10 psi = 1 pint in 1 second?

I have a new kegging setup....the deluxe 2-tap system from midwest supply (http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=6858)

Until i get the collar and my keezer installed, i'm using cobra taps with 6' of 3/16" line. the temp on the Ranco is dialed in a 37 degrees with a 4 degree variance.

yes, one of those threads again....foam!

Forced carbed at 40 psi for 24 hrs, followed by 20 psi for 24 hrs.

Dropped the regulator to 8 psi, released the pressure valves on the kegs......foam!

I've been fiddling with it for a day or two....did the ole' release pressure, wait an hour, release pressure, wait an hour, release pressure wait an hour. foam!

turned the psi to 8-10 and....foam! not only am I pulling a WHOLE pint of foam, but at 10 psi the beer is chugging out like a jet! I can fill a pint in a second. I swear. i'm doing my best to keep the cobra tap wide open, but the beer gushes.

The only way I can get even half-way decent pour is to turn the regulator nearly all the way out....to the point where the gage reads zero. (even then, still foam)

Can you please help me diagnose?

I'm starting to think my regulator is faulty!

How long of a tube are you serving that connects from the keg to faucet? I'm not sure the exact calcs, but I think too short of a tube could be causing all that foam. I'm sure someone will chime in with some more specifics.

Sounds like you over carbonated your beer. 40psi for 24 hours, omg. Beer shooting out light a jet is a good indication that there is WAY to much pressure in the keg. That is a good indication of over carbonated if your reg is (working) and set to 10ish psi. What happens is the beer offgasses in the keg to 20-30-40psi or wherever it hits equilibrium after you purge. It will keep doing this until it has offgassed down to 2.2-2.4 co2 volumes. That may day a few days of purging the keg every few hours or break the seal for a couple of days and re-carb it from scratch.


Your system is otherwise reasonably balanced with 6 feet of 3/16", 10ish psi and 40ish temp.



Reasons for to much foam (highlights likely culprits, imho)

- Warm beer
- Unbalanced system (pressure, line length, line diameter and temperature)
- Over carbonated beer
- Old beer lines
- Failure to open and close faucet quickly and completely
- Obstruction or kink in line/faucet/dip tube
- Warm line/faucet

I agree with JimC, sounds like a classic case of overcarbonation. Your regulator is simply going to sit there doing nothing if the keg pressure is higher than its dialed-in output pressure, and the gauge will only be reading that pressure, NOT the pressure in the keg.

You need to keep purging until the keg is no longer equalizing to a higher pressure than your desired pressure of 10-12PSI or whatever.

Disconnect the gas and purge pressure at least 3-4 times a day for 2-3 days.

I agree with the above posts, it sounds like you overcarbed it.

thanks guys.

does overcarbonating induce significant off-tastes into the beer?

otherwise, i could just leave the pressure at nearly 0 psi, and the beer and headspace would eventually equilibrate.

more importantly, i could still drink beer

the taste on both the double ipa and creame ale are pretty darn good, though bitter. but, admittedly, bitter is somewhat of a guilty pleasure of mine.

over carbing may give a 'bite' to the beer, due to carbonic acid.

and you MUST vent it. if you set it at 0psi, you still have a lot of pressure in there, and 2" of headspace is not enough to equalize 40psi/24 hours.

vent it every 2 hours tonite, then see where you are at tomorrow.

P.S. this is why I stick to tried and true force carbing at serving pressure for a full week or two.