ultratap or intertap? is there a difference?

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bird

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Hi all.
Looking to get some new taps for my keezer. Read an older thread comparing ultratap and intertap but it was a couple of years ago and was just wondering if there was anymore insight into the quality of the different taps. Really liking the black ultrataps. Look forward to hearing your advice.
Thanks
 
Don't forget to look at the new KL Nuka's
There was a comment last year about black chrome taps and someone asked KL when they were going to bring them in, the answer was that they weren't, sorry I can't remember why but they had a reason. I think it was in Kegland questions and answers but that thread is at 200 pages now! Maybe post a question there and see what they come up with.
 
Hi all.
Looking to get some new taps for my keezer. Read an older thread comparing ultratap and intertap but it was a couple of years ago and was just wondering if there was anymore insight into the quality of the different taps. Really liking the black ultrataps. Look forward to hearing your advice.
Thanks
If you like the black Ultratap then go with it, which one is better between the Ultratap and the Intertap? To give you peace of mind I doubt whether Micromatic in the US would put their name to anything inferior.
Micromatic.jpg
 
But there's Ultra and then there's Ultra, not sure where you got the photo but there's no sign of an Ultra tap on either AU or US Micromatic site, and as we all know, you tell em what you want printed on your goods and it happens. Fonts & Taps | Micro Matic Beer Taps, Faucets Whatever these are Weal I doubt they are what you would get from a LHBS if you went in and ordered Ultra taps.
 
But there's Ultra and then there's Ultra, not sure where you got the photo but there's no sign of an Ultra tap on either AU or US Micromatic site, and as we all know, you tell em what you want printed on your goods and it happens. Fonts & Taps | Micro Matic Beer Taps, Faucets Whatever these are Weal I doubt they are what you would get from a LHBS if you went in and ordered Ultra taps.
Only being released in America at the moment, shortly to go into Europe don't know about Australia yet.
Actually thinking about it there isn't much point having it here, Ultra tap is already here and it may cost more with Micro Matic branded on it.
 
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But there's Ultra and then there's Ultra, not sure where you got the photo but there's no sign of an Ultra tap on either AU or US Micromatic site, and as we all know, you tell em what you want printed on your goods and it happens. Fonts & Taps | Micro Matic Beer Taps, Faucets Whatever these are Weal I doubt they are what you would get from a LHBS if you went in and ordered Ultra taps.
Grmblz - I can assure you that MicroMatic asked for and was granted the exclusive to our Ultrataps for the USA. Not about to discuss the details of the deal publicly but message me privately if you want proof. The first shipment should be with them soon but not sure if or when it will go on the US website.
 
Grmblz - I can assure you that MicroMatic asked for and was granted the exclusive to our Ultrataps for the USA. Not about to discuss the details of the deal publicly but message me privately if you want proof. The first shipment should be with them soon but not sure if or when it will go on the US website. There is only one Ultra and it’s a KK product.
 
Thanks for all the info. Think I'll be getting three of the black ultrataps. Reckon they will look pretty flash with the timber collar on the keezer. If your still watching Will - I've already got long shanks from some shity taps I brought a while ago. Will the self closing spring Work with the long shanks?
 
Thanks for all the info. Think I'll be getting three of the black ultrataps. Reckon they will look pretty flash with the timber collar on the keezer. If your still watching Will - I've already got long shanks from some shity taps I brought a while ago. Will the self closing spring Work with the long shanks?
Not sure about the shanks but I think there is a reasonable chance they will.
 
Don't forget to look at the new KL Nuka's
There was a comment last year about black chrome taps and someone asked KL when they were going to bring them in, the answer was that they weren't, sorry I can't remember why but they had a reason. I think it was in Kegland questions and answers but that thread is at 200 pages now! Maybe post a question there and see what they come up with.
I had a look at the promo video for the Nukatap, KL, KK aside, 20% less material used equals less cost, a cheaper shuttle, less cost again. A machined stainless steel shuttle, which according to Kee will last 1,000,000 pours as he demonstrated in the robotic arm video of the Intertap.
Well if I drink 2.5 litres a night, pouring into a 500ml glass equals 5 pours per night 35 pours per week, 1820 pours per year means my Intertap will last me 549 years! Call it 500 years for party nights. Why change something which is half the price of the cheaper to manufacture Nukatap, which you get a spare shuttle because they are cheap and are not going to last so long, when you have a perfectly good tap which is going to last in excess of 500 years?
Maybe its the thermal mass of the tap which makes it double the price of the Intertap while being cheaper to manufacture, less thermal mass means it cools quicker. Then again on the other hand less thermal mass means it heats up quicker too.
 
