Foam after kegging

Ill start from the beginning but I really need some input.

Me and a buddy bought the brewers best dunkelweizen kit and brewed it up to the T being unbelievably anal about sanitizing and cleansing everything we touch. Left in conical for 6 days, dropped plug, then continued in conical at room temp til 14 days. Transferred the brew into the keg by hose, hooked up gas line and tap line using pin lock fittings. Set gas to 12 psi and 35 degrees. After 2 days, we went to test and got mostly gas and spurts of foam.

My setup consists of a Sanyo kegerator with 4 foot of line on each fitting and a perlick 525ss. Both lines are 3/8" with the gas line being heat gunned to fit over the valve on the gas regulator.

After reading numerous threads on here about foam issues, I am leaning towards it not being long enough line between the keg and the perlick. My local brew shop said instead of doing longer line just turn the pressure up to 16 psi for a day then test.

I have done some research on having a longer line and the physics seem to make more sense than just upping the co2. I am pretty sure I have no leaks but I will double check tonight with some soapy water and a bottle.

Can you guys provide some insight as to my issue? Let me know if you need more info. Appreciate the help.

... Both lines are 3/8" with the gas line being heat gunned to fit over the valve on the gas regulator.

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That right there is the problem (provided you stated it correctly). Your beer lines should be 3/16" ID and at 12 psi should be at least 6 feet long. Preferably 8 feet at that carb level - IMHO.

3/8" lines for the co² is ok but not for the beer.

Edit: Just noticed that you just joined HomeBrewTalk. I want to welcome you here and hope you enjoy participating on the forum.

If it's just gas and spurting emitting then you are trying to pull liquid from the short tube(gas in side). Did you reference a chart for your settings. Seems high to me for that temp.

Welcome!

I agree with P-J about the 3/16 ID but I would up the length to at least 10 feet. Also, you need to give it a week or two or three on the gas before you hit a nice equilibrium.

Make sure you have the fitting hooked up to the right posts. Maybe you are trying to get beer out of the gas post. Someone could have swapped posts when cleaning the keg as well so it might look like you have the right side connected.

Agree. Two things.. 3/16" ID line on the beer side and also sputtering suggests that the long dip tube is under the wrong post.

Bobby_M said:

Agree. Two things.. 3/16" ID line on the beer side and also sputtering suggests that the long dip tube is under the wrong post.

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Can you explain the sputtering further with the dip tubes on the wrong side? I didn't pay close enough attention and may have put the dip tubes on the wrong sides of the keg, but I used the long dip tube with the 3 pin post and the short tube with the 2 pin post...

Thanks for the responses.

I am sorry I wrote the wrong size down. The orig. gas line was 3/8 and the lines are both 3/16 now.

In response to the wrong posts being attached, i used the 2 prong (gray) fitting that is marked with a G on the side for the gas line and the 3 prong (black) for the beer line.

I did reference a carb chart and for the wheat beer it seemed the temp and pressure was in the correct range.


PROBLEM SOLVED: I am quite embarrassed to say, but the lines were in fact backwards. I got plenty of solid fluid flowing now.

If you have pressure in the vessel and are not getting a steady flow of liquid from the tap you have the down tubes under the wrong connections. The long one which goes to the bottom needs to be under the liquid connection and the short one under your gas fitting. The pressure in the vessel displaces the liquid from the bottom.

Bk2X said:

...
PROBLEM SOLVED: I am quite embarrassed to say, but the lines were in fact backwards. I got plenty of solid fluid flowing now.

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Great to hear and I'm glad you got it resolved. BTW, do not be embarrassed. I've done worse and when I discovered my screw-up I just told myself "Oh well". No sweat.!!