Vent-matic Faucets Status?

[TNugent]

Just saw this on their web site when I checked for an update...

UPDATE: 2-14-2014 - MFG has recieved the new gaskets & seals. They will now take 24 faucets and perform a 48 our leak test, each faucet at a different psi from 5psi to 20psi.
Mfg will also perform an automatic lever activation test (via machine) to leak test during the operation of the faucet lever.
We should receive fist batch around the 24th of February.
The CHI Company will then send faucets to some previous buyers of the 2013 Vent-Matic v.1 Faucet for one week of "field testing".

Once we (and our customer evaluators) are satisfied with the results we will re-release them.

Thank you for your patience in this matter.

 

[RJS]

I have 8 of them for sale, with the shank and black plate thing that butts up to fridge

 

[day_trippr]

On the Chicompany faucets page:

UPDATE - 1-12-2015:
The mfg. is still reworking the design of the faucet. Realistically, we are looking at late 2nd quarter of 2015.


Snipe hunt!

Cheers!

 

[microbusbrewery]

On the Chicompany faucets page:

UPDATE - 1-12-2015:
The mfg. is still reworking the design of the faucet. Realistically, we are looking at late 2nd quarter of 2015.


Snipe hunt!

Cheers!

That's kind of crazy. Me thinks these aren't the #1 priority for the manufacturer. That or they're having a really hard time getting it right.

 

[Beerismyname]

I ordered a couple ventmatics and they leaked as bad as the Perl's to my disappointment. I was fortunate to find a used Perlick 425 on ebay, it works as well as my other 425's. Now I'm happy.

 

[adamg8504]

I know this is an older thread but I wanted to share my experience with Chi Company and Vent-Matics.

I purchased 4 "Vent-Matic" faucets from Chi Company in late 2013.

I have been using them since then but almost always get some sugar build up around the bonnet. So it's leaking around the bonnet and I figured I would try to replace the seals. I looked around to try to find exact replacement seals but couldn't. So I emailed Vent-Matic themselves. And got the following reply:

"Thanks for your e-mail. Sorry for build-up but a real Vent-Matic do not have this problem.

If you bought 4 in 2013. You have a knockoff from Draught Tec. Or CHI which is not a VENT-MATIC™ Faucet. If so, we may be able to help. Send us a picture of the faucet please and if you can tell us who sold them to you we will send you parts that we think may fix the build-up you are getting.

Regards,
Kit
Vent-Matic Company, LLC"

I am still in conversation with vent matic.

 

[microbusbrewery]

Well that's an interesting development. Did you contact them through http://www.vent-matic.com/? I looked at the mobile version of that site and it seems a bit peculiar. For example, I'm not seeing any way to order faucets or find distributors.

I guess I've lucked out. I had three original Vent-matics from back in the day, then I ordered two more when CHI started selling them (counterfeit?). One of them was a bit temperamental and CHI sent me replacement seals. They've been working fine ever since.

 

[adamg8504]

Yeah, i did. I also noticed they didn't have them for sale or a list of distributors. Not sure if that's because they are still going through legality issues or not.

But the guy replied to me a second time and said he was going to put parts in the mail that should help fix my problem.

 

[day_trippr]

Gotta love an optimist, but reading the first six sentences with what's happened over the last few years makes that last sentence righteously speculative.

The odds are heavily in favor of breath-holders being totally doomed...

Cheers!

 

[Silentdrinker]

Gotta love an optimist, but reading the first six sentences with what's happened over the last few years makes that last sentence righteously speculative.

The odds are heavily in favor of breath-holders being totally doomed...

Cheers!

Dude, they were sabotaged by the patent seller. The blue prints he gave then when he sold then the patent rights were BOGUS. Because the contract was time sensitive. If they didn't produce x amount and pay him back x amount after so many days, he would gain thousands of dollars.

I've been in contact with Matt, owner of Chi since I had returned the ones I had. Now that I see Sierrabrewer mentioned this, I will say 100% of what he is saying is true.


I actually sent the new manufacturing company my original VentMatic faucets. One was pre and one was post shirron. This was so the new manufacturing company could measure the original ones with lasers to get accurate blueprints.

And they will be better because Matt got some special spouts to add onto these faucets. He showed me photos and the whole idea is pretty bad ass. You'll be able to get an all stainless steel stout faucet that is forward sealing and matches the rest of your faucets. Plus the faucet can get changed for any other beer. I can't wait.

So bottom line is they were NEVER fake. They were fake blueprints.

I do want my original VentMatic faucets back... I gotta call Matt again Monday on that.

I will also say that Matt at chi is an awesome guy and always seems to be good on his word and stands by the products he sells. Plus he's always the one to answer the phone if you need to get a hold of him for any reason.

