beer line length

A forum to discuss the various ways of getting beer into your glass.
paulg
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Re: beer line length

Post by paulg » Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:52 pm

McMullan wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 5:29 pm
Slightly more expensive overall, but these work very well too, in my experience. A tad more control relative to a modified Sankey set up, tbh.
mmm interesting.
It looks like they come from Australia,so import taxes to add but malt miller has them which is ok for UK residents.
I need to try to find them in Europe

add a cask widge float and away you go

McMullan

Re: beer line length

Post by McMullan » Sun Jul 04, 2021 9:10 pm

paulg wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:49 pm
McMullan wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 5:23 pm
IMG_0018.JPG
IMG_0027.JPG
IMG_0028.JPG
whats the peice that fits in the silicone tube that the float hose attaches to?
1/2" barb (with some silicone hose) to 3/8" stem.

McMullan

Re: beer line length

Post by McMullan » Sun Jul 04, 2021 9:14 pm

paulg wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:52 pm
McMullan wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 5:29 pm
Slightly more expensive overall, but these work very well too, in my experience. A tad more control relative to a modified Sankey set up, tbh.
mmm interesting.
It looks like they come from Australia,so import taxes to add but malt miller has them which is ok for UK residents.
I need to try to find them in Europe

add a cask widge float and away you go
From China. Ask them the mark the value down on the packaging, to avoid import charges. They normally do anyway, but best to request they do when ordering. They offer a very reliable service too.

paulg
Steady Drinker
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2019 3:56 pm
Location: Corfu,Greece formely Essex/Suffolk border UK

Re: beer line length

Post by paulg » Mon Jul 05, 2021 9:41 am

McMullan wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 9:14 pm
paulg wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:52 pm
McMullan wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 5:29 pm
Slightly more expensive overall, but these work very well too, in my experience. A tad more control relative to a modified Sankey set up, tbh.
mmm interesting.
It looks like they come from Australia,so import taxes to add but malt miller has them which is ok for UK residents.
I need to try to find them in Europe

add a cask widge float and away you go
From China. Ask them the mark the value down on the packaging, to avoid import charges. They normally do anyway, but best to request they do when ordering. They offer a very reliable service too.
many thanks,food for thought.
I like the china cap idea as it allows smaller couplers than the sankey ones but I am not overly keen on the poppet valves from when I had troubles using corny kegs but they were used kegs.
One last question what size cask float did you use .I assume it is from cask widge and did you have to cut the silecone tube to length

paulg
Steady Drinker
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2019 3:56 pm
Location: Corfu,Greece formely Essex/Suffolk border UK

Re: beer line length

Post by paulg » Mon Jul 05, 2021 9:44 am

IPA wrote:
Sat Jul 03, 2021 5:01 pm
paulg wrote:
Fri Jul 02, 2021 7:13 pm
IPA wrote:
Fri Jul 02, 2021 4:27 pm
60 cm with no gas connected until the beer stops flowing. Temperature 10 °C using a float takeoff. When the flow rate slows to a dribble give it a short burst of gas. Forget those 'Mercan' carbonisation calculators they only work with bottled beer and the line length calculators are even worse !
Ian when you say 60 cm what diameter,I assume 3/16 OD micro bore line.
I think I have found part of my problem the excess line is coiled on top of my keg and the air temp is about 17c with the kegerator set at 11c.The internal fan only runs when the compressor is running and I am guessing that the air stratifies and warms the beer in the long line coil therefor foam and that is why even extending the line does nothing for the foam.i am using 1/4 bore line and will try with 3/16 microbore when it arrives in a couple of days and the tower cooling fan will help circulate the air as well
I have just checked and they are 70 cm long 7mm id and 12mm od pvc rated at 3 bars. I have said this many many times, I also vowed never to say it again, but there is only one reason that beer comiing out the tap foams and that is because it is over carbonated. One more tip,if you are not already doing so, is use a float take off.
what do you perceive as the advantage of the float take off apart from the clear beer?

McMullan

Re: beer line length

Post by McMullan » Mon Jul 05, 2021 11:01 am

paulg wrote:
Mon Jul 05, 2021 9:41 am
McMullan wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 9:14 pm
paulg wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:52 pm


mmm interesting.
It looks like they come from Australia,so import taxes to add but malt miller has them which is ok for UK residents.
I need to try to find them in Europe

add a cask widge float and away you go
From China. Ask them the mark the value down on the packaging, to avoid import charges. They normally do anyway, but best to request they do when ordering. They offer a very reliable service too.
many thanks,food for thought.
I like the china cap idea as it allows smaller couplers than the sankey ones but I am not overly keen on the poppet valves from when I had troubles using corny kegs but they were used kegs.
One last question what size cask float did you use .I assume it is from cask widge and did you have to cut the silecone tube to length
All the Cask Widge floats are the same size, just colour coded for different sized casks. Only difference really is the length of silicone tubing they're supplied with, if you opt for the tubing too. I use slime-line kegs and found 6mm ID x 1.5mm wall better than the tubing supplied with Cask Widges, which can jam on the keg wall stopping beer flow. For my 20L Sankey slimline kegs a 65cm length of tubing leaves about 200ml beer behind.

