Foam

Ok, I made a brewers best extract kit, when I transferred it to the keg I put it in my keezer at 38 degrees, set the pressure around 12, and 10 days later all I'm jetting out of the faucet is spitting foam? So, I guess I'm asking, is this normal?

colbreeze said:

Ok, I made a brewers best extract kit, when I transferred it to the keg I put it in my keezer at 38 degrees, set the pressure around 12, and 10 days later all I'm jetting out of the faucet is spitting foam? So, I guess I'm asking, is this normal?

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No, it's not normal!

There are just a couple of possiblities here. One is that "about 12" isn't, and the beer is overcarbed. That's not that likely, so my next guess is that there is a very short amount of beer line attached to a faucet/tap, and the c02 is causing it to come out at a high rate of speed, causing foaming.

The easy fix, if that is the cause, is simply longer lines for the serving line. 10-12' of 3/16" line would be good.

Well, my first keg a hooked up to 12 lbs and rolled and shook the keg to force carb. So this one, I just hooked up to 12lbs and let it sit. There's 3 ft of hose from keg to tap. I guess I'll unhook the pressure and let it settle then try again?

There is a small O-ring under the Out dip tube flange that if compromised will allow CO2 in the keg head space to be injected into the beer stream at the Out post. Spitting foam is a pretty good indicator for this type of failure.

So you might want to remove the QDs from the keg, relieve the head space pressure (if your keg has a PRV that can be locked open, do that), remove the Out post and set aside, then remove the Out dip tube and inspect that O-ring under its flange. Sanitize all parts before reinstalling and you'll be good to go...

Cheers!

[edit] The other possibility that would produce somewhat similar results on the initial pour or two would be if the keg posts or the keg dip tubes got swapped and the beer line is above the short dip tube...

Sounds like the 3-foot line is definitely the problem. Listen to Yooper and get a 10 foot beer line. Pretty sure this will solve your problem. In the short term you could also turn your pressure way down to serve. 4psi or so would probably do it, I'd think. But you don't want to leave your beer on tap like that for too long or you'll lose your carbonation.

Thanks everyone, the washer on the stem going into the keg was damaged.

^ There ya go. "Spitting" was the give-away...

Cheers!