Talos is excited to announce its participation in the 86th Annual NBWA (National Beer Wholesalers Association) Conference & Trade Show, taking place at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, USA, on October 9-10, 2023. You can find us at Booth #525. NBWA is the premier event for leaders in the U.S. beer industry to explore the latest beverages and services that can drive their businesses forward. This year's event promises to be exceptional, with over 100 breweries and suppliers, as well as 1,800+ industry leaders in attendance. There will also be 20 educational seminars to enhance industry knowledge. Talos, a newly technology-driven company specializing in the design, development, manufacturing, sales, and service of Draft beer dispensing systems, will showcase its flagship products, including the upgraded dual-cycle Kegerators, Keg couplers, Beer Taps, and Beer towers. Meanwhile, we will introduce groundbreaking innovations for the first time. With warehouses and offices in Los Angeles, Talos is well-equipped to respond quickly to customer needs, ensuring timely and effective service. Visit Talos at Booth #525 during NBWA 2023, and we look forward to engaging in meaningful discussions with you!

Standard Faucets: The typical beer faucet you would find on your personal kegerator and is the most common faucet on the market. The Standard Faucet is designed to provide hassle free easy-changeability for an easy swap. The faucet itself is designed for a variety of beers including, but not limited to American Ales & lagers.   European Faucets: Have the same functionality as your Standard faucet, but differ aesthetically and for good reason. From a visual comparison you can see that the European faucet has a skinnier spout or nose. This reduces the overall amount of foam in each pour. Note: European beer faucets usually have different threads or shorter shanks than your usual standard US Style beer faucet. You may need to purchase a new tower or shank to make this specific faucet work. Stout/Nitrogen Faucets: As the name indicates this faucet is designed to work with nitrogen-based draft systems. These are used to dispense nitro beers, stouts and can also be used for cold brew coffee or CBC for short. This faucet is designed for a slow pour so the intentional small faucet isn’t just for aesthetics, but also functionality. A slower pour provides the perfect foam head and creates an aroma to enrich your experience. Note: For clarification even though you can use this faucet with Stout or Cold Brew Coffee (CBC) it is recommended that you use the correct nitrogen for your product. Typically 100% nitrogen for your Cold Brew Coffee (CBC) and beer gas (25% C02 / 75% Nitrogen) for your stouts.

    The Fundamentals of Regulators The right pressure is the most critical factor when it comes to dispensing beer. Insufficient pressure will leave you and your customers frustrated to say the least. Finding the perfect Nitrogen or CO2 regulator is one of the hardest things to get right with regards to dispensing draft beer. Fortunately, regulators do a great job of totaling handling this rather complex task.   What Are Regulators? To begin with, you need to understand what too much or too little pressure causes. For the former, you will have a large foam of beer gushing from your faucet, and the latter results in a dull trickle of unappetizing beer. A regulator is a device that links your air tube to your gas cylinder. The regulator is one of the most essential parts of a kegerator because it controls the flow of both Nitrogen and CO2 gas from the cylinder to the beer line. If your faucet is gushing with too much foamy beer, then you need to adjust the pressure. The regulator is essentially what makes it possible for you to adjust the pressure.   Making Correct Adjustments The regulator is fitted with an adjustment screw at the top. This screw controls the partial closing and opening of a valve. To open the valve, turn the screw anti-clockwise and to open the valve turn the screw clockwise.   Basic Primary Regulator The basic primary regulator aids in the control of either nitrogen or CO2 gas and is fitted with at least one gauge. The gauge measures the Output Pressure of the gas being dispensed. This regulator is mounted directly on the gas tank, and they are equipped with both a safety release and shut off valves. Note that Nitrogen and CO2 regulators cannot be used in place of each other. If you are going to be dispensing a separate keg that needs nitrogen, you will need a different regulator.   Secondary Regulator Secondary regulators are mainly used if beer is being dispensed to multiple kegs at varying pressure. This regulator is usually fitted after the primary regulator and is not mounted on the gas tank. Secondary regulators will also have anywhere from 1 to 4 adjustment screws that can permit up to 4 different dispensation points from a single tank. Similar to the primary regulator, they also feature different gauges to regulate different dispensation points.   Air Line Distributors Airline distributors are basically secondary regulators that lack the ability to regulate pressure for each different dispensation point. Therefore, the output pressure of an airline distributor is constant at all dispensation point.

