Knowledge Base

We are behind your every pour

It isn’t an exaggeration when we claim that Krome is part of every pint or mug of beer that touches your lips.

As a manufacturer of a variety of beer brewing, beer dispensing and storage equipment with a strong worldwide presence, a loyal and ever growing customer base, it is but, inevitable that the beer you are enjoying has at some point been in or through a Krome product.

Designer draft beer dispensing tower sitting in a microbrewery or a pub,
Jockey box that is so easy to handle and apt for an outdoor picnic,
Party pump which is sure to be a super hit in the neighbourhood and among friends,
Mini Kegs carrying the golden brew from your favourite commercial or craft brewery,
Kegerator that maintains the temperature you prefer,
Keg couplers that keep beer flowing,
Kegerator conversion kits for the DIY folks,
Home brewing equipment for the adventurous,
…we make them all.

And we haven’t even talked about the various drip trays, gas distributors, hoses, bar accessories, utility and cleaning components, replacement parts and many more.
So it is not only the big and visible structures, we also produce and provide smaller components that are extremely essential for the entire chain – from brewing to drinking, to run smoothly while maintaining the highest quality standards.

Now, isn’t this enough proof for you to agree with us?

Be spoiled for choice!

Are you ready to be spoiled by the numerous sleek beer towers we have on offer? Making a statement is not just for kitchen or living rooms anymore. Make your bar statement by choosing from our wide range of beer dispensing equipment. Let’s dive-in right away to see all that we have designed for you.

Enjoy many styles of beer – we have it all covered!

Whether you are looking for a fancy single-tap beer dispenser as a centre piece for a home party or multi-tap designs for a commercial establishment that combines style and purpose, we have it all. Many of our designs come in different tap configurations – starting with one and going up to sixty-four. 2, 3 and 4 tap configurations are considered ideal for all spaces and hence available in almost all of our designs.

Choose from our wide range of models!

Our draft beer dispensers are designed to cater to your needs in style and are inspired by our surroundings. The Table-Top dispensers, Column towers and T towers are few of the regular dispensers we usually see around while our Snake, Mamba and Swan towers show our affinity towards nature and scope of our imagination to design unique products. Bridge towers, Cruise towers, Wing-styled towers and Elbow towers are multi-tapped draft beer dispensers that are sought after by microbreweries and pubs. Ink pen, Taper cut, Arc, Inspire, Anthina Slim, Frozen, Superb and many other models are part of our product collection.

Fitting your colour theme

Colours are an important part of the theme or style you have in mind and to complete the look you’ve imagined, we bring out products in different finishes – polished chrome, brushed stainless, brushed copper, vibrant gold, etc. One could go with a complementing finish or choose to have a contrasting one. Brushed stainless and brushed copper finishes give a rustic look to the product while vibrant gold finish makes our tower standout. Polished chrome finish is considered for easy maintenance. An additional feature that you might love is illumination. Our products come in this variant as well and its attractiveness enhances branding.

Fancy the placement

Whether to optimise space utilisation or give a unique look to your room set-up, you can consider various mounting options that come with our products. Table top dispensers and clamp-on towers can directly be used from the counters. Wall mount towers can be placed behind the counter for one-way access in bars and ceiling towers give the flexibility to hang them down from anywhere you like.

Come browse through our entire beer dispensing equipment collection and take your pick.

Home brewing – an art in itself

Home brewing is widely popular in North America and Europe. It refers to the process of producing beer and similar alcoholic beverages like wine for personal consumption, hence on a small scale – from scratch.

Brewing beer domestically has started off thousands of years ago and was largely dominated by women brewers since it was a by-product of gathering and often considered a part of baking. Commercial brewing took off only with the innovations of the 18^th century Industrial Revolution – thermometer and hydrometer – which increased the efficiency to the point that mass production of beer was possible for the first time.

Why choose to home brew?

Home brewing is not easy, especially for beginners. But, in spite of the long drawn process that demands a lot of patience and experimentation to hit the right combination, people still choose to brew their own beer for a variety of reasons.

