Draught System Troubleshooting & Reference Manual BeerTech.ca
Parts Of A Basic System Beer Line Keg Coupler High Pressure Gauge Regulator Low Pressure Gauge Regulator Coupling Nut Drum Valve Set Screw Air Line CO 2 Tank Refridgerator Toggle Shut Off Valve Keg Storage and Handling Draught Beer should be treated as a food product whether it is or isn t pasteurized. It s important to store and handle it properly. Helpful tips to help you maintain the highest quality and freshness: Store in a refrigerated walk-in cooler or a refrigerated cabinet. Stock rotation ensures fresh product. First keg in, first keg out is a good rule of thumb. Kegs should be stored separately from food products. If your cooler is used to refrigerate draught and food products, do not store food near or on kegs. Keg storage and dispensing areas should be kept clean to minimize any possibility of contaminating your draught products 2 BeerTech Draught System Technologies
Temperature It s important to store and dispense draught beer at the correct temperature, 34-38 F (1-3 C). If it s too cool or too warm, it could cause flavour loss and dispensing problems. Helpful hints on controlling temperature: Keep a thermometer handy to monitor temperature of draught in your cooler and at the tap Keep cooler door closed as much as possible to avoid temperature fluctuation Use plastic air curtains at fridge door to guard against temperature loss Regular maintenance of refrigeration equipment is recommended Keg Pressure Dispensing pressures differ according to: The type of draught dispensing system The length of the draught dispensing line The actual product - some require more, some require less (we recommend secondary regulators for this reason, then you can set exact pressure for each type of beer) The temperature of the product The pressure source: CO 2 or special blended gases Helpful hints on maintaining the correct pressure: Know which pressurizing agent to use on which product and why Monitor your regulators to ensure applied pressure remains constant Keep equipment in good repair Consulting, Design, Installation, Cleaning & Maintenance 3
Parts of a Regulator Left Gauge Pressure in tank Top Gauge Pressure to the system (keg) Bottom Lever Valve on/off switch Front Knob or Screw Pressure Adjust Parts of a FOB Float or Check Ball Ball in the tube prevents air from entering the line when a keg empties Top Button Releases air after keg is changed Bottom Button Push in when cleaning in progress 4 BeerTech Draught System Technologies
Tapping the Keg Helpful hints on tapping the keg: Be careful not to agitate the kegs unnecessarily. If this happens, allow kegs to settle for 1-2 hours before tapping. Before you tap the keg, ensure that all beer faucets in the serving location are in the off position. Remove the dust cover (identification cap) from the keg. Check that the keg coupler is in the up (off) position. Insert the coupler into the valve on top of the keg and turn ¼ turn clockwise. To start beer flow, pull out the coupler handle and press downward into the lock (on) position. The keg is now tapped. If FOB protectors are in place, reset the FOB by pushing on the top. This vents out the air and releases the float. 1 2 3 Consulting, Design, Installation, Cleaning & Maintenance 5
OVER CARBONATED PERFECT C0 2 BLEND UNDER CARBONATED Draught Beer Checklist If the beer is FOAMY, check: That the beer faucet is being opened completely That the beer is being poured to minimize foaming and waste That the beer faucet is clean obstructions can agitate the flow of beer That the flow rate is approximately 5 seconds for a 10 oz glass. If beer is poured too slowly or too quickly, adjust pressure as required to see if the problem is corrected. That you are following proper tapping procedures If the beer is CLOUDY, check: That you are using the right level and brand of detergent to clean beer glasses That your cooler temperature is correct and the temperature of beer at the dispensing faucet is correct 6 BeerTech Draught System Technologies
If your beer is FLAT, check: That your glassware is beer-clean That the temperature of your cooler and the temperature of beer at the dispensing faucet are correct. The ideal temperature is 34 to 38 F (1 to 3 C). That the flow rate is approximately 5 seconds for a 10 oz glass. If beer is pouring too slowly or too quickly, adjust pressure as needed. That you are following proper tapping procedures That you use the recommended pressure source for dispensing your style and type of draught beer (CO2 or special blended gasses). For OFF-TASTE BEER, check: That the temperature of your cooler and the temperature of beer at the dispensing faucet is correct. The ideal temperature is 34 to 38 F (1 to 3 C). That you are using the right level and brand of detergent to wash beer glasses In ALL instances, ensure: That your beer lines are cleaned on a regular basis That the product has not exceeded the recommended shelf life That you use the recommended pressure source for dispensing your style and type of draught beer (CO2 or special blended gasses) Line Cleaning Your lines should be cleaned on a regular basis. Why? It s all because of a scale called calcium oxalate, commonly referred to as beerstone, that forms on the fittings, lines and taps. If you don t remove this beerstone, it will leave an unsanitary surface that can harbor microorganisms, which can affect the quality and taste of your beer, as well as affect its shelf life. Proper line cleaning will eliminate the build-up, protecting the integrity of the product. Depending on the type of dispensing system you have, line cleaning should be done on a regular basis. Contact our office to have one of our service technicians provide you with information on the program best suited to your needs. Consulting, Design, Installation, Cleaning & Maintenance 7
Consulting If you are considering a draught beer system for your establishment, let BeerTech help. We can explain the benefits of draught beer systems, help design it for optimum performance and cost savings and do the installation to the highest industry standards. BeerTech will also inspect your current system and suggest any modifications that will help improve quality, performance and profitability, ultimately helping you sell more beer! Design & Installation The BeerTech team of professionals is trained in the planning and design of draught systems with the goal of implementing the most efficient and cost effective installation for their customers. A well-designed system increases beer quality, reduces waste and increases profits. Proper installation reduces downtime and loss of revenues due to system inefficiencies. It can also make the system easier to manage in house, reducing the need for service calls. Cleaning & Maintenance The three key factors to serving quality draught beer are Temperature, Pressure and Cleanliness. These three factors must be kept in perfect balance at all times. BeerTech can help you maintain high profits and quality draught beer for you customers by ensuring that each pint you pour is perfect every time. Regular maintenance of your draught beer system is the key to keeping profits high and your customers happy and coming back. Contact BeerTech 3460 Connaught Avenue, Halifax, NS B3L 3B5 (902) 431-BEER (2337) Fax (902) 431-1480 info@beertech.ca BeerTech.ca beer_tech