Perlick 545pc vs 525ss

skelley · Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 9:11 pm Post subject: Perlick 545pc vs 525ss

I am looking into putting together an 8 tap Keezer and am debating between the Perlick 545pc and the 525ss. My thoughts are if I use the 545pc I can get by with shorter lines and not have to worry about a perfect balance. Downside is the non SS nature of the 545pc. Would love some input?

**kal** · Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 11:48 pm Post subject:

How short are your lines?

I'd likely skip the Perlick 545pc's and go with the regular ones. You can get yourself with paralysis analysis if you start to read into line balancing too much.

Kal

skelley · Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 12:52 am Post subject:

Just starting the ordering process. I plan on 8 secondary regulators and adjusting lines for varying vol c02. I like my beers on the high end of carbonation and with 3/16 beer lines i did not want to have to continually readjust. Do you agree that using the 525s and just going on the long side (say with all lines balanced to the highest vol co2 I planned on using) and simply dealing with reduced flow rate for those beers at lower vol c02 (ie lower psi settings)

**kal** · Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:37 pm Post subject:

Wow! That's pretty keen.

I have 2 secondary CO2 regulators: One is bit higher for Blonde Ales, light lagers, Hefe, Wit, and other beers that I want carb'ed higher. The other is set lower for Pale Ales, IPAs, and anything else where I don't want a lot of carbonic 'bite'. Then I have a third regulator but it's for N2/CO2 beer gas for stouts, bitters, etc for that creamy Guinness-style head.

3/16 line is fairly restrictive so I don't think you'll have much problems, even with 10-20 foot lines. I'd go with the regular taps. I have 1/4" ID line that's poly (PET barrier) so very smooth inside which doesn't cause much restriction. I don't have any issues with my ~15 foot or so long lines. Start with long lines, do some tests and then cut them shorter if needed. I have reduced flow on my pale ales/ipas as compared to my blonde ales/wits/hefes. No big deal - I don't serve 100 beers/hour. Wink

Kal

skelley · Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 2:39 pm Post subject:

Thanks Kal.
also, is there any functional reason to have the co2 supply inside the keezer as apposed to outside. I figured it was simply one of esthetics.

**kal** · Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 2:43 pm Post subject:

Nope. No reason. I have mine outside my keezer due to lack of space inside, but lots of space outside. (One 20lb tank of beer gas and one 10lb tank of CO2)

For my conditioning fridge it's inside because I had space/didn't want to punch a whole in the commercial fridge/don't have room on the floor or shelf. It's only a 5lb CO2 tank.

Kal

skelley · Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 3:01 pm Post subject:

Do you keep your next up kegs on co2 in the keezer, in the conditioning fridge or do you only carb them up and then take them off co2 but keep cold. I assume you do not keep them carbed at room temp?

**kal** · Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 3:18 pm Post subject:

My keezer holds 8 kegs and I have 8 taps, so my 'next up' kegs are in the conditioning fridge (holds 6 kegs) on CO2 being carb'ed up. As soon as one pops in the keezer, I have a new one to put on.

The exception is stuff that gets served on 70/30 beer gas blend - I can't precarb it to the same level as it would be too much and cause too much foaming. The kegs just sit in the conditioning fridge usually not connected to gas. The downside is that when I change one of these kegs served on beer gas it takes a couple of weeks before it's pouring with the nice head. You need some CO2 in solution but not much, very little. I could change the regulator on the tank in conditioning fridge to be a dual secondary so that I could have a much lower CO2 carb level for those kegs, but for now I'm just leaving the CO2 attached for few days and try it out. If not enough next time I leave it a bit longer... I'm really new to beer gas so I'm still learning.There's probably some math that could figure this all out for me somewhere... Wink

Kal