Stephen Method To Pull Taps Apart

[PistolPatch]

Was just chatting with Stephen about a possible infection I may have in my tap. He, as usual, wrote a very informative reply which I thought I'd post. (Mind you, I do have a question at the end!) Here is Stephen's method for cleaning a normal tap...

As for the tap. I now pull all mine apart after every brew to clean. To do this you will need a short length (10-15 cm) of 10mm (3/8") dowel or similar. Position the tap so that the rotating part of the tap is at midway travel ie. not on and not off. Place the dowel inside tap. Wrap forefinger over spout, wrap little finger around dowel for stability and firmly bang the exposed end of the dowel on a firm surface. I use the kitchen bench. It may take a few hits to work out how much force is required - but don't use all your force first up - the little finger does not appreciate this! To reassemble, simply place the rotating part into the barrel - aligned as before and tap the rotating part back into the barrell. I find that I don't need as much force to reassemble as I do for disassembly.

Have fun and let us know how you go....

I have no idea how Steve worked out how to do that! But, my question is, I vaguely remember in my myriad of searches, seeing something about taps that can be pulled apart. Do they exist and, if so, where can they be bought? Would love to know as I have just had 7 stiches removed from my left hand and 3 put in my right hand. Banging stuff on benches is currently beyond my capabilities!

 

[big d]

its not a new idea pistol and you will find that most brewers have been doing this for a long time as part of there sanitation regime.most taps that ive used come apart to make cleaning them easier.
the taps are not unique or special and all hbs should sell taps of varying styles/types brand names etc. that will come apart.

cheers
big d

 

[Weizguy]

There are lever taps available.
U push the lever down to open the valve, rather than turn the tap.
The mechanism screws open and U have access to clean the guts of the tap.

Haven't seen one for a while, but have one here.
if U can't find a new tap, U can have this one. My shout.

I hope the injury wasn't alcohol-related (he he, just messin' wit U).

Seth (who started his BJCP learnin' 2day)(and I live down the road from Stephen, too)
*edit for addition re Stephen :lol: *

 

[PostModern]

PP, I use a wooden spoon. Put the handle of the spoon into the back of the tap, then with the tap spout resting on the edge of the kitchen bench and the spoon pointing up, hold the tap with one hand and whack the top of the spoon with the other => tap in two pieces. Every so often I chuck all my taps and buy new ones for $1.49ea at Bunnings. No matter how much I love LHBS, $20 for 4 taps is too much.

Pretty much everyone does it every brew. The tap is a great hiding spot for infections.

 

[stephen]

Post Modern

I started using the dowel as a new wooden spoon every several tap disassembly was going to outweigh the financial gain of cleaning the taps.

OK I've only broken the one - on my third tap - so did the sums and calculated the cost of a new wooden spoon every three taps versus a bit of dowel laying around in the shed. The dowel won!

Steve

 

[PostModern]

Steve,

Whacking downward on the bench as you do, I can see the risk. My risk is to my hand only as far as I can tell). Breaking one of SWMBO's spoons would no doubt be more painful than breaking a wrist, I think

Cheers,
PoMo.

 

[stephen]

Steve,

Whacking downward on the bench as you do, I can see the risk. My risk is to my hand only as far as I can tell). Breaking one of SWMBO's spoons would no doubt be more painful than breaking a wrist, I think

Cheers,
PoMo.

[post="107993"][/post]​

PoMo

The length of dowel I use is only 10cm long. Once I wrapped my hand around the tap with the dowel inside there is only about 2 cm of dowel sticking out. The proper strike technique is to aim the fleshy part of your hand (ie the side with your little finger) downwards. With your fingers curled around the tap the impact to your hand is quite minimal: Think of it as pounding your fist down on the table with a tap inside.

Hope this has clarified my technique. Works for me, may not work for others.

Cheers

Steve

 

[PistolPatch]

Mmm. Sounds like taps are my problem. Think I'll take PoMo's advice, ditch all my taps and go for a little shop at Bunnings. (Know what you mean about the prices, Post. I paid $4.50 for Safale yesterday which I thought was a little steep).

