Kegerators

[seed]

Hello,

I am new to this site. We are currently in the process of opening up a tavern. We have decided to serve our draft beer out of kegerators in the basement. We have ten taps. Six to eight feet from the basement to the taps. Planing of using 20 cubic feet chest freezers controlling the temp with the micromatic temp control device. Does any one have any tips on the procedure of this process. The beer vendors are planing to help us out. My biggest question a guy from micromatic brought up to me is concern about cooling the tower. From my understanding cooling is a must.

If this sounds like too much of a long shot please let me know!

Thanks,
Seed

[beerking]

I would be worried about how you keep the lines cool. Like you said, cooling is very important...ALL THE WAY from the keg to the tap.

[seed]

I am extremely new to this! It is very clear to me that cooling the lines all the way to the tower is a must! I was thinking perhaps the lines could run through PCV pipe or evan 4" or 6" in flex hose seal both ends and some how cool the space inside the flex pipe and insulate the out side. I thought about actually placing the 4" or 6" flex pipe through the freezer wall and perhaps cool air from the freezer would fill the space. My last idea is perhaps I could use a mini fridge compressor some how to cool my lines.

Again, Real inexpirenced here but I know the beer has to be cold and fresh!

Thanks,

Seed

[beerking]

It is more than "cold and fresh." The hardest part about getting a good pour from any draft system is balancing the system. This means that the pressure applied must be enough to keep carbonation, AND push the beer through the lines. There must be enough pressure to overcome gravity in the climb from keg to tap, AND overcome the resistance of the lines. Too much pressure = foam; not enough pressure = foam.
In addition, the temperature must be constant through the whole path. If the beer warms up in transit you get (are you ready for this one?) FOAM!

Do a Google search on "Balance draft beer systems," and you will find detailed write ups at both the amateur and professional level. Most of the good draft equipment sellers have such instructions on their website.

[seed]

I spoke to my beer rep today. After finding this site and realizing there is a lot more to pouring draft beer that pulling the tap. We are going to get a commercial grade kegerator.

[beerking]

I spoke to my beer rep today. After finding this site and realizing there is a lot more to pouring draft beer that pulling the tap. We are going to get a commercial grade kegerator.

Good news. How I helped.

That is one more place where the rest of us can go for good beer, served well! :D

[Mill Rat]

If you're still planning on the kegs in the basement, you'll need a glycol system for the beer lines and the tap tower on the first floor. Also, if you are going a long distance, especially up, you may also need to consider going to a CO2/N2 mix to have enough oomph to push the beer without overcarbonating the beers.

[seed]

After doing some reading it is obvious pushing the beer from the basement to the 1 st floor may not give me the cold fresh beer I look forward to. So we are going to demo some space under the bar and slide in something like a True. My rep said it will hold three full size kegs and 6 or 8 slims.

I am glad I found this site!

[Mill Rat]

Just sayin' that you may want to consider the other option, esp. if the demo work is going to cost some serious $$ or disrupt business for a while. Both of those factors could make a glycol system more cost-effective by comparison. A glycol system runs what amounts to a nontoxic antifreeze solution through a pipe loop from your kegerator through a larger insulated hose that holds your beer lines up to your tap tower and back again. The glycol is kept cold by a refrigeration system or by a radiator in your kegerator, and is circulated by a small pump. With a glycol system, the beer in the lines and in the spigots is kept nice and cold, and you don't sacrifice a bunch of the space beneath your bar to hold kegs. I would avoid this system though if you plan to have only one person on staff at times, since you might not wnat them gone from the bar for the length of time it would take to change a keg. Some customers might not be able to avoid the temptation of some quick, free, self-service.

[seed]

The demo work is minor! We have a really skilled carpenter that works cheap!

[rhody red]

Where is this tavern located? I'd like to come and check it out once it's all done...

[seed]

We are located in Westbrook, ME. It a haul for you! You may want to go Dohertys pub around Worcester, MA www.myspace/dohertyspub
Tell Haven Seed sent you LOL. Our land lord is having a bit o trouble with the fire inspector but we will get there! Here is our myspace.

Seed

www.myspace.com/skybox212