Increasing foam from kegged beer

[Puddlethumper]

I just switched to kegging a few months ago and have noticed a trend that I'm not sure I understand. As I get deeper into the keg I get more foam when I draw a pint. By the time the keg's about ready to kick I may get as much as a half glass of foam.

I'm using picnic taps with 5' lines. (I have a 3 tap tower but haven't had time to set it all up). Running about 12 psi. No force carbonating going on. I'm running 10 psi on one line that is reserved for stouts, etc. but am getting this excessive foaming on that one as well. Keezer set at about 39F.

Are my pressures too high? Lines too short? Any input would be appreciated.

 

[day_trippr]

How are you carbonating these kegs?

Most likely the actual carbonation level of the beer is starting out low and increasing over time with the 39°F/12psi to roughly 2.5 volumes - a fairly typical middle of the road carbonation level. As it reaches that level your beer lines are unable to provide sufficient restriction to keep the dissolved CO2 in solution, so it's breaking out and causing a cascade.

Lengthen your beer lines and this problem will almost certainly be resolved.
With conventional 3/16" ID beer line dispensing at 12 psi I recommend starting out with 12 foot runs...

Cheers!

 

[Puddlethumper]

How are you carbonating these kegs?

Lengthen your beer lines and this problem will almost certainly be resolved.
With conventional 3/16" ID beer line dispensing at 12 psi I recommend starting out with 12 foot runs...

Thanks for the reply. In answer to your question, I just drop the keg into the keezer, put serving pressure on the keg and let it set for a week or so.

I had heard (I think BigFloyd mentioned) that longer lines would improve service from the taps. Didn't quite understand the mechanics of why that would help. Makes more sense now.

Thanks again and Cheers!

 

[nhwrecker]

There's a lot of good websites out there that explain how the length and diameter of the hoses from the keg make a difference, but basically, you need the pressure drop across all of the hardware (hose, tap, shank, etc.) to be just slightly greater than the pressure that the keg is set to. Here's one that explains it in detail, with the necessary equations.

http://beersmith.com/blog/2011/07/14/keg-line-length-balancing-the-science-of-draft-beer/

Good luck

 

[Puddlethumper]

In case anyone is still following this thread, I just upgraded my keezer to regular taps with 12' lines. That worked! The picnic taps tended to leak a little making a mess in the floor of the keezer (not to mention wasting beer). Now everything is sanitary and when I draw a pint I get just exactly the right amount of foam.

Thanks for the input guys!

 

[zachattack]

Thanks for following up. This is such a common problem here and such an easy solution.