In 1919, the US Constitution endorsed the 18th Amendment, which induced the prohibition period. Across the whole United States of America, manufacturing, transporting, and selling the alcohol was proscribed. Of course, the home brewing was banned as well. Moreover, many protests were seen where they were holding posters of disapproval. Then in 1933, the 21st Amendment was endorsed which annulled the alcohol prohibition. This gave the manufacturers permission to produce and sell the beer. However, the homebrewing was still not allowed even after legislation included the permission for homebrewing. After 55 years of legislation and prohibitions, the homebrewing was brought in the journey of legislation. Federal Legalizations In 1978, on 14th October, the HR1337 bill was signed and passed by President Jimmy Carter, which allowed the homebrewing of the United States of America. In this document, excise taxes or public transportation and trucks were imposed. In addition, Senator Alan Cranston and William Steiger called in the homebrewing treatment under Amendment No, 5354. In HR1336, homemakers were allowed to brew 100 gallons (379 L) per person per year or 200 gallons (757 L) per household, which was endorsed on 1st February 1979. It is said that President Carter is the hero for homebrewers, but Cranston and Steiger are the ones we need to hail as they were the ones who legalized the homebrewing. According to the experts, this is here the homebrewing started from. Fair Usage & State Legalization Long ago, the alcohol manufacturing was the sole decision of the countries, and the lack of standardized rules was an intriguing factor. The endorsement of these rules at the federal level was surely a game-changer of the homebrewing industry, but again the individual states had to put in efforts for the legalization. The American Homebrewer Association was launched with an aim to help the states in getting the legal activities done. There were some states that enhanced the speed of legalization and improved the endorsement of the policies, but some states developed their own policies. In 2013, Mississippi and Alabama legalized the homebrewing along with the other 48 states.  This signifies the early adoption of the homebrewing legislations. After all these legislations and the legalization of homebrewing in over 50 states around the world, homebrewing is still a matter of subjectivity. There is a multitude of laws that allow the homebrewing, but transporting and sharing has been made illegal. It is easy to say that these limitations in the legislations are confusing at an exponential scale. However, on the brighter side, we can see that the homebrewing has come a long way. Remember the time when the homebrewing was outlawed entirely in 1919, yeah, so stay hopeful and enjoy hat has been allowed!

Beer, mouthwatering pretzels and live music, you can enjoy all this and much more at the annual Oktoberfest. It’s the largest beer festival that attracts visitors from all over the world. For a total of 18 days, you will find everyone from teenagers to old-timers doing one common thing, drinking 7 million liters of beer. For the first-timers, we’ve covered some of the things you might be interested in learning about the Oktoberfest.  First of all, let’s give you the history of the festival, Not many of you know that the original Oktoberfest was started in the year 1810. It was held to celebrate the wedding of Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. All of Munich’s elite was invited to join in on the celebrations that continued for 5 days. The festivities were such a hit that they decided to have it yearly and also prolonging it all the way to September adjoining the harvest time.   