Taps for barrels

[likesbeer]

I use a rotokeg and a hambled bard type pressure barrel with the standard tap and a float inside.
I find that I can never get the pour right, I gernerally get half a glass of head.
I dont think I over prime as I generally only put 80g or so in and I know several people on here talk about priming with more.
If you open the tap to far it comes shooting out and is in danger of going everywhere to get it coming slow enough it only gets slighty cracked open.
This then forces the beer through a small opening and obviously ups the head size I cant seem to win.

I was wondering are the Dalek type taps better and do they fit on pressure barrels?
Or is it something I am doing wrong?

I would go to using a corney but the funds are going to build a new shed (aka brewery) and then fit it out with all grain brew kit.

[smeggedup]

i've had the same problem for a year now, and finally going over to the corny should be setting the first one up this month
i've found a cheap place for them
https://www.btowstore.com/epages/Store2 ... %20BREW%22

[garwatts]

i've had the same problem for a year now, and finally going over to the corny should be setting the first one up this month
I've found a cheap place for them
https://www.btowstore.com/epages/Store2 ... %20BREW%22

You would probably will be better off with Norm. He charges £35 + £10 p&p for one and an extra £3 p&p for each additional one. His are usually fully reconditioned with new seals and come with a pair of quick connects(?) worth £15 a pair. A lot of the guys on here buy from Norm

[Big Al]

I've heard of people either adding a length of hose onto the existing tap. This I would like to try but cant get my hose to fit, no matter how long i leave it in boiling water

The other is to buy a turkey baster and attach the pipe part to your tap, but I cant seem to find anywhere that sells them cheap either

[alabaster cheeks]

i found the same so have just purchased dalex taps but havent tested as yet... they do fit
i got them from here

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dalex-Free-flow-T ... 911.c0.m14

[garwatts]

I've heard of people either adding a length of hose onto the existing tap. This I would like to try but cant get my hose to fit, no matter how long i leave it in boiling water

The other is to buy a turkey baster and attach the pipe part to your tap, but I cant seem to find anywhere that sells them cheap either

Lidls 50p

[garwatts]

i found the same so have just purchased dalex taps but haven't tested as yet... they do fit
i got them from here

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dalex-Free-flow-T ... 911.c0.m14

Is that to fit on a King Keg? (bottom tap)

[alabaster cheeks]

mine are kk top taps yea
dont know if the fitting area is the same a small recess area the black washer fits into
hope this helps

[likesbeer]

Cheers guys, I would love to go the corney route but funds a bit short at the mo (4m x 2.5m insulated sheds dont grow on trees ;o)
Smeggedup your cheaper supplier still works out to 41.40 by the time you add vat and p&p not so different from Norm, reconditioned and tested the same but probably without the free connections. Starting from scratch with a corney set up would also require taps, gas supply etc, so I think that getting two going would cost the best part of £100 maybe a little more to much for now.
But thanks for the link I'll store for future use maybe someone will want to buy me an xmas present

Big Al, I'm assuming you add the hose or turkey baster to the outside of the tap ;o) I might have some tubing that fits or pop to Lidl and give that a try it seems like a cheep alternative.
Failing that Dalek it is.

Alabaster let us know how they work out will you?

[garwatts]

Big Al, I'm assuming you add the hose or turkey baster to the outside of the tap ;o) I might have some tubing that fits or pop to Lidl and give that a try it seems like a cheep alternative.
Failing that Dalek it is.

Apologies - another senior moment. It's Wilkinsons not Lidls

[GymCee]

If you crimp the hose between the float and tap, which should always be primed with beer, you shouldn't get a pressurised mixing of air and beer. I haven't tried this idea out but it makes sense from basic engineering sense to fit an orifice or some other flow inhibiting feature.

[Big Al]

I work near a Wilkinsons so will try pop over there tomorrow and see what they got. 50p is a bargain price

[likesbeer]

Damn no wilko near me..

Gym not sure I follow the pipe and float inside the barrel doesnt get air in as its below the beer.
It froths up as it comes out the tap and your squeezing out of a small hole, if I could put a flow restrictor in the line that might work but as the pressure drops it would need adjusting so just crimping the pipe which is quite small anyway I cant see it helping plus a pain if it doesnt as would need to open the barrel loose all the gas and possibly get some inffection in the beer?

[Alibee]

Going back to the original post- has anyone actually fitted a Dalex tap to replace the standard tap on a top tap King Keg?

I have the same problem that the tap is very stick and doesn't flow well.

Leyland Homebrew do a "Pro-keg" which looks like a King keg fitted with a Dalex tap? Has anyone tried these? Do I need any fittings in addition to the tap if I try this- i.e. does the float hose fit straight into the tap?

Cheers
Al

[SKING]

The standard drum taps are a pain - its either all or nothing as you say. I have 2 brewcraft kegs (are these the same as rotokegs), top tap. In one I use a 25 yr old flip tap from Boots which is great - shame they no longer sell them though so not much use! The other has a Dalex on it which I got from Leyland. It is a good tap but the only drawback is that it has a flow controller which means you need a good pressure behind it to push out the beer, works though and gives a good pint. Oh - it was a sod to fit - very fiddly but just takes a bit of patience (and a universal plumbing spanner). Leyland also advertise a slightly cheaper flip tap (brew something or other). I think this has no flow control, but I have heard they may be prone to the pin holding the lever and main tap body together snapping - this could be remedied by replacing it with a steel split pin (or a nail if your approach to diy is like mine!). I will probably get one as a spare at some time. Dalex do sell non flow control taps but these may not fit hb kegs without some engineering around the short end that fits them to a bulkhead (or into the barrel)