Beer Tap - Draft Beer On Board

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
6,748
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
Took up home brewing. Was wondering about a keg and tap on board. Has anyone here done this? Lots of engineering and power management challenges. Would like to hear people's thoughts.

One great advantage is the 5 gallon, ball lock kegs - the size of a small SCUBA tank, holding over 2 cases of beer.

Cheers,

jv
 
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Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
How would your keep it cold? It would take a lot of space to keep it iced. Unless you are European and drink it room temp
 
Jun 11, 2004
1,633
Oday 31 Redondo Beach
One great advantage is the 5 gallon, ball lock kegs - the size of a small SCUBA tank, holding over 2 cases of beer.

Cheers,

jv
Sounds great. The Cornelius kegs also come in a handy 2.5 gallon size.

The Growlerwerks growlers are pretty pricey.
 

nat55

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Feb 11, 2017
210
Gulfstar 1979 Gulfstar 37 BELFAST
How would your keep it cold? It would take a lot of space to keep it iced. Unless you are European and drink it room temp
Well that is a good question, My refer is pretty big but one of those would take up some serious space. Many of our local craft brewers here in Maine are bottling in cans. I find that is the best solution to the beer on board question. I was standing in front of the adult beverage cooler @ our local food Co-Op and thought to myself upon observing all the great local beer that it is a good time to be alive!
 

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
6,748
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
Growlerwerks are nice, but pricey. Need to keep them in the fridge.
 

pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
I brew and keg in 5 gallon Cornelius kegs.
Keg-system-new.jpg

It does not take a lot of equipment to serve, I am just not sure how I would keep it cold aboard for any period of time. When we take one camping, we keep it in a garbage can full of ice. I built a single tap tower and base that acts as a lid for the garbage can. A dedicated 12v kegerator would be nice, but space on my boat is tight.
 
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Jun 29, 2010
1,287
Beneteau First 235 Lake Minnetonka, MN
How would your keep it cold? It would take a lot of space to keep it iced. Unless you are European and drink it room temp
Europeans do not drink beer at room temp. Ever been to Germany, cold beer. British beer is kept warmer but, it is brewed for it.

As for having a kegged system on your boat..... just load up a couple of growlers for the weekend. Just cause you might be able to do a thing, doesn't mean you should. Leave the Corny kegs and CO2 at home.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Europeans do not drink beer at room temp. Ever been to Germany, cold beer. British beer is kept warmer but, it is brewed for it.

As for having a kegged system on your boat..... just load up a couple of growlers for the weekend. Just cause you might be able to do a thing, doesn't mean you should. Leave the Corny kegs and CO2 at home.
I was born in Germany and it was consumed warm. Must be the Deutsche millennials...
 
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May 12, 2004
1,505
Hunter Cherubini 30 New Port Richey
British beer is kept warmer but, it is brewed for it.
Yes, but not the room temperature we think of. You can get cold beer from pressurized kegs like here or ale that is pulled from barrels (no carbonation), that are usually kept in a cellar where the temp is around 10 degrees C or 50 F. depending on the season. Bottled and canned beer is served cold but the best ales can be drunk warmer. As we all know, God created beer because He loves us and wants us to be happy. :dancing::dancing::dancing:
 
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pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
FLAB.gif

My Local Club. I don't get to meetings and group brews often enough.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I was born in Germany and it was consumed warm. Must be the Deutsche millennials...
I've drank more been in Germany that you possibly image. ;^) Never warm. Much at 10c, like @Roland5048 said. Maybe that what you meant.
 
Jul 12, 2011
1,165
Leopard 40 Jupiter, Florida
Jviss, don't know what your water temp is in Massachusetts, but most of the summer we serve beer about water temp (60 or so). You could just rig a water jacket with flexible tubing around your keg, and plumb it to an existing throughhull with a bait livewell pump for under $50 total. Insulate if you like.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
I've drank more been in Germany that you possibly image. ;^) Never warm. Much at 10c, like @Roland5048 said. Maybe that what you meant.
Yep. "Warm" as in not refrigerated. Americans insist on ice cold, which in other parts of the world is believed to mask some of the flavor.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Yep. "Warm" as in not refrigerated. Americans insist on ice cold, which in other parts of the world is believed to mask some of the flavor.
I'd wager that 'warm beer' is an American-only phrase, used by Americans to describe any beer served in Europe at more than ice-cold temps.
 
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Nov 6, 2006
9,894
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
My buddy's Tartan 37 never left the dock without a five liter mini-keg of Dinkleacker