All foam, all day

[katfude]

"Kolsch"

Steep
1.5lbs crystal
.5lbs dextrine

Start of 60 min boil
5lbs dry light extract
.5oz pacific jade

20 min left
.5oz tettnang

10 min left
1 tablet whirlfloc
.5oz tettnang

cooled and pitched a pack of gigayeast Kolsch

fermented 2 weeks in an ale pail (roughly 60 degrees F)
lagered at 40 degrees F for 2 weeks
kegged and force carb (40 degrees F) 30 PSI for 2 days, lowered to 10 for 5, set up 5 psi for serving

First problem: very hazy. Assume I need to start adding gelatin to the kegs if this is a concern. Any other tips? Should I have lagered in a carboy?

Second problem and biggest problem: This is being served at a party tomorrow. I took some test draws and it tastes pretty damn good, but it's coming out of the picnic tap as pure foam. Unfortunately the head retention is way too good, so it takes a long time to die down.

Any tips on getting the foam levels down or am I just going to have to deal with it?

 

[Yooper]

"Kolsch"

Steep
1.5lbs crystal
.5lbs dextrine

Start of 60 min boil
5lbs dry light extract
.5oz pacific jade

20 min left
.5oz tettnang

10 min left
1 tablet whirlfloc
.5oz tettnang

cooled and pitched a pack of gigayeast Kolsch

fermented 2 weeks in an ale pail (roughly 60 degrees F)
lagered at 40 degrees F for 2 weeks
kegged and force carb (40 degrees F) 30 PSI for 2 days, lowered to 10 for 5, set up 5 psi for serving

First problem: very hazy. Assume I need to start adding gelatin to the kegs if this is a concern. Any other tips? Should I have lagered in a carboy?

Second problem and biggest problem: This is being served at a party tomorrow. I took some test draws and it tastes pretty damn good, but it's coming out of the picnic tap as pure foam. Unfortunately the head retention is way too good, so it takes a long time to die down.

Any tips on getting the foam levels down or am I just going to have to deal with it?

The foaming is probably due to very short serving lines. Lengthening the lines is a good quick and easy fix. Go with 12' lines in a typical kegerator.


Lowering the psi to 5 psi for serving only exacerbates the issue as the excess c02 will 'break out' of the beer as foam. Serve at 40 degrees at 12 psi, with 12' lines and you should be all set.

 

[brew_ny]

did you purge the keg when you went from 30 to 10 ?

 

[katfude]

I did purge the keg when i lowered both times.

I will look into snagging up a longer line tomorrow, though this is the first beer that is foaming all to hell (done a hefeweizen and a ESB of of the same keg with the same setup).