In the event you’re in search of final portability and ice-cold draft beer in even the warmest climate, you’ll get all of it with a jockey field.

This on-the-go draft beer possibility fills the massive void between the keg occasion pump’s simplicity and a kegerator’s comfort. It combines lots of the qualities of every whereas permitting you to convey it wherever. It’s distinctive, like an outside kegerator you may take to any occasion or occasion. It will also be greater than only a tailgate or tenting possibility. You may even “costume up” your jockey field by constructing a jockey field cowl that lets it double as purposeful decor at weddings or formal occasions.

What’s a jockey field?

A jockey field is a cellular draft beer system constructed into a typical, insulated ice cooler. It depends solely on ice for refrigeration, so it doesn’t require any electrical energy to function. Beer travels from a keg (which have to be cooled) into one finish of the cooler, by means of the jockey field coils to a draft faucet on the different finish of the cooler, and into your ready cup. Provided in full or conversion kits, they are often arrange from scratch or constructed into an previous cooler.

Jockey field dishing out is a step up from a typical occasion pump keg. Its patented design does a significantly better job at holding your beer on the excellent temperature serving to to cut back foaming, it makes use of CO2 to push the beer out correctly (more energizing beer with no extra pumping!), and it stands up higher to high-pour conditions.

The title “jockey field” comes from the truth that you may transfer (or jockey) the unit simply from place to position. It is ideally suited for serving draft beer outside, resembling picnics, tailgates, and beer festivals.

Components of a Jockey Field

A. Blue cooler with drain
B. Chrome steel coil
C. Metal shank
D. Cooler coupling
E. Chrome faucet
F. Black faucet deal with
G. Beer line jumper
H. US Sankey coupler
I. Double gauge CO2 regulator
J. Air line jumper
Okay. New aluminum CO2 tank (empty)

The Traditional Conundrum: Jockey Field vs. Kegerator

A kegerator is a hard and fast setup. It’s a nice alternative for somebody who enjoys draft beer at dwelling from a sturdy unit. There are additionally a wide range of out of doors kegerators in your yard leisure. Select kegerators for those who prefer to entertain at your own home. They are often transported, however they’re not ideally suited for lugging round each time you go to a celebration.

Jockey packing containers derive their title from the phrase “jockey round,” which implies they’re simple to maneuver from place to position. Preferrred for out of doors occasions the place chilly beer and fast pouring is essential, jockey field coils cool the beer because it travels by means of them. This provides you a wonderfully chilled beer each time the faucet is pulled. There are a lot of locations the place a kegerator isn’t possible, resembling tailgate events, festivals, business bars that need to convey their beer to an occasion, or tenting. That’s the place the jockey field comes racing in upon its trusty steed.

Which jockey field coil dimension & form to decide on?

Chrome steel jockey field coils are available in a wide range of sizes and shapes. It will depend on your occasion or scenario as to which to go along with.

Jockey Field Coil Lengths

50-Foot Jockey Field Coils

The 50-foot coil is greatest used for smaller events or occasions, the place the beer is not going to be constantly poured all through.

70-Foot Jockey Field Coils

The 70-foot coil affords extra floor space providing you with extra cooling energy, which is helpful in busier occasions the place the beer flows a bit sooner.

120-Foot Jockey Field Coils

These extra-long coils are excellent for brewers working offsite occasions the place steady pouring is important, resembling a beer competition or enormous occasion.

Jockey Field Coil Shapes

Round Jockey Field Coils

For almost all of setups, you’ll be simply fantastic utilizing a standard-sized round coil.  In the event you plan to serve three or extra beers, you’ll want a bigger 60-quart cooler or a number of coolers to accommodate normal coils.

Sq. Jockey Field Coils

Excessive-efficiency sq. coils embrace a spacer between every coil for a extra uniform cool. The spacer retains the 304 chrome steel coils barely elevated in order that every inch is involved with the ice bathtub, holding your beer additional chilly.

Mini Jockey Field Coils

Mini round coils are nice for smaller, 9-quart coolers or multi-tap jockey packing containers. You may match as much as 4 faucets in a 48-quart cooler utilizing mini jockey field coils, which makes transportation a lot simpler. Along with maximizing area, the additional compact design offers some additional cooling energy, as you’ll have extra space to pack in ice water.

Utilizing jockey field coils vs. chilly plate

A further technique for chilling beer inside a jockey field is utilizing a chilly plate. A chilly plate is a skinny steel field containing a stainless-steel tube for beer to circulate by means of to the tap. Ice is available in contact with the plate, which chills the beer-filled tube inside.

Whereas less complicated in design than a coil, a chilly plate is an inferior technique for holding your beer chilly, particularly for those who’re serving at an occasion the place the beer is being poured steadily as a result of a chilly plate holds much less liquid than a jockey field coil. The necessity for the chilly plate to be consistently involved with ice additionally requires you to maintain including extra ice to your cooler and drain the melted ice water.

We suggest utilizing coils in your jockey field as a result of they’re higher at holding your beer chilly, so you do not lose as a lot from foamy pours.

Tips on how to arrange a jockey field

For the best set up, a full jockey field setup with all of the facilities included will possible trigger the least complications.

