100% foam

[suncoast]

I am using a 50 litre keg with a sankey valve. It is kept in a Keggerator Over the last 4 - 5 kegs the foam has gotten worse. I have cleaned the tap, shortened the line, reduced the pressure (bled off tank as well) to 4 lbs I have also increased the line length from 5 ft to 10 ft then 20 ft gone from 3/16 to 1/4 id line. I have even removed the tap and tried a on/off water valve all to no avail. I get all foam There must be a very simple thing that I am overlooking and that is the cause of the last few kegs foaming up

The beer comes up the clear tubing without any foam the minute it exits the tap it is all foam.

Temp is about 38 deg f The beer does not have much gas once it has settled I would imagine that it has all gassed off when I pour it.

The beer is made and kegged for me by a commercial company although I do want to make my own. First I want to fix this problem.

Anyone with an idea would be appreciated.

 

[doulovebeef]

whats ur regulator set at? have u cleaned ur coupler?

 

[Blisster]

tagging

 

[akthor]

Yeah whats you PSI? Sounds like it is too high and shortening your hose will make it worse not better.

 

[HenryHill]

Length of gas line has no effect.
Length of beer line should be 7-8', 3/16" diameter.
Pressure should be about 13-16 psi, depending on what you like and what you're serving.
Try to purge the air from the keg a couple times by lifting the pressure relief valve for a couple seconds each, in case there is any atmosphere in it-you only want CO2.

Is this a faucet or a picnic/cobra type? Has it ever been apart, and perhaps not reassembled correctly?
Has the beer line ever been cleaned? Soak in Beer Line Cleaner (BLC) on a regular basis.

That's about all there is to keggerator stuff...

 

[bullinachinashop]

Is your handle opening fully? Sound like there may be some obstruction.

 

[suncoast]

Coupler has been cleaned, psi is 12 lb. Tomorrow I will order a new tap and new 3/16 thick wall tubing. If that doesn't do it I will replace the valve. I have read all the other posts but I am "missing" something so the only alternative is to start replacing stuff untill I have it licked

 

[BrewMoreBeers]

It sounds to me like you faucet is obstructed or your lines are getting warm. Where is the tap in relation to the keg? Do the lines run thru an uncooled area? If so, that change in temp will cause foam.

 

[BeardedSquash]

Sounds very much like a problem I've been battling. I switched to a 1/4" shank and started using a 3/16" line and that helped. BUT, it didn't help immediately. Change your line to 10 feet of 3/16" ID and set your PSI (10 or 12, or whatever) and let it sit overnight. Changes take time to acclimate.

I got really frustrated and wasted a lot of time, gas and beer expecting the changes to be immediately evident. It was all made worse by the fact that I kept dropping the ambient temperature in my fridge by constantly opening it to fiddle.

Take all of these posts to heart, choose your method, make your changes, and drink bottled beer for the night.

 

[Jawbox0]

Also, are your beer lines level without dips? I had a horrible foaming problem caused by a line that dipped down to the bottom of the freezer and back up again.

 

[suncoast]

My line runs 12" through a tower. Could this uncooled run cause so much problems?

 

[BrewMoreBeers]

Yes. If you have 3/16 ID line you need a 6 foot run or you will have foam trouble. The beer line matters. You will have foam trouble with thin tube... Get the good beer line tube from a brew supply shop. You need the prssure/resistance from the tubing to prevent foaming.

Also, use a fan or a conductive copper tube to chill the tower. The warm tower will cause foam issues. Several folks have had success with a copper tube running from the tower into the chilled cooler area. The Cooper conducts heat well enough to cool the lines.