozzle, and i dont think that can be achieved with a TAD.

 

[Tiroux]

i have the 2 cart. just use co2, the N2 does nothing, although i still sometime use a mixe of co2/n2 just to save on co2 carts.

Remember, its not the actual gas that does anything for nitro stouts on tap, its the high pressure through the filter nozzle, and i dont think that can be achieved with a TAD.

Oh I see. Thats great info! Thanks!

 

[MagooBrew]

Can you use th TaD System to store non primed beer in and force carbonate one at a time as needed?

 

[Kolenka]

Can you use th TaD System to store non primed beer in and force carbonate one at a time as needed?

You can, although you'll use up more CO2 that way. I can prime 3+ TAD bottles for the cost of force carbonating 1 TAD bottle. I tend to reserve it for carbonating things like apple cider around the holidays.

 

[MagooBrew]

Thanks for the reply

 

[sengsational]

Can you use th TaD System to store non primed beer in and force carbonate one at a time as needed?

It's my experience that it takes 16 grams of CO2 to force carb and another 16 grams to deliver. I have modified some taps (old TAD and MHD, but not new TAD) to allow forced carbonation. This way, I can drink the beer the day after I rack into the bottle. So yes, it takes more CO2, but it's only $0.66 since I bought my CO2 in bulk.

--Dale--

 

[mewithstewpid]

It's my experience that it takes 16 grams of CO2 to force carb and another 16 grams to deliver. I have modified some taps (old TAD and MHD, but not new TAD) to allow forced carbonation. This way, I can drink the beer the day after I rack into the bottle. So yes, it takes more CO2, but it's only $0.66 since I bought my CO2 in bulk.

--Dale--

where did you buy? i have been buying from amazon but its not that cheap

 

[sengsational]

where did you buy? i have been buying from amazon but its not that cheap

Hmm, I was under the impression that if you bought large enough quantities, Amazon could be fairly reasonable. But I buy from Red Rock Minnesota. Used to be you had to have your calculator out when trying to find the deal on that site, but last time I looked, there were helpful hints. I haven't bought in a really long time since, when I buy, I BUY! And I sometimes have people to split with.

--Dale--

 

[titansvol]

I’m having an issue where all the CO2 escapes from under the cartridge is punctured. Any suggestions?

 

[Yellowirenut]

Found this on ebay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BEST-CO2-CO...167?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item257526488f

The price seems high for not including the regulator...all you get is the fittings and tube.

 

[sengsational]

I’m having an issue where all the CO2 escapes from under the cartridge is punctured. Any suggestions?

I presume you have the current model tap a draft that uses 16 gram cartridges? The neck shape and size of the cartridge is going to be critical on these, so I would not advise using anything except the same shape and size cartridges that came with your unit. These would be non-threaded, of course. Although I've had trouble with leaking on Miller Home Draft taps, my 'real' tap-a-draft 16 gram model has not leaked CO2. The tap will spontaniously open and dribble beer if the lock is not locked, though, so watch out for that. So although there is a difference in the way the CO2 cartridge seats in the TAD vs MHD and the TAD seems more reliable, I don't use my real TAD much anymore because at a party, you can't count on people to use the lock, and I've lost beer and it made quite a mess at times. But I digress. If you're using the appropriate cartridges and have them screwed-in tightly, you might be out of luck because the way they built these things, it doesn't look like there's any "user servicable components" in the area of the CO2 interface area.

--Dale--

 

[sengsational]

The price seems high for not including the regulator...all you get is the fittings and tube.

Not only that, but you take something that's uncomplicated and easy to transport/set-up to something that's, well, not so much that.

 

[Stigy]

My biggest question about the TAD system is the following:

1. Can it be used to force carbonate a beer?
2. If so, are you better off naturally carbonating the beer and then using the CO2 to serve it?
3. If you naturally carbonate the beer and then take its cap off to put the dispensing cap on, aren't you going to lose a lot of the carbonation or because its been absorbed by the beer itself, you'd be fine?

Is there an advantage of one over the other?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mewithstewpid]

1. Can it be used to force carbonate a beer?

Yes you can, but it takes a lot of CO2 carts, and in my experience does not carb as well.

