Problems with pouring from a pressure keg

Hi guys. May sound a stupid question to most but I am a real newbie at this.

My question is, I have brewed a coopers bitter and after the fermentation I transferred into a pressure keg. After approximately four weeks I poured a sample to try. The beer tastes brilliant but is extremely foamy to pour (I think I may have over carbed it). will this settle down on its own or should a relive some of the pressure.

I anticipate your suggestions

Thank you in advance.

First, I am unsure what you mean by a Pressure Keg. Can you describe?

Meantime, I can say that a proper pour from a keg depends on a balance between a few things:

Pressure
Temperature
Line Length
Line Diameter

There are charts that show the proper length of a specific diameter of line that will provide the optimum resistance for a given temperature and beer carbonation. For example I might use 10 Foot of 3/16" beverage line for a beer that's 42 degrees and carbed to 2.4 volumes (That's just off my head and probably aren't actually the optimum numbers, it's only used for example)

To relieve some of the foaming you might use a longer line, smaller diameter, higher temp, or any combination.

You might also have beer that's over-carbonated, in which case you might need to agitate it and relieve the excess pressure.

Or there could be something else causing the foaming, like nucleation sites along the way or in the faucet, or a too-sudden drop of pressure like you might get when you crack a faucet open only slightly. In that case pressure builds up in the narrow opening and is then suddenly released out of the faucet and into the glass.

By pressure keg I assume you mean regular corny keg.

There could be a handful of problems. Here are just a few...

1) What pressure did you use to carb? I usually keep mine at 12psi. It will depend on the beer style and temp of the beer though. Anything around 12psi is ok.

2) Dirty beer lines. Clean you beer lines every keg or every month if you don't finish a keg before then.

3) Beer line length. There are some calculators that help you determine the best length but 10 feet is a good starting length.

4) Beer line warmer than beer. If part of the beer line is warm, that will cause the CO2 to come out of suspension and cause foam. Make sure you have good cold air circulating in your kegerator.

Here is a link with the answer to your problem.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/trouble-pouring-pint-plastic-keg-188096/

Another thread had said to bleed some pressure, but from the following link on use of the kegs, bleeding pressure may cause a future problem with to little pressure.

http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=62008

Hope this helps.

Cheers Flars,

I have read the forum and that guy had the same problem. I am also from the uk so maybe these kegs are more popular over here ( or just a simple basic thing) either way I will relive a little pressure by unscrewing the cap and try again.

I will say tho , I'm happy with the clarity and taste of the bitter seeing as it has only been kegged got a couple weeks so must be doing something right lol

I relieved some of the pressure ( too much tho ) so I used a co2 bulb to re pressurise and this is the result. Thank you everyone for the responses

One very happy brewer

Another question tho, I wish to share my brew with fellow work colleges, if I poured into a bottle and capped it to take into work . will it hold it head etc or will it go flat?

I've done that before and the beer stayed carbed a day or two. It might have stayed carbed longer but they were consumed within a few days. Couple things that will help reduce foaming while transferring is reduce the pressure on your keg so beer gently flows and prechill the bottles.

Cheers Dan,
Pre chilling the bottles would not be something if gave thought of do that's a great tip.

Il be bottling a few in the morning to take to work do see how it goes. Il be back with the results.

cheers pal.

You're welcome. I'd also try to keep the bottled beer chilled if possible to help reduce CO2 coming out of solution as the beer warms up.

Thankfully Dan I work in a pub so fridges are readily available lol.

cornishniler said:

View attachment 175956 I relieved some of the pressure ( too much tho ) so I used a co2 bulb to re pressurise and this is the result. Thank you everyone for the responses

One very happy brewer

Click to expand...

That is a beautiful pint.
The 750ml plastic whiskey bottles make great growlers for transporting beer in bulk. Reseal very well. Pull the plastic insert out of the spout for filling and dispensing the beer.