silicone hose for birko urn tap

[IsonAd]

Hi
About to do my first biab with no chill but am.struggling to find silicon hose for the tap. I know People will say replace it with a ball valve which I'll plan to do later but for now I need a solution. All Ive been able to find is 12mm silicone tubing which I'm not sure will fit the birko tap. Ive tried putting on 12 and even 16mm vinyle tubing on the tap with little luck so I'm assuming the 12ml silicone tubing won't fit either. So my question is What tubing do I get for transferring the boiling wort and from where? What have other people done with the birko(apart from ball valve)?

 

[Bribie G]

<self effacing modesty>

If you are ever up my way I'll show you my trophy and medal wall from several club, state and national comps.

</self effacing modesty>

 

[QldKev]

I've never tried for a birko tap, but I've put some 1/2 silicon tube over a 3/4 BSP thread which is about 19mm/20mm, just wet it and it slips on as it stretches easy. Otherwise just do as BribieG does.

 

[Camo1234]

Make sure you dip the tube in some hot water before trying to put it over the tap... Loosens it up nice and good!

 

[IsonAd]

Thanks guys. Bribie I was planning on freeballing it if I couldn't find a suitable hose. Do you bother trying to minimise the splashing or just go nuts?

 

[roverfj1200]

Cut the 12mm cleanly with a sharp knife and be careful with some long nose pliers it will fit. I have it on my crown tap. Once on never remove it. Place it in the top handle when brewing to stop lose if the tap is accidentally turned on.


Cheers

 

[Bribie G]

I just let it pour in. However next year if I brew some lagers for the comp season again I'll try fitting a hose, as I'll be storing the brews for a longer time than my normal draught UK ales so I'll have two bob each way on Hot Side aeration.

I'm a bit confused re the silicone hose, I have a length that I use for kegging and transferring to lagering vessels and it stays firm as, even in boiling water.

 

[elcarter]

Silicon hose I got from keg King is 11.5mm but stretches quite a bit 18mm out side diameter according to the website.

Hot water and a clamp I think you'd get it easy if the 12mm vinyl works.

I'd say not just keg king stock it.

 

[IsonAd]

Thanks for the advice. For the first brew I'll prob just free ball it al-a-bribie and maybe look to get some sort of hose later.

Rover I'm not sure but I think the birko taps are wider than the crown, will keep it as an option but I'm not confident 12mm will be able to do it. Have been given a few options from a plumbing store that I'll follow up on. Will report back in case others are interested.

Does HSA just effect the longevity of the beer or dies it make it taste funkey too?

 

[acarey]

Getting a piece of silicone hose over the tap of my birko was the single most frustrating experience of my life
</end pointless post>

 

[Kingy]

I can get the hose over my neighbors birko tap but he can't. I'm just better at it then he is lol. It is hard but if you relax and put your mind to it and get it really moist it does go in there. On there I mean.

 

[tlbeer]

I have a 40L birko and i use a plastic spout connector like the kind used on old school dishwashers to hook up to your kitchen sink tap, it has 13mm silicon hose connected to its outlet. Never had a leak draining hot wort into a cube and it goes on to and comes off the birko tap with ease as i also use it to connect my water filter to the kitchen tap - hope this helps

 

[IsonAd]

Hey tlb thanks for that info. Dont suppose you can have a picture of it or can fine one online that I can check out (or show the bunnings staff)