Two Unrelated Questions Concerning Equipment & Sanitation

[Gytaryst]

First Question: I am just now getting into kegging. I bought the 3/16" ID 7/16" OD PVC free silver ultimate barrier antimicrobial (or whatever it's called) beer line and the 5/16" ID PVC free gas line. I bought some ball lock QD CMB, with the swivel and flare nut. It's been a struggle trying to find hose clamps so I was wondering what most people prefer and where do you get them.

Second Question: I have a plastic Fermonster. You have to put the Petrol-Gel on the lid when you set it up otherwise you can't get the lid off later. My question here is, how do you clean that Petrol-Gel off your equipment? It repels water and ends up just smearing everywhere.

Thanks in advance

 

[Stealthcruiser]

You sprung for some good hose and Q D's, I'd go with "oetiker" style clamps.

Low profile, and no worm gear clamp tail hanging out there in the breeze, to snag stuff, or skin.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#ear-hose-clamps/=1awdwrz

 

[VTX1300]

I agree with Stealthcruiser, the Oetiker clamps do a much better job with sealing. I have worked on soda and beer systems for almost 20 years and they are the standard for commercial instillation. Your homebrew shop or Amazon Will have what you need. Just make sure you get the proper size clamps. I do recommend investing in the crimping pliers to properly set the crimps.

 

[Gytaryst]

Thanks. I already ordered some worm gear clamps but it's not a major expense to change em out.

 

[mongoose33]

Another vote for oetiker clamps. The up-front cost is a little higher since you need the clamping tool, but once you use them you won't want to go back.

The keg lube is kind of sticky, isn't it? I just wipe it off with paper towels.

 

[Gytaryst]

Another vote for oetiker clamps. The up-front cost is a little higher since you need the clamping tool, but once you use them you won't want to go back.

The keg lube is kind of sticky, isn't it? I just wipe it off with paper towels.

Yeah. The first time I used my plastic Fermonster I didn't lube the lid. A month later when I went to transfer I thought I was going to have to cut the friggin' thing off. I make sure I have plenty of lube on it now and have no problems getting it off. But now it's smeared all over the top of the thing. I washed it off the best I could the first few times - I was never able to get it 100% off. I was worried about what affect it might have being in contact with the plastic constantly. And also, I store my equipment in the garage, (which is not a dust free environment). So that smeared lube ends up being a dust magnet. Every time I touch the fermenter, even to just move it, I end up with that stuff on my hand. I was just wondering if there was something to take it off. PBW doesn't work. Oxi-clean doesn't work, I have unscented Dawn dish soap I use for some stuff - that doesn't work. I have Goo Gone but was afraid to use that on it. Every time I use that stuff it seems to take days to get the smell off my hands. Not sure what that would do to plastic.

 

[Smellyglove]

If you have to use just more than a little bit force to get the hose down on the swivel, I'd say you don't need hose clamps. I have several parts in both my gas line and beer line without hose clamps. Just verify under "high" pressure you don't have a leak.

 

[brew703]

I second the oetiker clamps. You definitely need the crimping tool.
How are you going to connect the hose to the shank? Tail piece? I recommend John Guest fittings. It's what I used.

 

[Gytaryst]

I second the oetiker clamps. You definitely need the crimping tool.
How are you going to connect the hose to the shank? Tail piece? I recommend John Guest fittings. It's what I used.

I haven't gotten that far. I want to use brand new kegs and high quality equipment. I don't want to be constantly struggling with a bunch of problems because I tried to be cheap and cut corners. I've learned that trying to be cheap usually costs a lot more in the end. Unfortunately I can't justify putting out that kind of cash all at once. I would love to have this thing up and running tomorrow - but the family is still going to want to eat for the next month so . . .

For now I'm just using a picnic tap. I'm buying the kegs one at a time as I need one, and all the line and connectors as I go. I looked at those kegerator kits that have everything included, but they're usually not top of the line parts. So going that route would get me up and running sooner but then I'd be constantly upgrading each piece one at a time for the next year and end up stuck with a bunch of parts I don't need or want and can't sell cluttering up my garage, (along with all the other sub-par pieces and parts I've bought so far and then upgraded.

I know I want Perlick 630ss faucets. Those are about $40 each and the shanks seem to be another $25 or $30 each. That's almost $300 (before handles).

And I'm still researching. I've never kegged before so I'm buying all this stuff blind, going off what I read. I had my mind all made up to build a pass-thru tower on top of the lid of a chest freezer because I like how those keezers look better than the collar with the taps sticking out the front. Then I read where someone talked about what a pain in the butt that design was for maintenance. You have to constantly pull the thing out away from the wall to open the lid and once the lid is open you don't have access to the handles. Since I've never had a keezer or used kegs before I never even thought about that, nor do I know how important that is - but it made sense. So I've shifted my plans to the collar with the taps sticking out. It won't be the look I wanted, but it sounds like it's more practical.

Anyway, thanks for the advice on those John Guest fittings.

 

[mongoose33]

Couple of thoughts:

I served using picnic taps for a few months once I started kegging. Kept the kegs in the refrigerator that would become my ferm chamber.

I have the Perlick 650SS Flow Control faucets, they're tremendous. You might look here and see if the price difference is worth stepping up to them. I sure wouldn't go back down. They're backordered but that shouldn't take long, and the price difference--$8 from what you were going to pay for the 630s--would seem to make this a no-brainer. See if Ritebrew doesn't do better on the shanks and such as well.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

- but the family is still going to want to eat for the next month so . . .

Didn't they eat last month?.........

