Pigtail sampling valve vs. straight zwickel

[scotts]

Can someone explain the benefit of using a curly pigtail sampling valve as opposed to a straight zwickel? I've seen some that have a couple curls, some that have many (5 or more), and then some straight like this:

http://solemnoathbrewery.com/sob-stories/the-zwickel/

I'm wondering what utility the added cost of the curls provides that a straight valve doesn't.

[Larry Doyle]

Can someone explain the benefit of using a curly pigtail sampling valve as opposed to a straight zwickel? I've seen some that have a couple curls, some that have many (5 or more), and then some straight like this:

http://solemnoathbrewery.com/sob-stories/the-zwickel/

I'm wondering what utility the added cost of the curls provides that a straight valve doesn't.

The pig tail is used to reduce/minimize foaming when you get your sample.

[SMiller]

You'll only need a pigtail on a carbed/pressurized tank. Think of it the same way as balancing draft lines, you need a longer line to keep the co2 from immediately breaking out of solution.

[scotts]

Thanks, that makes perfect sense.

Another question: how do you sanitize it? I assume it's difficult to completely remove the beer from the loops while it's attached to the tank. Just let new beer flow enough to ensure yesterday's beer is flushed before collecting a sample?

[Inthelab]

Thanks, that makes perfect sense.

Another question: how do you sanitize it? I assume it's difficult to completely remove the beer from the loops while it's attached to the tank. Just let new beer flow enough to ensure yesterday's beer is flushed before collecting a sample?

Pretty much. You wont be using the pig tail samples for anything other than taste testing.

[TGTimm]

As Inthelab wrote, the pigtail is used primarily for taste sampling, and isn't used frequently. We wash ours out between uses, usually just a good flush of hot H2O and then air-dry. The pigtail just slips over the spout of the sample valve, so it's easy to remove/install.

The various lengths of pigtails available are to balance the pressure of the carbonation with the ambient pressure of the brewery. Consult your supplier about the right size for you. Variables are beer temp, carbonation level, head pressure, depth of tank at sample valve, and elevation of brewery. One pigtail should work fine for all of your ferms, even though they differ in some variables.

[Bainbridge]

Yep.

Or you can cheap out and use about 4-5' of 3/16 choker hose with a triclamp on one end and a cobra tap on the other. Hook it up to the racking arm valve, pull sample, rinse and dry. Under $10.

[gitchegumee]

Not one or the other...

As Timm pointed out, you shouldn't have either one or the other, but both. A good pigtail clamps on to the sample valve and is totally temporary and removable and easily sanitized. Same like a CO2 test bottle. I've bought them from Bavarian before. Attaching a permanent pigtail to a TC ferrule is a big mistake IMHO. I don't like the thought of beer rotting in a spiral day after day. That's just me. Good luck!

[scotts]

Ok, looking closer at the Perlick website I can now see that pigtails (and a bunch of other connectors) are removable accessories that attach to the regular sampling valves.

Thanks everyone for your explanations.

[krenshaw]

i'm having trouble locating a link to a slip on pigtail for a normal straight zwickel.. our FVs have straight ones but a slipon would be nice.. we haven't tried spunding in our FVs yet but will be in the near future to make our carb easier in the BBT..

also, anybody have any recommended links for products for spunding valves?

[BugHunter]

If you can find a slip-on pigtail sample line feel free to let us know, because that's definitely the type of thing I'd love when trying to pull gravity samples off of our oatmeal stout recipe.

[Tubbybrew]

Yep.

Or you can cheap out and use about 4-5' of 3/16 choker hose with a triclamp on one end and a cobra tap on the other. Hook it up to the racking arm valve, pull sample, rinse and dry. Under $10.

I'm with Russell ... save your cash and just build one out of el-cheapo PVC tubing from home depot. We use about 4 ft of the smallest tubing they have (think its .125 id) with one side built up using short pieces of larger ID tubing crammed into each other to finally get to a inside diameter that is big enough to tightly fit over the zwickl (3/8" I think). Secure the pieces with a worm clamp and call it a day. Cost me maybe $3 in materials and 5 minutes of time... works like a charm and is 100% disposable if it starts to get cruddy.

[Larry Doyle]

I would use food grade tygon tubing.

[Greenbushguy]

i'm having trouble locating a link to a slip on pigtail for a normal straight zwickel.. our FVs have straight ones but a slipon would be nice.. we haven't tried spunding in our FVs yet but will be in the near future to make our carb easier in the BBT..

also, anybody have any recommended links for products for spunding valves?

We tried spunding and I don't recommend it, unless you have spunding valves, but they're pretty expensive. Now all I do is a day after crashing it and it's down to crash temp charge up the fermenter to 15 psi ( Our ferms and PRV's are rated for 15 psi) and let it force carbonate for the duration of it's crash time. You can even recharge it if it sucks up a bunch of CO2 due to force carbing in the vessel.