Too much foam

[Beer-lord]

For some reason, this one keg, one I've used many times and was bought new, is producing lots more foam than normal. I've had the problem in my kegerator, with a picnic tap and with the beer gun. It's not overcarbed, hasn't been shaken, and has been kept at 39 degrees for a few weeks. I haven't done anything different and don't know why this is happening with this recipe. It has 2 row, c60 and bisquit malt and I've brewed this before.
I can't figure it out. However, if you let the glass sit a few minutes, it's a nice pour in the end but I can't pour more than half a glass. I'm stumped.

[FrozenInTime]

My last keg, now empty was the same way. I even changed the taps and line length, always got a half to 3/4 glass full of foam that would settle settle down in the glass after a couple minutes. Never did figure what the heck.

[FedoraDave]

It just may be that every batch is different.

[Beer-lord]

I doubt its the line length because the others are pretty good and have been. I did dry hop in the keg but I've done that numerous time before with no problem. All I can think is that maybe the inline is turned a bit and could be too close to the edge of the keg causing some type of pressure. It's a stretch as I put my engineering cap on for an answer. And I'm so far from an engineer its not funny.

[John Sand]

Would it be convenient to switch to another tap? Or does your regular rotation include that? I don't know much about kegging, but when I want to isolate any problem, I change one part at a time.

[Beer-lord]

Makes no difference. I had the keg in a keezer for a week using a picnic tap. Mostly foam. Use the beer gun to bottle with another tank of CO2.....Foam. Put it in my kegerator....foam. Nothing I've done makes a difference. This keg won't last long since 1/3 of it will be lost to foam.

[BlackDuck]

Sounds like you are being haunted by the f@&$ing foam fairy.

[ScrewyBrewer]

Makes no difference. I had the keg in a keezer for a week using a picnic tap. Mostly foam. Use the beer gun to bottle with another tank of CO2.....Foam. Put it in my kegerator....foam. Nothing I've done makes a difference. This keg won't last long since 1/3 of it will be lost to foam.

For what it's worth with the Co2 connected and the tank valve closed, bleed off the keg's pressure until the gauge reads about 5 psi. Then open the tap wide and see it it cuts down on the foaming. I'm haunted by the same foam goblins and reducing the serving pressure is the only thing that seems to always work for me.

[Beer-lord]

Will give this a try but it makes no sense why this is happening.
Thanks.

[FrozenInTime]

Makes no difference. I had the keg in a keezer for a week using a picnic tap. Mostly foam. Use the beer gun to bottle with another tank of CO2.....Foam. Put it in my kegerator....foam. Nothing I've done makes a difference. This keg won't last long since 1/3 of it will be lost to foam.

For what it's worth with the Co2 connected and the tank valve closed, bleed off the keg's pressure until the gauge reads about 5 psi. Then open the tap wide and see it it cuts down on the foaming. I'm haunted by the same foam goblins and reducing the serving pressure is the only thing that seems to always work for me.

I tried this. I bled mine to empty, opened the tap into the glass and turned on gas very slowly. Even with it trickling out at a couple psi it foamed. I did it 1 psi at a time, never changed for me. Finished the keg out at 8 psi, foaming all the way. Good luck with y'alls... I just drank beer til it was empty. On the other side of the coin, I always had one hell of a head on every beer poured!

[ScrewyBrewer]

I'm thinking that beer got over carbonated somehow

[FedoraDave]

I'm thinking that beer got over carbonated somehow

But would overcarbonation result in foam and not be noticeable in the drinking of the beer? I mean, to me, overcarbonation means a mouthfeel like you're drinking Pepsi, and foaming from the tap doesn't necessarily indicate the carbonation level. In other words, you could have a traditionally low-carbed beer, such as a porter foam like crazy, even if the level of carbonation is correct, and you could have a highly carbonated beer, like an IPA not foam so much.

I think it may be a case of the ingredients in this particular batch, and therefore untraceable.

It happens.

[Beer-lord]

I've made this before and it's pretty much identical but some are in bottles for Nashville. Guess we'll see if they are gushers or not. At least the guys will remember my beer.

[Kealia]

Could your poppet be stuck a bit? Maybe it's caused by too much/not enough resistance or some additional nucleation points as a result of a sticky poppet on the beer out line?

[Beer-lord]

Could your poppet be stuck a bit? Maybe it's caused by too much/not enough resistance or some additional nucleation points as a result of a sticky poppet on the beer out line?

I actually thought of that after googling some. I've not taken it apart to check yet but also would think that if the poppet was in wrong, it would leak a bit which I'm not seeing.