The cure for your short hose troubles

[Jif]

Oddly, though the pour is perfect, it seems that the color hasn't gone back to normal. It went from a dark, rich bock, to a very light brown, looking not that far off from the color of a yeastcake (I think, I'm a bit colorblind). After a full night it hasn't settled back down. Is this just because the keg was so low as it is, and stuff just got suspended that doesn't want to lie back down? The taste is only minorly affected, still quite drinkable.

 

[GroosBrewz]

Jif-
I am guessing you shook it to force carb it back up after releasing pressure to get the inserts in? Seems like if you racked from secondary there shouldnt be that much residue floating around in there, right? It is weird it hasnt cleared up..

For the rest of the board, previosuly someone was asking if the inserts ever get stuck and my answer to that is yes.. I put two in a rootbeer line and one got stuck and I had to get a 3 feet piece of wire and push it out.. Having said that, it is a rootbeer line and is probably going to be sticky.. I have been unable to try with my beer yet because my brand new 4-tap system had a leaky manifold and I had to send it back.. Waiting very im-patiently for my new one....

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

I just ordered a dozen and then realized that they are in Elmhurst also wonder if I can change it to a pick up?

Edit: Yes they will I can swing by after work

 

[Jif]

After two full days, the beer cleared up and things are perfect!

 

[bmbrewery]

I just ordered a half-dozen. I'll let you know how it turns out!

 

[GroosBrewz]

Hey guys..

If anyone cares, this system works great on kegged rootbeer with a 5 ft cobra tap... Very nice pour using two inserts.. However, you do have to "blow off" a tiny bit of rootbeer before the pour gets smooth.. the first ounce or two (whatever is in the line) is foamy.. So blow that off and the pour is awesome!

 

[cytokine]

I just ordered a kegging setup from KegConnection.com. I am done bottling.

Because you guys are rarely wrong and this seems like a perfect solution to a problem that I didn't even know existed, I have ordered a dozen of these inserts. If you buy them in dozens the price is $1.03/each. I expect they will arrive before the keg setup...

Grrrr... Finally got a bottling pipeline up and running and now I have to wait another month or so to get a keg pipeline going.

 

[humann_brewing]

Just put in an order for 12 after trying out the new draft tower last night and lots O' foam. I didn't realize you needed such log lines as I had been using picknip taps up to now and been living with the foam. Coming out of the faucet seemed to amplifiy the foam even more though.

I tested with a 4.5ft length and 9ft with similar results on both. I thought I was going to just have 4.5ft for each of the 3 taps, but now I may have to go get another 9ft length to hook up to the third tap and see how that goes.

 

[fastricky]

HBT does it again! Ordered!

Now, what about that 'Insta Balance' gizmo...? Anyone try that out?

 

[nathan]

stuck two each into kegs of hefeweizen while kegging them this last weekend. Drinking time approaches this saturday.

 

[humann_brewing]

Ordered yesterday and got them today I have a keg that is getting low, I may just toss one it to see how it does.

 

[hopsoda]

2 questions.

how slow does it pour with one of these in place at 10-12psi

has anyone had a problem with clogging?

I usually prime my kegs and there is a small yeast residue in the bottom of my shells.

nvm 3 questions.

could you use a plastic hose clamp to crimp the line and create more restriction would that help?

 

[pjj2ba]

I have a smaller one in a 3 ft picnic tap line and I have used that at 10 psi and the flow is pretty good. My main use is at 18 psi and two works great with an 8 ft line.

The inserts work by making the path longer. I think Bobby_M and some others have used small dia. tubing as a method also, but that takes an even longer piece. This is more along the lines of the way a clamp would work, making the diameter smaller. I'm not sure a single clamp would work real well. You could always try it and report back.

 

[airmek]

We use these in the aviation industry to mix some pretty toxic chemicals. They are just plastic, but has anyone checked to see if they are even food safe? Considering their intended purpose, I doubt that they are food safe.

It's a great idea, and I dont want to rain on anyones parade, but I dont want to see anyone get sick either.

 

[lehr]

I received mine yesterday of course I didnt read the post thoughly and at first thought I had gotten the wrong item but I figured out that I had to take them out of the tube to put them in they helped alot.

Thanks Pat

 

[hemlock]

We use these in the aviation industry to mix some pretty toxic chemicals. They are just plastic, but has anyone checked to see if they are even food safe? Considering their intended purpose, I doubt that they are food safe.

It's a great idea, and I dont want to rain on anyones parade, but I dont want to see anyone get sick either.

Good point airmek.... however, to ease concerns polypropylene is used in many food containers such as yogurt, cottage cheese etc. Even if there is a concern about leachables from plasticizers, I calculate that if you have about 3 ft of 3/16th tubing and 1 ft of the inserts in the dip tube, then all that's needed is about 3/4's of an ounce of purge to flush the beer that was static and in contact with these inserts. (pi x r-squared x length= 3.14 x 0.094 squared x 48 in= 1.32 cu in= 0.73 oz). This should alleviate concerns :rockin:

 

[dontman]

Not sure if another metoo post is necessary after 8 pages so I will make this post worthwhile.

First off, I ordered these because I already have a maze of hose in my fridge and didn't want to double my hose lengths.

