Used balancing calculations, beer still pours too fast

I tried looking at the balancing links in the FAQ sticky, but almost all of them are broken links

My situation: I just kegged a belgian blonde ale. According to the recipe in Brewing Classic Styles it should be carbed to about 3.5 volumes. My fridge is ~50 F and I set the regulator to 30 PSI to achieve that carbonation level.

The problem: the beer comes out of the tap like a bat out of hell, and seems to drive all the carbonation out of the beer at the same time. Even if I stand on a chair and hold the tap above my head to increase resistance. It pours a full, very foamy pint in 2 seconds.

I was using the calculator on this site as a reference. It seems to indicate everything should be hunky-dory but I know I can do better than this. http://www.iancrockett.com/brewing/info/kegbalance.shtml

Should I just buy a longer (7 ft? 10?) beer line? The relevant stats to the beer line math are:

Tube length: 5 feet
Tube ID: 3/16" (printed on the side of the tube)
Height: Whatever I want (it's just a picnic tap), up to 5 feet.

Any suggestions? I had the same problem with my last kegged beer which was only carbed to about 2 volumes. Am I missing something obvious?

Longer lines (10 feet) should really help. I have long lines on my 39 degree, 11 psi fridge, so I'm sure that yours are too short for 30 psi.

Thanks for that. Increasing line length makes sense since it's the only variable I have left really. But I wonder why the math is so off. By my calculations everything should be fine. Is that site's equation just crappy, does the equation break down at high PSI values, some... other thing?

Docjowles said:

Thanks for that. Increasing line length makes sense since it's the only variable I have left really. But I wonder why the math is so off. By my calculations everything should be fine. Is that site's equation just crappy, does the equation break down at high PSI values, some... other thing?

Click to expand...

I really don't know. But I'll tell you this- when I make soda, I dispense at 25-30 psi. And I use 25 FEET for the line in order to get a nice pour. I'm not a math person and I wouldn't even try to explain it but I know what works and what doesn't work. Longer lines work.

Calculator says at 50degree F with PSI set for 3.5volumes, you need 10.375 ft lines.
If you'd like, PM me your emial, and I can email you the spreadsheet I use tomorrow. I got it from a guy on here and it's great.

30psi is like force carb psi level for carbing your beer in two days. Wayyyy to high for serving. Like they said you'd need 25 ft of line, once the beer was carbed.

If you just kegged it and put the CO2 on it is not carbed yet.

You want to rush you set the psi to 30 for like 36 hrs then down to 12 psi for a few days and then pour a beer. Most people set it to 12ish psi and leave it for a couple weeks.

You are thinking I think that the beer is carbed during the pour and that is not true.

I have 10' lines on my keez. 38*, and three different pressures, 12, 15, and ? for cider. All 6 taps pour great.

Here's some math if you're really bored:
http://kegman.net/balance.html

B

I realize 30 PSI is at the top end of reasonable. But on the other hand, Jamil's recipe says it's a damn sparkly beer and to carbonate to 3-4 volumes. According BeerSmith, I need about 30 PSI to hit that at 50 F. So that is where I am coming from with that super high PSI value.

And to clarify, I realize beer comes out of the keg carbonated.

3-4 volumes at 30 psi is very carbonated. You definitely need a much longer line.

For everyone else with the long lines, are you using 1/4" line? 3/16" line should provide 2-3psi of resistance. If you have long 1/4" lines you could use much shorter 3/16" to save line and reduce foaming. NB sells 5' lengths of 3/16" line with a tap and disconnect already on and they work great at anywhere from 9-12psi.

But did you set the pressure and wait the amount of time required to be sure it's carbed before you tried to pour? You don't just hook it up and it's instantly carbed at the volumes you want based upon the temp and PSI. It takes a certain amount of time to reach the volumes you want as well. People do it in a couple days but it usually involves shaking of the keg ect. Or high psi for a few days or set it and forget it.

I haven't read of ANYBODY dispensing at 30 psi. From what I have seen with my kegs and what I have read on here the beer SHOULD rocket out all foam at that psi. And it's not driving out the carbonation of the beer if you haven't properly carbed the beer first. The co2 is not absorbed into the solution so it's not there to drive out.

Also what is the inner dimension of your lines I know that makes a difference too.

Docjowles said:

I realize 30 PSI is at the top end of reasonable. But on the other hand, Jamil's recipe says it's a damn sparkly beer and to carbonate to 3-4 volumes. According BeerSmith, I need about 30 PSI to hit that at 50 F. So that is where I am coming from with that super high PSI value.

And to clarify, I realize beer comes out of the keg carbonated.

Click to expand...

Also many people use these to help with fast pours and foaming issues with their kegs and kegerators:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/cure-your-short-hose-troubles-100151/

I had to pour from an 18" picnic tap and I was having foaming issues at 12psi. I used the 1/4" poly water line in my dip tube trick and it worked like a charm.

If you really do want to keep it at 50 degrees and get 3.5 volumes, then you are doing everything right... you just need more resistance. You could go with longer lines, smaller diameter, or something inside the lines/keg to slow the flow such as the paint stirrers some people. There's also something called Insta Balance that commercial bars sometimes use.

http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17_16&products_id=859

EDIT: That's what I get for going slow. The paint stirrer link is above.