2. If so, are you better off naturally carbonating the beer and then using the CO2 to serve it?

Yes, I always naturally carb, then serve using CO2

3. If you naturally carbonate the beer and then take its cap off to put the dispensing cap on, aren't you going to lose a lot of the carbonation or because its been absorbed by the beer itself, you'd be fine?

This is why you put the TAD in the fridge 3-4 days before opening and putting on the faucet. The CO2 will dissolve into the beer, same thing with bottle conditioned beers. If you just open the TAD warm and put the faucet on, you will lose some carbonation (i was impatient my first time and can say this is true).

 

[Tiroux]

Bottles, kegs, TAD.. You always have to cold crash after carbonation, because the co2 only dissolve in liquid at low temp.

Went you open the TAD, the gaz that goes out is only the one stucked in the headspace, and it will be replace by the co2 cartridge. The co2 dissolved in the beer will stay unless you let it open for a certain time, like a beer in a glass.

I see and use TAD like a cask. Its naturally carbonated and co2 only push out the beer. I think you could even poor it only by gravity if you're going to empty the draft in a short time

 

[abandonhope16]

I'm thinking of picking up this system for gallon/small batches; ciders, etc. Any suggestions of where people are getting theirs?
Does Miller/Coors still make theirs?
TIA

 

[sengsational]

I'm thinking of picking up this system for gallon/small batches; ciders, etc. Any suggestions of where people are getting theirs?
Does Miller/Coors still make theirs?
TIA

I thought they stopped selling them in Charlotte, NC any more. But they do still sell them. See this post:

http://homebrew.stackexchange.com/q...-millercoors-light-home-draft-units-available

And it has this link that the coors light home draft "finder":
http://apps.facebook.com/homedraftlocator/

--Dale--

 

[sengsational]

1. Can it be used to force carbonate a beer?
2. If so, are you better off naturally carbonating the beer and then using the CO2 to serve it?

I usually naturally carbonate 2 bottles and force carbonate 1 bottle (that way, I can drink it right away, and by the time I'm done with the first bottle, the next one is carbed-up naturally).

You can force carb and it will take about 16 grams to carbonate and 16 grams to dispense. If you force carb using the standard regulator pressure, or you can mess with the pressure, as I show in these videos:


But the above videos are talking about Miller/Coors Lite Home draft, which are a little different than Tap A Draft. I still haven't attempted to force carb with my "real" 16 g TAD, but I'm confident it can be done, maybe by just pushing a paper clip into the regulator (that's the way the original 8 g TAD used to work).

If you don't want to play with the regulator on your tap, you can also force carbonate with a "hobo cap" as seen here:

3. If you naturally carbonate the beer and then take its cap off to put the dispensing cap on, aren't you going to lose a lot of the carbonation or because its been absorbed by the beer itself, you'd be fine?

Don't worry about that. Just get it really cold so it doesn't foam up when you take the cap off.

--Dale--

 

[abandonhope16]

Hmm, I'll have to check some of my grocery stores since it says they are available. Though I'm not sure of the accuracy since one of the locations it listed closed about a year ago. Thx

 

[abandonhope16]

Hmm, I'll have to check some of my grocery stores since it says they are available. Though I'm not sure of the accuracy since one of the locations it listed closed about a year ago. Thx

0 for 4 on today's quest.

 

[vrodbrad]

Okay TAD owners, here is my question for i did not see it yet. Has any one used to fill their TAD to fill up some bottles by making some kinda of beergun. if so.
1. How did you do it.
2. How did the carb turn out

 

[mewithstewpid]

Okay TAD owners, here is my question for i did not see it yet. Has any one used to fill their TAD to fill up some bottles by making some kinda of beergun. if so.
1. How did you do it.
2. How did the carb turn out

i have filled growlers with it to bring to friends, and the carb stays fine for that day or two, just like normal tap filling.

Other than that, i cannot say i have filled bottles, capped them, and returned to drink them weeks later.

 

[sengsational]

0 for 4 on today's quest.

Crap. I was all excited that they had them right up the street one mile from my house (based on the finder application). Maybe that thing is not kept up to date as they're actually doing a pull back in distribution.