Kegging advice needed

swenocha · Post by **swenocha** » Sat Aug 24, 2019 7:55 pm

Super noob question. Fourth kegging, and for the first time I'm experiencing foaming issues, so need some advice. Glass is 90% foam on pour (settles out quickly... 1st pic is maybe 3-5 min later, 2nd pic is a minute or two after pour). Line is super long, so I don't think that's the issue (and this is the 2nd keg on this line, but the first had no problem). Overcarbed? Should I release pressure? Adjust my temps? Thx in advance.

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Post by **Beer-lord** » Sat Aug 24, 2019 9:18 pm

What's the temperature like in the kegerator and how what's the PSI set to?

berryman · Post by **berryman** » Sat Aug 24, 2019 9:26 pm

Swen as you know I am a kegging Noob too as we started about the same time on this. But I started at 14 psi and kept dropping it down and now at 8 psi serving pressure and have 10 ft line and now think I got it not too bad. I do see different beers can pour differently. This was a one shot pour on a PA with the flow control tap wide open just a few minutes ago. Others that have done it longer will have better advice.

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swenocha · Post by **swenocha** » Sat Aug 24, 2019 9:32 pm

10 foot lines, been messing with the PSI, but around 8 is my normal, been messing with the temp, but currently 40ish according to the JC. Will put a therm in there tomorrow. Three prior kegs of beer poured perfectly with settings similar to this.

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berryman · Post by **berryman** » Sat Aug 24, 2019 9:56 pm

Have you put a therm. in your beer after you poured it? Might be different then what your controller says, mine is. I think warmer beer (know) pours more foamy then colder beer, not as bad out of a bottle or can but seems to be more fussy from a tap.

berryman · Post by **berryman** » Sat Aug 24, 2019 10:16 pm

Damn I got swended again but had to pour another one of A different flavor to see if I am telling it right.

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Post by **Beer-lord** » Sat Aug 24, 2019 10:23 pm

And, was the keg moved or shaken before you poured it? Sometimes just moving mine around a bit can cause extra foam.
When I've not poured a beer for a few days from my kegerator, the first pour is a bit foamy then it settles down.

bpgreen · Post by **bpgreen** » Sat Aug 24, 2019 11:18 pm

I often have over carbonated kegs when I first tap them. I'm cheap, so i just put up with it until it gets to the right spot.

Post by **BlackDuck** » Sun Aug 25, 2019 7:37 am

Are you using picnic taps? Here's a suggestion you probably already know about. If you are using picnic taps, make sure you press the lever ALL the way down when pouring. If that line isn't all the way open, it will foam a bit, even if you have everything else set correctly.

swenocha · Post by **swenocha** » Sun Aug 25, 2019 5:37 pm

Seems to be getting better. What was 90% foam on prior pours is now pouring like this...

Main change made earlier was to go colder. Dropped the JC down about 8 degrees. Still need to put a therm in there to see actual temp, but beer is definitely colder from the tap.

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Kealia · Post by **Kealia** » Mon Aug 26, 2019 2:18 pm

Looks like you're on the path to getting it rectified. It's that dance of temp, line length and PSI. Because I don't have a fan blowing up my tower, my taps and top of the lines are warmer than the rest of the lines. The first pour always starts with a tiny bit of foam and can fill half the glass like your pic if I pour it as-is. So what I do is keep a small glass by my taps and pout off literally the first ounce or so before pouring into my glass. Makes a world of difference. Yeah, I lose an ounce here and there, but it makes for a better pour/drinking experience.

In your case, it could be that the beer was overcarbed and it's reaching equilibrium now that you've adjusted the temp. Did you carb at a higher PSI than your serving pressure?

RickBeer · Post by **RickBeer** » Tue Aug 27, 2019 6:58 am

Have you sat down and run numbers - diameter of lines, length of lines, temp of beer, carbonation chart? Ideally, you want to be serving at 38 degrees.

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/brew ... l-2019.pdf

RickBeer · Post by **RickBeer** » Tue Aug 27, 2019 6:59 am

Have you sat down and run numbers - diameter of lines, length of lines, temp of beer, carbonation chart? Ideally, you want to be serving at 38 degrees.

Foaming is caused by two things - too much pressure, or too warm temperatures, or both. You need to be at equilibrium.

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/brew ... l-2019.pdf