Today we’re going to switch gears and talk about a (ahem) “cool” product –the Chill-Rite 32 Draft Beer System. If you’re unaware of this equipment, Chill-Rite 32 is a remote draft beer system which delivers a continuous stream of draft beer at 32 degrees at the tap! That’s freezing – and that’s the whole idea. As evidenced by mug frosters, many beer drinkers love ice-cold beer. But is this product for everybody?
WHO IS CHILL-RITE 32 BEER SYSTEMS AND WHAT’S THEIR STORY?
Located in Slidell, LA, Chill-Rite Manufacturing is a family-owned and operated business that specializes in long draw beer dispensing systems. They build full systems that are engineered to be the finest quality and most service-and-user-friendly in the industry. Started as a refrigeration service company in 1968 that developed a niche servicing refrigeration decks on fountain machines, Chill-Rite evolved as a manufacturing and redistribution facility for fountain equipment and soda systems.
In 1991, Chill-Rite designed and patented ‘The 32 Draft Beer System.’ Utilizing the principles of refrigeration, this glycol chiller revolutionized the draught/draft beer dispensing industry. Chill-Rite (CR) introduced the concept of dispensing draft beer at 32 degrees and their key development (which set them apart from the competition) is that they developed a method of chilling the beer independent of the walk-in cooler temperature. In the course of just a few years the entire draft industry started to move towards the idea of “the colder the better.”
DOES CHILL-RITE 32 REALLY INCREASE PROFITS FOR BAR AND NIGHTCLUB OWNERS?
What is the Chill-Rite difference? Better yet, is there a difference? According to Chill-Rite difference is that their draft beer system dispenses the keg beer at 32 degrees regardless of the keg temperature in the walk-in cooler.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DRAFT BEER SYSTEMS
While it’s true that controlling the temperature of draft beer (from the walk-in cooler to the faucet) is the mission of all remote draft beer systems, 32 degrees is too cold for the majority of draft beer products being served today.
As I mentioned in another article (referenced below), according to industry-leader Micro Matic, draft beer shouldn’t be colder than 38 degrees, as colder temperatures ruin the critical characteristics of craft beer (above 38 degrees, draft beer will go into secondary fermentation). The only beer I could legitimately see benefiting from the Chill-Rite 32 system would be U.S. domestics, most of whose consumers prefer ice-cold beer.
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OTHER INNOVATIVE BAR PRODUCTS
In recent years Chill-Rite recognized the opportunity to introduce other products. Chill-Rite introduced five additional products to offer bar and nightclub owners a unique and profitable means to present and dispense alcoholic beverages. For instance:
- ‘Shock-A-Vodka’ dispenses liquor at 5 degrees, making for a popular and thick presentation,
- Their ‘Frost Rail’ system (depicted in the photo below, along with a Chill-Rite 32 Draft Beer System), which is recessed into the bar top, enables patrons to rest their drinks on a crisp, dry layer of frost on the bar top. You can see all of Chill-Rite’s products on the company’s website.
MY TAKEAWAY ABOUT CHILL-RITE PRODUCTS
While the Chill-Rite 32 draft beer system is attractive to some bar and nightclub owners as a novelty, to be certain, no bar owners serving craft beer would ever consider serving it at 32 degrees. Therefore, the Chill-Rite 32 draft beer system would only serve the needs of very few owners. For approximately the same investment, a potential bar owner could have a better overall draft beer system by Micro Matic. However, I think many bar and nightclub owners would find great value in Chill-Rite’s other products, such as their Shock-A-Vodka and Frost Rail systems.
The photo at top features a Chill-Rite 32 Millenium beer system with one of our custom glass backlit LED bars. Also featured are frozen ‘Yeti’ beer towers and a Chill-Rite 8″ frost rail. Why don’t you have us design a system just like this for you!
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