Install, remove, repair
Beer System Installation
We build, take out, and fix draft beer systems in Philadelphia. Kegerators, direct draw coolers, and long draw glycol systems for bars, restaurants, breweries, and offices.
Systems we work on
Three Kinds of Draft Systems
The right system depends on one thing more than anything else: how far the beer has to travel from the keg to the tap.
Kegerators
Offices, homes, small bars
A fridge built to hold one or more kegs, with a tower and taps on top. The beer only travels a few inches, so there's very little that can go wrong. We set up new units, convert coolers you already have, and add taps.
Direct Draw
Taps right above the cooler
The kegs sit in a walk-in or reach-in cooler right under or behind the bar. Short lines run straight up to the tower. The cold air in the cooler keeps the beer cold, so you don't need glycol.
Long Draw Glycol
Cooler far from the bar
When the cooler is in the back, the basement, or across the room, the beer lines run through an insulated bundle called a trunk line. A glycol chiller pumps food-safe coolant through that bundle next to the beer lines, so the beer stays cold all the way to the faucet.
New System Installs
Planned, Built, Balanced & Test-Poured
A draft system has to be built to fit your space. Line length, line size, beer temperature, and gas pressure all work together. When those numbers are off, you get foam, flat beer, and wasted kegs. The Brewers Association calls a system that pours right "balanced," and that's what we build toward.
We look at your space, plan where the cooler, lines, and taps go, and give you a written quote. Then we build it, set the gas pressure for your beer and your lines, and pour from every tap before we leave.
- Kegerators, direct draw coolers, and long draw glycol systems
- Towers, faucets, shanks, couplers, and beer lines
- CO2 and blended gas setup with regulators set for your system
- Glycol chillers and trunk lines for long runs
- Parts from Micro Matic, Foxx Equipment, Perlick, and other major suppliers
- Gently used towers and faucets when they save you money, always marked on your quote
- Beer lines, FOB waste lines, and trunk lines are always new
- Test pour on every tap before we hand it over
System Removal
Renovations, Closings & Moves
Remodeling the bar, moving the taps, or closing a space? We take out the draft system so your contractor doesn't have to guess. Beer lines and glycol lines that get cut the wrong way can leak, drip, or make a mess behind walls.
We pull what needs to come out and cap anything that stays behind. If parts are worth keeping, like towers, faucets, or a glycol chiller, we can set them aside for your next setup.
- Towers, faucets, shanks, and couplers removed
- Beer lines and trunk lines pulled or capped
- Glycol drained and chiller disconnected
- Reusable parts set aside on request
Draft System Repairs
Foam, Leaks, Warm Beer & Worn Parts
Most draft problems come down to a few things: the beer is too warm, the gas pressure is wrong, a seal is worn out, or the lines are dirty or old. We figure out which one it is and fix it. It doesn't matter who built your system.
Not sure what's wrong yet? Our draft beer troubleshooting chart covers the most common problems.
- Foamy, flat, or slow pours
- Leaking faucets, shanks, couplers, and fittings
- Warm beer at the tap
- Worn faucets, couplers, seals, and washers replaced
- Old or damaged beer lines replaced
- Glycol chiller and trunk line problems
What to expect
How an Install Works
Free Site Visit
We come out, look at your cooler, bar, and the path between them, and talk about how many taps you want.
Plan & Quote
We pick the right system, line lengths, and parts, and give you a written quote before any work starts.
Order Parts
We order from whichever supplier has the right part at a fair price and can ship it fast. Your quote shows what's new and what's used.
Build
We install the cooler connections, lines, tower, faucets, and gas. For long runs, we add the glycol chiller and trunk line.
Balance & Test
We set the gas pressure for your beer temperature and line length, then pour from every tap to make sure it's right.
Keep It Clean
Pennsylvania requires draft lines to be cleaned every 14 days. We can put your new system on a cleaning schedule.
Request a Free Estimate
Tell us what you need and we'll set up a time to come look. We respond within one business day.
Free On-Site Estimates
Every space is different, so we don't quote installs over the phone. We come out at no charge, look at your setup, and give you a written price before any work starts.
Trained on the Gear We Install
Owner Mike Hanson trained through Micro Matic's Dispense Institute, and we follow Brewers Association guidelines for how a draft system should be built and cleaned. More about us.
Hosting an Event?
No draft system on site? Rent our 4-tap jockey box for the weekend.
Questions
Installation FAQ
It depends on the number of taps, how far the taps are from the cooler, and the type of system. A kegerator costs far less than a long draw glycol system run across a bar. We come out for free, look at your space, and give you a written quote.
No. We get discounts from most suppliers in the industry, but we don't tie ourselves to any one of them. Sometimes the cheapest part is out of stock or slow to ship. Sometimes it saves you time and money to install gently used equipment, like tap towers, faucets, and FOBs (foam detectors). We always tell you what's new and what's used before any work starts.
We buy parts and equipment from all the major suppliers and manufacturers. That often includes Micro Matic, Foxx Equipment, Perlick, Howdy Brewer, Keg Outlet, KegWorks, and Amazon, plus any other source that makes sense for your job. Our goal is a fair price on parts that show up when we need them. Your quote shows which parts are new and which ones you could buy used to save money. We only install new beer lines, FOB waste lines, and trunk lines.
In a direct draw system, the kegs sit in a cooler right under or behind the taps, so the beer only travels a few feet. In a long draw system, the cooler is farther away, often in another room or on another floor, and the beer lines run through an insulated bundle to reach the taps.
If your taps are far from your walk-in or keg cooler, most likely yes. Beer sitting in a long line warms up and pours foam. A glycol system pumps a food-safe coolant through the line bundle right next to the beer lines to keep beer cold all the way to the faucet. If your kegs sit right under the bar, you usually don't need it.
Yes. We set up kegerators for offices, coworking spaces, and homes, along with bars and restaurants. We can also convert a cooler you already own.
Yes. Most repair calls are for systems we didn't build. We find the cause, whether that's a bad seal, the wrong gas pressure, a warm cooler, or worn-out lines, and fix it.
Yes. We take out towers, faucets, shanks, beer lines, and glycol equipment for renovations, closings, and moves. We cap anything that stays behind so nothing leaks, and we can set aside parts that are worth reusing.
Pennsylvania law (40 Pa. Code § 5.51) requires draft lines at licensed businesses to be cleaned at least every 14 days. We can put your new system on a cleaning schedule so it stays clean and you have the records on file.
Serving Philadelphia and the surrounding areas
Get a Free On-Site Estimate
New install, removal, or repair. We'll look at your space and give you an honest price.
(267) 282-1002