 

[day_trippr]

Yes, the one constant through all of this has been Chicompany.
I'm a fan.

The other constant has been the actual Vent-matic history.
Total chaos and confusion - and that's being generous by not listing "nefarious" in the top two...

Cheers!

 

[govner1]

Gotta love an optimist, but reading the first six sentences with what's happened over the last few years makes that last sentence righteously speculative.



The odds are heavily in favor of breath-holders being totally doomed...



Cheers!

I agree. Fortunately I managed to get my hands on four of the originals last year. I swapped out all my Perlicks for these & they're terrific!!

 

[Darth_Duane]

So i know this thread is old but I came across this on reddit and was interested in whats going on with these faucets.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewing/comments/3j6sso/why_is_this_perlick_faucet_leaking/

It looks like they are directly for sale on this site again.

http://www.vent-matic.com/

Anyone have any experience ordering from them? I just finished my Kegerator/Ferm chamber build and it just needs taps. I was going to get Perlicks but I have seen a lot of hype about these faucets and figured i might be better off with them. If i'm going to spend 40-50 bucks a pop i may as well get the best of the best.

 

[Silentdrinker]

So i know this thread is old but I came across this on reddit and was interested in whats going on with these faucets.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewing/comments/3j6sso/why_is_this_perlick_faucet_leaking/

It looks like they are directly for sale on this site again.

http://www.vent-matic.com/

Anyone have any experience ordering from them? I just finished my Kegerator/Ferm chamber build and it just needs taps. I was going to get Perlicks but I have seen a lot of hype about these faucets and figured i might be better off with them. If i'm going to spend 40-50 bucks a pop i may as well get the best of the best.

There's a lot of history, but the guy running that site is very crooked and dishonest in his business ventures. I would never buy from that site or support that guy.

I have perlick 630s and VentMatic faucets. I love my perlicks and have no problems with them. The VentMatic faucets are good too, but not worth supporting this guy over.

I say go with the 630s, you'll be really happy with them. As a matter of fact, call Matt owner of Chicompany.com. Tell him you're looking at either the perlicks or possibly ordering ventmatics from that website.

I bet he would work you out a deal on the 630s. Just talk to him and ask what he can do.

 

[HLSheppard]

The vent-matic.com website appears to be no longer active... http://www.vent-matic.com/ gives me an error...

 

[milldoggy]

Hope intertap buys the domain

 

[DrumForHire]

Any news on Vent-Matic? A friend sent me to their site around November/December and it was functional then, and now the link leads to a dead-end. I'm hoping to upgrade my faucets, but would like to know if Vent-Matic has a chance to come back before I go for Perlicks.

 

[day_trippr]

This is speculation, I suspect whomever holds the pertinent patent portfolio is licensing it to folks like Intertap...and may have gotten out of the manufacturing side entirely...

Cheers!

 

[bendog15]

I got 4 of the vent matic faucets for a keezer build right before the company went down. I was emailing them about some 90 degree shanks and all of a sudden they stopped answering. Bummer about that. But i will say that I've never been happier with my faucets. They are great solid construction, don't stick, don't drip, all around awesome faucets. Wish those guys were still back in the game.

 

[CEO Keg King]

I e-mailed CHI company and asked about how the Ventmatic came to be again and they said that there was a time lapse clause in the law suit that has expired allowing manufacture of the faucets again. The law suit was apparently filed by the patent holder against Perlick.

For what it's worth, I think the Ventmatics are the best faucet available, or at least they were. I haven't seen a new one but I have 6 of the old ones that I got right before Ventmatic went out of business. Excellent quality and operation. The Perlick 525's, while serviceable, just don't operate to my liking. They have a huge "throw" to open and close them (a very long handle movement) compared to the Ventmatic. Plus, I don't think the seal is quite as solid when you close them. Just an opinion.

You might be happy to learn that the real Ventmatic product is being produced again by MCH Australia who bought manufacturing rights from the inventor in 2017. They are available now.

 

[day_trippr]

Looks like an Intertap with "Ultratap" branding. Even the Keg King link has "intertap" in it...
https://www.keg-king.com.au/intertap-ss-tap-only-stainless-steel.html.html

fwiw, Intertap faucets have been on the market since late 2015, iirc...

Cheers!

 

[CEO Keg King]

Looks like an Intertap with "Ultratap" branding. Even the Keg King link has "intertap" in it...
https://www.keg-king.com.au/intertap-ss-tap-only-stainless-steel.html.html

fwiw, Intertap faucets have been on the market since late 2015, iirc...

Cheers!

The Intertaps were copied from the Ventmatic designs without permission. The Ultratap has been done with the full co-operation of the patent holder and designer. They run rings around the copied ones that you have seen. MCH Australia is the only one that has the manufacturing rights and Keg King is the registered Australian trademark of MCH Australia.