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BellePlaine Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2008 Posts: 477 Location: Minnesota
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 1:06 pm Post subject: How To Install a Cold Draft Beer (and keep the water) System |
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If the pix die.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php?...t_dir=DESC
I’m to the point now with my 1975 Riviera with a late (1976) Westfalia interior that I’m ready to dream up projects that are not of the utmost urgency to the drivability of the vehicle. Of course, there are always systems to be maintained, but I’m ready to have some real modification fun. This summer I tackled such a project and installed a homebrewed beer draft system. It’s the perfect marriage of my two favorite hobbies: Volkswagens and brewing homebrew.
Given that this is a family vacation get-away vehicle and I didn’t really want to have to explain myself to non-approving critics, it was a major goal of mine to make the draft system as inconspicuous as possible.
In fact here it is:
I can serve both water and cold homebrewed beer out of the stock Westy sink faucet.
It’s done by using a 3-way ball valve at the faucet so if the handle is turned CCW, beer will flow. If the handle is turned CW, water flows. There is one fairly short common line going from the ball valve to the faucet and it just takes a second to clear.
See; that’s an Imperial Stout brewed with cold-press coffee and cocoa chocolate nibs:
I’ve widened the spare tire cabinet by a couple of inches which allowed me to fit two 5-gallon stainless steel Cornelius kegs. These “Corny” kegs used to be used by the soda industry but homebrewers have adopted them as the vessel of choice for kegging purposes. One of the two kegs is for water and the other is for homebrew. I’ve removed the stock 7-gallon water tank.
A beverage tube, or line, goes from the water keg directly to the 3-way ball valve/faucet. Another beverage line, which I’ve insulated, goes from the beer keg and runs along behind the sink cabinet and then into the icebox. In the icebox it runs through 50-feet of stainless steel coil which is cold from ice and then through an insulated line to the 3-way ball valve/faucet.
The liquid is pushed pneumatically, that is to say via pressure. I’ve installed a keg pump which fits just perfectly through the hole where the water-fill tube used to be in the original water system. The keg pump provides air to the water tank, and to a gas distributor which I’ve reversed to allow air or CO2 to push the beer. Beer prefers and inert gas such as C02 otherwise it gets stale quickly. The C02 comes from a hand-held dispenser with a fitting attached to a gas line. It uses those small BB-gun cartages. So I’ve engineered the beer keg to get either CO2 or air in case I use all of the CO2 cartages while camping but might still have time and beer to kill.
Here is what it looks like inside:
Underneath the sink, the 3-way ball valve:
Above the sink, the handle and faucet:
The spare tire cabinet/keg disconnects:
The icebox/stainless steel coil.
The water/beer keg air pump, and yes, that IS a Bay Window shifter knob:
The beer CO2 dispenser:
The beer CO2/Air distributor:
The system is great and discreet but wasn’t perfect. Getting a beer meant opening the slider door each time and disturbing my sleeping children. So I had a stainless steel box fabricated to fit nicely in the sink drain vent hole on the outside of the bus. Inside that box I had Corny keg threads welded so I could attach beer-out and CO2-in fittings which allows me to snap on a beer tapper and gas.
Here are some pics of the box:
The schematic on the whole system:
Most of the stuff needed for this modification can be bought at your well-stocked homebrew supply shop. The 3-way ball valve I found at McMaster Carr. And the stainless steel box I had fabricated by a friend using Corny keg threads salvaged from a destroyed keg.
I hope that you found my homebrew draft system to be well thought out. Cheers!
If the pix die.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php?...t_dir=DESC _________________ '75 Riviera
Whether you are a novice or know your way around an ACVW, a day with Amskeptic is money well spent. My mechanical ability/knowledge/bus is always better after Colin visits.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/memberlist.php
Last edited by BellePlaine on Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:01 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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brookmp Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2010 Posts: 347 Location: San Diego, CA
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 1:23 pm Post subject: |
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You, Sir, are a genius! . Incredible! _________________ 1968 Westfalia Campmobile
1971 Double Cab Pick-up
1974 Standard Beetle |
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WI sportmobile Samba Member
Joined: August 10, 2010 Posts: 268 Location: Waukesha, WI
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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You sir are awesome!!!! I had a dream about doing this at some point. Can you ditch out the water and have 2 kinds of beer? Does the water go through the chiller? Thank you so much for posting. _________________ 73 VW T2 Sportsmobile T4 1800 dual webber ICT's
06 TOY Tacoma TRD
Don't mess with the DNR.
