MotherF'ing foam!!!?

[SanPancho]

As I have no desire to bottle beers, I got some 3gal cornys to use for draft. (I brew 2.5 gal batches to increase variety) Normal brew day, step mash, Irish moss, etc. I rack from primary off yeast into secondary, then use biofine clear at cold crash for fining, 24-36 hours. Then rack again to corny and carb.

I've been doing initial carb at 30psi with few minutes of shaking, then leaving for 24hrs. This is around 30-35F. After 24hours I blow off pressure, then re carb according to carb table, anywhere from 10-15psi. Right now cooler is 35F.

So why all the goddamned foam? Is it the biofine? The corny? Too much psi?

I used a crappy little picnic faucet on like 18" of line, foam. Lowered the pressure, foam. Tried a draft tap directly off the corny, foam. Foamfoamfoamfoam. MotherF'ing foam.

Kinda hard to get a real idea of how my beer came out when I have to drink it flat after foam subsides. I mean, I still drink it, obviously. But it sucks.

Advice?

 

[LLBeanJ]

Could be overcarbed due to the shaking at 30 PSI, but maybe not. Swap out the 18" of beer line with 10' of 3/16" beer line and see if it doesn't improve. I'm sure it will, but if still not to your liking, then try decarbing some.

Edit: Just to clarify... the beer IS overcarbed for serving on your system as it is. You can get it to work with no modifications by decarbing to a lower carb level. The problem with this is that the reduction in carbonation needed to get a decent pour might leave you with nearly flat beer. Increase the line length to allow for more carb and still get a good pour.

 

[Sammy86]

Coming from a novice kegger 35 degrees is cold which makes your absorption of CO2 much faster!

It sounds to me like you need to leave it on gas for a little while longer depressurize, set it to serving psi and go from there.

My question to you is your line really only 18 inches? That could also be a problem because it's too short. Most guys will tell you to get at least 8 ft of line and it usually cures all.

Me personally, I have 5 ft and lower my pressure and the beer has turned out great!

 

[jsprinceiii]

With 3/16" line, I agree with using 5 to 10 feet, however I would net exceed 10 feet.

If you need the 18" try dropping your dispensing psi to around 5#.

(Get the longer line. )

 

[aviator01]

10 ft for all serving lines and you won't have unnecessary foam.

 

[SanPancho]

Ok. 10ft of 3/16 line is on the shopping list for today's brew shop visit. that seems easy enough.

I had an idea last nite as well- What if I just used a carb stone like we do at the brewery? I was thinking I could attach a carb stone to gas post, lay corny on its side with gas post towards floor, then carb with the stone, slowly ramping up to serving psi. I'd think it'd be impossible to overcarb as Id never exceed the serving pressure, and the beer would be ready to drink within a few hours.

If I kept the gas post+stone as short as possible could I leave it inside corny to dispense- as long as it was in headspace and not touching beer? Or better to open corny and remove, then top off pressure?

 

[LLBeanJ]

A carb stone is fine, but not necessary. You can still do a rapid, "shake and pray" carb, but do exactly as you propose concerning pressure, i.e., carb it at serving pressure, and the potential for overcarbing is pretty much nonexistent.

If you do use a carb stone, it can and should be in the beer, at the bottom. No need to pull it out once it's carbed unless you need it for another keg.

 

[Homercidal]

30 PSI shake and let sit for 24 *might* be fine. It's definitely not obviously one way or the other. 18" of line length is WAY too short!

Do a Google search on kegging pressures and lines. There are plenty of them out there that will tell you how much of what diameter you need for the proper pressure and temperature of your beer styles.

But yeah, 10' is about right for most people. If you go too long your beer will just pour a little slower is all.

Also, picnic tap will foam just a bit more than a faucet. Just the design creates more turbulence. Not much of a problem on an otherwise balanced system.

Don't fret. You CAN make it work great and will love it once you get it set up right.

 

[Mirilis]

Ok. 10ft of 3/16 line is on the shopping list for today's brew shop visit. that seems easy enough.

I had an idea last nite as well- What if I just used a carb stone like we do at the brewery? I was thinking I could attach a carb stone to gas post, lay corny on its side with gas post towards floor, then carb with the stone, slowly ramping up to serving psi. I'd think it'd be impossible to overcarb as Id never exceed the serving pressure, and the beer would be ready to drink within a few hours.

If I kept the gas post+stone as short as possible could I leave it inside corny to dispense- as long as it was in headspace and not touching beer? Or better to open corny and remove, then top off pressure?

You probably dont want my opionion but here it is.. .. Be Patient

I carb at 35 degress.. just set the regulator to ~12psi and walk away. I come back 2 weeks later and I have cold conditioned perfectly carbonated non-foamy beer.

I know you must thingk "But 2 weeks is forever!! I want to drink now!".. well if you brew a lot for variety you should be able to drink one of the other beers you have right?

+1 to more serving line.. but to make your 18" work.. just bleed the keg before you hit the picnic tap.. then re-pressurize afterwards (untill you can get longer line)

 

[Codfishhead]

I would do at least 5 mins of rolling back and forth for a 3 gal keg. I do 15 or until no bubblers are heard on 5 gal kegs. Works great.

The gas and beer need to be at the same temp. Cold as you can get it. Let sit for 24 and bleed off the pressure. Then pour with only enough pressure to get the beer out to check carbonation. Should be fine. If you over carb just shake the kegs bleed off the pressure and taste until you achieve proper carbonation.

You lose 2lbs of pressure for each foot to line. I use 6 to 8' and set the gas at 12lbs. As long as EVERYTHING is at the same temp (lines beer gas) you will pour a perfect pint.

I put a little video together on my Facebook page. Check it out.
https://www.facebook.com/Jayshomebrewing