How to plan your Draught Beer installation
It is all about keeping the beer fresh and cold from keg to glass even if it has to travel long distances. Remember; you are not making money on selling beer, you are making money on selling cold beer!
We will divide the considerations into 6 sections: Keg storage, kegerators, python, under counter coolers, over counter dispenses and wall taps solutions.
Keg storage
Where do you plan to store your beer kegs and gas tanks?
- Under the bar counter, on the floor (ambient temperature)
- A stand-alone purpose-built refrigerator
- In a cold storage
If you want to learn more about the pros and cons of these options, we are happy to discuss further. Please contact us
When the kegs are stored away from the bar we need to install:
A FOB (Foam On Beer) Detector shuts down beer flow when keg empties. This eliminates the spitting and spraying that usually happens when a keg “blows”. No need to refill lines after opening new keg.
A Secondary Pressure Regulator may be needed to control pressure on each keg. Gas tanks should be stored outside the cold storage.
A Suitable Beer Pump is needed for each beer to push the beer through the python to the bar. If the beer is running on mixed gas (CO2+N2), there is no need for a beer pump.
Both FOBs, beer pumps and secondary pressure regulators are mounted on a steel board using approved push fittings and beer lines from John Guest and Valpar.
For some projects a refrigerator is required to keep the kegs cold. There are some challenges with this set-up especially if new kegs are not chilled in advance. Changing temperature can cause foam problems
It takes time for a refrigerator to cool down a warm keg, so an ice bank cooler can be added to ensure cold beer at the tap.
The ice bank cooler’s agitator provides cold water for the water circulation in the beer fonts / tower.
Kegerators
(keg+refrigerators = kegerators)
Kegerators can be tailored to your requirements
Python
What is a “python”?
A python consists of several beer lines and water liners surrounded by 20-30 mm thick insulation. The python is connected between the keg storage and the bar.
In the water lines there is ice cold water flowing forth and back to keep the beer in the beer lines cold. This ice-cold water comes from the under-counter ice bank coolers.
A python should be installed early in the construction process. It can be hidden in the floor, the ceiling or in the walls. It is recommended to have a few spare beer lines in the python for eventual future expansion of your draught beer assortment.
The python is always made to order to fit the venue. There will be no joints or fittings inside the python.
Beer coolers
(under counter bar)
Under the bar counter we install wet coolers. The python will connect to these wet coolers, and the beer will flow through the coils in the water bath, cooling the beer again just before being poured.
Between the ice bank cooler and the beer taps there will be another short python with water flow to cool the beer to the tap.
The agitator on the ice bank cooler pumps ice cold water through the pythons.
Beer Cooler Assortment
We carry and build-to-order a large assortment of ice bank and glycol coolers to support installations of different sizes and capacities.
Prebarso coolers are locally assembled and are available in 2 sizes, both as ice bank and glycol:
- U14 with 14 kg ice bank and space for up to 3 coils
- U21 with 21 kg ice bank and space for up to 6 coils
The Prebarso cooler comes with high performance refrigeration package tuned for tropical climates, so your beer is always cold.
Tough, corrosion proof insulated unibody construction. Fewer parts. Longer service.
Lindr (Czech Republic) has an extensive assortment of ice bank coolers to suit every need. These coolers have low heights and fits under almost all (low) bars. Here are just a few displayed.
Lindr AS-80 4 short coils
Lindr AS-110 Inox Tropical 6 short coils
Lindr AS-160 Inox Tropical 6 longer coils
Lindr also produces an extensive assortment of top counter dry coolers available with or without built-in air compressor.
As the over counter dry coolers do not have a water bath the set-up time is very short. Just plug in the power and you can start serve cold beer within 15 minutes. Easy to move around for instance in a hotel, restaurant or resort to serve the cold beer where needed.
If you have limited space in your venue but still like to have beer on draught these coolers suit you well due to the compact design.
Fuyong (China) ice bank coolers are equipped with stronger compressors. The larger coolers have double copper coils for building up more solid ice.
Fuyong 2 coils
Fuyong 4 coils
Fuyong 8 coils
In addition, Fuyong’s top counter ice bank cooler provides high performance with limited space required. Available with 1 or 2 taps.
Beer Towers (Over counter dispenses)
Do you want a beer tower with several taps?
Do you want single tap fonts/towers?
Do you want wall mounted taps?
Do you want your bar to look attractive and unique?
We have an extensive range of beer towers from Italy, Denmark, Spain, China as well as towers made in Thailand, Just ask.
Available with 2–6 taps in chrome, black, copper, bronze etc.
Available with 3 and 5 taps in chrome, black,copper, bronze etc.
For 5 min inspirational video click on red framed picture below
Or this link: https://youtu.be/uf9ufnOREFE
Wall Taps Solutions (Installation examples)
Full Moon, Phuket.The cold storage for beer kegs is placed up against the bar. Individual secondary regulators are installed for each tap.
Let the Boy Dle,Bangkok.Beer kegs are stored in a stand alone refrigerator with a Presmann U21 ice bank cooler to keep beer cold in the pythons to the taps. Individual secondary reg- ulators were installed for each tap.
Hair of the Dog, Bangkok. Remote cold storage for kegs with a Presmann U14 glycol cooler to keep beer cold from the cold storage, into the bar and to the taps. Because of the longer “run” FOBS were added. Individual secondary regulators were installed for each tap.