The CO2
PicnicTap® is a CO2 pressure-regulated beer tap that uses brewery approved CO2
gas. Made in the US with high quality brass, stainless steel, and aluminum. The
top-of-the-line regulator is made in Japan, and has
an integrated puncture pin and seal for the included 74g CO2 cylinders. One CO2
cylinder will easily preserve and push all of the beer out of 1/6 and 1/4
barrels. A full cylinder will almost push(empty) a 1/2 barrel when the outside
temperature is +85F. 2 full cylinders will always push out a full ½ barrel(the
big keg). Kit includes 2 CO2-Filled 74g Cylinders.
How it Works
The CO2
PicnicTap® comes assembled and ready to use. You might have to put on the tap
handle and zip on the thermal sleeve, but no tools needed.
Get your keg
settled in its final place
• Attach the CO2 PicnicTap® -coupler into slot on the keg
and twist it into place.
• Make sure the
CO2 PicnicTap® black dispensing handle is pushed back, closed.
• Lock the handle
down on the coupler.
• Pull the
pressure relief ring a couple times to bleed off CO2 you caused when moving the
keg.
• Turn the
regulator to the off position.
• Insert the
CO2 cartridge, turning in firmly, but do not over tighten.
• Get a glass.
• Open the
black faucet.
• If foam only
comes out, there is still too much pressure built up, relieve some more
pressure.
• Try to get it
so when no beer comes out, that is a good starting point.
• Now, with the
faucet open, slowly turn the regulator knob until beer starts to flow, stop
turning at that point.
• If you still
have foam, 98% of the time, the beer is too warm. Try a meat thermometer,
you’ll see.
•You can add
some more pressure, but not too much, even with cold beer, it can foam it up.
Saving the keg
for the next few days is easy. Keep it cold and use the regulator, add about
10psi of pressure. Turn the regulator off and immediately remove the CO2
PicnicTap® from the keg. You can leave the CO2 cartridge in the regulator. The
keg seals off when you remove the CO2 PicnicTap®.
Variations
The CO2
PicnicTap® is available in three different configurations depending on the keg
style you are using. 95% of the time, go with the default.
1. The standard
default is P/N 50500 with the most widely used in North America, the US Sankey
base.
2. The next
most popular is P/N 50510 which is used on some European kegs. Ask your beer
retailer to be sure.
3. We love
Birch beer and other sodas from a keg and that is P/N 50512 which is known as a
twin probe – Hoff Stevens coupler.
Are there
others? Yes, and all you have do is contact us
and we will try to make it happen for you.
ICE ICE ICE
We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to keep the keg in a super cold environment. Ideally, between 36F to 40F. Seriously. Cold beer matters especially when you apply CO2 to the keg, otherwise, you will be an expert on foam. You have probably seen a YETI or similar hard shell cooler. It is thick with insulation for a reason, to keep heat out and cold in.
Putting a keg in garbage can and adding ice is fine if you are at a tailgate in Wisconsin and it is 40F outside. A pool party in Clearwater Florida in July means it is 88F outside and you are going to fight to keep that keg cold. Find shade, wrap the outside with blankets. You can thank us later.
Be Kind…Air Kills Beer™
When you see someone pumping air into a beer keg, rather than CO2, they are forcing the CO2 OUT of the beer. Ever try to have a beer from the keg the next day? We have and it's flat and gross. It is never a problem when you dispense with CO2 and keep the beer cold. The CO2 PicnicTap® comes completely assembled and ready to use. Just pick up the keg and ice! Each unit comes with two of the 74g CO2 Filled cylinders which are truly beverage grade and brewery approved.
*California Residents' Prop 65 Warning: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Why is this applicable to this product? To learn more please click here.
Back Story
In 1989 we were
at a 2 day party in a rural area of Ohio. There was 20 of us at an old
farmhouse with a huge empty barn. We brought a keg, roasted a pig, chased down
and cooked a few chickens. But we had arrived late the first night and could
not kick the keg.
So the next
morning, we wanted the party to continue and tried the keg. It was still on
ice, but we had been using a hand operated air pump. At that time, we did not
realize that pumping air into a keg causes it to lose CO2 carbonation. We literally pushed the CO2 out and the
result was horrible flat beer.
That next week,
back at Leland Gas Technologies in New Jersey, we immediately took that hand
pump off the picnic tap, replaced it with one of our regulators, and screwed
in a 74g CO2 cylinder that we had in stock. The Leland CO2 PicnicTap® was born
and is handmade in New Jersey to this day.
Since then, we
have sold thousands of this device to consumers and breweries around the world.
Breweries love the CO2 PicnicTap® because they are very fickle about the
quality and consistency of their beer. They spend a lot of time and effort to
ensure quality and our device took away the variability of not having the
correct CO2 content in their beer, a vital ingredient and key to proper mouth
feel.
We round up our
friend group and go back to that farmhouse every year. But now, when we arrive,
everyone puts on a huge smile when we break out the CO2 PicnicTap®. We quickly
became the hero of that party and the memories we have built can never be forgotten.
You too have a
chance to obtain the highest quality restaurant grade portable draft beer
equipment in the world and you can be the hero of the party.
