Severe foaming issue. Need ideas!

[carb1de]

I do home brew but recently I've been buying commercial kegs, I have 10ft 3/8OD 1/4ID vinyl tubing, reg set to 14psi, older perlick sanke coupler with ball lock adapters, into a intertap flow control....since doing commercial i get full glasses of dense Foam, microbubbles in the line and then it turns to foam at the tap, I've cleaned and sanitized, take things apart to check for kinks and such. The only thing I don't have yet is a tower cooler but I'm in the process of building one so, I'm at a loss of words and ideas on how to fix the problem. When pouring and restricting the flow it's like hissing or (turblating). It's a brand new g2 fc

 

[day_trippr]

If those tubing dimensions are accurate, they could explain the issue: you want to use 3/16" ID tubing, not 1/4", for such a short run (basically anything under like 50 feet).
Try 11-12 feet of 3/16" ID - 7/16" OD (ie: real beer line, not whatever it is you're using) and see what happens...

Cheers!

 

[carb1de]

If those tubing dimensions are accurate, they could explain the issue: you want to use 3/16" ID tubing, not 1/4", for such a short run (basically anything under like 50 feet).
Try 11-12 feet of 3/16" ID - 7/16" OD (ie: real beer line, not whatever it is you're using) and see what happens...

Cheers!

The shanks I have are 3/16OD and a 3/8OD. That's why I'm using 3/8 tubing. Quick disconnect style

 

[BobBailey]

If you're stuck with what you are using, turn down the serving pressure to 6 or 8 psi. You'll need to bleed off the excessive pressure several times initially, but the foam will gradually subside as you do.

Another thing to try is pouring the first 2 or 3 ounces into a small glass before filling the one you're serving in. This will get the warmer beer that's in the lines out of the way and help with a decent pour. Once the small glass has settled just add it to your glass.

If you're not opposed to spending a few bucks, change out the shank if you need to and go with 10 feet or more 3/16" ID lines. I run 10 feet of 3/16" ID and 12psi and get a good pour. During the summer I use the foam glass trick and it works great. The lines in the tower get to room temperature pretty quickly which leads to pours that start off foamy..

 

[doug293cz]

If you're stuck with what you are using, turn down the serving pressure to 6 or 8 psi. You'll need to bleed off the excessive pressure several times initially, but the foam will gradually subside as you do.

...

If you go this route, be sure to turn the pressure back up when your drinking session ends, or your beer will go flat.

You would be much better off spending a couple bucks to get shanks that will work with 3/16" ID beer line, and using ~10 ft of that line. You will be happier in the long run.

Brew on

 

[EnglishAndy]

If those tubing dimensions are accurate, they could explain the issue: you want to use 3/16" ID tubing, not 1/4", for such a short run (basically anything under like 50 feet).
Try 11-12 feet of 3/16" ID - 7/16" OD (ie: real beer line, not whatever it is you're using) and see what happens...

Whilst you're correct about the tubing being too wide for the distance travelled that doesn't explain the micro-bubbles forming in the line itself. That's a symptom of the beer losing carbonation because it's warming up rapidly in the tube. The only way to fix that is to chill the tubes and tap assembly. It could also be because it's finding nucleation points back down the line, possibly inside the keg disconnect.

 

[BobBailey]

It takes a while for the carbonation level to drop considerably in a cold environment under 6 or 8 psi pressure. If the OP is stuck with what he has it's a work around and can't be expected to produce a perfect pour.
That pressure won't produce flat beer just under carbonated. \

 

[carb1de]

It takes a while for the carbonation level to drop considerably in a cold environment under 6 or 8 psi pressure. If the OP is stuck with what he has it's a work around and can't be expected to produce a perfect pour.
That pressure won't produce flat beer just under carbonated. \

I've had it at 10psi and it foams more excessively in the lines. Not opposed to getting this fixed. But it is a IPA if that matters

And I'm also in the works of making a tower chiller to get the tower to a cooler temp

 

[carb1de]

Just poured and this is what I got but I had to damn near have it trickle out to get it like this. But it was way worse before pour wise and bubbles

 

[BobBailey]

As I and others have said, you need at least 10 feet of 3/16" ID line. Cooling the tower will also help. Hopefully you're opening the faucet all of the way. Slowing the flow by only partially opening it will only add to the problem.

It doesn't really matter what style with the problem you describe.

 

[carb1de]

Ok. I'm outta town for the next week but I'll figure something and let you all know

Thanks!

 

[day_trippr]

The bubbles in the line could be explained by not maintaining the original carbonation level of the beer. If one drops the dispensing pressure CO2 is going to come out of solution to re-equalize at the lower volumes of CO2.

And of course the beer temperature matters - for the same reason. If the beer temperature + CO2 pressure doesn't equate to the original volumes of CO2, breakout will happen, guaranteed by physics. That counts all the way from the bottom of the keg (where the dip tube draws) to the glass...

Cheers!

 

[shetc]

From last month's BYO:

https://byo.com/article/balancing-draft-system/