I must admit I know nothing about the Nuka's, just that they exist and as such should be considered along side all the other taps, hence "don't forget to look at the Nuka's" I wasn't promoting them just pointing out their existence.
As for the black chrome, there WAS a negative comment about it, for the life of me I can't remember the thread or the content, I was in the process of building a serving fridge for a mate and he liked the look of them then saw something on the forum and went with SS instead, Yeees Weal the same tap just SS not black.
You raise some interesting points, spare shuttle??? wtf! WHY?............................... OK so that 12.5 mins of my life gone (the nuka vid)
NOW it's exactly the same price as the inter @ $24 so where's your "double the price"??
On something like this material cost is the least of your worries (unless you're making it out of unobtainium/gold) cmon weal you're not that stupid, casting and machining is easily where the coin is, after R&D of course.
Thermal mass heats up cools down? This is application specific, there will be times when the heavy weight performs better and vice versa, I disagree with Kee's assertion that the nuka will outperform the inter/ultra (I can't see the difference between them even though a comparison was done at the other place) in every circumstance, horses for courses but the nuka may be in front.
Spare shuttle? now THAT's a fkg worry, for a couple of reasons,
first of course is "where the fk did I put that spare shuttle" in 3? 5? yrs
second given KL's propensity for improvement is when you can't find your spare shuttle in 5yrs time does their website say "superseded"?
Having said that of course does it matter, because at these prices who gives a shit? The main reason I support KL is they have reduced the price of a tap from $200 to $24, a bottle of CO2 from $350 to $90 FULL! and all the other stuff that goes along with it, no longer is bottling the norm for the battler, and kegging for the better off, sure their gear isn't made to Rolls Royce standards, but you don't need to be a millionaire to drive one of their cars.
Personally I think you're being a bit one eyed here (no surprise) however Kee talking about roughness on the shuttle was a giggle, early last year I sent a couple back for being too rough (another build) after being told by KL that they would "bed in" they replaced them no problem but the real issue of course was QC and tolerances, I hope the cylinder that rubber (yeh whatever it is) shuttle is operating in is a LOT smoother than the inters I've used. If not well at $24 a tap just buy new ones.
Wish I could remember what the bloody issue was with black chrome. Bloody hell nearly 7.0pm time for a brew, decisions, decisions??? bugger it, been a large day gonna do a Belgium.
 
I must admit I know nothing about the Nuka's, just that they exist and as such should be considered along side all the other taps, hence "don't forget to look at the Nuka's" I wasn't promoting them just pointing out their existence.
As for the black chrome, there WAS a negative comment about it, for the life of me I can't remember the thread or the content, I was in the process of building a serving fridge for a mate and he liked the look of them then saw something on the forum and went with SS instead, Yeees Weal the same tap just SS not black.
You raise some interesting points, spare shuttle??? wtf! WHY?............................... OK so that 12.5 mins of my life gone (the nuka vid)
NOW it's exactly the same price as the inter @ $24 so where's your "double the price"??
On something like this material cost is the least of your worries (unless you're making it out of unobtainium/gold) cmon weal you're not that stupid, casting and machining is easily where the coin is, after R&D of course.
Thermal mass heats up cools down? This is application specific, there will be times when the heavy weight performs better and vice versa, I disagree with Kee's assertion that the nuka will outperform the inter/ultra (I can't see the difference between them even though a comparison was done at the other place) in every circumstance, horses for courses but the nuka may be in front.
Spare shuttle? now THAT's a fkg worry, for a couple of reasons,
first of course is "where the fk did I put that spare shuttle" in 3? 5? yrs
second given KL's propensity for improvement is when you can't find your spare shuttle in 5yrs time does their website say "superseded"?
Having said that of course does it matter, because at these prices who gives a shit? The main reason I support KL is they have reduced the price of a tap from $200 to $24, a bottle of CO2 from $350 to $90 FULL! and all the other stuff that goes along with it, no longer is bottling the norm for the battler, and kegging for the better off, sure their gear isn't made to Rolls Royce standards, but you don't need to be a millionaire to drive one of their cars.
Personally I think you're being a bit one eyed here (no surprise) however Kee talking about roughness on the shuttle was a giggle, early last year I sent a couple back for being too rough (another build) after being told by KL that they would "bed in" they replaced them no problem but the real issue of course was QC and tolerances, I hope the cylinder that rubber (yeh whatever it is) shuttle is operating in is a LOT smoother than the inters I've used. If not well at $24 a tap just buy new ones.
Wish I could remember what the bloody issue was with black chrome. Bloody hell nearly 7.0pm time for a brew, decisions, decisions??? bugger it, been a large day gonna do a Belgium.
Grmblz you have been sold a pup if you think KL wanted to bring prices down. They started a price war to force us out of business and then the prices were to go up once we were out of biz. I can show you emails from Kee to prove this and put you in touch with the LHBS they were sent to. They were unable to achieve this because they underestimated our abilities and resources. We came back stronger and better. You bought a pup mate. The high prices in the past were down to those who started the war and if they had won it you could have kissed those prices good bye.
 
