First Keg - Carbing & Balancing

[tagz]

After reading through the stickies and searching, I've done the following:

- Allowed keg to cool to serving temp
- Set pressure to 30 psi for 24 hours
- Gassed out and reset to 12 psi

My lines are 3/8 and 5 ft. The keg has been on gas for 6 days (including the intial 30). My pours have a lot of foam. The beer is only slightly carbonated. Head falls quickly.

- Is my pressure too high for serving with my lines?
- Is the beer overcarbed?
- Or, do I just need to wait longer?

 

[cincybrewer]

After reading through the stickies and searching, I've done the following:

- Allowed keg to cool to serving temp
- Set pressure to 30 psi for 24 hours
- Gassed out and reset to 12 psi

My lines are 3/8 and 5 ft. The keg has been on gas for 6 days (including the intial 30). My pours have a lot of foam. The beer is only slightly carbonated. Head falls quickly.

- Is my pressure too high for serving with my lines?
- Is the beer overcarbed?
- Or, do I just need to wait longer?

So your PSI is currently at 12? Just want to double check because once you set it to 30 you have to continually purge it to get it down to 12, so even though you reset it to 12 it could creep up on you.

Assuming it is set to 12, 5 ft of 3/8" lines might be too short. If possible, I'd replace them with 10 ft lines and see if that helps. Or if you don't want to go that route, try lowering your psi. Keep in mind though that the beer sitting in the lines might be warmer and that will cause it to foam up a little.

 

[Sacreddog717]

What temp is it at?

 

[Bobby_M]

3/8" ID lines are like a firehose. You need 3/16" ID.

 

[tagz]

oops. i meant 3/16.

I just turned off the gas and released the pressure in the tank. Then I set it to a really low pressure, just enough to get the tap flowing, and it had decent carbonation. Ideas?

 

[Changeduser123]

If you have check valves, the reading of 12 psi might not be the pressure that is actually inside your keg. So you beer MAY be overcabed. As previously said, 10 ft of 3/16 lines would be better. What happens in your case is that you beer is carbonated, but the gas goes out of solution when pouring. This is why you have a lot of foam, and it still taste flat. Getting longer line and making sure to purge so that you keg is really at 12psi should fix this.

 

[Changeduser123]

oops. i meant 3/16.

I just turned off the gas and released the pressure in the tank. Then I set it to a really low pressure, just enough to get the tap flowing, and it had decent carbonation. Ideas?

Then it looks like it is not overcarbed. The problem comes from the line that are too short to compensate the serving pressure. It happened to me too when I got my kegging kit 2 months ago with 5 ft long lines. I changed them 2 weeks ago to have 10ft and now I can keep the pressure at 12psi to pour.

 

[malkore]

Yep, you need more resistance in the lines. Either longer lines, or the thread about 'the cure for your short tap problems' - a $1 epoxy nozzle inserted into the dip tube.

For a 5' tap line you'll want 2 to 3 of these in the dip tube. I run at least 2 in each of my kegs.

 

[tagz]

Thanks for all the help guys. I will be heading out to pick up some longer lines.

Edit: Actually, after reading the mixer nozzle thread, I may go that route. Sounds like a quick and easy fix without filling the fridge with tubing. thanks

 

[tagz]

So I put a few of the mixer nozzles in and was getting a great pour. I haven't pulled a beer in about a week and all of a sudden its all foam with flat beer. Does letting the keg sit for a while cause excess pressure to build up? Will it balance back out after a glass or two of foam? There's not a ton left in the batch and I don't want to waste too much messing with it...