What makes a beer tap/faucet different from the water ones?

Question

What makes a beer tap/faucet different from the water ones?

jards

2014年11月11日 17:45

I'm planning on build a cooler-based jockey box to drink my kegged beers. And was thinking what's the different things in a beer tap/faucet? I'm having trouble to find one with reasonable price in my town.

I understand that some faucets have 'cream function', or 'flow control' diferences, material finishes (stainless, chrome plated, brass, plastic..) but the standard/basic type just allow you to on/off your flow of beer. Rigth?

Can I simple choose other kind of tap to put on my draft box? That's just a matter of style or its needed by some reason?

Topic diy kegging serving homebrew

Category Mac

jsled · Accepted Answer · 2014年11月11日 17:45

Beer has a relatively low pH, usually around 3-4. As it's acidic, it can be more reactive with certain materials. Chrome-finished faucets, in particular, will over time have the chrome finish stripped off. As well, faucets need to be cleaned regularly, so the ability of the material to stand up to chemical and/or mechanical cleaning is important.

brewchez · Accepted Answer · 2014年11月11日 13:34

Standard plastic 'cobra' or 'picnic' faucets are fairly cheap. They won't mount to the side of a jockey box but if price really is the primary issue then at least these work. You can drill a hole and pass the tubing through them. The hole can then be used for a proper faucet in the future. I think some of the other non beer related options will create too much foam.

Example of a picnic faucet.

mdma · Accepted Answer · 2014年11月11日 05:23

For getting an optimal pour, you're best to go with a beer faucet. For the best flow with the least amount of foam, the tap should be fully open, or it will agitate the beer causing lots of foam. Other taps may have too small an opening, causing the beer to gush out or be agitated.

There's also aesthetics - the beer taps have been engineered to look good, and shaped to direct the beer into the glass at the appropriate angle. This is not the case with non-beer taps.

Other taps will work, but possibly not as well. If you have another tap to try, then give it a shot, and see how you like the pour you get.

Dean Brundage · Accepted Answer · 2014年11月11日 03:50

Ball valves should work fine. However consider:

Turbulence causes CO₂ to come out of solution. Faucets are designed to minimize this effect whereas ball valves may not.
Ball valves will be difficult to clean and can harbour spoilage organisms. Faucets have fewer places for such to hide and are easily disassembled.

That being said, give it a shot and see what happens.

What makes a beer tap/faucet different from the water ones?

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