The Torpedo Keg Buoy Floating Dip Tube – my explanation of why it works

Torpedo Keg Buoy Floating Dip Tube from MoreBeer


From the product description, check product page for current description, price and availability:

With the Torpedo Buoy™ floating dip tube, you’ll be pouring the clearest beer possible from first pint to last! As your beer sits at low temperatures, more and more haze particles settle out to the bottom of the keg. This means the clearest beer in the keg is always at the top. The Buoy™ uses a stainless float to position the silicone dip tube just 1 inch below the surface of the beer. Kick homebrew haze to the curb and start drawing the brightest beer possible. Yeah, Buoy!

Installs on any Ball Lock or Pin Lock keg quickly and easily. Simply remove your bev out post and replace the long metal dip tube with the provided 3″ metal dip tube. Slide one end of the silicone tubing over the 3″ dip tube and the other end of the tubing over the metal tube connected to the float. The silicone tubing is sized for 5-gallon kegs, but you can cut it shorter to use on 1.5 or 2.5-gallon kegs.

Specifications:

  • 3″ Stainless Dip Tube
  • 1/4″ ID Silicone Tubing (23.5″ long)
  • Ball Float Made from 304 Stainless Steel

I’m a big proponent of the idea behind the Keg Buoy Floating Dip Tube.  In fact, I’ve used a similar, but very difficult product to find, for years,  I’m super excited that MoreBeer has introduced this product.  It’s a great idea and I’m glad it’s readily available to US homebrewers!

My explanation of how this works…

When we carbonate a keg, pressure is being applied to the keg from the top, via the head space. Beer at the top carbonates first. That carbonation works it’s way down the keg. I’m sure there’s also some movement in the keg that helps to mix things up and distribute carbonation. But just sitting there, I think that mixing is a slow process. However it all works, practically speaking, the beer at the top carbonates more quickly compared to the beer at the bottom. This allows you to serve from the top accessing the more carbonated portion of the keg. It’s also a benefit for clarity because trub settles out heading downward. You can see this stratification in a glass carboy. As the beer starts to clear, the top clears first. I don’t think if this is exactly accurate, but I picture carbonation happening with the same sort of stratification until the beer reaches equilibrium and is equally carbonated throughout.

Torpedo Keg Buoy Floating Dip Tube KEG655

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