Maxi 210

[Skindar]

Hi
Its possible i may be able to buy a pub beer tower and maxi 210 glycol chiller. I work away from home half the time so would it be more cost effective to keep my corny kegs in a fridge with pluto gun(was thinking on running nukataps external) or run one of these with kegs just sittjng in the garage? Do they need to be on all the time? How quick would they get down to beer temps once turned on? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[The Baron]

I would think a good hour of running usually gets them chilled but longer if possible. I run 2 chillers and it is also dependant on where they are sited to how quick and how cold they get, mine are in a external wooden pub/bar and it does get warm in the summer so cooling time takes longer and not always as cool as should be when in a hot period.
I run mine on water so a icebank has to build up inside the Maxi

 

[hoppyscotty]

I cant imagine running a Maxi chiller is anywhere near as cost effective as a fridge. Also I really don't think it is good for beer to be stored warm. The under bar chillers are really only designed to cool the beer from cellar temps, especially over long beer line runs that you often get in bars and pubs, and not room temps or even higher as it often gets in sheds and garages in the summer.

 

[The Baron]

I agree with Hoppy it is not ideal for beers to be stored in warm environments and a fridge would be better.
My beers do get stored in a warmer environment than is ideal but upto now I have never noticed any discernible off tastes but still not ideal so if it was 2/3 cornies I would go down the fridge with taps on

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Fridge.
Beer will keep longer and be more accurately carbonated.

I mounted a two-tap tower on top of mine (see TETB kegerator build) and also used the Nukataps. Don't bother with the flow control ones, just use a length of 3/16 tubing to balance the flow. Do get the return springs though.

I got my tower from BKT who do a complete kit with a choice of different taps.

 

[Skindar]

Thanks for the replies. Think i will stick with the fridge.

Fridge.
Beer will keep longer and be more accurately carbonated.

I mounted a two-tap tower on top of mine (see TETB kegerator build) and also used the Nukataps. Don't bother with the flow control ones, just use a length of 3/16 tubing to balance the flow. Do get the return springs though.

I got my tower from BKT who do a complete kit with a choice of different taps.

View attachment 98814 View attachment 98816

Do you have issues with foaming? Or are you cooling your tap from the fridge?

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Thanks for the replies. Think i will stick with the fridge.

Do you have issues with foaming? Or are you cooling your tap from the fridge?

None at all - the trick to reduce foaming is to include 50cm or more of thin (3/16") tubing between the keg and the tap. That results in a gradual reduction in pressure from keg (circa 15PSI) to tap (0 PSI) at a low flow rate.

The thing that causes foaming is when the beer experiences a sudden localised pressure drop, such as happens when it encounters the constriction of a part-opened valve. That shocks the dissolved gas out of suspension and once that's happened it won't go back in again... you've got a line full of foam.

The easiest way to do the job is to come straight down to 3/16" at your beer-our post, using a 3/8" to 3/16" stem reducer like this (from BKT):

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

@Skindar the length of 3/16" tubing you need for a correct pour will depend on your keg pressure and the type of beer, but generally 50-100cm will do it. Calculators are available, but basically I started with 1.5m but that was pouring too slowly so I chopped a third of it off

If you want to try it out, get one of these cheap party taps from (e.g.) the Malt Miller which uses exactly the same effect: