Thought I covered everything- still foam city!

OK, so I kegged for the first time a few weeks ago, and thanks to the good people here, I set up everything the way I thought would be correct.

Here's the particulars; (keg #1) 10 ft. 3/16" beer line, 10 psi, 40º fridge, and I'm still getting about 3" foam to 1" beer when I pour, and I notice air in the line. I kegged this beer about two weeks ago.
Here's the kicker. I just kegged another beer today (keg #2), and a small test pour was great- nice flow, no foam (same set-up as keg #1, albeit not carbonated). So, could it be there is an air leak somewhere (keg #1), or could it be a problem with the beer. I'm drinking a sample of the beer now, and besides it being a little young, it tastes good.

Completely puzzled.

How did you carbonate the keg? I had the same problem (air in the lines, lots of foam) with identical conditions (10ft of 3/16", 40*, ~10psi).

Turned out i overcarbonated the beer when i force carb'ed it. I took it off the gas, shook it up a couple times, purged (basically de-carbonating it), then hooked it back on the gas at 10psi for a couple days and it was perfect.

No forced carbonation. I used the 'set it, and forget it' method. When I originally kegged this beer, I set it to 10 psi and just let it go.

Just grasping at straws here...could the gauge on the co2 regulator be off? My commercial kegs always foamed even at serving pressure after weeks of serving, since switching to cornys for the homebrew I put two epoxy mixer things in all my dip tubes, it slowed down the pour but cleared up the cup-o-foam issue for me

Yeah, I was thinking about that earlier. When I get home from work tonight, I'll purge the keg and drop the pressure to around 5 and see what happens.

I lowered the temp of the fridge to 36 and still no better. I'm starting to think I might have a bad o-ring somewhere.

So this is turning in to a real PITA, even more so than bottling. I've read everything out there about foaming issues and still no go. The beer is basically unserveable right now.

Anyone else out there who might know what this could be?

replace the o-ring on the dip tube and replace the o-ring on the post use lube to make sure they seal good, cant think of a leak on the liquid side that wouldnt leak out of the system but if the line has air in it it is coming from somewhere, or maybe you have an infection causing a gusher keg

Pour 2 pints, if the second pint is fine, then its possible your lines/tap are warmer than your beer. I sometimes also rinse my glass prior to pouring. Use a cold glass, not frozen.

BoiseJim said:

I'm starting to think I might have a bad o-ring somewhere.

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No, this is not it. It is impossible for air to leak INTO a pressurized system. CO2 leaking out? Easy to happen. But no chance for air to leak in and have the keg still maintain pressure.

The air you see in the hose is CO2 coming out of solution. It is coming out and causing foam for one or both of the reasons mentioned above: Overcarbed beer due to an uncalibrated pressure gauge or warm beer lines and tap.

dontman said:

The air you see in the hose is CO2 coming out of solution. It is coming out and causing foam for one or both of the reasons mentioned above: Overcarbed beer due to an uncalibrated pressure gauge or warm beer lines and tap.

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or both! right?

If you are using an el cheapo tap it may not be opening all the way and causing foam. loosen the top nut just under the handle just a little and see if that helps.

Thanks for the tips! I'll try them when I get home later. I'm not worried about overcarbonation, since I set it at 10 psi and let it go (unless I have a faulty regulator).

I'm going to try the tap trick that hammer one suggested, also removing and inspecting the tap.

My PSI regulator was busted, according to my tire pressure gauge it said 17 while on the gauge it was 11. I bought two new gauges and my beer stopped foaming.

BoiseJim said:

Thanks for the tips! I'll try them when I get home later. I'm not worried about overcarbonation, since I set it at 10 psi and let it go (unless I have a faulty regulator).

I'm going to try the tap trick that hammer one suggested, also removing and inspecting the tap.

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Jim:

Try swapping the two taps. If the foam follows the tap, then you know where the problem is -- the tap. If it doesn't follow, then the problem's likely somewhere in the keg. Any chance you have a bit of hop leaf or gunk clogging your dip tube or poppet?

jds-
Cleaned the dip tube earlier- nothing in there.
Tried taking apart the tap to clean, also adjusted, no go. I'll try switching the taps and see if that works. If that doesn't, then on to turning the gas off to that keg, depressurizing, then lowering the psi.
I'm starting to to feel like it could be the regulator.

