draft beer system Archives

Draft Beer System Maintenance Guide

May 7, 2019

Keeping your draft beer line properly maintained is key to its longevity. Without this maintenance, your draft beer system could pose many problems for you and your business. The three essential points to look after when maintaining your system are temperature, pressure, and cleanliness.

Temperature

The proper temperature for a draft beer line will differ depending on the type of system and product. However, most systems will generally want to consistently stay around 38 degrees F. This ensures that the beer served is of utmost quality and that bacteria has less of a chance of growing within the line. You also want to make sure your walk-in cooler is being opened and closed as little as possible in order to keep the temperature the same. You may also choose to install a glycol unit which circulates antifreeze into the beer lines to keep your beer at an optimal, refreshing temperature as well.

Pressure

Pressure is one of the most important maintenance up-keeps in a draft beer system. Without the proper pressure, the quality of your beer is subject to be greatly compromised. Pressure is so important to a draft beer system because it is what pushes the beer out from the keg and into your draft faucet. When you begin to pour a beer, the CO2 in the tank pushes the beer out and fills the empty space left over. This keeps the beer under constant pressure in the keg, therefore maintaining its carbonation. This is monitored by a CO2 regulator.

There are a few things to keep in mind when maintaining CO2 pressure. First off, make sure you’re storing your CO2 tank upright. If stored improperly, your CO2 regulator may become damaged.

Another thing to keep in mind is to find and set the proper PSI number. PSI refers to pounds per square inch and is a way that pressure is measured. Most beers have a specific PSI number that is unique to them. This number should be noted by your local beer distributor or brewery.

With too much pressure, beer can become very foamy due to over-carbonation and develop a poor taste. In addition, large bubbles can form in the head of the beer. Low CO2 pressure also causes a foamy pour, but this time the foam resembles more of a soap-like quality. This will also make the beer feel and taste pretty limp.

Cleaning

Cleaning your draft beer line is also very important to getting great tasting beer and maintaining a system that will last a long time. Deposits of yeast and sugar gradually and easily collect along beer lines over time and can greatly affect the taste of your beer. In some cases, it may also cause excess foaming. Cleaning your beer lines is recommended after every half or full keg. A good rule of thumb to follow is every two weeks. You may choose to clean the lines yourself with a cleaning kit, but this task is no easy feat and should be handled by a professional. At SC Beverage, we offer installation, maintenance, and cleaning of all types of professional beverage systems.

Purchasing a new draft beer system altogether can really put a dent in your company’s wallet, which is why it is essential to stay on top of its maintenance. Ensuring that the temperature and pressure are being monitored every day is an important first step, along with staying on top of cleanliness. Don’t be afraid to adjust the pressure as well if you’re struggling with getting the perfect pour. Each beer is wildly different and should be given the proper care and attention that is needed. When in doubt, ask your distributor about their suggested PSI for specific beers. And, again, stay on top of cleaning those beer lines at least twice a month with a hired professional.

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What Is the Best Direct-Draw Beer System for Your Business?

December 18, 2018

There are many aspects to consider when operating a restaurant or bar, and many of these things need to fit the scale of your business. We have all been to a bar and seen the faucets sitting above the counter that dispense beer, and without this addition to your bar, many patrons may not return or have a pleasant experience. So, the question is not whether you should have beer as an option in your business, but what system is right for you? SC Beverage is a renowned draft beer service in Los Angeles and can help you make a knowledgeable decision on how to best incorporate beer draw systems in your business.

The Two Types of Systems

There are two main types of draw systems for beer in restaurants: direct-draw and remote-draw. Direct-draw is exactly as it sounds, the keg is housed in the unit itself and the beer is dispensed out of the top of the unit from the keg directly below it. It is essentially a section of counter that you are buying which houses and dispenses the beer all from within, making it a much lower barrier to entry for most restaurants. Remote-draw is also fairly obvious because this system dispenses the beer from kegs that are housed somewhere other than the bar, such as a walk in cooler or outside storing facilities. This is great for those restaurants and bars that have the space to commit solely to the kegs, and are pushing out high volumes of beer, but is not practical for every business. The higher startup cost, higher opportunities for complications in the system, and increased investment in repairs and maintenance are all barriers to a remote-draw system.

