2 Tap Jockey Box

[Crusty]

For those of you that have set up a 2 tap portable system, what's the best cooling idea in your opinion? Coils or a 2 product Keg King plate. I need something portable for the increasing demand of beers on tap at mates barbies.

 

[Dan Pratt]

I haven't got one bit I borrow the two tap system from the LHBS when I need too. That uses the keg king plate and with water and ice it chills room temp beer to excellent serving temps no worries, I'd suggest its better than coils.

 

[meathead]

I think it depends on a few variables

Will you be constantly pouring, if so coils
Will the ambient temp be hot, if so coils
Do u want to multipurpose esky, if so plate
Cost issue, if so plate

 

[timmi9191]

Keg king plate worked great for me in hot weather and constant pouring. I had kegs pre chilled and wrapped in kmart sports mat.

I think the key is keeping a good layer of ice covering the plate. If its turning to water the heat exchange is sucking the icey goodness away..

 

[Dan Pratt]

With the plate just add water about 1 inch above the surface and load up with ice. Keep the ice full to maintain cold served beer.

 

[Crusty]

Thanks guys.
I'm leaning towards the plate at this stage. The next decision will be what taps to use. Would you guys care to share some pics of your portable setups.

 

[fcmcg]

We had coils but found that if pouring alot of beer ( at a beer festivel) , that we chewed through the ice.We've now got a plate.
One thing with coils is that they will freeze the beer in line if you dont make a slurry of ice and water and if you arent pouring a beer every 30 minuntes

 

[fcmcg]

we use the intertaps from keg king.We did have flow control ones but had heaps of issue with them

 

[Crusty]

What about for a larger gathering? I'm not sure the plate will be up to the task.
Maybe 2 x 50ft coils in an ice slurry would handle the higher demand a bit better.
I'm looking at bringing it to functions as well & there's a few thirsty friends that will no doubt keep the beer flowing.

 

[timmi9191]

With the plate just add water about 1 inch above the surface and load up with ice. Keep the ice full to maintain cold served beer.

Sorry pratty disagree. Water is counter productive. Layer the bottom esky with ice. Place plate on top and c oat with ice is best practice imo..

 

[timmi9191]

What about for a larger gathering? I'm not sure the plate will be up to the task.
Maybe 2 x 50ft coils in an ice slurry would handle the higher demand a bit better.
I'm looking at bringing it to functions as well & there's a few thirsty friends that will no doubt keep the beer flowing.

Fishing trip with very thirsty attendees, plate does fine. Constant draining of water and ice top ups are the key

 

[Black n Tan]

Sorry pratty disagree. Water is counter productive. Layer the bottom esky with ice. Place plate on top and c oat with ice is best practice imo..

I'm with Pratty on this one. Heat transfer is all about maximising the contact surface area between the beer and the coolant and an ice slurry provides the best contact with the plate chiller.

 

[Grainer]

Pratty is correct...

 

[Crusty]

Fishing trip with very thirsty attendees, plate does fine. Constant draining of water and ice top ups are the key

Exactly what Keg King recommends in the setup video.
Cheers

I'm with Pratty on this one. Heat transfer is all about maximising the contact surface area between the beer and the coolant and an ice slurry provides the best contact with the plate chiller.

About 4 min 30 into the video explains why you don't want the ice slurry mixture when using the plate.

 

[timmi9191]

Pratty is correct...

Water from tap is what?, 15 to 20 degrees add ice whats the median coating the plate??

Have just ice coating the plate. Whats the median?

Draining the water and topping up ice is the key.

 

[Grainer]

No its not dude..it is all about contact to the plate.. the water is actually got 100% surface contact with the chiller ... ice is just the chilling medium and does not coat the plate due to the fact it is a solid and cant possibly cool the plate as effectively as a liquid,.. leave the water in and it will chill and provide much colder beer.. trust me I am a scientist in a past life dude ! It is all physics !

 

[timmi9191]

No its not dude..it is all about contact to the plate.. the water is actually got 100% surface contact with the chiller ... ice is just the chilling medium and does not cost the plate due to the fact it is a solid and cant possibly cool the plate effectively as a liquid,.. leave the water in and it will chill and provide much colder beer.. trust me I am a scientist in a past life dude ! It is all physics !

Nah...

Coat the plate in salt and add your slurry and im with you. Slurry alone nope-done it experienced it know which is better

 

[Black n Tan]

Exactly what Keg King recommends in the setup video.
Cheers


About 4 min 30 into the video explains why you don't want the ice slurry mixture when using the plate.

Thanks for that, I watched, but was not convinced. A guy from Keg King 'saying so' doesn't 'make it so'. Happy to be convinced but a little higher quality information will be needed to get me to change my opinion.

 

[Grainer]

Guess he thinks Kee is a physisist!

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Just Ice no slurry is a mixture of ice and air. Air has a far worse heat transfer coefficient than water, so slurry and ice is better than ice alone from a simplistic glance at the issue point of view.

Where it gets complex is at what temp is the water? If it's near zero like the ice and added that's the best, but likely it's tap water so chilling it down will rob you of some of the thermal transfer the ice could have provided for the beer. So ratios and volume of water/air/ice/esky size /plate size etc all come into play so technically none of you could actually state with hand on heart what method is best as everyone would approach it differently with different temp water addition.

I'm sure either method you pick with require some form of TLC over the dispensing period Crusty, enjoy [emoji3]