Keg foaming

[xlev]

Hi

First time kegging here and have a question.I am force carbonating my beer at the moment which is sitting on the balcony (outside temp between 4 and 8C at the moment or 42F).I got the pressure set at 14 psi.It only been 3 days and I poured a sample.There was lots of foam that came out.I need to be serving the beer in 5 days time and hoping that the foaming will stop as the beer absorbs the CO2.Anyone has any experience with that?Is it quite normal that it foams at this stage?

Cheers

 

[Bobbybob]

How long is your tap line, what size internal diameter?

 

[xlev]

3/16'' in diameter and 1.5m (5ft) long

 

[doug293cz]

3/16'' in diameter and 1.5m (5ft) long

Foaming is most often due to too much pressure at the tap, causing beer to dispense too fast. You need more flow resistance in the beer line, to drop the pressure at the tap and reduce the flow rate. It usually takes about 1 foot of 3/16" ID beer line for each 1 psi of serving pressure. So, for 14 psi, you'd be around 3.5 - 4m. The best on-line calculator for beer serving lines is this one: http://www.mikesoltys.com/2012/09/17/determining-proper-hose-length-for-your-kegerator/. All the other on-line calculators produce line lengths that are too short, because they assume too much flow resistance per foot. Don't use the other calculators.

Brew on

 

[xlev]

Thank you for your reply. It sounds like a very long line. Are others using similar lenghts for dispensing?

 

[bigdaddybrew]

I am using this same calculation. (1 foot per 1 psi for 3/16 i.d. tubing) however you can gently vent the keg and dispense at 4-5 psi for your current tubing length but you'll have to increase it back to carbonation pressure (14 psi) when you are done serving or it will lose carbonation. Also make sure the dispensing tubing is the same temp. as the beer.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Three days at 14 psi doesn't seem like enough time for foaming issues? Its sitting on a balcony so I would think he's using a picnic tap? Not sure if those are crappy lines but that combined with warmish temp between 40 and 46 Deg could be the issue. I wonder if chilling the keg more would help

 

[Bobbybob]

As an example I have 10' 3/16 lines in my kegerator and I generally serve at 12 to 14 psi. I have flow control taps to knock off a little bit of extra. But if I was to serve at 10psi I would only get a trickle. You just need longer hoses or smaller if hoses.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

As an example I have 10' 3/16 lines in my kegerator and I generally serve at 12 to 14 psi. I have flow control taps to knock off a little bit of extra. But if I was to serve at 10psi I would only get a trickle. You just need longer hoses or smaller if hoses.

Whats the reason for 10 ft lines with flow control? I have 4 ft lines with FC that work great. Just curious

 

[xlev]

Hey guys.I got longer lines yesterday and the foaming is gone.Thanks for the help!

 

[doug293cz]

Hey guys.I got longer lines yesterday and the foaming is gone.Thanks for the help!

Glad things are working better for you.

Brew on

 

[Bobbybob]

Whats the reason for 10 ft lines with flow control? I have 4 ft lines with FC that work great. Just curious

I have flow control now but I didn't start that way. It sometimes seems like this hobby is more about spending money than brewing.

 

[Bobbybob]

Whats the reason for 10 ft lines with flow control? I have 4 ft lines with FC that work great. Just curious

I have flow control now but I didn't start that way. It sometimes seems like this hobby is more about spending money than brewing.