What is a Beer System?

Walk to almost any facility today and you will probably find that they offer you a beer. It’s so common that we don’t think about what it means to install, repair, and operate a beer system. What is a beer system? and what is a faucet system? These are two questions we often answer because people have ideas, but they don’t fully know the complexity of the system. The thing is, our customers are stupid or ignorant, it’s not just important in their day-to-day operations. However, a better understanding of the equipment and process will allow potential customers to make better decisions in defining the beer system. This usually reduces costs because the customer can better schedule time and resources by acquiring additional information during installation. Also, the process can be smoother as the customer receives more information. We don’t think about the complexity required behind a wall to provide a perfect pour every time. This article gives a brief overview of the main components that make up a beer system or a draft beer system and their cooperation. The three subsystems are common to most beer systems. These include the gas needed to dispense beer; the beer itself (from family options to specialty vessels available); and the refrigeration options necessary to maintain the correct temperature for storage and consumption. We have found that all tap beers have 3 common subsystems. These are gas, beer, and refrigeration. These 3 subsystems require different types of components to be assembled into a beer system. Some kind of pressurized gas uses all beer systems. It can be single element gas or mixed gases. The configuration of the system and the type of beer determine the gas used and the method of dispensing. The volume of the system determines the method of gas delivery. Compact systems use interchangeable individual containers, while large systems use refillable containers. Also, gases are produced on-site if required. There are several different beers with more options often. Typical beers from large distributors have been around for some time and are served almost everywhere. Beer is very popular and new varieties are available almost daily. Every beer is different and requires a special delivery method for the type of beer. These factors can be the type of beer, the weight of the beer, the required carbonated gas, the volume, or a combination of all the factors. Keeping beer at the right temperature from the keg to the glass is a critical factor in the design of any beer system and requires special attention depending on the distance between the tap and the keg. Other factors include whether the system is air or water cooled and whether the evaporator and condenser are in the radiator or remotely. Also, we describe all 9 main components needed by beer and give an overview of their use and location in the beer system. Additional components are used in various configurations of beer systems, but some of these 9 components are required in all beer systems. All of these considerations need to be considered when designing the right beer system to provide your customers with the perfect draft beer every time.