• Healthy – you control all the ingredients that go into it and when no artificial preservatives are added, home brewed beverages are like other fermented products such as curd that are rich in probiotics.
• Cost effective – Commercially equivalent beverages are offered at a higher price than it would cost to make your own beer.
• Discover your taste – brewing your own beer or wine gives you the freedom to adjust the recipes according to one’s preference and come up with new flavours that are not commercially available.

What do you need to start home brewing?

Brewing beer involves four main ingredients and four basic steps.

The four ingredients are:

1. Malt – it is the grain that has been prepared for brewing. Most commonly used is malted barley but others like wheat, rye, oats, etc., can also be used. This provides the complex starch that is broken down to form sugar.
2. Hops – provide bitterness that balances the sweetness from the malted grain.
3. Yeast – the microorganism that consumes the sugar and releases alcohol and carbon dioxide – the beer’s alcohol content and its fizz respectively.
4. Water – most beers are over 90% water by volume. As a general rule, water that has been through a water softener is avoided as it is devoid of minerals that give a natural taste to water making it bland.

The four basic steps involved are:

1. Malting – the process of preparing the grains for brewing – by germinating and activating their natural enzymes. The grains develop their flavours and aromas here which are extracted at the next stage.
2. Mashing – Malted grains are soaked in hot water and the activated enzymes breakdown the starch molecules into simple sugars.
3. Boiling – The solution of water, malt sugars and other substances from malt – called “wort” is boiled to help stabilize the final product. Hops are added at this stage.
4. Fermenting – When the wort is cooled, yeast is added which begins to ferment it by consuming the sugar available. Fermentation duration depends on the strength of the beer that is desired after which it is bottled and served.

Basic home-brew equipment to kick-start

• Brew Pot/Kettle – Stainless steel, aluminium or ceramic-coated steel of minimum 3 gallons is good to start.
• Fermenter – A 6 gallon food grade plastic bucket
• Air-lock – allows carbon dioxide to escape during fermentation but not allow other atmospheric gases to enter.
• Racking cane – a long hard plastic tube used to transfer beer or wine from one container to another by attaching a vinyl hose attached at the top end.
• Hydrometer – a basic tool that is used to measure the ratio of a sample liquid’s density to the density of water, helping you gauge the health and success of the fermentation of your beer.
• Straining bags, Bottling equipment, Pot and Kettle accessories.

For community support, activities and competitions to up your game, do follow – American Homebrewers Association and Brewers Association.

Legality

Home brewing of spirits for personal consumption only, does not require a license.  To err on the side of caution, check your local laws before home brewing.

Basic equipment for home brewing

Have you decided to peep into this exciting world of home brewing that allows you to get creative and come up with innovative recipes? Congratulations! Read this article to get an overview of all the equipment you’ll need to brew your own beer at home. We have included links to the products available with us.

• Brew Pot/Kettle – A brewpot or a brew kettle is a must have for home brewing. Stainless steel, aluminium or ceramic-coated vessel of minimum 3 gallons is good to start.

• Fermenter – This is where the yeast fermentation takes place. A 6 gallon food grade plastic bucket or a carboy could be used for this purpose.

• Carboy accessories – Carboy is a large bottle with a narrow neck used in fermenting your brew. Carboy accessories include – handles, washers and brushes.

• Fermentation locks and rubber stoppers –

1. 1. Fermentation lock or airlock is a device that provides a one way route to allow carbon dioxide released during fermentation to escape from the carboy while not allowing air to enter back in. This prevents oxidation.
   2. Rubber stoppers with a drilled hole sits on the mouth of the carboy and airlock is fitted over it.

