From any homebrew store or austinhomebrew.com: 8+ feet of thick-walled beer tubing 6" inner × 8"

outer diameter; about 50¢/foot

Barbed ball-lock coupler aka disconnect This fits the 5-gallon ball-lock soda kegs used by home brewers, or you can substitute different hardware to fit standard “D” system commercial kegs. $5

Picnic faucet $4

Mini-keg tap hand pump Mini-keg taps are as cheap as $15; I had a Philtap, which uses CO₂ cartridges and costs about $60 from williamsbrewing.com

Draft coil I used a 50' coil of 2" stainless steel, available for $75 from morebeer.com (item #H680)

From a hardware store:

¼" × 2" brass pipe nipples ( 2) About $1 each

¼" × ¼" barbed hose adapter fittings, hose barb to pipe thread ( 5) About $1 each

Hose clamps To fit the 8" OD beer tubing ( 10) ¼" air compressor hose couplers ( 2) and plugs ( 3)

I bought two Husky brand coupler and plug sets for about $5 each

Drill and drill bits

Adjustable wrench

Rubber mallet

White vinegar

Hydrogen peroxide

Hot water From kettle

Keg of beer With CO₂ dispensing system

(or 5-liter mini-keg)

Ice

5. Next, cut about 4" of the tubing and attach one end to the inside barbed end of the beer-out fitting. Take off one of the compressor couplings, then screw in another barbed fitting and attach it to the other end of the 4" tubing.

6. For the beer-in line, attach a section of tubing (I used about 3') to the beer-in barbed fitting on the outside of the cooler. On the other end of the tubing, attach the coupler for your keg.

7. Cut 2 pieces of beer tubing, about 8" each. Use hose clamps to attach one piece to each end of the draft coil, and insert barbed fittings into the other ends, also securing them with hose clamps. Screw a compressor coupling onto the fitting at one end of the coil (the beer-in) and screw a male compressor plug into the other end (beer-out). 8. The system is now ready to be used in jockey-box mode. Put the coil into the cooler, and hook up the keg and CO₂. Attach the coil’s coupling to the plug on the beer-in side, and attach the beer-out coupling to the plug on the other end of the coil.

Fill the cooler with ice, and enjoy your cold draft beer. But remember: You’re dealing with pressurized gases and liquids, so exercise due caution.

 

Mini-Keg Configuration

To convert it into a mini-keg dispenser, remove the picnic faucet from the end of the mini-keg tap. In its place, attach about 6" of beer tubing. Connect a barbed fitting on the other end, screw on a compressor plug, and secure both ends with hose clamps.

Now, all you have to do is uncouple and lift out the coil, tap the mini-keg, put it in the cooler, and plug the coupling into the beer-out port. Cover the keg with ice, and enjoy another cold one.

to 1 part hydrogen peroxide for 15 minutes.

2. Drill 2 holes in the side of the cooler, about

6" apart, below the level of the inside of the lid. Using a 2" bit, move the drill around to make the holes big enough to snugly accommodate the pipe nipples.

3. Stick the nipples through the 2 holes, using a rubber mallet if necessary. Designate one nipple as the beer-in port for jockey-box mode, and the other as the beer-out. Attach a barbed fitting to the beer-in nipple on the outside and a male compressor plug on the inside. Attach barbed fittings to the beer-out on both sides.

Now it’s time for fun with beer tubing. Before each connection, soak the end of the tubing in hot water from your kettle to make it more pliable and easy to get on the barbed fitting. After it’s on, secure each connection with a hose clamp.

4. First, make your dispenser by cutting about 18" of tubing, attaching one end to the barbed fitting Carlo Longino is the publisher of MobileMusicBlog.com and on the beer-out side, and attaching the other end executive editor of TheFeature.com. He can be found in to the picnic faucet. Austin, barbecuing in the dark with a miner’s headlamp.

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