FROM BUILD TO FIRST POUR
Six steps to a working setup. Open a step for the details.
Check that your keg, CO₂ tank, and lines fit in the refrigerator. Choose a tower or door-mounted faucet before buying parts.
Locate refrigerant lines and wiring using the refrigerator manufacturer’s information before drilling. Fit the shank or tower and secure the faucet.
Secure the CO₂ cylinder upright. Attach the correct regulator and coupler, then check connections for leaks with leak-detection solution.
Use food-grade beer tubing. Enter its specification and faucet rise in the calculator to estimate a starting length.
Choose the serving temperature for your style. Measure the actual beer temperature and let it stabilize before adjusting pressure.
Use your temperature and carbonation target to calculate regulator pressure. Let the system settle, then assess the pour and make small adjustments.
Start with actual beer temperature, then check that the line and faucet stay cold. Confirm your carbonation target and inspect the line for kinks, warm spots, and dirty fittings. Change one thing at a time so you can judge the result.
Check my setup ↗The thermostat setting is only a starting point. Let the keg settle, measure the actual beer temperature, and check whether the tower or exposed line is warmer than the keg. Use that measured temperature in the calculator.
Pressure and temperature work together to maintain carbonation. Repeatedly turning the regulator up and down makes it harder to diagnose a pour. Establish a target, let the system stabilize, and change one variable at a time.
Check for pinched tubing, loose connections, and the correct coupler. The line estimate assumes the selected tubing resistance. Different tubing or a cooling coil changes the result; confirm the manufacturer’s specifications.
Clean the beer line and faucet with equipment and chemicals intended for draft systems. Follow the cleaning product’s dilution, contact-time, and rinse instructions. A faucet brush is useful for the faucet, but it does not clean the entire beer line.
BEFORE YOU BUY
Check keg coupler type, available headroom, mounting thickness, and tubing dimensions before choosing parts. A product that looks right may use a different connection.
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