Tips on Keg Dispensing

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AliC-123

Tips on Keg Dispensing

Post by AliC-123 » Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:17 am

Chaps and Ladies, I'm new to this and require some advice. I've had a trawl through many forums and am struggling. I'm currently building a home bar with the initial idea of using a kegerator. I currently don't brew beer - just buy it but certainly want to do so in the future. The problem I have is that someone has offered me a Cornelius Maxi 210 at a good price and I'm wondering if this is a better proposition than a kegerator, however the issue is I have no cellar or no means to cool the keg down to cellar temperature without using a fridge, which kind of negates the point in having a beer cooler. I understand that temperature can cause fobbing issues. My question is, say for example my beer is 20 degrees (i.e. Room temp) and I run it through 1 product line on the chiller it should reduce in temp by circa 10degrees if I then run it through the second product line I would be something like serving temperature. Would this cause any issues or would this be workable considering the keg is starting off at room temp rather than cellar temp. I've currently no requirement for the 2nd product coil in the chiller. I'd appreciate any ideas. I'm an engineer by trade and it seems feasible but I'm not cellar guru!

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PeeBee
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Re: Tips on Keg Dispensing

Post by PeeBee » Fri Jul 14, 2017 1:38 pm

I was writing something on another similar question here:

viewtopic.php?f=38&t=79005&p=819286#p819286

No problem running the beer through both product coils in series. Except that the resulting beer is going to be pretty frigid! If you were brewing your own beer you might not want to treat it so harshly. I use both product coils in series to cool newly made beer coming out of a counter-flow chiller from 30C down to 15-20C before fermenting (30C is a bit warm for such a chiller to deal with, although 40C is the documented maximum).
Cask-conditioned style ale out of a keg/Cornie (the "treatise"): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwzEv5 ... rDKRMjcO1g
Water report demystified (the "Defuddler"; removes the nonsense!): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing

AliC-123

Re: Tips on Keg Dispensing

Post by AliC-123 » Fri Jul 14, 2017 1:42 pm

Thanks for your reply. Do you think I'm likely to get any foaming issues with this setup?


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matthuds

Re: Tips on Keg Dispensing

Post by matthuds » Fri Jul 14, 2017 2:44 pm

Assuming your line back pressure is correct (and i will say from experience 3/16ths line is your friend!) you wont have an fobbing issues with that setup.
My Maxi 310 will drop 18c beer down to 5-7c on a single pass through the coil, or even 3-5c in the coil closest to the ice bank.

Only way you will have issues is with very highly carbed beers or soft drinks. Having said that I have served some pepsi through the chiller with minimal foam this way.

Negatives - hoppy beers wont keep as well at room temperature so keep your drinking levels up.
Positives - your keg couplers wont ice up! I have started keeping KeyKegs in my kegerator recently and get a tun of issues with the beer icing up in the keg connector!

AliC-123

Re: Tips on Keg Dispensing

Post by AliC-123 » Fri Jul 14, 2017 3:07 pm

Again thanks for you advice. When you say 3/16 line do you mean 3/16 outer diameter. I've currently got 3/8 so you mean half that size?


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Jambo
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Re: Tips on Keg Dispensing

Post by Jambo » Fri Jul 14, 2017 3:46 pm

Yes it's the outer diameter I think. Certainly if you look at some homebrew supplier websites those are the two sizes you'll find.

3/8 is standard in the pub trade from what I've seen but it doesn't create enough pressure drop for home setups, in general.

jaroporter
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Re: Tips on Keg Dispensing

Post by jaroporter » Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:29 pm

you may find it a useful project to rewire it with an adjustable thermostat, so you can get the beer coming out at the perfect temperature in one pass. especially if you start brewing, one line wont be enough!!
Fil has written a lot on using these so maybe search his posts. there are issues but its easier if you are keeping the kegs at a constant room temperature than in the shed.
for me, i'd use a fridge, but get the maxi anyways as a fermentation controller if you're serious bout starting to brew :wink:
dazzled, doused in gin..

AliC-123

Re: Tips on Keg Dispensing

Post by AliC-123 » Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:45 pm

Yeah I've bought a temperature controller that I was going to wire into the kegerator. I'm sure I'll be able to piggy back that into it. Once I've got it I'll weigh it up. I'm sure I'll be back on here asking for advice. You've all been really helpful. Thanks.


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AliC-123

Re: Tips on Keg Dispensing

Post by AliC-123 » Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:51 pm

The main issue I see with the fridge is the cooldown between kegs. For example if I'm having a party and my keg runs out I can't do a straight swap onto a fresh keg and I can't think of a way of chilling that keg down beforehand. The fridge I've got is big enough for one keg only.


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WalesAles
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Re: Tips on Keg Dispensing

Post by WalesAles » Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:13 pm

[quote="AliC-123"] The fridge I've got is big enough for one keg only. [/quote

AliC,
Time to get another Fridge! :D
Try Freecycle.

WA

beer baron
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Re: Tips on Keg Dispensing

Post by beer baron » Sun Jul 16, 2017 4:54 pm

Hi
I have a setup like you are describing and have just in the last hour bought a second cooler.
I have my kegs in a shed/pub that i have built in the garden and the temps of the cornies are 18 to 20ish on warm days. As long as you lag the pipes to help and keep the beer at a constant temp on its travels you should be ok (I use the foam pipe lagging from B&Q). I use 3/8th tubing from the keg to the cooler and 3/8th to the taps but put a adjustable restrictor just before the tap and do not have any problems get a nice steady pour, you can reduce the tap line by putting some 3/16th in if you want but the restrictors I use do a fine job.
The reason for the second cooler is it does not cool lager down enough as most people are used to extra cold nowadays so I will use that for lager and double coil it but the beer is at a nice temp on singles
Pete

Fil
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Re: Tips on Keg Dispensing

Post by Fil » Sun Jul 16, 2017 5:43 pm

maintaining optimum condition is a lot harder without keg temp control. and requieres a higher maintenance/serving pressure to keep beer at optimum condition levels at warmer temps.

however the reality in my situation is I tend to live with the slightly fizzier beers come winter and the steady loss of condition when the seasons change to warmer, the #1 rule tho is to vent kegs to purge excess pressure that may have built up from condition loss since the last session and to normalise the serving pressure to avoid foaming prior to any serving session.

just try to keep the kegs as cool as possible and as stable as possible and vent prior to every session and you should be fine ;)
ist update for months n months..
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
Coming Soon Lots planned for the near future nowt for the immediate :(

AliC-123

Re: Tips on Keg Dispensing

Post by AliC-123 » Sun Jul 16, 2017 8:20 pm

Thanks for your input guys. I've got it built up and it seems to be running good. Although using 3/16 pipe I've got quite a slow pour but temperature wise and foaming it's absolutely fine. Long term I think I will invest in a piped cooling jacket for the keg!


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matthuds

Re: Tips on Keg Dispensing

Post by matthuds » Wed Jul 19, 2017 8:23 am

Its amazing how quickly 3/16th can slow thing down. You only need very little. Try cutting a few different lengths and see what works best.

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