Hefeweizen foaming problem...

[eobie]

I have my kegerator set between 40-42F. My hefeweizen is set at 20 PSI and my 3/16" line is 17' long. I do not run a tower and my Perlick 575SS is right through the bulkhead. Foam....... unless I pour into a cold glass. My other beers are set @ 14 PSI and are 10' long and I have no issues with those.

Anyone else have a problem similar? I don't really like to chill my glasses...

 

[Schnitzengiggle]

20 psi is still a good deal of pressure, even though you are undoubtedly shooting for a higher co2 volume for the style. 17' is a good deal of restriction. Have you done the math to find out what the proper line length would be to balance your 20 psi?

3/16″ ID vinyl tubing = 3 psi/ft or,
1/4″ ID vinyl tubing = 0.85 psi/ft

L = (keg_pressure – 1 psi) / Resistance

L = (20-1)/3 = 6.33, So a 20 psi kegging system would provide 1 psi of pressure at the tap with 6.33 feet of tubing.

So you can assume 0 elevation since your tap is through the door at the keg post height.

Or if you do have elevation, use this equation:

L = (keg_pressure – 1 – (Height/2)) / Resistance.

 

[eobie]

20 psi is still a good deal of pressure, even though you are undoubtedly shooting for a higher co2 volume for the style. 17' is a good deal of restriction. Have you done the math to find out what the proper line length would be to balance your 20 psi?

3/16″ ID vinyl tubing = 3 psi/ft or,
1/4″ ID vinyl tubing = 0.85 psi/ft

L = (keg_pressure – 1 psi) / Resistance

L = (20-1)/3 = 6.33, So a 20 psi kegging system would provide 1 psi of pressure at the tap with 6.33 feet of tubing.

So you can assume 0 elevation since your tap is through the door at the keg post height.

Or if you do have elevation, use this equation:

L = (keg_pressure – 1 – (Height/2)) / Resistance.

I have not done the calculations in a long while.... But 17' of tubing is rather long and more than enough in my opinion. I have about a two foot rise from the center of the keg.

 

[eobie]

This is what I get in an ice cold glass after about 45 seconds of settling. A warm glass and that would look totally different.

 

[Hammy71]

I use these for my wheat beers. Allows me to serve at a high pressure and still keep my 10' lines.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/cure-your-short-hose-troubles-100151/

 

[eobie]

I use these for my wheat beers. Allows me to serve at a high pressure and still keep my 10' lines.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/cure-your-short-hose-troubles-100151/

were those ever found to be food safe?

 

[Hammy71]

I've been using them for about 3 years and haven't died yet. Not that it's a ringing endorsement...lmao

 

[summerofgeorge]

Out of curiosity, have you tried running this through one of your 10' lines? I have 10' on all 5 of my Perlick 525SS. I've gone from stouts at 8 PSI to Hefe's at 20 PSI and various pressures in between. Never have any foaming issues. I'm just wondering if there's something screwy with the longer line that's causing some turbulence. If you run it through a line that you know pours ok with another beer, at least you can narrow things down. And if you do run it through another line, make sure to use a different disconnect too in case that's part of the problem. Good luck!

 

[IffyG]

I've done a couple of wheat beers and no matter what I do with my lines they still produce a massive amount of head. I think it's an intrinsic property of wheat beers. My method for dealing with it was pouring into a pitcher and then into the serving glass.

 

[eobie]

Out of curiosity, have you tried running this through one of your 10' lines? I have 10' on all 5 of my Perlick 525SS. I've gone from stouts at 8 PSI to Hefe's at 20 PSI and various pressures in between. Never have any foaming issues. I'm just wondering if there's something screwy with the longer line that's causing some turbulence. If you run it through a line that you know pours ok with another beer, at least you can narrow things down. And if you do run it through another line, make sure to use a different disconnect too in case that's part of the problem. Good luck!

I originally had it on a 12' line. IT was worse then.