Keg King Intertap

[SBOB]

just check with the LHBS. A mate picked some FC perlicks up cheap from Kirk in Hamilton recently. He might have got a big order of them in.

Anyway, we are OT!

were they stainless or chromed?
He has a $95 set on the website, but for that price it would need be be chrome

 

[Rocker1986]

I got my stainless Perlick FC taps for about $90 each from memory.

 

[Meddo]

Happy owner of six SS FCs here. Bought two batches of three taps about three months apart - the second set had the leaks that have been described here but that was sorted out with replacement bonnet washers from KK.

 

[SBOB]

Ended up with two ss intertaps for the new fridge. ($75 for ss taps, long shanks, handle and spring from Newcastle homebrew shop for reference)

No leaks on first setup.

For those that did have leaks and got replacement washers, was it any different from the same diameter slightly thicker washer that the keg king shanks come with? When pulling mine apart for cleaning I noticed that both the taps handle washer and the shanks incoming tube washer were the same size, just thinner on the intertap

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

About to purchase a KK series 4. Have decided to go with the Intertap 3 font setup. I am tossing up between regular SS and the SS flow-control. I am leaning towards FC just to simplify things and be able to change the pour flow on the fly.

Also, anyone have experience with the intertap stout tap/aerator. Is it worth buying if I don't have nitro? Thanks for any and all opinions!

 

[verysupple]

About to purchase a KK series 4. Have decided to go with the Intertap 3 font setup. I am tossing up between regular SS and the SS flow-control. I am leaning towards FC just to simplify things and be able to change the pour flow on the fly.

Also, anyone have experience with the intertap stout tap/aerator. Is it worth buying if I don't have nitro? Thanks for any and all opinions!

I have the stout spout on a plane Jane CO2 system. It works quite well. See this post from earlier in this thread.

 

[Reman]

I like the FC so that the first glass you pour isnt all foam while you wait for everything to cool down.

 

[Coldspace]

I'll second the stout pourer , I've used it with my kk flow control inter tap , I run my stouts and reds thru it, having the flow control I'll can crank up the co2 pressure to about 18 psi and then restrict it at the flow control and get a a real genuine creamy pour that's a genuine glass of micro bubbles that cascade up and form lovely creamy head. About 90% as good as a nitro pour at a pub. I'm more than happy with it.

 

[peteru]

I have no experience with the flow control taps, but the stout spout is great. Definitely a worthwhile addition.

 

[taztiger]

I'll second the stout pourer , I've used it with my kk flow control inter tap , I run my stouts and reds thru it, having the flow control I'll can crank up the co2 pressure to about 18 psi and then restrict it at the flow control and get a a real genuine creamy pour that's a genuine glass of micro bubbles that cascade up and form lovely creamy head. About 90% as good as a nitro pour at a pub. I'm more than happy with it.

Do you carb at normal pressure say 70Kpa and then turn it up to your higher pressure for the pour? I'm just building a new kegerator and am going to use a separate cylinder for the stout tap.

 

[Coldspace]

Do you carb at normal pressure say 70Kpa and then turn it up to your higher pressure for the pour? I'm just building a new kegerator and am going to use a separate cylinder for the stout tap.

I carb my reds and stouts to about 18-19 psi on the force carb method ,this gives me about 70% carb of say my ales or lagers. Which is right for me.
I then pour at about 18 psi due to the stout tap. I find this is great mix of carb, and pour rate to give max effect on these beers. You may have to dial your set up in. But don't go past 65-70% max carb of your other beer styles .

Just make sure after a session you either turn gas off at keg or disconnect it if running other styles otherwise the carb level will creep up to say ale level then you will have over carb red or stout.

Cheers

 

[taztiger]

I carb my reds and stouts to about 18-19 psi on the force carb method ,this gives me about 70% carb of say my ales or lagers. Which is right for me.
I then pour at about 18 psi due to the stout tap. I find this is great mix of carb, and pour rate to give max effect on these beers. You may have to dial your set up in. But don't go past 65-70% max carb of your other beer styles .
Just make sure after a session you either turn gas off at keg or disconnect it if running other styles otherwise the carb level will creep up to say ale level then you will have over carb red or stout.
Cheers

Thanks mate, I will give that a try. I'm going to run that tap separate to my other 3 taps on my new kegerator so should be all good.

 

[damoninja]

I have a pair of the standard SS taps, I reckon they're pretty damn good value for money, especially coupled with the stout nozzle and others you can get.

I had an issue with the washers too, I have my bonnets relatively tight as I've got fairly long handles but didn't realise there were issues with them or whatever, is this a defect and KK replace for free or just something that's worn over time?

 

[nosco]

Very happy with my Intertap with stout spout so far. Just a regular ss tap with ss shank. Kegged an English bitter last night. Left it on 30 psi for about 6 hours then left it. Poured the first one today at the usual 12 psi. No nitro effect but a nice creamy head on it. Very tastey. The head didnt last very long but it didnt go flat. Lovely lacing. It was carbonated but just needs a bit more time.

Tried serving it at high pressure as id read on here. Hooked it up to my 30 psi carbing line (too high maybe) and hey presto a beautiful nitro effect with a prefect 3/4" creamy head on it. The head did last this time.Its sitting on 8 psi to settle atm as i dont have any other kegs going. I pitched a chocolate stout with the same 1968 yeast. Cant wait to try it. Im going to get another Intertap with the stout spout asap.

