Draught Equipment and Sustem Configurations > Temporary Draught Dispense > Jockey Box Setup and Use

Coil-style jockey boxes pour beer at a faster rate than those equipped with a cold plate. Thus, they better suit situations where you need higher volumes or faster pours.  The cold plate style is appropriate for beer dispensed at a slower rate.

Kegs used with a cold plate should be iced if the ambient temperature is above 55°F since they have limited cooling capacity; however, coil boxes can pour beer efficiently even with the kegs at room temperature (64° – 74°F).   If the ambient temperature is above that, the coil-box kegs should be iced as well.

Setup affects the efficiency of both jockey box styles.

To set up a cold plate:

• Tap the keg and run beer through the faucet before adding ice to the jockey box. This removes water left behind during the cleaning process before temperatures in the plate get cold enough to freeze it causing turbulence or blockage of the beer flow. 

• Place ice both underneath and on top of the cold plate in the ice chest.  As time passes, the ice will “bridge” and should be removed for better contact with the cold plate. Ice should be added periodically and water drained from the ice chest. 

• Set CO² pressure to 30 to 35 psi.

To set up a coil box:

• Tap the keg and run beer through the coil and out the faucet. 

• Add ice to the ice chest and completely cover the coil. 

• Add cold water to the top of the coil.  This causes an ice bath giving excellent surface contact. 
• Set CO² pressure to 35 to 40 psi on 120 ft. coils.  Shorter coils are not recommended, but if used, should dispense at 30 – 35 psi.

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