Pouring Question

Ok, so here is the scene: (Haier Beer Meister, 5 ft beer tubing, perlick faucet, CO2 psi @ 10, temp about 38-40*)

Over the past 2 kegs (Victory Storm King Stout and Flying Fish Abbey Dubbel) I have been getting a big burst of air/foam and then a creamy head coming out of the faucet then turm to beer. I know that my run will give a little more head than normal (my tower isnt cooled) but after a few pours, all is good. Today I cleaned the line (hadnt done that in a while ) but discovered the same situation.

On the other side I have Miller lite, set at the same PSI, but it pours from a regular faucet. No problems.

Can anyone shed light on why this would be happening all of the sudden? Never happened before.

Thanks

well i had the same problem with my kegerator all i needed to do was turn the PSI down to 5-6. also make sure the lines are cold all the way from the keg to the tap.

TipsyDragon said:

well i had the same problem with my kegerator all i needed to do was turn the PSI down to 5-6. also make sure the lines are cold all the way from the keg to the tap.

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Hmmm, i dont mind a little bit of foam...but that big "pop" on the first pour (almost like I have kicked the keg (which causes small amounts of cardiac arrest for me) worries me. I'll try the PSI thing.

Chudz, i dont mind you peeing off my balcony...i dont have one

You may also want to pull apart the faucet and clean it.

wyzazz said:

You may also want to pull apart the faucet and clean it.

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forgot to mention that I did that too. The only thing that I didnt do was the tap itself. I figured that the BLC would handle that

I'm guessing uncooled tower. The foam at the start, but not at the end, points directly to uncooled tower. Your tower is warm. The cold beer hits it and pure foam. After a bit, the foam cools the tap and beer starts to flow.

Short lines give continuous foam. Overcarbed gives continuous foam. Pure creamy foam followed by beer is warm taps/tower.

Might not happen with ML because of a different carbonation level?? dunno there...

Did your house get warmer recently?

shortyjacobs said:

I'm guessing uncooled tower. The foam at the start, but not at the end, points directly to uncooled tower. Your tower is warm. The cold beer hits it and pure foam. After a bit, the foam cools the tap and beer starts to flow.

Short lines give continuous foam. Overcarbed gives continuous foam. Pure creamy foam followed by beer is warm taps/tower.

Might not happen with ML because of a different carbonation level?? dunno there...

Did your house get warmer recently?

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I agree w/ that 100% but whats w/ the "pop" at the first pour? Actually if I pour 1 then another I get the "pop" on the first pour of the next beer. Its almost like there is an air bubble in the line.

I suspect a tiny leak inside the tower or the faucet. It lowers the pressure very slowly and CO2 breaks out of solution forming a bubble. Open the tap and POP, then good pours from then on. After a nites sleep and a days work the bubble has reformed.

buckrogers71 said:

I agree w/ that 100% but whats w/ the "pop" at the first pour? Actually if I pour 1 then another I get the "pop" on the first pour of the next beer. Its almost like there is an air bubble in the line.

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The pop could be overcarbing, but I'm more willing to believe it is from the warm lines too. As the lines warm, CO2 becomes less soluble in the beer, and forms bubbles in the line. If I have a warm spot in a line, big huge bubbles will form, (like 1 cm diameter bubbles...stretched out inside the tube of course)...I'm guessing you get bubbles rising to the top of your tower and building in the nipple on the back of the shaft, then when you pull the tap that air bubble pops out...

shortyjacobs said:

The pop could be overcarbing, but I'm more willing to believe it is from the warm lines too. As the lines warm, CO2 becomes less soluble in the beer, and forms bubbles in the line. If I have a warm spot in a line, big huge bubbles will form, (like 1 cm diameter bubbles...stretched out inside the tube of course)...I'm guessing you get bubbles rising to the top of your tower and building in the nipple on the back of the shaft, then when you pull the tap that air bubble pops out...

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This is someting that I can see on the very first pour, but after the beer gets going it still happens. Also, the Miller line that runs right next to the micro line doesnt do it at all. Could there be a problem w/ the coupler?

buckrogers71 said:

This is someting that I can see on the very first pour, but after the beer gets going it still happens. Also, the Miller line that runs right next to the micro line doesnt do it at all. Could there be a problem w/ the coupler?

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Hmm..I'm lost then

I get the same thing. I have a keezer with a brand-new Perlick faucet and 10' of line. Pressure is set at 8psi. The lines are definitely not warm, but I do notice that there are bubbles in the line.

If I pour out the first bit of foam, I get a good pour. I'd love to hear a solution.

Is your shank dirty? After every keg, I run a solution of OxiClean Free through my lines and let it sit for an hour or so, then I run starsan through them, and finally I run water through them.

wyzazz said:

Is your shank dirty? After every keg, I run a solution of OxiClean Free through my lines and let it sit for an hour or so, then I run starsan through them, and finally I run water through them.

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shank as in the coupler, correct? Maybe that could be the problem, but still, I ran my BLC through the line and let it sit... Maybe I need to take it off and dismantle and clean again.

Foam on the first pour is natural. There is probably not a solution for that. Back in the days when I had breakfast at the bar and stayed until it closed I noticed that the first draw of the day was usually poured down the drain because it was 90% foam.

The 'pop' on the first pour should have a solution though. Obviously it is a gas bubble near the faucet. I have had the same thing happen, but only when I connect a new keg. It's difficult to understand why it would happen more often.

Co2 coming out of solution would cause the pop, but if your pouring two beers one right after the other and it still pops on the second one, then that indicates something else is going on. you also said that this is the second keg in a row this has happened and that it has not occurred prior to this.

sounds like you may have a problem with the keg coupler. is it the same type as the one used for the other keg you mention?

if it is, then swap the couplers. or the kegs and see what happens.

i would be interested in what you find.

airmek said:

Co2 coming out of solution would cause the pop, but if your pouring two beers one right after the other and it still pops on the second one, then that indicates something else is going on. you also said that this is the second keg in a row this has happened and that it has not occurred prior to this.

sounds like you may have a problem with the keg coupler. is it the same type as the one used for the other keg you mention?

if it is, then swap the couplers. or the kegs and see what happens.

i would be interested in what you find.

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Just did a complete cleaning of the coupler. If it happens again, I will clean it and swap it w/ the other. I will post back w/ results

ok, after a complete cleaning...i mean COMPLETE. It seems to working. I think that I discovered the problem. When I got my keg of Storm King, I also got some "keg" lube. I disassembled the couplers and I am thinking that when I put my "micro" coupler back together, I inadvertently put the washer that joins the keg and coupler upside down.

Hopefully that is the problem and nothing more...we'll see

Thanks to all w/ your replies and suggestions! I appreciate it!

In addition, I am wondering if by having the washer upside down, if it has caused the beer to get a little flat.