What happens during the festival? Thereinweise (named after the princess) being the largest beer festival, hosts more than 6 million people including Bavarians and wayfarers. The 18-day celebration starts mid-September every year and finishes by the first week of October. The opening ceremony takes place at noon in the Schottenhamel tent where the mayor announces “O’zapft” while opening the first beer barrel.   Oktoberfest 2019 This year the celebrations will commence on September 21st and end on Sunday the 6th of October. For the weekdays, the tents remain open from 10 am to 12.30 pm, while on the weekends they open an hour early and close by midnight. The Käfers Wiesnschänke’ – the log cabin and ‘Weinzelt’ – the wine tent, are open till 1 am. Where is the Oktoberfest being held? The fest will be held in Munich. When you arrive at the Franz Josef Strauss Airport, you’ll need to go to the Theresienweise grounds located about 41.8 km away from the airport.   What to expect and the best time to visit You can expect plenty of locals and tourists enjoying their beer, delicious cuisines and singing at the Oktoberfest. If you’re a foodie as well as a beer lover, you should not miss out on the delectable treats being served at the festival. The savory items that are a must-try include; roast chicken, pork knuckle, sausages, and pretzels. If you have a sweet tooth, you must try the sugar roasted almonds and the beef flavored ice-cream. It gets a bit too crowded on the weekdays, so if you’re someone who prefers small crowds, visit on weekdays. The last week of celebrations attracts massive crowds so you can either choose to visit at the beginning or the end if you don’t mind crowds. Also, if you think Germany is too far away and expensive to visit, join an Oktoberfest near you. Be a part of the Oktoberfests happening all around the world. Enjoy any of these events, have a beer like you would at the original fest.   How to get Beer tent reservations? Entry is free at the festival but reserved tables costs money, especially if you plan on bringing a large crowd. It is better to have reservations. There are a total of 14 beer tents that range in size, 6 of them are large ones that can house up to 12000 beer lovers. The most popular ones are “The Hofbräu Tent” (a high energy tent and internationally well-known), “Schottenhamel” (the largest and oldest one), “Hacker Pschorr” (hold a mix of locals and visitors) and “Augustiner” (most suitable for big families). Each of the 14 tents has different procedures for booking, reservation and their sale dates vary as well. The bookings open by February/March through the online reservation system. If by some reason you weren’t able to book online, try to join the last-minute attendees and booking your tables then. Also to note, bigger tents have long waiting lines. It might help to befriend someone who can make you enter with them. If you can’t choose a tent, try visiting a few and then go for the one you liked the most.   What to do at the beer festival You can dress up in traditional costumes, dirndl (pronounced DEERN-dul), dresses for women and lederhosen (Pronounced LAY-der-hozen) and shorts for men. If you’re visiting just for the beer, go ahead and help the Bavarians finish their 6 million liters of beer. Try to not get drunk, you can try some of the heavenly Bavarian food being sold by the food stalls placed around the beer tents. Inside the tent, let yourself loose, make acquaintances, join in on the local german songs and dance in groups if you like. Beer isn’t the only alcohol being served at the fest, there are some wines and champagnes that you can try out. There are some quite petrifying roller coaster rides for those of you who get bored with beer and food and want some excitement. You can also play games like sausage sculpting contest, stein race, and giant chess after you’ve enjoyed the beer, music, and food.    

