Just another corny foam issue

People,

I started with cornelius kegs just a while ago. I remember listening a lot of people talking about huge foam problems, but I never gave that much attention until I got my own cornys and started suffering from this issue.

Now, I looked in a lot of topics about this subject, but in a lot of times people just seemed to be speaking in greek to me. Seriously, a lot of thing in this artificial carbonation thing are still a big mistery for me.

I carbonated a rauchbier (with about 4 gallons in the cornelius) using 2 kgf/cm³ (around 29 psi) for a week. I use a 3 ft hose with an ordinary metal tap (the same one from my mash tun). When I open it, I get a glorious glass of... milk beer! A whole pint full of foam

I always had the impression it was the cheesy tap's fault (i'm planning to switch it for a good, classic stainless-steel one with italian handle) but I'm afraid that's not the real problem and the excessive foam'll just persist. I also tried taking all the gas from the head space before serving, but it was useless.

so, what am I missing?

At 29 psi for a week, in a cold place, the beer is simply overcarbed. Also, a 3 foot line is way too short.

What is the temperature of the beer? That will help you decide the proper psi for carbing. In my kegerator, the beer is 39 degrees, and my serving pressure is 11 psi with 8-10 foot lines.

I carbonated it (and serve it) inside a refrigerator - around 37F. But the beer doesn't seem overcarbonated... I actually think it's less carbonated then my bottle ones...

It is overcarbed. It doesn't seem like it to you because once the foam settles, it is flat. The pressure you carbed at may have been OK for carbing at room temp, but chilled you don't need as much pressure.

You also need a proper length of beer line and tap. A valve like you descibed as "the same one from my mash tun" is not meant to serve beer with.

Yes, it is greek for most, especially when starting out. BUt I am surprised you didnt get the memo about carbonating at aobut 8-12 psi and using atleast 10 feet of line. I've been kegging for a year now, and just now have perfected my serving pressure and carbing routines.

I cold crash my fermenter, then into a keg, place it in the keezer and connect to 10 psi. I have 10 feet of line. I have a fan in the keezer to recirculate air.

**THE MOST IMPORTANT thing I have learned is to not judge the carbonation level of the beer until its been on gas for atleast 2 weeks. At five days it noticeably carbed but no head. At 2 weeks the head appears, beer is nice. At 3 weeks plus, carbonic bite is gone and head is great, beer taste better every day after that.

10 feet!?

ok, here is the thing... the biggest consumer of my beer is myself (hehe) so I rarely take more then two pints at a time. wouldnt it spoil my beer just to let it sit there in 10 feet of hose for a few days? I always clean my hose after I use it, but there would be a great spoilage of beer if i had to do that with 10 feet of liquid.

10 feet of liquid in a 3/16 line. Do the math, its been done before, I dont know the numbers but its like 1-2 ounces. It's not going to spoil.

There is very little beer in 10' of 3/16" line. And it will be in the same environment as the keg so spoilage isn't an issue.

However I'd not want all that line coiled up in my kegerator. 5' of 3/16" beer line and a balanced system works well for me.

volume in line (in oz) = 5.18 * (ID in inches)^2 * (length in feet)

so, for a 10 foot section of 3/16" ID line...

= 5.18 * (3/16)^2 * 10

= 1.8 fl oz.

and half that for 5 ft of line. i only use 5 feet of line and it works pretty well. also, the beer in the line is not necessarily spoiled because it sits. it's stays carbonated and with the line inside the fridge it stays cold.

ok, thanks (although trying to converse all those measurements to metric system by head while sober is quite difficult)

so, my beer is overcarbonated. How do I fix that? release the pressure, than what? just let it sit there until it fixes by itself, releasing more of the inner pressure now and then?

You can pull the relief ring, shake, pull, shake a few times. This will get the co2 out of solution. How many times you have to do this I can't estimate. If you get too much out, it will recarb.

ok, thanks!

one more thing, about the italian fancy stainless steel tap with handle. does it REALLY make that much of a difference? or is there a cheaper kind of tap that I can use (other than, of course, my mash tun valves)?

Google cobra tap.

http://www.benshomebrew.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=kegpicnictap

These are the bare minimum IMHO.

If you have a kegerator, look into a proper tower or shank setup.

I have also recently experienced the horror of "all foam no beer" everything I read leads me to the same answer. I am impatient and my beer is over carbonated.
This was my first weekend with a keg system and I have made so many adjustments I havent had a single pint come out the same.
The funny thing is the foaming issues are only experienced by the "noobies" and the answers are all the same from the brewers in the know.

Be Patient, set at 30 psi in the fridge for two days, turn off the CO2, release the pressure, wait an hour release the pressure again, repressurize at 10 psi and (this is the important thing) give it a couple of days.

No, the best advice is to set at serving pressure 8-12psi and leave for 5 to 10 days.

What about setting it to 8-12psi and shake it a few minutes each day for a few days...would that speed up the carbonation without overcarbonating?

I like to do 24 hours @ 30psi, then drop it to 8 psi. That gives it a fast start without overcarbing and then equalizes over time to 8 psi. If I am in no rush just set to 8psi and wait.