Choosing the right tubing is one of those "small details" that can make or break your brew day, either you're siphoning safely at room temp, or you're watching a vinyl hose melt and leach plastic flavors into your boiling wort.
Here is our definitive tubing guide to help you select the right material and length for the job.
1. Quick Reference: Material Specifications
| Material | Temp Limit | Pressure | Primary Uses |
| Vinyl (Clear) | 158°F | Medium | Siphoning, Bottling, Blow-off lines |
| Double Wall Vinyl | 158°F | High | Standard draft beer and gas lines |
| Reinforced Vinyl | 158°F | High | Chiller water, Pressurized transfers |
| Silicone | 500°F | Low | Hot wort transfer, Mash recirculation |
| EVABarrier | 212°F | High | Draft and gas lines, Pressure fermentation |
| Ultra Barrier | 125°F | High | Premium PVC-free draft lines |
| Nutriflex | 158°F | High | Wine/Must transfer, Spirits, Heavy duty |
Note: While EVABarrier can handle high temps, it is semi-rigid and usually reserved for draft/gas systems rather than hot-side wort transfers.
2. Choosing Your Material
Vinyl (Standard Use Cold Side)
Best for: Cold-side transfers (fermenter to keg/bucket) and bottling.
The Catch: It kinks easily and can leach a "plastic" taste if beer sits in it too long (especially in draft lines). Never use for boiling wort.
Reinforced Version: Has a braided mesh inside. Use this for your immersion chiller water lines or any application where you need to apply pressure without the hose "ballooning."
Silicone (Hot Side Low Pressure)
Best for: Moving hot wort from your kettle or mash tun.
Pro Tip: It is extremely flexible and won't kink, but it cannot handle high pressure. If you've got a pump, ensure you aren't "dead-heading" the pump (closing a valve downstream) too hard, or the hose may slip off the barb.
EVABarrier & Ultra Barrier (The Modern Draft Choice)
EVABarrier: A double-walled "super-tubing." The inner layer is incredibly smooth (prevents bacterial growth) and acts as a gas barrier (keeps CO2 in and Oxygen out).
Ultra Barrier: PVC and BPA-free. It’s more flexible than EVABarrier but offers similar antimicrobial and flavor-protection benefits.
Sizes: Use 4mm ID for short beer lines (it provides the resistance needed for a perfect pour) and 5mm or 6.5mm ID for gas lines.
Nutriflex (Pro Applications)
Best for: Wine and spirits.
Why: It features an external "helix" reinforcement that makes it virtually un-kinkable. It’s heavy-duty and designed to handle the acidity and weight of larger wine transfers.
3. Sizing & Connections
Common Sizes
Inner Diameter (ID)
3/16" ID: The industry standard for beer draft lines. Provides the natural resistance needed to prevent a glass full of foam at 5.5ft.
1/4" ID: The "middle ground" for CO2 gas lines and longer run draft lines. (Ball lock connectors often include 1/4" barbs, and 1/4" ID tubing will stretch over 5/16" barbs).
- 3/8" ID: Used often for home glycol setups, including our IceMasters
5/16" ID: The standard for CO2 gas lines. Co2 regulators often include 5/16" hose barb.
1/2" ID: The standard for homebrewing and winemaking pumps and tanks. Matches most 1/2" NPT hardware.
3/4" - 2" ID: High flow rate professional applications.
Line Length
Gravity Transfer: The goal is minimal restriction. Keep these lines as short as possible (usually 3-5 ft) to reach from the bottom of your vessel to the bottom of the receiving fermenter. Excess length causes loops where sediment can settle or air pockets can form, stalling your siphon.
Hot Side Pumps: Keep your "suction side" (kettle to pump) short and direct (under 3 ft) to prevent pump cavitation. The "discharge side" (pump to fermenter/chiller) can be longer, but remember that every extra foot of silicone hose is more surface area to clean and more heat loss during the transfer.
Cold Side Pressure Transfer: When pushing beer with CO2 from a fermenter to a keg, use 5-10 ft of tubing. Even though you are transferring under low pressure (usually 2-5 PSI), longer lines provide enough resistance to prevent the beer from rushing too fast, which helps minimize foaming in the receiving keg.
Gas Applications: Length is largely irrelevant for gas performance, so 6 ft is often the "sweet spot." Longer gas lines allow you to move your CO2 tank around your keezer or brew stand without having to disconnect everything.
Kegerator Draft Beer: When pushing beer at typical pressures or 10-12psi, use 5-5.5 ft of tubing at 3/16" ID (4mm) to ensure a smooth pour with minimized foaming.
Long Length Draft: To send draft lines from one room to the next or from the basement to the kitchen, you'll need to account for the added length and height to keep your pours flowing smoothly. See our guide The Perfect Pour for more information.
How to Connect
Barbs & Clamps: The traditional way. Slide the hose over a stainless steel barb.
Stepless Oetiker clamps: Ideal choice for draft lines to prevent leaks, use with Stepless Clamp Tool.
Worm gear clamps adjustable clamps will fit multiple tubing.
Trick: If the hose is stubborn, dip the end in a cup of boiling water for 10 seconds to soften it.
Duotight Push-In Fittings: Specifically designed for EVABarrier.
No clamps needed! Just push the tubing firmly into the fitting until it seats. To release, push the collar in and pull the tube out. It’s the fastest way to swap lines.
Need help with QD options? See our guide on Quick Disconnect Types and Uses.