Beer Line Information to Keep Your Beer Pouring Great

Keeping a beer line clean is imperative to the taste and happiness of your customers. Some styles, such as stouts or very dark beers, do not show signs that the lines are dirty as much as others. It is an action needed every 2 weeks for the best results. When building a new restaurant, or bar and offering draft beer. There are things to know about vinyl lines so you can always keep them clean for a perfect pour.

Beer Line Cleaning

Keep them clean at all times; this means every two weeks do a caustic clean with a recirculating pump. If you go longer than 2 weeks you are allowing bacteria and yeast to grow in your lines. Which will cause the beer to have an off-taste. Pouring a lot of foam is a result of dirty lines.

Follow these cleanings up with an Acid clean quarterly. Disassemble all draft beer equipment quarterly as well. This will ensure the health of the entire beer system, and maximize keg yield.

Vinyl Line Size

3/8" ID Beer Line Vinyl

The standard size for vinyl line is 3/8" ID vinyl tubing. Another term for this vinyl beer line is "jumper line". This connects your keg coupler to your beer trunkline.

Sometimes you'll connect to a few other pieces of equipment before the beer trunk line. For example, in Long Draw System setups. I will connect jumper lines to Flojet Reversal Valves, Beer Pumps, and FOBS before connecting to a beer trunkline. This ultimately depends on the type of beer system we are working with. However, the most popular jumper line for commercial application in beer walk-ins is 3/8" I.D.

Other popular beer line sizes include 1/4" ID and 3/16" ID. The 1/4" line that's used in commercial settings to help balance a draft beer system. The 3/16" or "Choke Tubing" applies to growler stations, Direct Draw Systems, as well as Kegerators. Ultimately, the goal of these different line sizes is to balance a draft beer system correctly. So we are pouring ideally at 2 oz per second.

Replacing Beer Lines

Vinyl lines inside walk-in coolers should be replaced every 12-18 months. This is part of the beer system maintenance program. Usually, by this time, these lines aren't translucent clear like they were after installation. Most of the time these lines are a yellowish brown color and full of beer stone. See Picture below.

By replacing vinyl lines inside your walk-in and cleaning routinely. Draft beers served will continue to taste fresh for your customers.

Beer trunklines should be replaced every 10 or so years. These are also the big beer bundles you see on remote beer systems.

Where To Find The Best Vinyl Line

When the time comes to replace your vinyl line there are places online to check out. Obviously, Amazon is a place, but for the best quality beer line on the market, I am always going to recommend Micro-Matic.

They will sell line by the foot, but I recommend getting at least 50' spools they are definitely worth it. They carry 3/8" ID, 1/4" and 3/16" up to 500' spools if you ever need that much.

Buy vinyl lines online at Micro-Matic, Click here about vinyl lines.

Summary

Vinyl lines come in 3 main sizes 3/8" 1/4" and 3/16". Depending on the type of draft beer system will determine the exact lengths needed. They are used to balance a draft beer system while delivering beer to your beer faucet.

Replace these lines every 12-18 months to ensure beer quality and customer satisfaction. Check out Micro-Matic for the best quality beer line on the market.

For more information about Beer Line Cleaning or Draft Beer Dispensing information Check out our Blog.

Here's also a quick Draft Beer System Repair For Your Bar

Cheers!