National IPA day - The Difference between IPA’ and Pale Ale  There are no two more prominent styles of beers that beer geeks and brewers – both home and professional – obsess over more than Pale Ale and India Pale Ale – better known as IPA – but what’s the actual difference between these two hoppy beers, and how did both become so popular in the craft community? The answer to both questions lies in some truth, with a bit of legend and myth thrown in, as well as a lot of good old fashioned American pride. The first time the term Pale Ale was used in regards to describing a style of beer goes way back to 1703 when a batch of beers that were being made in England utilized malt that happened to be roasted with coke. (The coke we’re referring to here is a fuel derived from coal that has very little impurities and very high carbon content, so it doesn’t create much smoke, creating a dry heat rather than a smoky heat.) The resulting roasted malt was lighter because of the lack of smoke and it wound up creating beers that were lighter in color than others on the market at the time, resulting in the name Pale Ale, since the ale in the glass was visibly lighter when placed next to the other beers at the bar. In addition to the lighter color, because the resulting malt had a milder flavor, the hops were able to shine through more prominently, thus Pale Ales came to be associated not only with their pale color, but their mild hop flavor as well. Pale Ales became quite popular in Britain, where customers would often also refer to them as Bitters, due to the hop profile, and they remained the only hoppy beers on the market for a little over 100 years. That is until 1829 when we have the first record of the name IPA being used as a descriptor for a hoppy beer specifically prepared for India that appeared in an ad in the Sydney Gazette And New South Wales Advertiser. This is where much of the legend and myth surrounding the birth of the IPA really takes place. As legend has it, prior to that ad appearing in the newspaper for this new style of beer, Brits who had ventured to their new Indian colony were becoming homesick for the beers from back home and so they began to request that their favorite Pale Ales be shipped halfway across the world to India. Fearing the beers would not make the journey and would ultimately arrive sour and flat, it’s said brewers fortified them with a much stronger backbone of hops and alcohol, protecting them on their six-month journey across the sea. When they arrived, the beers not only survived the journey, but many preferred their hoppier flavor. And thus, the IPA was born. The reason this tale may only be a legend is that at the same time period, stouts and porters were also shipped to both India and America from England, and neither of these styles had their hops increased, yet both survived the journey just fine. This has caused some people to call into question whether this tale is simply a nice way to easily explain how beers called IPAs wound up with stronger hop characteristics than their Pale Ale siblings. However IPAs came to be, they really took off during America’s current craft beer boom. Starting around 1980, Sierra Nevada began experimenting with the classic Pale Ale style using American hops, which were brighter, fruitier and more resinous than their English counterparts. They released their Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in 1981 and the style took off. The result was an American Pale Ale that was hoppy and distinctly American, due to its inclusion of the American hops – Cascade being the most prevalent. When brewers naturally sought to make a beer, even more, hoppier than the Pale Ale, of course, they referred to it as an IPA. So all an IPA technically is, is a more assertively hopped and stronger version of a Pale Ale, yet what that actually means differs depending on the brewer making both beverages. While a Pale Ale is the milder version of a brewer’s IPA, the lines definitely blur and you can have a Pale Ale by one brewer than seems just as hoppy as the IPA of another; it all depends on what that brewer’s definition of the two terms since there are no formal rules. To make things a bit more confusing, American styles of IPAs also traditionally differ depending on which coast of the United States your beer happened to have been brewed on. West Coast IPAs, which are typically the IPAs most people seem to prefer, are known for their much more intense hop characteristics – paying homage to the plethora of fresh hops available to brewers in the Pacific Northwest. IPAs made on the East Coast, on the other hand, traditionally use a stronger malt presence to bring more balance to the hop intensity.

What you need to dispense from a keg or dispenser! Any beer dispenser or kegerator is powered by a set of draft beer equipment parts that must work in conjunction for a successful cascade of scrumptious beer.  Keep on reading to learn more about it! Draft Beer Faucet.  The draft beer faucet is the tap that your beer is distributed from. They range at different quality levels and with diverse features. Before purchasing one, you should be aware of its performance potential. If you are trying to administer Guinness or other nitrogen-distributed stouts you will need an exclusively European faucet.              All of them sold at KegWorks have standardized North American attachment male threads for connection to standard shanks (1-⅛-18 UNES-2A).              Nevertheless, always remember that any of which draft beer faucet you choose, it ought to be regularly dismantled and cleaned thoroughly for optimal performance. Shank.   This part provides the connection of the beer line to the faucet. It is a chrome-plated brass tube with external threading. It goes through the hole in a draft tower where the faucet screws onto the front end and the beer line attaches to the back end with a hose barb.  A usual North American shank is a ⅞-inch x 14 straight pipe thread which works with every North American faucet. (Exclusive of North America you will need a specialty shank.) Beer Line Beer line is a dense 3/16-inch inner diameter, food-grade plastic tubing that connects the keg coupler to the back of the shank, where the beer runs. Beer line is purchased by the foot or you can opt for a pre-made jumper that comes complete with the hex nut connectors.  Regulator  It permits appropriate pressure of the CO2 needed to dispense the beer. We recommend using a double gauge regulator, for the most efficient dispensing. We also offer secondary regulators that work in accordance with a primary regulator, letting you dispense several beers at variable pressures, as long as it is commanded by the primary regulator. CO2 Tank Our sales include both 5 and 10-pound aluminum CO2 tanks and nitrogen tanks (for Guinness allocation). Our tanks are shipped vacant, but you can get them filled at any local welding supply store, fire extinguisher supply store, or gas dealer with ease and convenience. Each tank is thoroughly inspected and possess all the correct US DOT and Transport Canada credentials. Please note that CO2 tanks and Nitrogen tanks are almost exactly the same. They are both made of aluminum but have varying valves.  Draft Beer Tower This makes it easy to dispense chilled, delicious beer from the top of your kegerator or right from your countertop. Available in a range of styles, accommodating numerous draft beer faucets. All of our fully consolidated tower kits comprise of the faucet head(s) and around three feet of the beer line. You’ll need to gather mounting screws and tap handles.