• Pot and Kettle accessories – These products are used while working with brew kettle or a mash tun and for easy transfer of hot wort

1. 1. Kettle conversion kits – these are valves that are used to transfer hot wort without the need for welding.
   2. Thermometer – Temperature plays an important role in determining the consistency and quality of the brew and hence investing in a good thermometer is a must.
   3. Kettle spider for hops – Hops are added to a cloth/mesh bag that is hung using the kettle spider. This allows total immersion and easy mixing of flavours.
   4. Stainless Steel false bottom plate – Used at the bottom of the mash pot in an all grain brewing.

• Straining bags – come in different sizes based on its use. They are used for filtering out hop and/or mash from the brew.

• Racking and bottling equipment –

1. 1. Racking cane – a long hard plastic tube used to transfer beer or wine from one container to another by attaching a vinyl hose to the top end.
   2. Gas-in dip tubes – used to send in gas into Cornelius keg.
   3. Bottle capper and caps – once the brew is fermented, it is transferred to bottles for conditioning – for brew to mature. The duration for this depends on the strength you want.

• Spoon and Strainers –

1. 1. The various spoons and paddles help in stirring the brew pot and mashing the grains respectively.
   2. Strainers – the stainless steel mesh strainers come in different sizes to allow the customer to choose according to his purpose and quantities.

• Hydrometer – a basic tool that is used to measure the ratio of a sample liquid’s density to the density of water, helping you gauge the health and success of the fermentation of your beer.

1. 1. Test jar and beakers – makes easier to take hydrometer readings using small samples of beer or wine.

• Standard wort chiller – used for rapid cooling of your hot wort to yeast pitching temperature. The coil is immersed into the wort and attached to a cold water tap through the garden hose.

• Growler – it is an air-tight jug, made of glass, ceramic or stainless steel that allows transportation of draft beer from one place to another without degrading the quality. Growlers can also be used to store beer when your keg gets low.

• Brewing hardware – includes accessories and replacement parts used in home brewing equipment.

If you have this equipment, just catch hold of a recommended recipe, shop for the ingredients and you are good to go!

A guide to maintaining clean beer lines

Photo courtesy: bDb’s

Need for beer line cleaning

The quality and taste of the beer, that took few to several months of process and lots of effort from the brewer, could be affected, turning it into a bad experience for the consumer when it runs through a dirty beer line.

Beer lines require regular cleaning and maintenance because of the following:

• Yeast – Beer is made by adding yeast. Smalls amounts can be left from the brewing process that will continue to live. With no proper cleaning, yeast builds up and clogs the beer lines as well as affects the taste of the beer coming out of the same ones.
• Mould – At the air exposed parts of beer systems such as faucets, there is likeliness of mould growth which could pass into the beer being dispensed.
• Beer stones – these are calcium oxalate deposits [formed from the reaction of calcium and oxalates present in water and various ingredients used in the brewing process] which will eventually flake off and enter your beer system affecting the quality of the beer.

One more reason to consider keeping your beer lines clean is – to avoid wastage and save money! Any kind of accumulation, yeast, beer stone or mould – undermines the system’s ability to pour without waste.
Any off taste detected by your customers are likely to avoid coming back leading to loss of future revenue and ruining of brand image.

The process:

When?
Clean your beer lines at least once fortnightly. Cleaning of lines, once a week is the recommended frequency for high volume and long-draw establishments.

What?
Cleaning solutions come in two kinds – alkaline and acidic.

• Alkaline or caustic cleaners dissolve proteins, carbohydrates, etc., and are also effective against yeast, mould and bacterial growth.
• Acidic cleaners dissolve the mineral deposits, called beer stone.

Either of the above can be used depending on the line conditions.

How?
There are 3 primary steps involved in beer line cleaning:

1. Pump water to flush out beer traces from the line.
2. Circulate or soak the line with the cleaner chosen.
3. Rinse the entire line with water again. This time, to flush out chemicals of the cleaner.

Based on best practices observed, beer line cleaning should also involve cleaning keg couplers and faucets.
Use our Hygiene Plug to clean and also as a stopper when the faucet is not in use. This will protect the faucet from fruit flies and other contaminants by sealing the entry.

