Soda Beverage Line Length?

Hello everyone,

Just started kegging some soda this week. I just bought a ton of cheap 2-liter bottles at the store, dumped them in the keg and turned the pressure up to 35 psi. It's been there for about 5 days, and the carbonation just isn't quite right. When I pour it, I get a lot of foam, which settles down. However, the soda just doesn't seem all that carbonated. I want a good, sharp carbonation bite. Should I turn the psi up higher? Right now if I use a 9 foot, 3/16th beverage line. That probably accounts for the foam. However, if I use a longer line, will more of the carbonation dissipate by the time it gets to the cup, leaving a 'smoother' carbonation profile? Hopefully this makes sense.

Thanks!

This depends on the level of carbonation you want and the temperature it is sitting at. Find a carbonation chart online for reference. Sodas are usually highly carbonated but 35 PSI is a little out of control unless your fridge is sitting up around the low 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The foaming is not caused by the line but reducing it as it is creating a pressure drop on the way to the faucet. The foam is caused by your crazy high PSI. Try setting your psi to about 20 (for high carbonation at a moderate temp since I don't know what your temp is). At 20 PSI you should really only need 6-7 feet of that line but only cut it shorter once you hit the carbonation you want, then cut it down little by little to the point where you get a nice pour with no foam. If you don't have high carbonation at your psi you either have a leak somewhere in your system/keg or it's because your pushing it out of solution when it's foaming up so much.

Real quick, as I'm about to run out and monitor my wort for a boil-over, the kegerator temp is between 38-40 F

I make 5 gallons of Sprecher root beer from syrup at a time. Force carb at 30 PSI for 3 days, then turn down to dispensing pressure and it is perfect. kegerator runs right around 38ish degrees.

I run 6 feet of hose from keg to tap in my kegerator, and get perfect pours at like 10 to 12 PSI

This is pretty much how i handle beer as well.

Another thread on this subject

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=54329

@ 34F & 35 psi, I use 15 ft of 3/16ths. Works fairly well.

If you're sampling at 35PSI, you'll get lots of foam and your beverage will be flat.

• Kill the gas
• Bleed the pressure from the keg
• Dial up PSI to around 6-7
• Pour a sample and taste.

See if this makes a difference. You might leave the PSI down for an hour or so to allow the beverage to "settle down" a bit.