Bottom Up Pouring? Anyone tried this?

[kneelb4zod]

I have a 2-tap homemade beer fridge and I have a Dead Guy Ale clone that's kegged. I can't seem to get the PSI right so it's not over carbonated. I have it at 5-6 PSI and it's still dispensing an all-to-foamy head no matter what I do. A friend of mine suggested connecting a 6-8" or so plastic hose to the tap so I fill the glass from the bottom up. Has anyone tried this? I have my doubts. I saw the video of the dude who invented the "bottom-up" beer tap system, but I'm not sure if filling from the bottom up would make a difference in how the beer taps (flavor, head retention, etc.) I like my beer well carbonated but I have to drop to like 5-6 psi to get this beer to tap right without overflowing.

I'm curious since I've never seen this in any tap system in a bar. I have to wonder what the inventor of the beer tap system would think of this method. Surely Thomas Jefferson would have pondered this at some point...had he had a CO2 tank and a setup like mine at Monticello. I've always read that aerateing the beer when pouring is the way to go, but not sure how filling from the bottom up would affect the presentation and taste.

 

[SwampassJ]

Have you tried a longer dispensing line?

 

[kneelb4zod]

I haven't tried this, but I might this weekend. Just wondering if anyone had any positive results? I can definitely hook up a tube to my tap to see if this works.

 

[VegasBrew]

I remember a few years ago I saw an attachment that went on a commercial bar tap to dispense beer from the bottom, looked like it worked but it never caught on. It was basiclly a tube that stick down to the bottom of the glass.

VB

 

[ultravista]

kneelb4zod - please post your Dead Guy clone recipe.

 

[ChandlerBang]

How long is your beer line (from the keg to the tap) and what temp is the keggerator?

 

[devilishprune]

I'm sure that the problem is a short beer line. This would solve your problems more than treating the symptoms. If you try to fix it by pouring from a longer tube, you might just end up with foamy beer filled from the bottom up. If your lines are long enough then you can also dispense at the same pressure that you serve and save yourself loads of hassle.

 

[jonwolgamuth]

Is there a way to fill a glass from the top down?

 

[DemonIAm]

I remember a few years ago I saw an attachment that went on a commercial bar tap to dispense beer from the bottom, looked like it worked but it never caught on. It was basiclly a tube that stick down to the bottom of the glass.

VB

Similar to a growler filler?

 

[TacoBrew]

This is the BottomsUP dispenser I remember.



It was designed for venues where efficiency is critical. Also, it requires special glasses. Neat to watch at least.

 

[Inodoro_Pereyra]

Is there a way to fill a glass from the top down?

Damn, that was hilarious...!

 

[jonwolgamuth]

Damn, that was hilarious...!

;-). Okay, maybe I was being a little coy. I will need to do a little research though to understand the "bottom up" concept.

 

[Conan]

Can't help with your problem, but that video is super cool! Kyle

 

[kneelb4zod]

Ok ultravista asked for my Dead Guy clone recipe, so here it is. I bought this from Austin Homebrew, which is getting a LOT of my cash lately. I've made about a dozen of their clones with great success. They are not spot-on, but good beers nonetheless.

Rogue Dead Guy Ale clone:

Grains:
3/4 lb. Munich malt
3/4 lb. Cara Munich Malt
1/2 lb. 40L Crystal

9 lb. Extra Pale liquid extract

1 1/2 oz. Perle hops @ 60 mins
1/2 oz. Saaz @ 15 miins
1/4 oz. Perle @ 15 mins

I bought this yeast with the kit, which was recommended:
Wyeast Rogue Pacman Ale 1764

Turned out really good - I have to compare it to the original this week, but it's great beer.

 

[kneelb4zod]

A short beer line could definitely be the problem. I only have what came with the kit when I bought the keg system, which I think is 3 feet. I keep my fridge at around 36 degrees or so because I like my beer really cold.

 

[edecambra]

Yeah beer line length is key.

Also, I know Cigar City brewing in Tampa does their growler fills the way you are suggesting, they have a length of silicone tubing they attach to the end of their taps for growler fills, I think it is just to minimize oxygen not prevent foaming though. I would guess if your taps foam, attaching a extra eight inches would do little to change this.

 

[pernox]

A short beer line could definitely be the problem. I only have what came with the kit when I bought the keg system, which I think is 3 feet. I keep my fridge at around 36 degrees or so because I like my beer really cold.

Three feet, imo, is way short. I started with five, and moved up to ten after a couple days of foamy beer. Ten feet seems to work well for me - I keep the kegerator at 38*F and most beers are carb'd and dispensed at 10-12psi. Just throw a zip tie or two on them to keep everything coiled up and neat, and you'll be in business.

 

[Ravio11i]

That's how i fill both growlers and bottles from my tap. I have a piece of vinyl tube from home depot or lowes that i just stick on the end of my tap. The trick is to fill in one go for me. If i fill, pull the tube out so it get's air in it then realize the bottle isn't as full as i want it to be, put the tube, now containing air, into the bottle and finish filling it then it pushes the air through, the beer foams and it makes a mess. if i keep beer in the extension then It seems to fill great once the beer in the bottle is over the end of the hose...
Might help your situation, might not, it does sound like you need a longer beer hose too though...
Rav

 

[Jewrican]

its the hose. 10' for each tap and you are done

 

[kneelb4zod]

Awesome - thanks guys. I will definitely put new 10' hoses on my "out" lines. I would have never thought that was the issue, but now that I think about it it makes sense. I guess the regulator kits come with shorter hoses to save cash, also they had those cheap plastic picnic taps on there before I installed taps through my fridge, so I just used the same lines not thinking it would be an issue.

BTW - what do you guys use to clean your lines? I've been running Oxy Clean through from the keg, then hot water, then sanitizer and it seems fine, but I'm not sure if I should be using something else to keep the hoses clear and clean. I can't have dirty lines messing up my precious homebrew. I just can't have it.

 

[jwatkins56550]

I think you'll find that longer lines solves your problem. Also, the brewing network did a show cloning rogue deadguy and interviewed John about the beer. Good show.

 

[bufitfn]

I'm sure that the problem is a short beer line. This would solve your problems more than treating the symptoms. If you try to fix it by pouring from a longer tube, you might just end up with foamy beer filled from the bottom up. If your lines are long enough then you can also dispense at the same pressure that you serve and save yourself loads of hassle.

I'm not so sure, I had this problem and the problem was the liquid connect was drawing air at the keg.
Check your connection or your o rings on the keg. if air enters the line where it exits the keg you'll get all foam.
Let me know.

 

[VegasBrew]

Similar to a growler filler?

http://turbotap.com/


took some looking but i found it, same as adding a tube to your tap

VB