A beer line question- head or

[NotSoNew2Brew]

So, I have a kegerator setup, done many batches over the years. They tend to be IPA's, I'm a hop head. I like beer colder and have it set at 36 degrees... I use a 10' beer line, the pressure is at 10-11 psi. I get a pretty good pour. I use the set it and forget it technique to carb and use a picnic tap.

Now, I want to word the following correctly, I get what seems like a tad too much CO2 released when the beer hits the glass during a pour... I like my beer carbonated and wondering if the splashing, and mind you when I say splashing, it is the small beer agitation when liquid hits glass/beer and releases bubbles. I would call my pours pretty good with an inch of head or so, and decent mouthfeel for carbonation, tho when I pour out of a bottle, I can control that 'agitation' so I get almost no head (I like this fact because I have more control over the head and my beer seem more carbonated)

The question, would this adding a foot or two of line to slow the beer to cause less agitation or could it just be the picnic tap? I like control over my head... I personally would rather have a pour with less head and more effervescence if I had a choice, both preferably

Thank you..

G

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Do you chill your glass? My guess would be that the co2 coming out of solution upon hitting the glass is caused by a rapid rise in temperature of the very first bit of beer hitting warm glass.

 

[aryoung1980]

I changed my beverage line from 3/16" to 1/4"I.D. and it greatly reduced the amount of foam on my pours.

To address your actual question, I believe that adding a foot of line would also work.


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[JuanMoore]

Your flow rate is slow enough now that longer lines aren't likely to change things much. It's likely the faucet, shank, and/or line leading up to the faucet being warmer than the beer in the keg. An easy way to test if this is the case is to pour two beers consecutively. If the second one has much less foam, that's likely the cause. Where/how are your shanks mounted? In a tower, through a door/collar, in an irish coffin, etc?

I changed my beverage line from 3/16" to 1/4"I.D. and it greatly reduced the amount of foam on my pours.

You sure you don't have those backwards? Typically moving to a larger diameter line increases the foam.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Pic-a-nic tap there, Juan Moore.

 

[aryoung1980]

Your flow rate is slow enough now that longer lines aren't likely to change things much. It's likely the faucet, shank, and/or line leading up to the faucet being warmer than the beer in the keg. An easy way to test if this is the case is to pour two beers consecutively. If the second one has much less foam, that's likely the cause. Where/how are your shanks mounted? In a tower, through a door/collar, in an irish coffin, etc?



You sure you don't have those backwards? Typically moving to a larger diameter line increases the foam.

My 1/4" pours less foam. I bought the tubing on accident but liked the results so much I'm switching all of my 3/16 to 1/4.

To the OP: a difference in temperature will add foam like he said. If your second beer pours better than the first, get a small fan to circulate the cold air.


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[aryoung1980]

Pic-a-nic tap there, Juan Moore.

Even a picnic tap could have a temperature swing. If the bottom of the keg is colder than the top, air circulation will help combat the foam.


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[NotSoNew2Brew]

I don't chill my glasses and that could be a factor... thing is that I like people to try my brew so I have moved to using the plastic transparent 6oz glasses., they are disposable... I am going to invest in some snifters but haven't found some 6-8oz ones for tasting..

I'll have to try the two pours test also. I don't have shanks mounted, I pop open the the chest, pour, and I am off. I have often wondered if I need to dis the picnic tap altogether and add a tower on to my chest.

I'm chillin some glasses at home... lets see how this goes

 

[JuanMoore]

Pic-a-nic tap there, Juan Moore.

Ah, I seem to have poor reading comprehension today.

OP, are you opening the faucet all the way immediately? Have you checked to see if there's any rough plastic edges inside the faucet from the molding process?

 

[NotSoNew2Brew]

I've learned from all my years of pouring beer at beer gardens (and drinking way too many of them) to open that faucet all the way immediately. I'll pop off the faucet tonight n check for rough edges, and try the other one I have too, but am considering a tower w faucet. Enough of this baby picnic stuff....