Ways to distribute Draught Guinness      Over the years, we have had many people asking for the proper way to serve Guinness, and as a result of that, we have decided to enlighten people with this short article. In the USA, there are mostly three types of Guinness from Ireland; one is bottled, bitter and has a very high alcohol level, the other is the type drawn from a keg, mostly found in restaurants and bars all over the country. Some of the reasons this type of Guinness is being sought after is that its alcohol level is low, and it is also low in calories. The tight and creamy surface of the foam it produces when poured distinguishes it from the others. Guinness is also distributed in 14.9oz canisters found in stores. This version is as close as it gets to the draught version as the canister was designed to have a little nitrogen rush at the bottom released on opening the can.   For this article, however, our primary focus is on the second type- the type drawn from a keg. There is a pronounced difference between this kind of Guinness and the others. Some of the differences are   1. Unlike the other kind of beers where CO2 is used to propel the beer through the lines, the Draught Guinness beer uses a nitrogen and CO2 combination. This combination is a mixture of 25% CO2 and 75% nitrogen. The regulator on the gauge of the tank is also set at 35 psi ± 3 psi. The function of the nitrogen gas in the combination is to give it that tight and creamy foam surface that distinguishes it from the rest.   To achieve the desired results, The Guinness Import Company makes sure that the air tanks used by the gas traders contain the right proportion of mixed gas as some traders either usually fill a CO2 or nitrogen receptacle with the Nitrogen and CO2 combination. In situations like this, a CO-Nitrogen Adapter can be used to regulate the amount of nitrogen gas or CO2 gas in the tank.   2. The Keg Coupler. The coupler is the component that is connected to the keg and allows extraction of the beer to take place.   3. The Stout Faucet. The last noticeable difference between the Draught Guinness and the other beers is the faucet used. It differs from the common ones and sometimes referred to as the European Specialty Faucet.  The handle of this faucet is different from the rest, and it has to be pulled forward first and then down before the beer comes out from the keg. It also has a restrictor disc from which the draught beer is made to pass through. The restrictor disc gives its tight and creamy foam head. With this faucet, there is no spillage or wastage while dispensing the beer.