 

[Yesfan]

First Question: I am just now getting into kegging. I bought the 3/16" ID 7/16" OD PVC free silver ultimate barrier antimicrobial (or whatever it's called) beer line and the 5/16" ID PVC free gas line. I bought some ball lock QD CMB, with the swivel and flare nut. It's been a struggle trying to find hose clamps so I was wondering what most people prefer and where do you get them.

Second Question: I have a plastic Fermonster. You have to put the Petrol-Gel on the lid when you set it up otherwise you can't get the lid off later. My question here is, how do you clean that Petrol-Gel off your equipment? It repels water and ends up just smearing everywhere.

Thanks in advance

1) I just use the small worm gear clamps. Never had any leaking issues. If you don't know the size, take a small piece of hose with you and size it up. I got mine at home depot.

2) For the Fermonster lid, get a strap wrench - Amazon Link

The key with the Fermonster lids is not to crank down on them. I just snug mine and the last few batches I was able to unscrew them without the strap wrench.

 

[govner1]

You sprung for some good hose and Q D's, I'd go with "oetiker" style clamps.

Low profile, and no worm gear clamp tail hanging out there in the breeze, to snag stuff, or skin.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#ear-hose-clamps/=1awdwrz

^^^^^THIS!

 

[Gytaryst]

Couple of thoughts:

I served using picnic taps for a few months once I started kegging. Kept the kegs in the refrigerator that would become my ferm chamber.

I have the Perlick 650SS Flow Control faucets, they're tremendous. You might look here and see if the price difference is worth stepping up to them. I sure wouldn't go back down. They're backordered but that shouldn't take long, and the price difference--$8 from what you were going to pay for the 630s--would seem to make this a no-brainer. See if Ritebrew doesn't do better on the shanks and such as well.

Hmmm. Again, I have no idea because I've never done this. At the risk of sounding like an idiot, I'm not sure if i'm ever going to need that much fine tuning? I'm thinking the vast majority of stuff I brew is just going to be set at 10 or 11 psi. Once I figure out the line length it should be pretty much dialed in? I won't have to worry about different kegs being different temps since they'll all be in the same keezer. Up until now the only beers I carbed differently were sweet stouts and Belgian tripels. I usually bump up the carbonation on tripels to around 3.0 volumes CO2. I've always bottled conditioned them in 750ml bottles with cork & cage and even now that I'm kegging I doubt if I'll change that. There's just something old world about it that appeals to me. It's like sipping 12 year old Macallan Scotch from a Red Solo cup - some thing's just ain't done.

I'm not sure spending the extra for the 650ss faucets is a "no-brainer" for me. For now I'm still at the picnic tap stage so I got time to keep learning.

 

[mongoose33]

Hmmm. Again, I have no idea because I've never done this. At the risk of sounding like an idiot, I'm not sure if i'm ever going to need that much fine tuning? I'm thinking the vast majority of stuff I brew is just going to be set at 10 or 11 psi. Once I figure out the line length it should be pretty much dialed in? I won't have to worry about different kegs being different temps since they'll all be in the same keezer. Up until now the only beers I carbed differently were sweet stouts and Belgian tripels. I usually bump up the carbonation on tripels to around 3.0 volumes CO2. I've always bottled conditioned them in 750ml bottles with cork & cage and even now that I'm kegging I doubt if I'll change that. There's just something old world about it that appeals to me. It's like sipping 12 year old Macallan Scotch from a Red Solo cup - some thing's just ain't done.

I'm not sure spending the extra for the 650ss faucets is a "no-brainer" for me. For now I'm still at the picnic tap stage so I got time to keep learning.

I have to be careful not to project my experiences on others, but one reason for the flow control faucets is that you can balance a system that isn't behaving. Flow control allows you to increase the resistance to beer flow, which will reduce foaming problems if you have that. It also allows you to use a growler filler that sticks right into the spout of the faucet and the flow control will let you dial in the rate at which you minimize foam going into the growler.

I also fill bottles off that growler attachment, which is my preferred way of bottling beer. I'm sure you're thinking "if you have kegs and faucets why are you bottling?" and that's a fair question. I can lay in a supply of bottles in the fridge and take them with me when I go to play cards, or go to a party, or gift them to someone.

In the end, I won't criticize you for making different choices than I did. We all get to decide, that's the beauty of this. Good luck!

 

[Gytaryst]

I have to be careful not to project my experiences on others...

??? Why???
By all means . . . "project" . . . the reason I'm on here is to absorb the "experience" of those who have been there, done that, and got the tee shirt. That's not to suggest that socializing with like-minded imbeciles who don't have a clue isn't also a huge draw, but . . .

... but one reason for the flow control faucets is that you can balance a system that isn't behaving. Flow control allows you to increase the resistance to beer flow, which will reduce foaming problems if you have that. It also allows you to use a growler filler that sticks right into the spout of the faucet and the flow control will let you dial in the rate at which you minimize foam going into the growler.

I also fill bottles off that growler attachment, which is my preferred way of bottling beer. I'm sure you're thinking "if you have kegs and faucets why are you bottling?" and that's a fair question. I can lay in a supply of bottles in the fridge and take them with me when I go to play cards, or go to a party, or gift them to someone.

In the end, I won't criticize you for making different choices than I did. We all get to decide, that's the beauty of this. Good luck!

When I decided to take the leap into the world of kegging the very first thing I looked at was either the Blichmann Beer Gun or the Northern Brewer Last Straw. I love bottles. Thank God I didn't run right out and buy one because I've since come to learn that they may not be all they're cracked up to be.

So with that said maybe I will take a closer look at the 650's. Like I said, I'm still new to this kegging thing. I don't want to spend money on extras I'm never going to use, but that explanation sounds very interesting; right up my alley. Maybe the Perlick 650ss [IS] what I need.[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]