 

[quadbox]

I bought an FC one to add to my keezer as a trial with the hbs credit I got from santa. Have pulled it apart and given it a good clean and lube, will be interested to see how they go. The build quality is a lot better than most of the taps I've used commercially.

If it works well over six months or so I might replace some of the crappier taps on there atm with a couple more

 

[Bougie!st]

Hi guys

I hope I am in the right spot. I just bought a new KK FC Intertap for my kegging setup and can't get a decent pour on it (normal front spout). My setup and the beer:

1. Wheat beer naturally carbed to 3.5 vols. Attached to regulator with 18psi (naturally) - held there
2. 4mm ID line from KK
3. Initially put in 4m line with JG straight connector to last 60cm (which is attached to tap) - I've been doing this successfully with my old taps - allows me to sub in lines to balance the system
4. Fridge temp is set at -4 deg, measures 2 deg at bottom front next to wheat beer keg
5. New shank for tap as well
6. Nothing but foam from pour, no matter where I adjust the FC to (even on the dribble setting)

Things I have done to adjust
1. added another 5m of 4mm ID line with another connector (so 9 m of 4mm ID line, plus FC tap) - I'd have thought this would fix it, but no. All other changes done with 9m of line (it's definitely all marked as 4mm ID line)
2. bled top pressure to push beer out with only 10 psi (but would have had the same vols of CO2 in the actual beer)
3. I am currently bleeding CO2 out of the beer (intermittent manually opening relief valve) - have it to 12 psi on the regulator and holding - no change (ie it seems to have equilibrated). Goal is to make sure it is carbed at the correct pressure for 2 deg (3 volumes is 15 psi according to BS2 and online charts), not -4 deg.
4. pulled apart and cleaned entire system of lines/connectors/shank/FC tap, etc
5. ensured the line (which is taped into a loop) is sitting at the bottom of the kegerator to keep it cold before it goes up to the tap
6. made sure tap has become cold with beer running through it
7. thrown out a lot of beer in the form of foam

I really enjoy the bubbles in a good wheat beer, and love this style, so want to have it on tap, not just in bottles. I don't want to have it flat (for a wheat). The reason I bought the FC tap was to enable me to achieve this greater carbonation with a balanced system.

I have two other kegs attached to normal taps (MJ kegerator - I removed the tap springs), with 3m 4mm ID line, connected to a small length coming from the tap with a JG straight connector, and sitting at 12-14 psi. Both of these pour perfectly fine (one pilsner, other APA). By rights, the amount of 4mm ID line I need should be less than this, but I actually have no issue with the amount of line, so long as the system is balanced and it fits in the fridge. I don't have a font fan, but have no issue with the initial bit of foam from a warm tap - it's usually not even enough to throw out with these other beers.

Any other ideas?

When I try to pull a beer, you can hear the turbulence in it as it comes through the tap. The sound comes from the back of the tap, just after the connection to the shank and before the handle, and it's there no matter what position the FC is in.

The guys at KK have been great with any other issues I've had - good customer service - but they are on holidays at the moment, so I haven't contacted them as yet.

Thanks in advance. Sorry for the long post - I was trying to save space by using point form

 

[claypot]

Have you tried pouring the wheat beer through one of the other taps?
How does it compare?
You mentioned you pulled the tap down and cleaned. Did you strip it right down, I've heard of people getting machining swarf inside on occasion.

 

[peteru]

If you can, try with with a minimal length of 4mm tubing. You don't need all that beer line to balance the system, since you have an FC tap. It's just a place where CO2 can come out of solution and turn into foam.

The noises you hear are probably the bubbles that are already in the line travelling through the shank/tap connector cavity. I suspect that if you look at the beer line, you will see that the bubbles / foam are already forming before the beer makes it as far as the font.

 

[Bougie!st]

Have you tried pouring the wheat beer through one of the other taps?
How does it compare?
You mentioned you pulled the tap down and cleaned. Did you strip it right down, I've heard of people getting machining swarf inside on occasion.

Thanks, mate. That was on my list of things to do, but was pulling my hair out and wanted to ask other ideas. I was about to, then saw peteru's post...
I did strip the tap right down, and it looked clean, but I did another proper clean just in case my vision is failing me

If you can, try with with a minimal length of 4mm tubing. You don't need all that beer line to balance the system, since you have an FC tap. It's just a place where CO2 can come out of solution and turn into foam.

So, I went and had another look, and you are right. There was a lot of bubbles coming out of the beer in there. It may be because the pressure was inadequate (as I had turned it down), but I took your advice and shortened it to 2m. I actually then got a decent pour out of it. The beer was a bit flat for a wheat, but this might have solved the issue. No gas bubbles in there this morning. Have turned the pressure back up and I guess will see what happens when the beer carbs up a bit more.

Thanks for the help! :beer:

 

[JDW81]

I reckon the trick with the flow control taps (I run 4 Perlick FCs) is having a short (about 1m), single piece of beer line for each tap with no connecters other than the necessary ones. Gives you less places to cause turbulent flow and knock the CO2 out of solution. Means your flow restrictors in the back of the tap do all the work.

JD