  It is important to know the ins and outs to the keg coupler in order for it to be maintained: the assembly, the disassembly, regular cleaning and how to solve common problems. Here are some things you should probably know:   What is a keg coupler? A keg coupler is a vital part of the beer draft system as it connects the airline (CO2 or Nitrogen tank to ensure a stable flow, using compressed air to put the liquid into the vessel.) If the keg coupler is not attached stably it will not pour the liquid into the vessel.     Assembly and Disassembly of a Keg Coupler To maintain its quality – it has to be cleaned regularly, meaning to frequently attach and dismantle the utensil.   Here is a look at a completely dismantled keg coupler (aka Economy D Coupler):         Here is another look, but at a premium stainless steel version too, better for your keg coupler:         The parts are as indicated: Check Ball Check Ball Retainer Keg Tap and Tap Lever Handle Probe Seal Body Seal Check valve Tail Piece for 5/16″ Vinyl Hose Hex Nut for Beer Line – ⅜” Bore Stainless Steel Tail Piece for 5/16” Vinyl Hose     NOTE: (IF YOUR KEG COUPLER IS LEAKING, ALWAYS HAVE BEER LINE RUBBER WASHERS)   How to clean a keg coupler?   It is a good idea to clean your keg coupler every 2 or 3 weeks, or every half keg.   Draw out all parts from the coupler and dismantle it. Make a solution of roughly 1/2 oz to 1 oz of cleaning solution for every quart of water. Follow the instructions on the bottle of cleaning solution for precise amounts. Position all keg coupler parts in the solution, and brush them spotless. Wash them with clean water, then towel dry ahead of use.   Never forget to clean your beer lines as well!         Use the same combination of water/cleaning solution. Render your CO2 or Nitrogen, along with your regulator, completely off. Remove your coupler, faucet, beer line, and air line. Pour the cleaning solution into the jar and attach to the beer line. Tighten one end of the beer line to the jar and the other end to a bucket of cleaning solution. Wash down the cleaning solution through the line, and then pump clean water through the line a couple of times to shed all solution. Finally, reattach the parts of your system.   Is your keg tap not sealing, not working at all, or the handle is stuck?   The right-sized coupler should attach relatively easily, it is the wrong one if it doesn’t. Be sure to comprehend and match the beer you’re using with our keg coupler list:   https://talosusa.com/search?q=coupler   What if the coupler is leaking or beer appears foamy?   Be sure that your rubber check valve is attached properly, which is often ignored and then discarded all the while being a critical part. Also, having extra rubber washers helps in the proper attachment of the hex nut and tailpiece to the lines, eliminating leaks when they reinforce attachments elsewhere in your system. Whenever two pieces of metal are colliding in your draft beer system, it’s a good idea to use a rubber washer to fasten them together.   For further queries, please feel free to contact: Give us a call M-F 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM at 626.923.9266, or email us at Support@talos-usa.com

Talos USA Model #22708 Type D Stainless Steel Coupler Compatibility The Talos Type D stainless steel coupler is compatible with all US Sankey Keg Valves. This means it'll work directly with all your favorite domestic beer brands. Durability Our Type D coupler is constructed with 304 stainless steel which not only gives it a nice aesthetic look, but benefits your daily long-term industrial use with its corrosion resistance. Ergonomic Handle You'll notice our keg couplers ergonomic handle is made of premium components to ensure its daily use and abuse. Simple functionality with it's easy open and lock function.

Step 1: Choose the Right Glass and Proper Angle.Choose a clean pint glass. Tilt the glass away from you at a 45-degree angle. If the glass isn't properly tilted the Guinness will froth and may take a while to settle Step 2: Pull the Tap Toward You.To create the perfect pour; fill it up halfway. Then allow it to sit and watch the vivid distinction between the dark ruby-red body and creamy white head. This may take a few minutes so just sit back and relax.Step 3: Hold It Level.Once it’s settled, put your Guinness up to the tap and hold it level. (You want a dome effect when you top it off, so skip the 45-degree angle this time.) Push the tap away from you, pouring the Guinness slower. Aim directly into the middle of the foam head until it settles half a millimeter above the lip of your pint glass. Wait. A smaller, second settling period is crucial.Step 4: Sip It Right.The last and perhaps the most important step is sipping your Guinness. Hold it up to the light to marvel at the ruby-red color. Then, bring it to your lips, and sip the foam until you hit the body of the beer. Swish. Swallow. Bottom’s up.But if you can’t resist having an Irish bartender pour you a pint, remember this cardinal Guinness-drinking rule: Paws off. Don’t touch your Guinness before the bartender hands it to you. The perfect pour takes time.