Information on finding Picnic taps locally

[MHBeer]

Hey everyone. Just getting into kegging. Keg is pressured up and beer is carbonating as we speak. Its quite simple but at this point I have no way to dispense the beer. For the time being I just want to use a picnic tap but I am having trouble finding these around my town. We don't have a very good home brew shop here, they only deal in wine mostly, and don't seem to want to help a beer maker... The other option is online, but I just got burnt online so a little reluctant right now. Any suggestions on a big box store, or another type of shop that might sell this. Thanks in advance!

 

[BeardedBrews]

You could talk to the local bars and restaurants and see who is servicing their beverage systems. The beverage company can certainly order one, if they don't already have a bag of them "in the back of the truck". Buy a nice dinner at the restaurant and they might toss you a picnic tap for free.

 

[MHBeer]

Hey thanks not a bad idea!

 

[brewmadness]

Try a local party store where you can order kegs. they may have picnic taps laying around.

 

[IslandLizard]

You could talk to the local bars and restaurants and see who is servicing their beverage systems. The beverage company can certainly order one, if they don't already have a bag of them "in the back of the truck". Buy a nice dinner at the restaurant and they might toss you a picnic tap for free.

How can one justify spending $60++ on dinner with a very small chance to score a $4 picnic tap?

OP, you can attach ANY kind of faucet at the end of the hose. Like a cheap PEX faucet and a hose clamp.

The official name for "picnic tap" is Cobra tap, IIRC. Don't mail order a $4 item by itself, put it on your wish list until you have an order that's worth the shipping.

 

[BeardedBrews]

How can one justify spending $60++ on dinner with a very small chance to score a $4 picnic tap?

You're right on that, for sure a personal deal. I probably spend more than I should at the breweries in town, mostly because those are the types of people I enjoy socializing with and supporting. Since we talk brewing so much while I'm there, it would be nothing to ask the GM if she has a spare cobra tap around, or if she could ask her beverage guy to grab one.

The safe solution, as @brewmadness pointed out, would be to go to the liquor store and ask them for one.

 

[IslandLizard]

Let's acknowledge the OP is not located in or near a Mecca of Homebrewing, so it can be very difficult to source parts and supplies. So he needs to improvise and make do with what he can get.

I am curious about his "got burnt" experience with a recent online order. Those things shouldn't happen, even in Canada.

 

[MHBeer]

Hey thanks everyone for the replies. Yes small town Medicine Hat (look it up) doesn't have much in the way of breweries, home brew store, ect.... we have Coca-Cola bottling and PepsiCo. I've checked out some party/party rental and nothing turned up. I order some online through ebay 10bux for 5, free shipping from china blah blah...3 weeks later no package, sellers user name N/A. I couldn't imagine they are going to retire off my $10 so I am working with ebay to get it back (its the principal of it). I have a hard time justifying paying $15 shipping for a $4 tap plus exchange. I would wait to put an order together but my beer has been carbing for bit now and I would like to drink it that's all. I have thought of just attaching a hose with the clamp like someone else said but that gets messy and kind of a PITA. I guess at the end of the day im either going to have to spend $20 for a $4 tap online, wait to get to a bigger city, or use the hose and clamp method. I thought if anyone seen them at walmart, or Canadian tire, home depot, ect I dunno worth a shot! Thanks again everyone for chiming in.

 

[IslandLizard]

As I said, any valve or faucet will work with an adapter/reducer, check you local hardware/plumbing store. I mentioned PEX brass faucets since they have a barbed end. I think they're 1/2" or 3/8".
You can insert a short piece of vinyl hose of the next size down to narrow the opening to fit a smaller barb, then a hose clamp to tie it down.