paulg
Steady Drinker
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2019 3:56 pm
Location: Corfu,Greece formely Essex/Suffolk border UK

Re: beer line length

Post by paulg » Mon Jul 05, 2021 1:45 pm

McMullan wrote:
Mon Jul 05, 2021 11:01 am
paulg wrote:
Mon Jul 05, 2021 9:41 am
McMullan wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 9:14 pm


From China. Ask them the mark the value down on the packaging, to avoid import charges. They normally do anyway, but best to request they do when ordering. They offer a very reliable service too.
many thanks,food for thought.
I like the china cap idea as it allows smaller couplers than the sankey ones but I am not overly keen on the poppet valves from when I had troubles using corny kegs but they were used kegs.
One last question what size cask float did you use .I assume it is from cask widge and did you have to cut the silecone tube to length
All the Cask Widge floats are the same size, just colour coded for different sized casks. Only difference really is the length of silicone tubing they're supplied with, if you opt for the tubing too. I use slime-line kegs and found 6mm ID x 1.5mm wall better than the tubing supplied with Cask Widges, which can jam on the keg wall stopping beer flow. For my 20L Sankey slimline kegs a 65cm length of tubing leaves about 200ml beer behind.
many thanks they are the same kegs I use
so the tubing with chinese conversion needs changing too?
Last edited by paulg on Mon Jul 05, 2021 2:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

paulg
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Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2019 3:56 pm
Location: Corfu,Greece formely Essex/Suffolk border UK

Re: beer line length

Post by paulg » Mon Jul 05, 2021 2:16 pm

2 x conversion heads ordered ,now just need to get cask widge to send the floats abroad.Have emailed them

McMullan

Re: beer line length

Post by McMullan » Mon Jul 05, 2021 2:31 pm

Both work fine, but my couplers are standard, without PRVs. Personally, I prefer to have PRVs and find the convenience of ball lock disconnects difficult to resist.

paulg
Steady Drinker
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2019 3:56 pm
Location: Corfu,Greece formely Essex/Suffolk border UK

Re: beer line length

Post by paulg » Mon Jul 05, 2021 3:48 pm

McMullan wrote:
Mon Jul 05, 2021 2:31 pm
Both work fine, but my couplers are standard, without PRVs. Personally, I prefer to have PRVs and find the convenience of ball lock disconnects difficult to resist.
I have american couplers with prv but they are a bit bulky.Ialready have some unused ball lock coupler and therefore decided to go this route.
I am still interested in why floating pickups instead of the spear though

McMullan

Re: beer line length

Post by McMullan » Mon Jul 05, 2021 5:08 pm

Sankey (and corny) kegs are not really designed for unfiltered beer. Although long dip tubes drawing beer from the bottom are fine with a little care, floating dip tubes are much better for unfiltered beer. Why they’re commonly used in the industry these days.

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IPA
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Location: France Gascony

Re: beer line length

Post by IPA » Mon Jul 05, 2021 6:14 pm

paulg wrote:
Mon Jul 05, 2021 3:48 pm
McMullan wrote:
Mon Jul 05, 2021 2:31 pm
Both work fine, but my couplers are standard, without PRVs. Personally, I prefer to have PRVs and find the convenience of ball lock disconnects difficult to resist.
I have american couplers with prv but they are a bit bulky.Ialready have some unused ball lock coupler and therefore decided to go this route.
I am still interested in why floating pickups instead of the spear though
With a float you will have bright beer from the first to the last glass. Surely that is reason enough. That is subject to the following advice from Gray's Alchemy who used to post on here. "If you want clear beer coming out you need clear beer going in" :D
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paulg
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Re: beer line length

Post by paulg » Mon Jul 05, 2021 6:57 pm

:As I drink mainly milds and porter I havent had too much of a problem with clarity :D :D

paulg
Steady Drinker
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2019 3:56 pm
Location: Corfu,Greece formely Essex/Suffolk border UK

Re: beer line length

Post by paulg » Mon Jul 05, 2021 7:02 pm

McMullan wrote:
Mon Jul 05, 2021 5:08 pm
Sankey (and corny) kegs are not really designed for unfiltered beer. Although long dip tubes drawing beer from the bottom are fine with a little care, floating dip tubes are much better for unfiltered beer. Why they’re commonly used in the industry these days.
I wasnt aware of floating pickups other than the cask widge .
I had always thought cask widge as being a system for pubs without proper stillage,allowing casks to stand on their end.
However I have just ordered both the ball lock keg conversion and a couple of floats

guypettigrew
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Re: beer line length

Post by guypettigrew » Mon Jul 05, 2021 8:44 pm

paulg wrote:
Mon Jul 05, 2021 6:57 pm
:As I drink mainly milds and porter I havent had too much of a problem with clarity :D :D
Unless the lack of clarity is caused by yeast in suspension, which doesn't suit my taste buds at all.

Guy

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