Draught Systems. Participants and key concepts.

For starters we need to review some key concepts by looking briefly at the three participant parties of draught systems: gas, beer, and temperature.

Understanding these components is crucial for anyone involved in the beverage industry, particularly those who work with draught beer systems. Each party plays a vital role in ensuring that the beer is served at the right temperature, with the right carbonation, and in the best possible condition for consumption.

GAS.

Draught systems utilize carbon dioxide (CO2) alone or combined with nitrogen (N2) in different ratios, depending on the system's needs and the types of beers being served. When chosen and adjusted correctly, the dispensing beer gas maintains the beer's proper carbonation and helps preserve its flavor. In most draught systems, the dispensing beer gas also moves the beer from the keg to the faucet. Since the dispensing beer gas directly contacts the beer, it must adhere to strict purity standards and for the draught systems must be a Food Grade gas. Compressed Air may also be an option, but its use is highly restricted and should only be undertaken after consulting a certified technician.

BEER.

Most draught systems utilize the previously mentioned gases to transport beer, or other fermented beverages, from the keg through tubing to the faucet, and into the glass. Throughout its travel from keg to glass, the product must be kept from anything that might affect its flavor or alter the carbonation set by the brewer or cider maker. The beer or cider should travel through well-maintained draught lines made from suitable and approved materials, avoiding any contact with components that could impart and spoil beer's, as well as cider or even wine taste. This rule is especially important for the ciders and wines due to their higher acid levels and tendency to be more impacted by improper materials of draught system components and parts.

Draught beer and cider should be poured at a specific rate (industry standard is about 2 oz. or 60 ml per second) and leave the system, at the faucet, with the ideal carbonation levels. This requires a balance between the applied gas pressure and the resistance of the system provided by the tubing and system components, the beer encounters on its way from the keg to the glass.

TEMPERATURE.

Temperature, cooling

The role of the cooling part in a draught system is to keep the beer or cider at a consistent temperature from the keg to the glass. The ideal temperatures for most of the beers and ciders is 2-3 degrees in Celsius or 36-38 in Fahrenheit. Any rise in the beer's temperature between the keg and the faucet can cause dispensing issues, we know as foaming.

In a short draw draught system or a direct-draw dispensing system, a refrigerator/cold box/kegerator or a walk-in refrigeration unit keeps the keg cold and the beer as it travels the short distance to the glass thru the faucet. Such dispensers use a recirculated cold air supplied directly from cooler's evaporator to the shank and faucet.

Most of the modern long-draw dispensing systems utilize a walk-in cooler to keep the kegs cold, along with a trunk line that circulates chilled glycol next to the beer lines all the way from the walk-in cooler to the beer tower and faucet, ensuring the beer remains close to the cold room temperature until it reaches the glass. Glycol chillers from above usually we know as glycol decks.

For every draught system, the appropriate equipment and designs need to be selected for all three components: gas, beer, and temperature maintaining, based on every individual case.

In the upcoming posts, we will explore the details of the equipment and system components that can be used for various system types and the designs commonly used on the market.