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Going to a taiIgater? Here's a homebrew (in the
hacking sense) jockey box that dispenses coId
homebrew (in the beer sense). A jockey box is
one of those funny cooIers with a buiItin beer
tap on the outside. Inside, it has the requisite
pIumbing to draw beer from a keg, and a metaI
coiI or cooIing pIate. Once you fiII the cooIer with
ice and attach a keg, the coiI or pIate, acting as a
heat exchanger, quickIy chiIIs the beer to a proper
serving temperature even when the keg itseIf
isn't coId.
It's not hard to find premade jockey boxes,
but they typicaIIy cost SI5D or more and are
hardwired" with a coupIer that works with onIy
one type of keg top. This homebrew soIution is
not onIy cheaper, but it's aIso more adaptabIe,
converting easiIy into a cooIer7dispenser for the
5Iiter minikegs that many European beers come
in. In jockeybox mode, the convertibIe cooIer
houses the heatexchanger coiI whiIe the keg
stays outside. In minikeg mode, the entire keg
goes inside the cooIer, and you don't use the coiI.
Standard compressedair coupIer and pIug fittings
Iet you easiIy swap internaI parts to change the
cooIer's beer operationaI mode.
To keep costs down, I used brass fittings from a
reguIar hardware store, but many brewers prefer
stainIess steeI for anything that comes into contact
with beer. If you want to go this higherend route,
consuIt your IocaI homebrew shop.
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Iead by soaking them in a soIution of Z parts vinegar G
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to I part hydrogen peroxide for I5 minutes.
Z. DriII Z hoIes in the side of the cooIer, about
6" apart, beIow the IeveI of the inside of the Iid.
Using a 2" bit, move the driII around to make the
hoIes big enough to snugIy accommodate the
pipe nippIes.
3. Stick the nippIes through the Z hoIes, using a
rubber maIIet if necessary. Designate one nippIe
as the beerin port for jockeybox mode, and the
other as the beerout. Attach a barbed fitting
to the beerin nippIe on the outside and a maIe
compressor pIug on the inside. Attach barbed
fittings to the beerout 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 kettIe to make it more pIiabIe
and easy to get on the barbed fitting. After it's on,
secure each connection with a hose cIamp.
4. First, make your dispenser by cutting about I8"
of tubing, attaching one end to the barbed fitting
on the beerout side, and attaching the other end
to the picnic faucet.
5. Next, cut about 4" of the tubing and attach
one end to the inside barbed end of the beerout
fitting. Take off one of the compressor coupIings,
then screw in another barbed fitting and attach it
to the other end of the 4" tubing.
6. For the beerin Iine, attach a section of tubing
(I used about 3') to the beerin barbed fitting on
the outside of the cooIer. On the other end of the
tubing, attach the coupIer for your keg.
7. Cut Z pieces of beer tubing, about 8" each. Use
hose cIamps to attach one piece to each end of
the draft coiI, and insert barbed fittings into the
other ends, aIso securing them with hose cIamps.
Screw a compressor coupIing onto the fitting at
one end of the coiI (the beerin) and screw a maIe
compressor pIug into the other end (beerout).
S. The system is now ready to be used in jockey
box mode. Put the coiI into the cooIer, and hook
up the keg and CO
Z
. Attach the coiI's coupIing
to the pIug on the beerin side, and attach the
beerout coupIing to the pIug on the other end of
the coiI.
FiII the cooIer with ice, and enjoy your coId draft
beer. But remember: You're deaIing with pressurized
gases and Iiquids, so exercise due caution.
MiniKeg Configuration
To convert it into a minikeg dispenser, remove
the picnic faucet from the end of the minikeg
tap. In its pIace, attach about 6" of beer tubing.
Connect a barbed fitting on the other end, screw
on a compressor pIug, and secure both ends with
hose cIamps.
Now, aII you have to do is uncoupIe and Iift out
the coiI, tap the minikeg, put it in the cooIer, and
pIug the coupIing into the beerout port. Cover
the keg with ice, and enjoy another coId one.
MATERlALS
From any homebrew store or austinhomebrew.com:
S+ feet of thickwaIIed beer tubing 6" inner 8"
outer diameter; about 50Zfoot
Barbed baIIIock coupIer aka disconnect This fits
the 5gaIIon baIIIock soda kegs used by home
brewers, or you can substitute different hardware
to fit standard "D" system commerciaI kegs. S5
Picnic faucet S4
Minikeg tap hand pump Minikeg taps are as cheap
as SI5; l had a PhiItap, which uses CO
Z
cartridges
and costs about S60 from wiIIiamsbrewing.com
Draft coiI l used a 50' coiI of 2" stainIess steeI,
avaiIabIe for S75 from morebeer.com {item 4H6S0)
From a hardware store:
" Z" brass pipe nippIes {Z) About SI each
" " barbed hose adapter fittings, hose barb to
pipe thread {5) About SI each
Hose cIamps To fit the 8" OD beer tubing {I0)
" air compressor hose coupIers {Z) and pIugs {3)
l bought two Husky brand coupIer and pIug sets
for about S5 each
DriII and driII bits
AdjustabIe wrench
Rubber maIIet
White vinegar
Hydrogen peroxide
Hot water From kettIe
Keg of beer With CO
Z
dispensing system
{or 5Iiter minikeg)
lce
CarIo Longino is the pubIisher of MobiIeMusicBIog.com and
executive editor of TheFeature.com. He can be found in
Austin, barbecuing in the dark with a miner's headIamp.
Resources
Jockey box information: makezine.comZgoZjockeybox
OUTDOORS
IZ0 Make: Mfcld\ '.