Pale Ale in keg and ready for input

Hello everyone. I just kegged my pale ale two nights ago. This is my first time with the kegerator.
What I have:
1. haier kegerator wit thermostat mod.
2. 5 feet of 3/16 id beer line
3. 12psi set on the regulator.
4. Temp of water is at 38F / Temp of beer is at 50F
5. perlick faucet with no tower cooling

So I would like to get the beer temp down to about 38F, but I don't want to freeze the beer. Should there be such a big difference in temps from the water and keg after 48 hours in the kegerator?

When I do a pour, the beer seems to jump out at first then pours nicely. The first jump is mainly foam and might be from the sudden jump. Does this sound right? maybe the psi is set too high?

Also about how long does it take for the beer to carbonate? I have had it set at 12 psi for 48 hours and it is still somewhat flat.

Thanks for the info! This is my first time ever using a kegerator so I am not sure what to expect.
Charlie
Thanks for the help.

physast,

a 5 gal keg is a lot of mass and will take a looong time to chill...yes 48 hours is not enough!

Beer is still to warm and this may cause foaming.

Using the set and forget method at 12 psi will usually take a week or probably two to properly carbonate. Some do around 30 psi for 48 hours to force carb. Do a search. 2 days at 12 psi is not enough!

I guess I am getting to excited. Time to break out some Sam Adams and try again next weekend.

Thanks for the info

Just leave everything the way it is and walk away. Come back in 3 weeks and pull one. I'll let everyone else explain why, I need to go pour a bottle. I'm waiting 3 weeks too.

beerthirty said:

I need to go pour a bottle.

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I second that idea

beerthirty said:

Just leave everything the way it is and walk away. Come back in 3 weeks and pull one. I'll let everyone else explain why, I need to go pour a bottle. I'm waiting 3 weeks too.

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I wait three weeks too. Except I keg with priming sugar, let it set in my beer closet for at least two weeks and then chill out in the kegerator for a week before tapping.

I have a haier kegerator too, but use a chest freezer in my garage to chill, store, & carbonate my beer.

I don't have a temp controller on mine and it works fine. If you take the cover off the thermostat controller in the back, you will see a set screw that you can use to make it colder.