Perlick Faucets

I believe that faucets are one of the parts of the beer dispensing system that are taken for granted the most. Each part of a beer dispensing system is critical in pouring that perfect beer. That is why our first choice in every part of the beer serving system is Perlick. Here is a little information about Perlick before we get into the faucets.

Family owned since 1917 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Perlick Corporation is dedicated to providing innovative, quality customizable food and beverage storage and serving solutions. Perlick is a national manufacturing leader in commercial bar and beverage systems, residential under-counter refrigeration and brewery fittings.

Perlick's commercial line includes custom bar and beverage and refrigeration equipment, innovative underbar items, industry leading beverage dispensing equipment and time-tested brewery fittings. Our products optimize energy use and increase durability to help customers maximize the profitability of their beverage service operations.

Perlick’s award-winning, luxury residential product line features indoor and outdoor under-counter refrigerators, wine reserves, freezers, freezer and refrigerator drawers, ice makers, and beer dispensers.

Like Perlick we are a long time owned family business, which takes pride in our innovative, reliable, and quality service. We have found not only does Perlick have top of the line product, but their equipment is very dependable.

The faucet is the valve that actually controls the beer flow and serves the beer. This is what most people think of when we talk about a beer tap. However, usually the faucet is sold without the shank or handle so those must be purchased separately. The faucet is most important as it provides the seal as well as controlling the flow when serving beer.

One of the first things to know when it comes to faucets, is that it comes in three types of metal; stainless, brass, and chrome. The type of metal does play a role in the life of the faucet. Stainless is widely accepted as the longest lasting, and generally most expensive. For those who prefer the golden brass look, you can purchase stainless faucets with a brass coating – which give you long life with a brass look. Most chrome faucets are chrome plated brass which will eventually wear through. Brass is softer than stainless and will eventually wear out. If you want durability – spend a few extra dollars and go stainless.

Next you need know what type of faucet you need. The two basic types are, rear closing and front closing .Most faucets are rear closing meaning that the handle closes a valve near the back of the faucet, minimizing the amount of beer left in the faucet when it is closed. The downside of a rear closing faucet is that some droplets remain in the faucet when not in use leading to bacterial/yeast growth. Front closing (forward seal) faucets such as those made by Perlick provide a seal near the end of the handle, which minimizes bacterial/yeast activity in the faucet. The downside is that a small amount of beer is trapped in the faucet itself. Front closing are more expensive and harder to find, but should require less frequent cleaning.

From these two basic types there are three variations of faucets; flow control faucets, creamer faucets, and stout faucets. Flow control faucets are faucets that come with a flow control valve that lets the server adjust the beer flow right from the tap. This can be a big plus if you are serving a variety of beer styles from a single pressure source, since you can compensate to some degree for too much or too little pressure for a given beer style. For example you might want to serve a porter at lower pressure than a lager, but have both driven by the same CO2 tank. A creamer faucet is a special rear closing faucet that operates in both the forward and backward directions. In the forward position it pours just like a standard faucet. In the backward direction, however, it allows additional air to be sucked into the beer to create a foamy head. This is typically done at the end of the pour to add a creamy head to the beer. A stout faucet is a special variation of a creamer faucet that is oriented vertically and has a restriction plate and agitator that releases dissolved gas in a controlled way to give a creamy texture to the finished head. It generally provides more agitation than a standard creamer faucet, and is usually used with stouts. Again, moving the faucet forward initiates a normal pour, and the backward motion is used to add the creamy head.

It is highly recommended to only use beer cleaning solution when cleaning your beer faucet. This solution is designed specifically to have enough cleaner to remove the bacteria and yeast but not too much to cause an off taste to your beer like bleach or other cleaning chemicals like this.