Kegging question?

[michaelm78]

Sorry to ask a question that I'm sure has been answered before, just so many post to dig through to match what I have specifically. So, I recently got a 3 tap keezer at a good price so now I want to get into kegging. I have 3 beers: Black IPA, Cream Ale, and Aussie Light. All were put into clean and sanitized ball lock kegs, purged, and have no leaks. All were set to 12 psi and have been sitting @ 38 degrees F for 3 weeks. I tried each today: Aussie light was a little foamy with some carbonation, Cream Ale alittle more foamy and little carbonation, and the Black IPA was foamy with almost no carbonation. Can anyone help with this?
I've only been brewing for about 6 months. Each was an extract kit, and the beer lines are 6 feet long. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks and again sorry for a repeat question.

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[G-Hog]

First thing I see is your beer lines are too short. They should be 10' each.


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[Decoy]

I push at about 6-8lbs, 3/16 ID lines, about 6 feet long (if memory serves). Yeah, I understand there's a balance to strike between your push pressure, line length and line inside diameter.

 

[hunter_le five]

+1 on the longer beer lines. Mine are 12' and I never have foaming issues.

I would go out and buy 14' lines and trim them back until you have the flow you want.

 

[Rockn_M]

Sounds like all your carbonation is escaping when you pour your pints. If you were to pour 2-3 pints from the same tap one right after the other does the foaming subside? If so, this is due to the shanks being warmer and the co2 coming out of the solution in the warmer shanks, but once cold beer flows through it cools everything down.

 

[tmendick]

Sounds like all your carbonation is escaping when you pour your pints. If you were to pour 2-3 pints from the same tap one right after the other does the foaming subside? If so, this is due to the shanks being warmer and the co2 coming out of the solution in the warmer shanks, but once cold beer flows through it cools everything down.

This is usually the issue.

 

[michaelm78]

Thanks, I'll try the longer lines and maybe some kind of circulation fan aimed at the shanks

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[day_trippr]

I tried each today: Aussie light was a little foamy with some carbonation, Cream Ale alittle more foamy and little carbonation, and the Black IPA was foamy with almost no carbonation.

After three weeks at 38°F and 12 psi you should be seeing either plenty of carbonation or A LOT of foam, or something in between. While six foot beer lines are unlikely to provide a good pour at 12 psi, at least two of the beers above sound under-carbed as described...

Cheers!

 

[GenIke]

My pours improved greatly after I stuck a computer fan on a piece of PVC to force cold air from the bottom of the keezer on the the shanks.

 

[Decoy]

Yes, and the tower cooler fan inside the keezer body does double duty to circulate air in the keezer, which helps prevent temperature stratification.


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[GenIke]

Yes, and the tower cooler fan inside the keezer body does double duty to circulate air in the keezer, which helps prevent temperature stratification.


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Right. Prior to using the PVC I just had the fan in there and it moved the air fine, but aiming cool air from the floor directly at the shanks made a noticeable difference.

I'm sure the faucets hanging out in room temps were acting as a heat sink (cold sink?) to keep the shank area warmer than I wanted.

 

[michaelm78]

Thanks a lot everybody, circulating the cold air to the sharks really helped a bunch. No more foam and carbonation got better too.

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