best serving temp

bakersbrew · 07-15-2009, 03:38 AM

what is the best serving temp for kegged beer? i have my kegerator at 38 but sometime it drops a little lower. what should it be at? i never really looked into this. i am also having trouble hitting just the right amount of carbonation. i always have way too much head. any help?

**doggage** · 07-15-2009, 04:03 AM

38. How long are your liquid lines? Try to increase them so that it takes more pressure to serve the beer. That should cut down on the head. Also (of course) lowering the pressure on your regulator, but I'm assuming you've tried that.

**Baldy_Beer_Brewery** · 07-15-2009, 12:07 PM

38 seems to get regurgitated automatically whenever this question comes up. Especially over on the Micro Matic forums. This temperature may be fine and recommended for commercial American lagers and such accepted as gospel. But IMHO, I enjoy the flavor of my home brewed ales too much to try to kill it with cooling it to 38 degrees.

Anyway, google for carbonation chart and keg balancing. Determine the temperature you prefer, set the psi accordingly. Some people like to add more beer line to add more resistance to help with foam. I can dial mine in to work well with 5 feet of line instead of adding a big coil of hose inside the kegerator.

Tonedef131 · 07-15-2009, 01:07 PM

I set mine at 40F, but it also has a 5 degree differential so it probably ends up close to 42-43F.

**Edcculus** · 07-15-2009, 01:51 PM

I like my home brewed beer served in the mid 40's to low 50's. I keep my kegerator a little warmer than I keep my refrigerator (below 40 to stay out of the food "danger zone").

**jpc** · 07-15-2009, 03:37 PM

I set mine for 43 +/- 2 degrees. When it comes down to it, it's personal preference.

schristian619 · 07-15-2009, 09:34 PM

I agree witht he others. I keep it in the low-mid 40's. I think anything cooler will distract from the flavor. I set my regulator to 14psi and use 10ft beer lines. perfect head <almost> every time.

Arkador · 07-15-2009, 10:17 PM

I keep mine at 40 +/- 2 and serve 10-12psi on 5foot lines with excenent results.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bsay

Ditto. Also, I don't chill my glasses, so that warms up the beer a bit.

I keep my pint glasses in my keezer.

bsay · 07-15-2009, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arkador

I keep mine at 40 +/- 2 and serve 10-12psi on 5foot lines with excenent results.

Ditto. Also, I don't chill my glasses, so that warms up the beer a bit.

**humann_brewing** · 07-15-2009, 10:42 PM

Does anyone know where the post is with the recommended serving temps for specific styles of beers is at? I looked a while back but couldn't track it down.

Like a stout may be served at 50*, light lager at 35* etc...