Low Serving Pressure

Just wondering why my instructions for my keg system say to carb at 30 for 48hrs, then set to 5 for serving pressure.... most of you guys use 10-12 with the set it and forget it method. My beer is carbed now and i couldn't get it to pour a good glass unless i set it to 5 psi. 10-12 was way too much for a serving pressure. Should I try to use the patient method from homebrew.com?

I am of the opinion that the set it and forget it method eliminates all of the guess work and is the only way to get consistently repeatable results.

As far as you having difficulty serving beers at 10-12 psi, I would ask you what length of serving line you were using, and was is 3/16" ID thick walled, smooth bore beverage tubing?

John

The size & length of the tubing needs to be adjusted for serving pressure or the other way around, which is much easier. My kegger runs 10-12 psi for serving & has 6 ft. of 3/16" tubing. Party taps are 4 ft. of 5/16th and I de-gas to 5 psi for them. The soda water is 30 psi & 12 ft of 3/16th.

i have 5ft of BEVLEX 3/16th id line

MidRex said:

i have 5ft of BEVLEX 3/16th id line

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Is that connected to a faucet or a picnic tap? If it is a picnic tap, 5' may not be long enough.

John

i feel like this topic comes up at least once a week here. can we put this up in a FAQ of some sort here?

johnsma22 said:

Is that connected to a faucet or a picnic tap? If it is a picnic tap, 5' may not be long enough.

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Regardless of the tap, 5' is likely to be too short. Especially if the tap isn't at least a couple of feet above the top of the keg.

i use about 5 ft for my kegerator beerline lengths, i serve at 10 psi at 40F, which is about 2.3 volumes of co2. my pour is pretty decent, i think.

i guess to clarify a little...I have a cobra tap, everything is in the fridge at 38deg, and the line is just circled around the keg.

Line is too short. I have the same kind of setup, but use a 1/4 inch hose, about 5 feet and can serve around 11 psi with not too much foam.

Ol' Grog said:

Line is too short. I have the same kind of setup, but use a 1/4 inch hose, about 5 feet and can serve around 11 psi with not too much foam.

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i'm heading to the LHBS now and am going to ask them why there instructions say what they do. BTW it's pouring great at 5psi though. It's not too early to start drinking is it?

MidRex said:

i'm heading to the LHBS now and am going to ask them why there instructions say what they do. BTW it's pouring great at 5psi though. It's not too early to start drinking is it?

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Nope, Never.

MidRex said:

It's not too early to start drinking is it?

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Possibly yes.

If you've been playing with the pressure regulator and not let the beer 'settle' long enough between changes, you don't know if it's now under- or overcarbonated.

Let it sit for a few days at 10-12 psi before you go beat up your LHBS owner. He may innocently think his method is the perfect way or only way of carbonating beer.

Mikey said:

Possibly yes.

If you've been playing with the pressure regulator and not let the beer 'settle' long enough between changes, you don't know if it's now under- or overcarbonated.

Let it sit for a few days at 10-12 psi before you go beat up your LHBS owner. He may innocently think his method is the perfect way or only way of carbonating beer.

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I think he meant time-wise.. as in: is 10am too early to drink? Then again, I could be wrong...

omniscientomar said:

I think he meant time-wise.. as in: is 10am too early to drink? Then again, I could be wrong...

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You're right...I meant is 10am too early to have some beer.

MidRex said:

You're right...I meant is 10am too early to have some beer.

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I consider drinking at 10:00AM to be having another nightcap from the night before!