The reality is that after years of prices that kept kegging as a bit of a luxury (just look at the price of a CO2 bottle or tap before KL) all of a sudden retail customers could buy at wholesale prices, THAT is what happened Will, I have no doubt there was/is an endgame strategy, BUT! at this point in time we as retail consumers are getting wholesale prices, there's still margin for importers just nothing for re sellers, does anyone really worry about Woollies $1 a Ltr milk or $5 doz eggs, no the middle guys get screwed, and no-one cares (well I do obviously but I'm a dying breed) Times change, change with em or join the dinosaurs.
Sounds harsh but "it is what it is"
Might just wander down to the orchard and check for duck eggs, wish I had a cow to milk NOT! Bugger just realised it's pitch black outside, Oh well I'll just have to have another Belgian, then might be time for an early night.
 
The reality is that after years of prices that kept kegging as a bit of a luxury (just look at the price of a CO2 bottle or tap before KL) all of a sudden retail customers could buy at wholesale prices, THAT is what happened Will, I have no doubt there was/is an endgame strategy, BUT! at this point in time we as retail consumers are getting wholesale prices, there's still margin for importers just nothing for re sellers, does anyone really worry about Woollies $1 a Ltr milk or $5 doz eggs, no the middle guys get screwed, and no-one cares (well I do obviously but I'm a dying breed) Times change, change with em or join the dinosaurs.
Sounds harsh but "it is what it is"
Might just wander down to the orchard and check for duck eggs, wish I had a cow to milk NOT! Bugger just realised it's pitch black outside, Oh well I'll just have to have another Belgian, then might be time for an early night.
Grmblz we do not screw the resellers. We work on volumes and terms that give them a reasonable margin. They are very important to us as are the end customers, Whilst we need to make money to stay in biz we are not driven by it. That is why we keep growing and customers know they can trust us. Duck eggs are heavy duty. Had enough of milking when I was a kid. Careful those Belgians will keep you up all night and cannot be trusted. I call them Leopold’s.
 
I didn't accuse KK of screwing the re-sellers, KL did that, I just meant to point out that the punters did well at the expense of the resellers, and to be honest most LHBS (mine is a BCF) don't have a fkg clue but still want their ridiculous mark up, mine in "MORUYA" there I've said it has a 6kg CO2 bottle for sale for $245, before you fall off your chair laughing 3 yrs ago that was the going rate, I read about LHBS's offering different crushes, I asked my guy for a kilo each (uncrushed) of 2 separate grains (admittedly both chocolate) and he proudly gave me a bag with a light and dark choc mix of grains, wtf and he deserves a 50% 100% depends how you do the math mark-up???
 
