Kegging Carbonation

[Skipp107]

Im sure this is the most basic question of the day, but here it goes. I have had my brown ale on co2 (14psi @ 46F) for about a week. Now that I'm ready to serve it, do I reduce the psi to something to just push the beer out (2-4psi) or just leave it at the 14psi?

 

[day_trippr]

Ideally, dispensing pressure is the same as carbonation pressure, set to achieve and maintain the desired volumes of CO2 carbonation level. If you decrease pressure to dispense, the carbonation level of the remaining beer will slowly decline...

Cheers!

 

[Skipp107]

Thank you for the quick response. So I will just leave it alone.

 

[BigFloyd]

Thank you for the quick response. So I will just leave it alone.

Would that it could be so simple. What length/size are your lines? If you plan to push at that pressure and temp, shorter lines (like 5-7 ft) will likely give you quite a bit of foam.

For example, I have mine set at 12psi and 38*F. I get a nice pour with 12ft 3/16" lines to the taps. It was much more prone to some, although not severe, foaming issues and inconsistent pours when I had the original 5ft lines on it running @ 10psi. They were simply too short.

 

[JuanMoore]

Yep, that's pretty warm, and will likely foam like crazy unless you do something to slow the flow way down.

 

[Skipp107]

Would that it could be so simple. What length/size are your lines? If you plan to push at that pressure and temp, shorter lines (like 5-7 ft) will likely give you quite a bit of foam.

5.5 ft tube is what I'm at.

 

[Yooper]

5.5 ft tube is what I'm at.

With a (relatively) warm temperature of 45, it will probably foam like heck when your pour with lines that short, unfortunately.

Try it, and if it does, you'll have to purge and dial down the pressure to pour, and then turn it back up to maintain c02 levels.

 

[BigFloyd]

And buy longer lines. You'll be so much happier. At your temp, start at 14ft. You can always trim in down from there if you want.