I put 2 inserts in a keg of light lager because I wanted heavy American style carbing. At 18 PSI with 5' of cable they worked like a charm. Kind of slow flow but no problem. Perfect pour with 1 inch head. Everytime. Very carbed beer with nice flowing bubbles in the glass continually refreshing the head.

I plan to use these to style. 2 for American lagers, 1 for IPAs and Belgians, 0 for English style pub ales.


Here's the worthwhile part of the post. If you want to try this out I will send 1 insert to the first two to PM with their address. (This offer is for people who have not tried this but want to.)

EDIT: Both inserts are taken.

 

[nathan]

I'm loving that my hefeweizen now has beautiful growing heads making a tall column of foam like buying one at a biergarten in bavaria.

 

[monkeychef]

We use these in the aviation industry to mix some pretty toxic chemicals. They are just plastic, but has anyone checked to see if they are even food safe? Considering their intended purpose, I doubt that they are food safe.

It's a great idea, and I dont want to rain on anyones parade, but I dont want to see anyone get sick either.

I just sent an email to the company today. I'll post again if I get a response. They say that they respond within 2 hours, but I bet they mean during regular business hours.

 

[Coastarine]

I'd bet they don't know and will say no just to cover their a**es.

 

[monkeychef]

Corey,

It is not known whether this item is food-safe or not.

Rob

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2009 11:31 PM
To: [email protected];
Subject: Your message to McMaster-Carr

While on our web site you wrote us a note:
I was curious if the plastic in item# 74695A58, a 5.3" (1/4" blunt tip) Polypropylene Mixer Nozzle, is food-safe. I know some guys who put these in the dip tube for their kegs for homebrewing beer in order to offer resistance for higher-pressure setups to prevent excess foaming. The parts work fantastically but the question has been raised as to whether there were any unsafe substances that could possibly leach into the beer in the lines. Thank you.

Requested By
Corey Matzkanin ([email protected])
(No company name given)
Norman, OK 73071
USA



Yep, pretty much Coastarine. I really appreciate how much detail he went into.

 

[fastricky]

Well, let's assume it's OK...

Is this a technique that would benefit a nitro setup as well?

 

[simps984]

I just received my order of 3. I'm going to try to put them all into one dip tube. I've got an Indian Brown Ale I just kegged yesterday, will insert these and put it on gas. I just let it sit for a while until carbed, so I won't know how it works for a while, but I'm planning on this: Keg is at ~40F, will set gas to 11psi, aiming for 2.3 volumes. I have 3 feet of beer line. Not exactly sure of the diameter. Have had foaming/carbonation issues before, so hopefully this will work. I will obviously report back with results.

 

[dontman]

I just received my order of 3. I'm going to try to put them all into one dip tube. I've got an Indian Brown Ale I just kegged yesterday, will insert these and put it on gas. I just let it sit for a while until carbed, so I won't know how it works for a while, but I'm planning on this: Keg is at ~40F, will set gas to 11psi, aiming for 2.3 volumes. I have 3 feet of beer line. Not exactly sure of the diameter. Have had foaming/carbonation issues before, so hopefully this will work. I will obviously report back with results.

If I were you I would try 2 at most to start. It is much easier to add one than remove one from a full keg. When I put two in my keg I was pushing very slowly at 18 PSI.

 

[simps984]

If I were you I would try 2 at most to start. It is much easier to add one than remove one from a full keg. When I put two in my keg I was pushing very slowly at 18 PSI.

Thanks for the tip, that's what I did. My keg is a little wonky, and it was kinda tricky getting these things into the diptube. I had to wiggle and twist them a little bit to get them going. Tube opening must be a shade narrower. Once they got in and I gave them a nudge, they slid down a bit. Fingers crossed I'll be able to get them out, lol.

 

[Saccharomyces]

Sa-weet. I use all Corbra taps in my gangsta-style keger-at-a, so this is just what the doctor ordered... Since I have 14 kegs I'm ordering 28.

Finally I'll be able to carb my apfelwein at 3 volumes! :rockin:

 

[simps984]

so beer is nearly carbed, and i pulled off a few glasses last night. these things are great! my beer flows really slowly, but the carbonation level is great, no more ridiculous amounts of foam. for the record, i have a 2-tap kegerator, with about 3.5 feet of beer line. so if you're considering this as a way to de-clutter your kegerator i highly recommend!

 

[duuude]

i just put 2 in my keg and the pour is absolutely amazing, even at 14 psi. i am so happy i'm going to tell everyone in my brewing club at next weeks meeting. what a great idea!

 

[humann_brewing]

I just kegged a wit last night, put 2 of these down the tube and hooked it up at about 17 psi. This is also my shortest liquid hose at 4.5 ft so I am hoping for little foam when it gets carbed up.

 

[humann_brewing]

I am still getting a lot of foam with this in the dip tube. I had 2 in the tube on the previous keg but got clogged and had to transfer to a new keg. I put only 1 in because I just didn't want to transfer it again. Anyways, there is just as much foam as there was before.

This is on a 4.5ft hose with 15 PSI. I have 2 other taps with 10ft of hose on them and are really foamy too but haven't added one of these yet.