As for the black chrome, there WAS a negative comment about it, for the life of me I can't remember the thread or the content, I was in the process of building a serving fridge for a mate and he liked the look of them then saw something on the forum and went with SS instead, Yeees Weal the same tap just SS not black.
You raise some interesting points, spare shuttle??? wtf! WHY?............................... OK so that 12.5 mins of my life gone (the nuka vid)
NOW it's exactly the same price as the inter @ $24 so where's your "double the price"??
On something like this material cost is the least of your worries (unless you're making it out of unobtainium/gold) cmon weal you're not that stupid, casting and machining is easily where the coin is, after R&D of course.
Thermal mass heats up cools down? This is application specific, there will be times when the heavy weight performs better and vice versa, I disagree with Kee's assertion that the nuka will outperform the inter/ultra (I can't see the difference between them even though a comparison was done at the other place) in every circumstance, horses for courses but the nuka may be in front.
Spare shuttle? now THAT's a fkg worry, for a couple of reasons,
first of course is "where the fk did I put that spare shuttle" in 3? 5? yrs
second given KL's propensity for improvement is when you can't find your spare shuttle in 5yrs time does their website say "superseded"?
Having said that of course does it matter, because at these prices who gives a shit? The main reason I support KL is they have reduced the price of a tap from $200 to $24, a bottle of CO2 from $350 to $90 FULL! and all the other stuff that goes along with it, no longer is bottling the norm for the battler, and kegging for the better off, sure their gear isn't made to Rolls Royce standards, but you don't need to be a millionaire to drive one of their cars.
Personally I think you're being a bit one eyed here (no surprise) however Kee talking about roughness on the shuttle was a giggle, early last year I sent a couple back for being too rough (another build) after being told by KL that they would "bed in" they replaced them no problem but the real issue of course was QC and tolerances, I hope the cylinder that rubber (yeh whatever it is) shuttle is operating in is a LOT smoother than the inters I've used. If not well at $24 a tap just buy new ones.
Wish I could remember what the bloody issue was with black chrome. Bloody hell nearly 7.0pm time for a brew, decisions, decisions??? bugger it, been a large day gonna do a Belgium.
Could it be that black chrome would be more easily applied to brass? The black taps are actually annodised stainless steel.
The price, maybe I looked at the flow control just saw they were in the $40 something range.
The point is when you buy raw material like 304 it is bought on weight, melted and cast into taps, fettling, polishing and machining remain at a constant value. Any saving would have to be made on weight, so a slightly bigger core will drop the weight. Next saving, the shuttle not stainless steel, a cheaper lighter material, so cheap the are willing to throw in a spare, remember the taps were weighed with shuttles in.
So a tap which has been proved to last over 500 years, to a tap with a spare shuttle with an unknown working life expectancy. Both the same price, which one would the punter be better off with?

OK I say that tongue in cheek, the robot didn't do a million pours, I timed its pull rate and it would have taken almost 2 months. Neither was there ever a robotic tig welder welding the inside of the mini kegs, going in through a 35 mm hole with cable and wire feed. (and doing it on a production line)
But people believe it, gullible people, and the sad part is, it is usually the gullible people who are usually those with little excess income.
But as a fact, when Brad Amidzich the inventor of the Intertap and Ultratap, owner of Vent-Matic he bought back from an establishment in Melbourne one of his original Flo taps which had been pulling beers commercially without any problems or 'O' ring changes for almost 15 years. Same principal as the two mentioned above with the stainless shuttle.

We have enjoyed good prices in the last couple of years, much to the loss of incomes to home brew shops, making things cheaper isn't a way forward, quality, quality control (difficult when a factory is in another country) and value for money is all a customer wants.
Not to listen to dribble about robotic arms doing a million pulls fictitious robots welding the inside of kegs, thermal mass etc.
 
Why does every discussion about which tap to get turn into a slagging match between which SUPPLIER is better than the other, when the question asked is which TAP is better. I slogged my way through the last inter vs ultra thread, and came out none the wiser. I have my keezer at the stage of adding taps, and as such am interested if anyone has anything useful ABOUT THE TAPS to add to this thread. If you want to sling crap at each other, go do it somewhere else, or start a new thread about which supplier is better/more ethical.
Also, here is a couple of picks of my keezer
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Grmblz you have been sold a pup if you think KL wanted to bring prices down. They started a price war to force us out of business and then the prices were to go up once we were out of biz. I can show you emails from Kee to prove this and put you in touch with the LHBS they were sent to. They were unable to achieve this because they underestimated our abilities and resources. We came back stronger and better. You bought a pup mate. The high prices in the past were down to those who started the war and if they had won it you could have kissed those prices good bye.
keen to see those emails
 
Hi all.
Looking to get some new taps for my keezer. Read an older thread comparing ultratap and intertap but it was a couple of years ago and was just wondering if there was anymore insight into the quality of the different taps. Really liking the black ultrataps. Look forward to hearing your advice.
Thanks
to actually answer your question:

1. Both taps are fine/good/the best/better than the other. Get whatever is convenient. Main thing is, from all accounts neither tap is shit and they're both cheap AF compared to perlics, without any real downside.

2. This will start a ******* war between kegland and keg king. grab your popcorn and god speed.
 
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