Thanks for your kind offer Weiz! Hopefully I'll find one of those taps in Bunnings today to keep me going until my hands return to normal. Get cuts a fair bit as I do fascia and gutter installation. Usually don't get stitches that often though let alone twice in one week! Good luck with the BJCP. Maybe I can send you one of my Scheizenbiers and you can name the infection - lol!

 

[recharge]

Are the bunnings taps white @$1.49 or is it ok to use black ones in a fermenter?

 

[Finite]

The black ones seem to get really stiff. I was talking to my LHBS guy and he said that they only sell the white ones now cause the black ones were not very good.

I was at bunnings yesterday and they sell both the black and white ones for $1.49 or something cheap like that. They are in the same section whith all the water containers. I also bought a new fermenter 25L for $13.00. Last time I was there they were sold out of fermenters and this time they only have about 5 left. It was the bunnings at Tarren Point.

I recommend you stick with the white ones. I have chucked all my black ones and bought white ones.

 

[PeterS]

Post Modern

I started using the dowel as a new wooden spoon every several tap disassembly was going to outweigh the financial gain of cleaning the taps.

OK I've only broken the one - on my third tap - so did the sums and calculated the cost of a new wooden spoon every three taps versus a bit of dowel laying around in the shed. The dowel won!

Steve

[post="107991"][/post]​

My method is to use a large screwdriver to do the job. No need to buy new wooden spoons.

PeterS....

 

[Ross]

I use an old toothbrush - nice smooth ended plastic handle, causes no scaring to the tap ...

cheers Ross

 

[Batz]

The snap taps are the go

I have replaced all my taps with these,screw apart for easy cleaning too.

Most HB shops stock them. Perhaps a little more cost but IMO worth it.


Batz

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

Yep, I'm with Batz...snap taps are the way to go and I use them too...except for my SS fermenter which uses a ball lock tap...but that screws apart for cleaning too

Snap taps!

PZ.

*EDIT* - For those Canberra residents, go to Water Plus in Fyshwick for cheap snap taps :super:

 

[tangent]

i always had leaks with these taps maybe I was buying a crappy brand.

 

[Kai]

Barrel taps will start leaking if you disassemble them like that too often. But then you can always just buy more when they do.

I have one red snap tap, the only issue with it is tubing and my bottling valve don't fit on it so easily.

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

i always had leaks with these taps maybe I was buying a crappy brand.

If you mean having problems with snap taps look for Beneficial brand taps...never had a leak with them.

The name will be on the lever part.

PZ.

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

I have one red snap tap, the only issue with it is tubing and my bottling valve don't fit on it so easily.

Insert the tube as far as you can into the tap, sit them in boiling/boiled water for a few minutes, then remove from the hot water and hit with cold water immediately...problem solved :beer:

PZ.

 

[Weizguy]

Barrel taps will start leaking if you disassemble them like that too often. But then you can always just buy more when they do.

I have one red snap tap, the only issue with it is tubing and my bottling valve don't fit on it so easily.

[post="108109"][/post]​

...Or U can siphon from the top with a jiggle valve hose, and bottle from another bottling vessel and use either type of tap.

And I have to disagree with you, but I have a bottling bucket with a tap (black one, too) that it's had since I picked it up from someone's house on bulk pickup week (scabfest).
Anyway, it looked like it had already done warrior duty (black fermentor too - Olinda with a 2-piece top. Screw-off 3" cap in the middle of the lid. 2-piece airlock. Original name transfer is till in good nick). So, I've been using it for about 10 years, and haven't needed to change the tap yet. Just lube it up with food-grade silicone spray before reassembly. Have made larger batches of beer before (up to 25 litres) and have filled it close to the top, for bottling. Hasn't let me down since I made it my dedicated bottling bucket a few years back.

A freak tap? Goes against what was said about black taps earlier. Am I debunking a few myths, or just the exception"that proves the rule"?

Seth-tap-puller

post scriptum Thanks to Stephen for this thread

 

[Kai]

I've never used a black barrel tap and probably never will; too hard to see at a glance if they're dirty inside or not.

If you take apart the white ones often enough the plastic rim that holds the two parts together starts getting damaged, causing leakage.