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  • Glycol Trunk Line size

    Which size beer line should I run in my brewery?

    1/4"
    3/8"
    5/16?

    Jason

  • #2
    How long is your run? Gas push or pumps? How much lift?

    Download this PDF--the second one down on this page: https://www.google.com/search?q=drau...utf-8&oe=utf-8 The Draught Beer Quality manual is your "Bible" for questions like this. Setting up a good draught system isn't simple, but it isn't rocket surgery, either. Getting it right the first try will save you many $s in product not lost as foam.

    Oops--I think I answered the wrong question, but I'll leave my answer up just in case it's handy.

    Can you post a diagram of your brewery lay-out? There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer to your question.
    Last edited by TGTimm; 03-01-2017, 10:48 AM.
    Timm Turrentine

    Brewerywright,
    Terminal Gravity Brewing,
    Enterprise. Oregon.

    Comment


    • #3
      The run is about 50' from the walk-in to the tap tower.

      Click image for larger version

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      • #4
        Ah--so I did have the right question.

        For a 50' run (how much lift?), you're definitely going to want the 3/8" beer trunk. I'd very strongly recommend using beer pumps. Using gas to push beer that far works poorly, and unless you're using a CO2/N2 mix, results in severe over-carbonation. The pressures you'd need to push beer 50', even assuming little or no lift (vertical distance from the keg to the tower), will be high.

        Do DL that manual I linked above. It has a very clear description of balancing a draught beer delivery system. This is where you save $s and tons of frustration by having beer that pours cleanly and with a minimum (like none) of foam.

        Also check out the section on cleaning beer lines and get a dynamic cleaning system set up, if you don't plan on having a contractor do it for you. If you go this route, still bone up on proper cleaning technique--just because someone claims to be a pro doesn't mean they do it right, nor really care.

        I put together a dynamic cleaning system that can clean four of our double-tap, 45' lines at once, in about 15 minutes/set. Cost was a couple of hundred dollars.

        Be careful with the lay-out of your keg room---I've seen too many that look like this:

        Click image for larger version

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        In fact, that's the keg room I inherited. Total mess, who know what line goes where, very difficult to clean thoroughly.

        I recently built a whole new delivery system, starting with a dedicated cooler. I made the lines as nearly tangle-proof as possible, neatly organized, and off the floor. It's paid in spades.

        Click image for larger version

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        This holds 12 keg stations, 8 of which are tandem. It serves two separate serving areas, each on 45' of beer trunk. Great pours, every time.

        One thing a lot of folks overlook is having a good enough supply of CO2 to each keg for heavy use sessions. Our old system fed 8 kegs off a single secondary regulator, and would start foaming badly when things got hot and fast at the bar. The new system has one secondary reg per four kegs (red lines in picture), fed by 1/2" lines. No more foaming problem when pulling hard and fast.
        Last edited by TGTimm; 03-01-2017, 01:57 PM.
        Timm Turrentine

        Brewerywright,
        Terminal Gravity Brewing,
        Enterprise. Oregon.

        Comment

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