Has your co2 tank fallen over before? Mine fell multiple times which messed up my guages. I would replace the PSI gauge before you get a new regulator its a lot cheaper to see if that is the problem. You can pick one up at harbor freight.

Try bumping the pressure up to 12. I know this sounds bass ackwards, but if the pressure is too low, the can come out of solution in the line, especially if the line is warmer than the beer in the keg. This will come out of the line as foam and you can't pour clear beer through foam.

AJ-
No, the tank hasn't fallen over. I've been really careful with it.

BBB-
I tried bumping pressure, in 2 pound increments until I got to 20. Still no go. I've cut off the gas to the keg for now to see if it is just over carbonation. After all the research I've done, I'm really thinking I have a bad pressure gauge.

Thanks everyone for your help!

Jim

Well the good thing is that if you keep testing it, your problem will just go away....as in an empty keg

What kind of kegerator is this? It's probably due to the upper section being warmer than the rest. In other words, the serving line and shank are warmer than the beer and the CO2 is coming out of solution. One fix is to put a small desk fan in there on low to keep the air circulating.

Update-
I've now bled off all pressure for the last two days. Just now, I opened up my gas line to the keg (6 psi) to pour, and still nothing but foam and the beer is flat, so I couldn't be more puzzled why I'm having this issue.

The kegerator is a regular fridge converted, with two taps out the side, no tower. Still holding 39º on the nose.

Honestly, I couldn't be more pissed off with this whole keg system.

Its flat cuz its foaming. How do you know it really flat? Did you pour a second glass right after and if so did it pour fine. If it did, you lines are warmer than your beer.

Yep, just tried a second glass- still mostly foam.

I wonder if it still is overcarbed.

Another possibility is an obstruction in your tap. I'd take apart the tap and clean it. If something is preventing the tap from opening all the way you will get lots of foam, even if everything is properly balanced.

I make a sign for my beer cart that I use at our pig roast the reads:

Confucious says, "A half open tap is a glass full of foam"

Also there are creamer faucet that if you push in the opposite direction will foam - as intended.

pjj-
Yeah, I took apart the tap, cleaned and inspected. Nothing obvious. I then swapped the two taps and still have the foaming issue. I think tonight I'll open up the keg and see if there is anything obvious.

It's strange, 'cause there are a lot of bubbles and air gaps in the line from the keg to the tap, and no bubbles or air gaps on the other keg, and they've been carbed the same way.

??????????

are you sure there is a good o-ring under the liquid dip tube? maybe there is something wrong in the liquid post, poppet not opening all the way? maybe the valve in the liquid qd isn't opening all the way?

Marzsit, you nailed it! Problem solved.

For anyone following this (especially us kegging newbies), when I received the kegs, I took them apart, cleaned, sanitized, and reassembled exactly as I got them. Problem was, there was no o-ring on the dip tube on the keg that was foaming so bad. Put an o-ring on there, and bang, foam free beer!

What a headache, but at least I have about two-thirds of the beer in the keg left to enjoy. Can't wait to get home tonight after work and enjoy it!

Thanks again to everyone who helped. This was a great learning experience.

Jim

BoiseJim said:

Marzsit, you nailed it! Problem solved.

For anyone following this (especially us kegging newbies), when I received the kegs, I took them apart, cleaned, sanitized, and reassembled exactly as I got them. Problem was, there was no o-ring on the dip tube on the keg that was foaming so bad. Put an o-ring on there, and bang, foam free beer!

What a headache, but at least I have about two-thirds of the beer in the keg left to enjoy. Can't wait to get home tonight after work and enjoy it!

Thanks again to everyone who helped. This was a great learning experience.

Jim

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I cant believe you didnt take the day off to celebrate...!

Congrats on the find! it is usually the simple things we overlook that cause the most problems, this is a good learning experience for everyone, both newbie and veteran alike, always start checking the simple basics first when looking into an issue. When a light in your house stops working we check the bulb first before ripping the wires out of the wall right?

Jesse-
I'm celebrating right now with a beautiful pour, that is tasting fantastic, and with nice belgian lace.

az-
Yep, you can say that again.
Man, I love cool forums with cooler people. Time to get my premium membership!