"Bargain hunter becomes the bargain hunted." |
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peaceful warrior Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2005 Posts: 5274 Location: Taoswest, USA
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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That is friggin' awesome! My only concern is if you get pulled over by Troopers and they ask to search the Bus, will they nail you for open tap?... _________________ "Two things are infinite: The universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." Albert Einstein
"Notchboy" says "Man up!"
"Tram" says " My bus is bigger than your bus."
66 13W Deluxe, 68 Westfalia, 87 Syncro.
TOOB Member #15
Brian |
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raygreenwood Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008 Posts: 21520 Location: Oklahoma City
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 2:39 pm Post subject: |
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Very nice work!....just get rid of that brass valve. Its "adequate" for water but not for beer which can have Ph problems with brass. There are plenty of 3 way valves made of stainless of polypropylene. Ray |
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babysnakes Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2008 Posts: 7108
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 2:55 pm Post subject: |
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I love you! That is incredible. I used to home brew. Wow! Now you're making me think. Thinking is bad....I think. |
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mranker Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006 Posts: 271 Location: Pasadena, CA
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 3:05 pm Post subject: |
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_________________ '70 Bus
'02 Eurovan MV Weekender |
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TequilaSunSet Samba Member
Joined: May 30, 2012 Posts: 2109 Location: Philippines
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 3:53 pm Post subject: |
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_________________ Don't harsh my mellow...
1985 Hightower Vanagon 1.8T- Gone
1972 Panel Bus- Gone
1967 Bug- Gone
1964 Euro Sunroof Bug- Gone
1969/72/63 Sunroof Bug- Gone
1975 Brazilian Bug in the Philippines 🇵🇭- New to me |
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EZ Gruv King of Plaid
Joined: December 10, 2002 Posts: 8544 Location: Las Vegas
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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Wow. _________________ Eric
1977 Deluxe Westfalia - 2.0L FI Type IV, Completely Original
Photographer for HotVWs, VolksWorld, AirMighty, VW Camper & Commercial, Hayburner, and more.
My Photography Page. |
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akscooter Samba Member
Joined: September 25, 2008 Posts: 528 Location: Eastern Washington
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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I Love it.... but being a homebrewer myself the addition of a co2 tank would be the cats meow to the mix, and only use the pump system as a backup.... _________________ 1975 campmobile
1949 Ply Special Deluxe
1991 Custom 1200 HD Sportster XLH |
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david_594 Samba Member
Joined: November 08, 2006 Posts: 484 Location: Columbus, OH
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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That is really pretty impressive! How long do the 12gram CO2 cylinders last? I'm kind of surprised you didnt use a Paintball CO2 cylinder with your setup. _________________ 1968 westy weekender
2000 jetta tdi
79 vespa p200e |
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chazz79 Samba Member
Joined: August 15, 2008 Posts: 2268 Location: ohio
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aeromech Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006 Posts: 16971 Location: San Diego, California
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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Hahahaha _________________ Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound |
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51155 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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Impressive! _________________ Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Слава Україні! |
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giller Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2009 Posts: 211 Location: ottawa, canada
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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It's already been said, but best mod ever!
I now believe in God.
Please take your ingenuity and turn it towards a fix for climate change.
Cheers |
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notchboy Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2002 Posts: 22463 Location: Escondido CA
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:46 pm Post subject: |
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Real men of genius:
Fat chick drivin, Orange color bus movin, sleeping and drinking camper beer keg guy.
We solute you!
Link
So when can I get my bus outfitted? _________________
t3kg wrote: |
OK, this thread is over. You win. |
Jason "notchboy" Weigel
1964 1500 S
1964 T34 S Convertible
1977 Westfalia Camper pop-top |
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relaxedryan Samba Member
Joined: August 11, 2011 Posts: 38 Location: Hawaii
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 1:56 am Post subject: You sir |
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Hats off too you. Wow. Very impressive. _________________ Chillaxin, Duct tape, Beer. |
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poptop tom Samba Member
Joined: July 27, 2004 Posts: 1607 Location: The Hoosier State
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 3:44 am Post subject: |
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Sweet work, Chris!
And I love the stout ring stain on the instructions!
Come down and visit before fall ends! _________________ '76 Deluxe Campmobile |
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Collie Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2006 Posts: 1285 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 6:02 am Post subject: |
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I agree with EVERYONE above, that is a well thought out system and I love it! |
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thewalrus Big Jack
Joined: March 27, 2006 Posts: 3014 Location: Belchertown, MA
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 7:10 am Post subject: |
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Extremely cool and I'm very jealous!! _________________ '73 Transporter 1.7L Dual Carb
notchboy wrote: |
You ran over some #Vanlife'ers hopes and dreams? |
60vwnewengland wrote: |
Looking forward to next weekend, weed, krunk juice, hookers, blow, hanging with bums, philly, ...the awards! |
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