Why You Should Pick a Direct-Draw Beer System

Although a direct-draw beer system may not be enough for larger locations, this system is the most effective one for the majority of businesses. Not every bar has the capacity to offer 40 beer options or more, and thus, the remote-draw system is overkill. Some of the greatest benefits of implementing a direct-draw system into your business is the simplicity of installation, the lower cost, and the decreased chance of complications within the system since everything is housed within the unit itself. One of the greatest disadvantages is the inability to offer many beer options, but with units including up to eight faucets and many breweries offering 1/6 keg containers so more can fit in the unit, these disadvantages can be easily overcome. Although every system has its benefits and disadvantages, direct-draw systems boast many positives and works great for businesses of many sizes. If you are interested in looking to purchase a direct-draw system, contact SC Beverage to learn more about our draft beer service in Los Angeles.

What is the Best Direct-Draw System for Your Specific Business?

This question is best answered using your sales numbers and reflecting upon your needs. Each business is different and calls for a unique number of faucets, so these questions can only be answered according to the stats. There are two things to keep in mind when looking for the best direct-draw system for your business: make sure that you are purchasing a unit that will be implemented nicely into your existing workflow, and make sure that it is cost effective. If you typically only sell three brands of beer, there is no need to invest in an eight-faucet system; however, you also do not want to cut off your ability to scale upward, so make sure that you leave some room for your business to increase as well. Many of things can be hard to determine, but SC Beverage is here to help. We have been a draft beer service in Los Angeles for 20 years and can help you with any questions you may have. Contact us today at (562) 463-8918.

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The Draft Beer System Explained

November 29, 2018

SC Beverage makes use of extensive draft beer systems to deliver the highest quality and most flavorful beer products to our clients far and wide. Today, we are going to highlight our draft beer system and talk about how our dispensing system is used to deliver great beer to restaurants and facilities.

Below, we’ll talk about how the draft beer system works. If you are interested in learning more about the best beer equipment in Los Angeles, or if you want to learn more about what we do, follow us for important updates and check out how you can get more involved!

The Tanks

The first part of the draft beer system is the tanks. They can either be CO2 or a mix of CO2 and nitrogen, which are pressurized gas systems. This is the system that will push your beer into the faucet through the keg. Otherwise, there would be nothing to get the beer out other than gravity. This is what lets you pour your tap on demand any time you want!

The Regulators

The next step to completing your beer equipment in Los Angeles is to install a primary regulator. This regulator is what keeps the gases inside your tanks balanced so that they don’t contain too much pressure. If the regulators aren’t properly adjusted, then they will cause your beer to come out too foamy. Nobody wants to drink beer that is all foam and no substance!

Most regulators can control both high and low pressure, so you can quickly fix and readjust any issues with the pressure.

Then there is the secondary regulator. This regulator is what helps each keg dispense beer at exactly the right pressure. This is a great attachment to have alongside the primary regulator as it can control each individual keg, while the primary regulator controls the pressures overall. They go hand in hand, and they can save you some space, too!

Gas Blender

This important device helps you to dispense several different types of beers at once. If you love offering your customers a variety of beers and brews, you’ll definitely want a gas blender. This is what makes it possible to dispense drinks that have different gas requirements, such as just CO2 or a CO2/Nitrogen blend. This is a nice break from having to maintain different gas tanks all at once.

Air Lines

Every draft beer system has air lines, but what do the different colors mean? You typically will have a green air-line and a purple air-line. They are made of vinyl and they get your gas from the tank to the other parts of the system. They can attach to the regulator with a clamp to deliver directly into your system.

While they are often green and purple, many companies will make them red to distinguish between air and beer.

Faucets and Tap Handles

Now comes the fun part! Your draft beer faucets and tap handles are the systems that you use to directly dispense the beer. This is the most fun part of the whole system, as you get the satisfaction of pulling the tap and having that pressurized beer pour directly into a fresh pint glass.

Also keep in mind that there is a drip tray to catch any spills, as well as some extra features and components of your beer system that can be invested in to prevent extra cleanup chores.

Beer Equipment in Los Angeles

Our SC Beverage professionals are passionate about the ways we dispense beer. Using our beer equipment in Los Angeles, we can provide restaurants and clients with the ability to deliver a fully functional array of draft beers to their customers. If you are interested in building a draft beer system for your own business, you can contact us online or give us a call at (562) 463-8918.

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