Flexible barrier tubing?

[CharlosCarlies]

I know beer tubing in general has been discussed ad nauseum around here as I've read most of the threads, but I still haven't seen a good barrier option that's actually flexible. We've tried the EJ Ultra Barrier which works for several of our applications, but it kinks (especially when cold).

Is there a decent basic barrier tubing out there that would work for a basic draft system? The reason I ask is we serve through our walk-in and since we're only open on weekends, we're constantly having to pour out 6-8 oz of oxidized beer that's been sitting in the lines all week which is obviously frustrating.

Any ideas?

[dick murton]

NEVER leave beer in lines that long. You should at least flush out with plenty of clean water at the end of the weekend before you shut up shop and clean before use the following weekend, but better - clean fully and leave flushed with clean odour free water. Reclean before using again the following week.

Doing what you are doing is one of the best ways of destroying not just the quality of your pipes and beer, but your sales.

[TGTimm]

Our lines are in service everyday, but we have an outside serving kiosk which isn't very practical in sub-zero weather. We fully clean the lines at shutdown, then blow out with CO2, then clean and flush the lines at start-up in the spring.

I don't know how long it's safe to leave beer in the lines, but I'm betting with Dick that five days is past that limit.

Our beer trunks are barrier line, but they are PEX and not terribly flexible. All our CO2 lines are barrier PEX.

[CharlosCarlies]

NEVER leave beer in lines that long. You should at least flush out with plenty of clean water at the end of the weekend before you shut up shop and clean before use the following weekend, but better - clean fully and leave flushed with clean odour free water. Reclean before using again the following week.

Doing what you are doing is one of the best ways of destroying not just the quality of your pipes and beer, but your sales.

Interesting...I've never heard this and rarely seen retailers actually practice anything like this in my 10+ years around the industry (not saying you're wrong). I can see why it makes sense, but we do clean the lines religiously and after 3 years haven't noticed any flavor issues or equipment failure whatsoever (again not saying it's optimal).

So what it sounds like is beer waste in this scenario is just inevitable/normal, and really what we need to worry about is the long term durability of the equiment? If so, that's understandable, I just couldn't help but wonder if there was a better way than pouring out 100+ oz of product (many of which we sell for 75 cents to $1 per oz) every single week.

Appreciate the responses.

[dick murton]

Even with beer that has been heavily pasteurised or sterile filtered you will not be able to guarantee complete sterility throughout the dispense system, and inevitably at some stage, there will be some infection of some sort in there, which will grow. This is made worse by again, the inevitable deposition of protein, mineral and carbohydrate material, which can, over time build up a visible layer, which will harbour and nourish bugs.

If you don't want to waste the beer - simply pull the last drink or two through with water that you would use for the first flush of the CIP process. Once you have done it once or twice you will know how many drinks your individual dispense lines hold, so you can plan when to stop serving that particular brand.