Can bars control each tap lines temperature differently?

Some bars dont have a barrel refrigerator so if they keep their short line kegerators at a specific temp, then yes, they can keep different beers at different temps. Thats pretty much the only practical way.

 

Here is a portion of Gabe's explanation of the tongue-in-cheek 'flux capacitor':

The original Beachwood, open since 2006, was one of the first bars to rotate every single tap when a keg blows. "This keeps a sense of excitement about the beer list and we never immediately repeat the same beer," says Gordon. Gordon designed his own high-tech panel system, which he jokingly calls "the Flux Capacitor," that dispenses the lines of beer such that he can set gas mixtures and pressures individually for each and every beer. This enables him to pour ales at 38 degrees but imperial stouts at 48 degrees.
At the new location, Gordon says he built "a walk-in within the walk-in so that 12 of our 36 handles can be poured at cellar temperatures if we desire." The beers are listed in chalk on individual placards on a wall that is available online or via phone application 24/7 via "The Hop Cam."

Full article here: http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/2011/06/beachwood_bbq_and_brewing_open.php

 

When using a glycol set up you have a series of lines bundled together in any range between 2 and 20. You can definitely set up your individual glycol chillers to be different temperatures.

So the set up you are talking about would require different glycol chillers for each temp range and one standard keg room tempeture. This in theory sounds like it would work, however you would be warming beer up on its way to a faucet which would cause a massive amount of foaming to occur.

Yes I know you can correct that problem by adjusting pressures adequately but it would be a headache everytime you put a beer with a different Vol/co2 on.

 

That's not correct. The line is also cooled and needs to be to prevent foam. The temp needs to be consistent from keg to faucet. Short draw systems have tower coolers that take cold air from the kegerator box and force it to the shanks, long draw systems use glycol chillers between the cooler and the shanks.

 

This is far too advanced - bars are still struggling to keep beer lines clean.....
The only practical answer is different cool rooms for different groups of beers. I.e. lagers/pale ales one room, english ales / stouts another, etc. And maybe compensator taps to balance the system.

 

Pretty sure they do; why would they come up with something to sell/make 2 of?

 

As others have noted, set-ups like Churchkey's, while not common, are what most bars use when they have multiple serving temperatures. The systems at Beachwood and Torst are very unique and they're the only ones I've heard of using this technology.

As a customer, I absolutely love Churchkey's set-up, but you're definitely more susceptible to foam/waste when you increase the serving temperature on beer.

 

Adding onto Churchkey in DC, Bluejacket has the multiple temp system going. I think it is something that the Neighborhood Restaurant Group (owners of both CK and BJ) seems to like. They certainly can afford to do it as well. It is nice from a customer point of view that is for sure.

 

+1 for either--I'll say 20mins.

Let's don't make it too hard.

 

The question for a bar owner has to answer is whether he or she would rather have people sitting waiting for their beer to warm up or have them drink it as soon as it's served. It's a business decision for the bar owner. Cost vs. return on investment. But the problem is, before you open, if you install an expensive system, you don't know how many people will actually sit and wait for a beer to warm. My guess is not many so the cost isn't justified. Then again, if after you're open, you see half of your customers sitting and waiting, perhaps you would reconsider your decision.

 

went to Mikkeller in San Francisco on Saturday. Beer menu was divided into 3 different temps. Looked to me like each temperature was a different keg cooler and with tap gang on top. Of course, everything warms up in the glass eventually, but I appreciate not getting a craft IPA at frozen glass temperatures.

Also, there's a bar in town (University of Beer) that has a refrigerated rail along the counter, between the bartenders side and the customers side. It's supposed to be keeping your beer cool, but I'm pretty doubtful it works when the bottom of the glass is the thickest glass and glass is usually called an insulator. Only place I know with this cold rail. Anyone else ever see one?

cheers,

 

A local brewpub in Albuquerque that also has a setup at our airport has these discs at the bartop that are supposed to be chillers to keep one's beer cold. To me, it's a crock of crap aimed more at folks that will tell a friend "You should check the place out, they even have these things on the bar that will keep your beer cold."

I don't mind having my beer up as I drink it. I usually discover new and different flavors.

 

Henry's in Portland was the first I saw, so I remember that one. Seen it a few times since.

 

Capital Ale House - Downtown, they have an ice rail in the middle of the bar; don't think it works too well for the glass insulation, especially now that they upped their game on not using shaker pints for everything