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Author Topic: alternatives to perlick  (Read 1667 times)

Offline Iliff Ave

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alternatives to perlick
« on: December 12, 2019, 02:13:09 pm »
Looking for forward sealing faucets. I only know about Intertap as an alternative to Perlick. Any experiences with Intertap or perhaps another manufacturer?
On Tap/Bottled: IPL, Adjunct Vienna, Golden Stout, Honey Lager
Fermenting: IPA
Up Next: mexi lager, Germerican pale ale

Offline Bob357

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Re: alternatives to perlick
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2019, 04:48:05 pm »
I've had 2 Perlicks for several years and added an Intertap a couple of years ago. I like the fact that you can change the spouts on it and it has worked just fine for me. I added the closure spring and found that they will work with the Perlicks with standard shanks as well. One thing, be sure to get the stainless faucet and not the chrome one.
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Bob357
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Offline tommymorris

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alternatives to perlick
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2019, 05:36:23 pm »
I have two Perlick and one Intertap. All 3 are flow control.

The Intertap flow control lever is much looser to move than the Perlick. I personally like the Perlick flow control lever. It is harder to move but because of that I don’t accidentally move it to wide open and then over foam my beer.

Overall, if you keep them clean and are careful when moving the flow control lever both seem about the same.

Offline Robert

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Re: alternatives to perlick
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2019, 06:02:53 pm »
The attraction of Intertap is the interchangeable attachments.  If you are likely to want to change spouts or attach growler fillers or a beer gun regularly and want to do it all on the fly, they're well worth considering. The downside is, they are forward sealing, but still have a complex internal shuttle mechanism that requires full disassembly for adequate cleaning, and the action is not as smooth and effortless as Perlick (also gets sticky if it sits, like old standard faucets.) Another issue I came across is that, in recent years, ownership of the rights to the Intertap  brand has changed at least once, as has the design, and I've had real trouble identifying which era design a given faucet is, and it has often been impossible to get the correct replacement seals and other parts.  Maybe everything bought going forward from now will be compatible, I don't know.  There seem to still be a lot of old parts in circulation.  (Everything to do with the Australian brewing equipment industry seems to be one endless hot mess of corporate defections, design appropriation, and litigation.)  Perlick is dead simple in design, the action is effortless, and because of their simplicity they can be cleaned in place (actually the manufacturer's recommendation.)  I have also had Perlick imitations, not absolutely sure of the manufacturer, I think Abeco.  They sucked.  Stiff action and would not seal reliably at all.
Rob Stein
Akron, Ohio

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Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: alternatives to perlick
« Reply #4 on: December 17, 2019, 10:33:10 am »
Thanks! Sounds like there are no alternatives to perlick and intertap
On Tap/Bottled: IPL, Adjunct Vienna, Golden Stout, Honey Lager
Fermenting: IPA
Up Next: mexi lager, Germerican pale ale

Offline Robert

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Re: alternatives to perlick
« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2019, 12:21:21 pm »
Thanks! Sounds like there are no alternatives to perlick and intertap
Well, none that won't make you quite unhappy, at least!
Rob Stein
Akron, Ohio

I'd rather have questions I can't answer than answers I can't question.

Offline BrewBama

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Re: alternatives to perlick
« Reply #6 on: December 17, 2019, 12:59:18 pm »
(Everything to do with the Australian brewing equipment industry seems to be one endless hot mess of corporate defections, design appropriation, and litigation.)

Amen


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Offline purduekenn

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Re: alternatives to perlick
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2019, 06:38:23 pm »
I have Intertap and Pelick flow control faucets that have been working well. I recently had problems with a Intertap flow control faucet after cleaning and reassembling it. When I inserted the Flow Control slider into the back of the faucet it locked up and is frozen inside. So the faucet is currently useless. Not sure why it happened as I have used this faucet for 3 years without any issues.

Offline Robert

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Re: alternatives to perlick
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2019, 06:49:51 pm »
I have had some issues with flow control faucets.  They can aggravate a foaming problem they are intended to solve, as they introduce turbulence right at the point -- the end of the line -- where there suddenly ceases to be any further restriction.  I find that if flow control is desired, a much better solution is to use a regular non-FC faucet, and the flow control ball lock disconnects by Kegland, sold through William's Brewing.     Placing the flow control at the keg is a better solution.

[Note that the genuine article is sold by William's.  MoreBeer has been selling what apparently is a cheap knockoff (though at the same price) which has significant design and machining defects (imperfect piracy) and people have had trouble with it (like it doesn't actually fit the post without leaking beer all over the floor.)  MoreBeer appears to have withdrawn the product at least temporarily while they try to engineer a fix.   Best just to buy the real deal.]
Rob Stein
Akron, Ohio

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Offline joe_meadmaker

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Re: alternatives to perlick
« Reply #9 on: December 20, 2019, 08:17:31 am »
[Note that the genuine article is sold by William's.  MoreBeer has been selling what apparently is a cheap knockoff (though at the same price) which has significant design and machining defects (imperfect piracy) and people have had trouble with it (like it doesn't actually fit the post without leaking beer all over the floor.)  MoreBeer appears to have withdrawn the product at least temporarily while they try to engineer a fix.   Best just to buy the real deal.]

Thanks for this tip Rob.  When I start looking for some new faucets, I don't yet know if I'm going to look at flow control too.  But this is great info to have.

Offline blatz

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Re: alternatives to perlick
« Reply #10 on: December 20, 2019, 09:08:20 am »
I have had some issues with flow control faucets.  They can aggravate a foaming problem they are intended to solve, as they introduce turbulence right at the point -- the end of the line -- where there suddenly ceases to be any further restriction.  I find that if flow control is desired, a much better solution is to use a regular non-FC faucet, and the flow control ball lock disconnects by Kegland, sold through William's Brewing.     Placing the flow control at the keg is a better solution.

+1 - I returned the 5 FC faucets I bought for standard.  I found the lever to be so temperamental I lost my temper on several occasions.  FC at the keg is best, but I have not gone that route yet as I have found with proper pouring process and carb level I don't need it, but I also stick to mostly beers in the 2.1-2.5 volumes range.

I settled on the Intertaps as I liked the spout exchangeability, especially for growler fills when bringing to a friends house.
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