The industry recommendations for end-users in this respect are provided in Draught Beer Quality Manual which is a publication of Brewers Association (BA). BA is a not-for-profit trade association in the United States, dedicated to small and independent American brewers.

Krome has beer line cleaning accessories and kits that provide tools for this entire process.

Also, remember to replace your beer lines periodically, depending on your usage.

Beer Drip Trays – enjoy mess free dispensing

Drip tray, though categorised as a beer equipment accessory, forms an important part of the draft beer system.

Placed directly under the beer dispensing faucet, beverage drip trays serve the purpose of keeping spills off the bar countertop or floor by capturing any leaks immediately.

Krome carries a wide range of durable draft beer drip trays – from wall mounted and flange mounted to surface drip trays in various sizes and designs just so that you can choose the one that suits you best.

This article takes you through Krome Dispense’s entire drip tray collection with their broad categorisation, complete with placement and installation tips.

Beer Drip Tray – the categories:

Broadly – with and without drain

Drip trays with drain need to be attached to a drain pipe through which the collected run off beer is sent out. Their without drain counterparts collect the beverage in the tray which needs to be manually discarded.

                         With drain                                 Without drain

Styles

Surface drip tray is the simplest of all as it needs no special mounting. It is placed directly on any suitable surface. In case of surface drip tray with drain, a single hole is to be made for the drain pipe.

Cut out surface drip tray accommodates the column of a multi faucet beer tower (within the portion cut out) allowing the beer taps positioned at various angles to have simultaneous drip coverage.

Wall mount drip trays are designed to be fixed on the wall for spills from door or wall dispensing installations.
                                                  

 Surface Drip Tray with drain            Surface Deep Drip Tray               Cut out Surface Drip Tray                    Wall Mount Drip Tray 

Flange mount, Flush mount and Recessed all refer to drip trays that fit completely into the countertop in the space cut out specially for the tray right to its dimensions. The flange along all the edges holds the tray in place. This product comes with drain assembly and only needs a hose or tube to be attached.

                                    Flush mounted / Recessed / Flange mounted

Shank mount drip tray model can be hung to the faucet shank eliminating the need to fix the tray using mounting holes. These shank mount trays are available without a faucet hole as well that allows you to drill one or multiple depending on the spacing required.

Round drip trays made of stainless steel are very convenient to use under round cold beverage dispensers or as coasters for jugs.

Without Faucet hole     For 3 Faucets        

          Shank mounted Drip Tray                                Round Drip Tray

Rinser drip tray is a drip tray with a twist! Just push down an inverted glass or pitcher over this built-in sprayer to rinse it with cold water. Cooling down the glass results in a better pour.

All our rinsers are NSF certified and hence come with the best guarantee possible.
Centre rinser, side rinser and multi rinser drip tray varieties are available for you to explore.

   Glass Rinser Tray           Centre Glass Rinser Tray              Centre Pitcher Rinser Tray

                  Double side spray Rinser Tray                     Triple spray Rinser Tray

Specialty drip trays include special purpose drip tray like the beveled drip tray and the jockey box drip tray.

Bevel edged drip trays also known as Taper edged, offer a great alternative to flush mount drip tray as it occupies less space in comparison. The edges are slanted towards the inside making it look more polished over your countertop.

Jockey box drip tray has an elongated plate that goes right under the jockey box and is held in place by the weight of the box itself. With this drip tray, no more worrying about drips and leaks even in your outdoor parties and picnics!

      Bevel Edged Tray                       Jockey box Tray                     Plastic Drip Tray

Plastic drip trays are lighter and often as durable as stainless steel or other metal drip trays offering you an easy handling alternative.

                   Surface drip tray with Rack                                         Surface drip tray with Lip

We are also proud to showcase our innovative products Drip Tray with Rack, Drip tray with lip – designed and developed from customer feedback for better utility.
The wait is now over! Krome’s expansive collection of stylish beer drip trays will definitely have one that complements your draft beer tower and kegerator system. Check them out now!