Components You’ll Want

Instruments You’ll Want

The hex nut and spanner wrench will likely be helpful for attaching your beer faucet and the jockey field coils to the shank and cooler coupling. Rubber washers needs to be utilized in any location the place two items of steel come into contact with each other all through any draft beer system to forestall leaks. A CO2 tank wrench will fasten the regulator to the CO2 air tank. You’ll additionally want a flathead screwdriver to regulate the PSI degree in your CO2 regulator and safe screw clamps.

Step 1: Chill your keg!

To maintain your beer from getting too foamy, be sure you preserve your keg on ice the entire time you are utilizing the jockey field, even because the coil cools the beer because it travels contained in the cooler to the faucet. A Tremendous Cooler affords full insulation and a colourful look and can preserve your keg chilly all weekend with simply three luggage of ice. An insulated keg jacket or sleeve works nice too. An old school ice and bucket will work for those who don’t have both of these choices, however proceed so as to add ice to the bucket all through the day and preserve your keg out of direct daylight.

Step 2: Join beer line jumper from cooler coupling to keg coupler.

Join one finish of the beer line jumper to the cooler coupling situated on the again of the cooler, reverse of the shank and tap. Tighten the reference to the hex nut wrench. Join the opposite finish of the beer line jumper to your coupler. Be sure you seek the advice of a keg coupler checklist to make sure you’re utilizing the proper coupler sort in your beer.

Step 3: Connect air line jumper to each CO2 regulator and keg coupler.

Connect one finish of the air line jumper to the CO2 regulator and the other finish to the hose barb of the keg coupler. Use the flathead screwdriver to tighten every connection to keep away from leaks.

Step 4: Connect regulator to CO2 tank by CO2 inlet nut.

Use the CO2 air tank wrench to attach the regulator to the CO2 tank by the inlet nut.

Step 5: Connect coupler to keg.

Start with the coupler’s deal with in a closed place or dealing with diagonally and upright. After screwing the coupler into the keg, making a agency seal, push the coupler handler downwards in order that it’s lowered and dealing with extra straight out than diagonal. Some beer ought to enter the vinyl beer line at this level.

Step 6: Open up the air tank.

Flip the hand wheel to interact your compressed air tank, and transfer the shut-off valve on the backside of the regulator to the ON place, which can imply it’s dealing with downwards or parallel to the regulator output barb and the air line connected to it. You’ll hear air getting into the draft system when it’s turned on.

Step 7: Modify the regulator to the right PSI degree.

Relying in your setup, your jockey field’s PSI degree might be between 20-60(!) PSI. Begin at round 25-30 PSI and see how the beer is pouring. Regularly modify upwards to remove giant bubbles in your beer or extra foam till the beer is pouring out with a correct head. The hotter the keg will get because the day goes on, the upper chances are you’ll want to extend the strain you’re pouring it at.

Step 8: Run some beer by means of the system to the tap, then give the coils an ice bathtub.

Run your beer by means of the jockey field coils as much as the tap previous to submerging it in ice water. In any other case, any water left contained in the coils from earlier use can freeze up. As soon as the beer flows by means of the coils, submerge it in water and ice. Use cubed or crushed ice to fill the cooler, after which add water till the coils are utterly coated.

Step 9: Get pleasure from.

Cheers! However after the occasion, don’t overlook that holding your jockey field clear is important.

Tips on how to make a DIY jockey field

When you’ve got an previous cooler mendacity round and accumulating mud, you should utilize a jockey field conversion equipment to show it right into a DIY jockey field. Or, for those who’re somebody who has a number of additional draft beer objects, you may need to buy a number of jockey field elements to finish your system.

Step 1: Set up the cooler coupling and shank.

Begin by drilling a gap on both aspect of the cooler giant sufficient to suit your cooler coupling (again of the unit) and beer shank (entrance of the unit). Firmly connect the cooler coupling and shank to the jockey field with the lock nut and rubber washers sealing every half.

Step 2: Connect draft beer faucet.

Connect your faucet with the spanner wrench. The faucet deal with will screw on atop the tap.

Step 3: Join the coils.

Slide the hex nut onto both finish of the coil, adopted by the steel ferrule, and at last, the rubber grommet. Join the jockey field coil to every aspect with the hex nut wrench. To finish your DIY jockey field equipment, comply with the remaining steps above.

Try our How To Make Your Personal Jockey Field publish for extra detailed directions and to observe our how-to video on constructing a DIY jockey field. 

Obtain the Jockey Field Setup Directions (pdf)

Tips on how to clear jockey field coils

As with every different draft beer system, common beer line cleansing of your jockey field coils is important. This needs to be carried out after every use. In any other case, disgusting gunk and residue will construct up, ruining your treasured new jockey field beer dispenser in a rush.

Step 1: Flush out remaining beer.

Use a typical beer line cleansing equipment to flush all of the remaining beer out of the traces after use.

Step 2: Clear faucet.

Take away your faucet with a spanner wrench and clear completely in beer line cleansing answer.

Step 3: Rinse system properly.

Rinse all the system with water.

Step 4: Clear the coils.

Clear the surface of the chrome steel coils with gentle cleaning soap, rinse, and wipe dry.

Tips on how to save leftover beer from a jockey field

Leaving your beer pressurized at 30+ PSI in a single day will over-carbonate it, ruining its taste. Pull the strain aid valve (PRV) in your keg coupler to launch extra strain when shutting it down for the night time. Then, repressurize the beer to 12-14 PSI. Instantly place the keg in refrigerated storage to keep up its high quality.