Faucet problem? Overcarbonated?

[Jazzeux]

I bought some equipment to keg my beer. I got hard time to get a good carbonated beer. First, my regulator arrived and it is not calibrated (shows 11 psi when there's nothing). Second, I only get foam. From what I read on the forum, I think it's because I don't have any beer line (hose).
Here's my faucet:

Is the faucet a problem? Is someone having the same problem with this faucet? I don't know what to do. Maybe, I just overcarbonated my beer because my gauge is not accurate? Thanks for helping.

 

[discooby]

That’s the first time I’ve seen that. I’d suspect you need some length (i.e. some beer line).

 

[Raenon]

I think that faucet is designed to be paired with those little co2 cylinders pushing out the beer. I would presume with a full-sized tank and regulator, you'd be looking at just a couple of psi to keep foaming under control.

 

[Jazzeux]

I've come across different type of gaz. I filled my cylinder with CO2 from an extinguisher company. Another company offer "beer grade" CO2, and "beer gaz". Maybe it's a problem. I found that I can fill a beer by:

1. Purge the gaz
2. Open the faucet
3. shake the keg a bit

There's is still a problem, the beer become flat really soon after getting out of the keg. Thanks for helping.

 

[Raenon]

"Beer gas" is a mixture of nitrogen and CO2. The mix differs from place to place, but the most common one seems to be 75% nitrogen to 25% CO2. You might find 60/40, or 80/20 blends however, depending on what they're marketing it for.

Nitrogen won't dissolve into your beer, it's purely a pressure technique to push out through long lines or stout faucets. The small amount of CO2 is meant to keep your carbonation (though pure nitrogen at high enough pressures actually does this adequately, it's not perfect)
However, what you're doing is pressurizing it with mostly nitrogen (which won't make a fizzy beverage), then purging that (which will blow off additional CO2), and then shaking even more CO2 into your headspace which is dispensing your beer.

Sorry, but to sum up: every possible step you're taking is wrong.
If you want to use the tap you showed above attached directly to the keg disconnect, you need to push your beer with pure CO2 at a low pressure, and return your tank to "maintenance pressure" of around 10-12 psi between serving, or your beer will keep going flat.
Moreover, you're wasting a LOT of gas in this process, which is going to mean a lot more frequent refills.

 

[Jazzeux]

Thanks Raenon,
If I understand, the only difference with beer gaz is that you can put higher pressure and keep a low carbonating level.

So, my "normal" CO2 seems good. I did waste a lot of CO2 while trying to carb my first keg. Almost a 5 Lbs. I have to look if I have leaks. Do you refill very often with a 5lbs Cylinder? How many keg do you usually carb with that type of cylinder?

 

[rawlus]

that faucet adapter is meant for a party-type system where you can keep the keg in a cooler or trash barrel of ice and just tap right at the corny keg post and not have to worry about a line or a tower or a cooler box.... problem is, right at the post there's not usually enough resistance to keep the beer from just releasing all it's stored CO2 right as it comes out. you need a way to simulate a longer beer line which adds resistance and keeps the CO2 in suspension...

two easy ways to do it -

search this forum for mcmaster carr mix-stir sticks - they are these spiral-type plastic epoxy mixing sticks used to mix a 2 part epoxy as it comes out of the tube... but if you just the large end off of them, they are the right size to fit INSIDE the keg's liquid-out dip tube - you may need 2-3 of them inside the dip tube to create the sort of resistance you'd get out of 8-10ft of 3/16th inch beer line.

another option is to fabricate a riser out of piping to raise that tap to chest height if the keg is sitting on the ground - you'll sometimes see these things at beer festivals and stuff. looks like this...

this too will create extra resistance which will cut down on the foaming issues.

as to carbing, best results are when you carb and serve at the same pressure - dialing back and forth is an inexact science and can mess with the results.

regarding your 5lb cylinder, a 5lb cylinder should last VERY long even when used for carbing and serving. like 8-10 kegs worth at least. if you're blowing through one tank per keg then you def have a leak somewhere in the system, use a starsan solution and spray it on all your line connections, the quick disconnects, the posts on the keg, the lid of the keg, the pressure release, etc.

 

[JuanMoore]

I have to look if I have leaks. Do you refill very often with a 5lbs Cylinder? How many keg do you usually carb with that type of cylinder?

A general rule of thumb is that one pound of CO2 should carbonate and serve between one and two 5 gal kegs of beer depending on the carb level. So a 5# tank should carb and serve 5-10 kegs.

 

[Jazzeux]

A general rule of thumb is that one pound of CO2 should carbonate and serve between one and two 5 gal kegs of beer depending on the carb level. So a 5# tank should carb and serve 5-10 kegs.

Thanks to you guys,
I'm sure I have a leak. I tried to put 13 psi and let the hose on my keg, but my cylinder went empty. I will check that...