Do bubbles equal carbonation?

[idigg]

I have been kegging for 6 months, and I just noticed when I pull the first pint, it has a lot of "bubbles" and feels really carbonated... The 2nd pint, kind of the same. The 3rd pint has almost 0 bubbles, but plenty of head, I can't tell if its carbonated. I feel like a noob but I feel like when I pull a few pints the rest of the keg isn't carbonated

I checked for leaks with soapy water and nothing is bubbling outside of the keg, I don't get it. Anyone else with the same issue?

12 psi with a 4 way splitter to 4 ball lock cornies.

TIA,
justin

 

[idigg]

I should have mentioned, dispensing from per-lick faucets.

 

[QueenCityALER]

What temp. are you carbonating at, and with what psi., and for how long? Is 12 psi your carbonation psi or for serving? I serve between 9-12psi. Sometimes after I force carbonate a beer it seems a bit foamy. So, since, when I have reached my target psi, I kill the gas to it, and release the pressure from the keg via the pressure relief valve. I let it sit 10 minutes or so and I hit the pressure release valve again. (remember the gas is OFF to the keg) Then I turn the regulator to 9 psi and open the valve to the keg, listen for it to "air" up and take the first 4 ounces and toss it as it is cloudy (or drink it), and fill my pint. This procedure works for my brew house, and alleviates the "hot pour". By which I mean an over foamy blast. The bubbles in your beer are absorbed CO2. Whether it's enough or not is up to you to run through your system, and isolate any problems. Hopefully you'll get what you're looking for. You could try isolating the keg that you are carbonating, by using a 5# tank, regulator, psi guages both for the tank and the output, and let it carbonate that way, separately from the rest of your system. Maybe try 16-18psi at 36degrees F for 3 days. Give it one or two shakes (optional) and follow my system of degassing/pressure change, and see if it helps.