Silver Barrier Tubing

I haven't been especially impressed by it so far. Seems to kink easily. Beer that sits in the line tastes more oxidized/flat than my old lines. I don't think I'll buy it again when it is time to replace.

 

I installed the EJ Ultra-Barrier silver tubing on all of my lines when I built the latest incarnation of my draft system last summer. It's a little softer than the Bevlex PVC I used to use, but that actually seems to be an advantage in my book - since it's easier to get the 3/16" id tube over the 1/4" barbs on my shanks. Can't say I've had any problems with kinking or a change in taste. I always tend to purge the line to waste if beer's been standing in the lines for any length of time anyway.

Is it worth it? Depends on what you're after. I never had any serious issues with spoilage organisms in my PVC lines (because I cleaned them), but a fair amount of my day job relates to the testing of various polymeric materials (tubing included) for extractable and leachable compounds like DEHP and other phthalates, anti-oxidants (irgafos and it's decomposition products), etc.

I also spend a fair amount of time talking with toxicologists to determine whether something is 'of toxicological concern' or not in specific applications. In that context, I appreciate a product that is made without these things - while having the added benefit of being anti-microbial.

Will leaching PVC beer lines kill you? *Probably* no faster than the ethanol you're taking in. But - if you're interested in minimizing your exposure to some potentially less-than-healthy chemicals? It's a relatively small investment in the grand scheme.

Maybe someday I'll get around to doing a controlled extraction of Bevlex PVC and the EJ tubing for an honest side-by-side comparison of extractable levels... but I've got a long enough to-do list as it is right now!

 

21 good reviews at Morebeer. No bad reviews.

http://www.morebeer.com/products/ul...c-free-beer-tubing-316-id-foot.html?site_id=5

 

I clamp everything. Always have, even with PVC that I used to curse at after-the-fact because it's nearly impossible to pull off after it's cold and been clamped on for a while.

So yes, I'd recommend investing in some hose clamps - preferably nice ones like these: https://www.morebeer.com/products/butterfly-tubing-clamp-medium-fits-12-od-hose.html?site_id=9 - but standard clamps work fine too.

 

We exclusively use EJ tubing now. We have installed literally thousands of feet and never had call back or received any complaints. It is true that it will kink if you are not careful, but this is true of all poly tubing.

I am a bit confused as to why a home bar user would have any need for poly line. Barrier tubing is poly. Generally vinyl is the preferred choice for choker. There is very little reason to choose poly over vinyl for choker, and a few good reasons to use vinyl. Vinyl offers more restriction, is cheaper, easier to work with, easily replaced. A 100' roll of 3/16" vinyl beverage line is cheap enough to never even clean lines. I don't. Toss the line and replace.

Vinyl is used at virtually ALL commercial establishments for choker. It is not broken and does not need to be fixed. Barrier is for remote dispense.

That said, EJ Ultra is very good product. Use a heat gun to slip it over the fitting. Use a clamp, preferably Oetiker clamp.

Cheers.

 

Once you go to Oetiker stepless, you won't ever use a threaded hose clamp again. Unfortunately you have to have many various sizes available for each tube OD barb fitting variable, but it is well worth the effort. If it is worth using a clamp it's worth the Oetiker.

Hose clamps rust because the screw is not ss. And they loosen over time. They also dig into the tube wall. And suffer from over tightening. And don't provide uniform tightness across the tube wall.
Cheers.

 

All true. But it's easier to remove one of the ones I linked to without tools!

Seriously, I don't disagree with you. How DO you get those off, though?

 

No joking. They are the definition of PITA.

We have a small tool made by Fiskars. I have no idea where it is from or what it is really for. It is sort of like small needle nose, but the nose is very needle like. There are also small clippers. So you snug the clippers under the band, wiggle in a bit, kind of hope for the best. Curse a lot.

Needless to say, if that tool goes missing for even a short while there is absolute hell to pay. We can not find the same tool anywhere.

You can also twist the crimped end until it breaks open, then slide in a tool to expand the clamp. If you are busting one or two, no big deal. A few dozen is a long ordeal.

You really really don't want to remove an Oetiker frequently. But it can be done.

 

What if one is 3/16" lined with sandpaper and the other is 3/16" lined with teflon?

Diameter is only part of the equation. They're different materials with different properties.

That said, EJ claims 2.2 lb of restriction per foot for 3/16". Values I've seen cited for PVC are from 2.2 - 3.0, depending on who you believe.

I started with 8 feet per line on my system, and generally keep my CO2 at 12 psi. I'm probably pouring a little on the slow side (but don't have any foaming issues), so 2.2 is probably pretty close to being right-on. I'll shorten mine up at some point, just haven't taken the time yet.

Good thing my clamps are easy to remove!

 

I use it and like it. Never had kinks or off flavors of any sort. I intend on replacing with the same silver barrier lines when needed.

 

What Fester said.
I always use the analogy of the garden spigot. Full open on the side of your house is a lot of water, a lot of flow.
Attached 100' of garden hose. Same spigot. Much less flow. Friction reduces the rate of flow.

The screwy thing with draft beer systems, every effort is made to have as little friction loss as possible. Until right before the faucet then the opposite applies and we use 3/16" vinyl to slow down the whole train.
Cheers.

 

I bought 50' of the ultra barrier silver tubing from AIH... Only had my keezer operational for the last two weeks and getting rid of the stuff. Returning the other 30' I had and bought some of the Accuflex Bev-Seal tubing instead.

Beer that sits in the ultra barrier tubing has definitely picked up off-flavors... I end up pouring out the first few ounces. For the price, it's not what I expected.

Hoping the Bev-Seal stuff is better!

 

You're not following.

The mere presence of the hose shows how resistance works. No hose lots of flow. Long hose little flow. Same spigot.

Yes, of course if the material is the same, has the same resistance, then the flow is the same. That is obvious.

If one hose is teflon and the other...
anyway, you get it.
Cheers.

 

I'm going to suggest you shouldn't buy the sandpaper lined hose, Krusty.

 

It isn't NSF-51 certified I'm guessing because they haven't paid the thousands of dollars to get it certified. New Age is willing to invest to get that extra certification. EJ doesn't seem to be willing to invest. That's my take on it.

Did you give is decent soak in either PBW or BLC prior to pouring your first beers. I remember not doing so for one length of hose and it took a whole keg of beer and the plasticy flavor still hadn't gone away. Interesting…I thought the poly tubing wasn't suppose to impart those types of flavors like vinyl. The glass lined Accuflex shouldn't have those problems, but you'll need more tubing, and that shit is tough to fit over fittings. Have some piping hot water on hand ready to do battle. They have connectors (like the shark bites used in plumbing) now that if you're willing to put down some extra coin avoid this problem.