I recently bought a craigslist kegerator and I am in the process of refurbishing it. I pretty much have everything sorted except for these tower lines. They look as if they are rusted but are smooth to the touch. Is this normal or will my beer taste like metal?
these tower lines, they look metal as opposed to vinyl/HDPE/etc. It's hard to tell in the photos but i'm guessing they're chromed brass, and the chrome is gone.
You have what looks like a brass coupler probably brazed to a stainless tube which goes up the tower to the shank. When it gets to the shank it is probably brazed together again or it could be some sort of other connection, like a short piece of tubing, at the top of the tower.
Beer will not taste like metal. That's what brass beer fittings look like. If it bothers you replace that section with tubing...of course if it bothered you you will have to replace the shank as well because it is likely plated brass as well.
Fitting the liquid line directly to the shank will eliminate this section of tube and then you won't have to find extra fittings to attach this oddball fitting in the middle of your liquid line.