On my way down to the trade session GBBF and I got a call from cellar fitter who sould have been fitting out our cellar with new dispense equipment, the new low bar kit for the keg products went well but the new beer engines couldn't be fitted, seems there's not enough room for the ale python, so to the dilemma, do I (a) keep the old engines which are fitted with jackets but cannot be cooled!, or (b) have the new cylinderless units fitted with keg line and python. Seems a bit pointless having hand pumps if they act as nothing more than an on /off switch! decisions, decisions!
Beer engine dilemma
Aug 06, 2003
10 Replies
In message , Steve Chroscicki wrote
or (c) remove some of the keg products
Following on from Steve Chroscicki's message. . .
What is a cylinderless beer engine?
Aren't there two different types of flo-jet installation for real ale?
1) Flo-jet assist on traditional handpumps: useful for long lines or if you're using pythons with narrow lines. The barman is still pulling the beer up using the handpump; the flo-jet helps a bit by pushing from the cellar. 2) Flo-jet doing all the work, with the "pump" on the bar really just being a tap.Stephen Early
Yes, you can just hold the handle down and the beer keeps flowing.
In my experience (in just one local pub which I know uses these) the beer in the glass does seem to have more condition - though as the pub (owned by Punch) only sells national blands, I don't go in that often.
Robin
[flow-jet system]
Is the beer aerated by a sparkler or swan neck, or both, as it's dispensed from these pumps?
Then it would be obvious [to the customer] that its not a normal handpump, surely?
It was obvious to me - however, some bar staff "pull" it like a traditional beer engine. It's the ones that don't "pull" it and leave the handle in the open position while the beer flows who make it obvious.
Robin
Also, in some gas-assist installations, you can hear the gas being applied to (or perhaps expelled from) the flo-jet as the pump handle is pulled - assuming there is not too much ambient noise.
Robin
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