Have you ever wondered why there are different types of beer faucets? I have done some research and you can read about it below.
When I first built my keezer, I bought 4 standard taps. They work fine and were the most affordable, but I would’ve loved to know more about the other options.
Instead, I bought my faucets based on cost, I didn’t know much more than that. They work but as I brew different types of beer, I notice that the tap could be better if the faucet were as well.
What is a draft beer faucet and how does it work?
A beer faucet is a valve also known as a “tap” that holds and releases the beer when engaged via the tap handle.
Like any faucet in your home, the purpose is to look nice, be sanitary and direct the flow of liquid when wanted.
But unlike the home faucet, beer taps are an open or closed valve, meaning you have one wide open flow.
And that’s why everything needs to be set perfectly on your kegerator. Temperature, PSI and the faucet will be the factor in your perfect pour.
There are flow faucets that do control flow without changing the PSI of the keg.
Types Of Beer Faucets
We all want that perfect pour, and having the right faucet is one big part of that
Let’s go over them for a better understanding.
Stainless Steel, Copper, or Brass
1. Standard Universal Draft Beer Faucet
The most common type of faucet you will see just about anywhere.
These are the most affordable, and that is nice when you have 4-8 you want to buy for your new keezer.
Made of brass, chrome-plated brass.
⅜ inch thread lever, for tap handles that pull forward and push back to stop the flow of beer.
Attaches to shank or tower via the coupling nut, and tightness with a spanner wrench.
A universal faucet that works with American style beers, lagers, and ales.
Made of brass and coated with chrome, these are nice looking and easy to clean.
They do pour decently. But what I’ve noticed is the regulator better be set at the right pressure to avoid too much head.
Rear sealing and leak-proof, this universal faucet is an excellent addition to any kegerator or home built keezer.
You can usually find the faucet with handle and shank combo, which keeps the cost down to around $25-50.
2. Stout Draft Beer Faucets
Serving an Irish style beer like Guinness, Murphy’s stout, or another style beer that uses a mix gas blend, you need this Stout faucet.
To get that perfect Guinness head known as cascading, you need two things, nitrogen gas, and a nitro stout faucet.
How it works is it has a long narrow stainless steel designed pour spout that works with a special restrictor disc inside.
The combination helps move the beer quickly through the faucet and down the spout, slowly filling the glass with millions of bubbles.
Giving the beer and nice aroma and smooth creamy finish.
Stout faucets cost around $50-100.
3. European draft beer faucet
The style and shape are noticeable differences with the European faucets, but work just the same as the standard.
The longer, thinner spout seen on the European faucet helps decrease beer foam which makes this style very desirable.
However, these are not always compatible with American kegerators or home keezers mainly because the thread and shank are much different in size.
The good news is, they do make European beer faucets for the American beer system.
This style is perfect for pouring beer, wine, cocktails, and cider.
4. Self Closing Faucet
Self-closing faucets have a spring-loaded shaft that allows the handle to close immediately upon release.
5. Perlick Beer Faucet
Perlick faucets are different from the standard faucets, featuring a forward sealing design. This minimizes oxygen exposure in the faucet, creating a more hygienic pour with fewer chances of microbial growth.
6. Flow Control Faucet
Flow control faucets allow you to control flow and speed on the side of the faucet while maintaining the same PSI levels in the beer.
Perfect for tasting glasses and grolwers.
7. Swing Lever Faucet
