This Perlick Draught Beer Reference Manual is designed to support distributors, retailers, and third party service/installation companies/individuals in achieving a consistent and highest quality of the draught in the market. This manual is designed to be an in-field “How To” reference guide that gives basics of the installation, troubleshooting and servicing of draught beer at retail. Each brewer goes to extreme lengths to ensure the quality of their draught beer products. By following the materials laid out in this manual, you will be able to: ● Maintain the quality integrity of the brands of draught beer that you present. ● Ensure that the draught beer products that you carry are drawn properly. ● The quality of the beer that is built into each batch of draught beer is passed down to the customer. Perlick (as a supplier of draught beer dispensing equipment, parts and industry expertise) expresses its deep appreciation of the Brewers Association for allowing us to use its Brewer Association- draught beer quality manual as a reference source for this manual. We support the Brewers Association in being a base source of knowledge that can be accessed by the industry to support the sale, service and installation of draught beer in the industry. Brewers Association 736 Pearl Street Boulder, CO 80302 303.447.0816 • 888.822.6273 Brewers Association [email protected] • www.draughtquality.org www.beertown.org ® Table of Contents Preface ............................................................ 1 Systems resistance .............................................. 60 History of Perlick ................................................ 4 Determining applied gauge pressure ...................... 64 Anatomy of Beer ................................................ 6 Out of balance systems Over-restrictance ............................................. 66 Section 3: Draught Beer Basics Under-restrictance ............................................ 66 Draught beer basics ........................................... 8 Special balancing scenarios ................................ 67 Keg sizes.......................................................... 9 Keg tapping procedures ...................................... 11 Section 9: Special Events Draught beer care and handling ........................... 13 Picnic pumps or party taps ................................... 72 Tapping the keg ................................................. 72 Section 4: Draught Beer Systems Jockey boxes ..................................................... 73 Draught beer basics ........................................... 16 Cleaning and maintenence .................................. 74 Air-cooled dispensing system ................................ 17 Planning a party ................................................ 74 Refrigerated line systems Glycol systems ................................................ 19 Section 10: Troubleshooting Troubleshooting process ...................................... 76 Section 5: Building a Draught System Problem beer descriptions/causes ......................... 76 Refrigeration/cooling .......................................... 24 Troubleshooting a refrigerated system ..................... 77 Basics of building the beer line ............................. 24 Couplers .......................................................... 24 Section 11: Sanitation Coupler troubleshooting ...................................... 28 Sanitation ......................................................... 80 Beer line ........................................................... 29 Cleaning standards ............................................ 80 Installing the beer line connector ........................... 30 System design and cleanliness .............................. 80 Connecting the beer line to the coupler .................. 31 System maintenance ........................................... 81 Faucet standards ................................................ 32 Cleaning frequency ............................................ 81 Faucet assembly/disassembly Cleaning solutions .............................................. 82 Standard faucet .............................................. 35 Cleaning methods Ventless faucet ................................................ 36 Recirculation by electric pump ........................... 83 Faucet troubleshooting ........................................ 37 Static pressure cleaning pot............................... 85 Completing the beer system ................................. 38 Beer line replacement guidelines ........................... 87 Section 6: Carbon Dioxide/Nitrogen Section 12: Serving Draught Beer Carbon Dioxide ................................................. 40 Serving draught beer .......................................... 90 Nitrogen .......................................................... 41 Sinks Under/over carbonated beer ............................... 42 Three-tank sinks ............................................... 90 Care and handling of CO2 .................................. 42 Four-tank sinks ................................................ 91 Primary regulators .............................................. 43 Electric brushes .................................................. 92 Nitrogen regulators ............................................ 45 Glass washing machines ..................................... 92 Secondary regulators .......................................... 46 Testing for “beer clean” glass................................ 92 Safety relief valves .............................................. 46 Care and handling of glassware ........................... 93 Testing primary/secondary regulators .................... 47 Beer and glassware serving temperatures ............... 94 Troubleshooting regulators .................................... 48 Proper draught beer pouring techniques ................. 94 Changing CO2 tanks .......................................... 49 CO2 lines ......................................................... 50 Section 13: Appendix Perlick CO2 and Nitrogen accessories ................... 50 A .................................................................... 98 B .................................................................... 99 Section 7: System Enhancements C .................................................................... 100 Draught beer system enhancements ....................... 52 D .................................................................... 102 Kegs in a series ................................................. 53 E ..................................................................... 103 Keg series components ........................................ 54 F ..................................................................... 105 G.................................................................... 106 Section 8: Systems Balancing System balancing ............................................... 58 Section 14: Glossary ........................................ 108 Applied gauge pressure ...................................... 58 AA HistoryHistory ofof ExcellenceExcellence inin BeerBeer “ Build the best product you can. A poorly made product is expensive at any price. Do not listen to those who would have you build something cheaply. Be honest with yourself, your customers and your fellow man. Only a few black marks will soil a good name and reputation. Remember these things always.” — Robert Perlick, 1925 Since its inception in 1917, the Perlick Corporation has evolved into the premier supplier of Bar and Beverage Dispensing equipment in the industry. Perlick equipment can be found in restuarants, hotels, stadiums, theme parks, breweries and the finest homes worldwide. Headquartered in a 300,000-square- foot manufacturing facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Perlick prides itself on manufacturing high quality, American-made products. Perlick’s Commercial Products include Bar and Beverage Equipment, Tapping Equipment and Brewery Fittings. The Bar and Beverage group manufactures equipment used in the bar environment to include remote beer systems, refrigerated and non-refrigerated cabinets, stainless steel underbar equipment glasswashers and the revolutionary modular bar structure which completes the bar package. Perlick’s Tapping group manufactures beer faucets, keg couplers and other beer dispensing components. The Brewery Fittings division is responsible for stainless steel and brass fittings which are used in the brewing process. Perlick’s expertise in the beer industry spans decades, from their first sale of a remote glycol beer system in the late 1950’s to today, where a Perlick system can dispense the perfect beer up to 1,000 feet from the keg to the dispensing tower. Over the years, Perlick has worked closely with all the major breweries to ensure that the consumer is getting a brewery fresh beer dispensed through a Perlick system each and every pour. 4 Timeline January 1, 1917 — Robert Perlick and his son Walter open the doors of R. Perlick Brass Works February 14, 1920 — R. Perlick Brass Co. is incorporated 1921 — Perlick introduces its first product - Battery terminal 1922 — Perlick introduces its second product - Window anti-rattlers for automobiles. 1925 — Perlick adds keg fittings to its product offering per the direction of newly hired Fred Seidlitz Circa 1933 (early post-Prohibition years) — Perlick adds a refrigeration department to aid in transition of cooler boxes cooled with ice to mechanical