Tap Types

[Wabby]

Hi guys,

Newbie here from across the pond.

Have had my kegerator built now for a few months, and happy enough with it.

Brewed and kegged my first bitter the other day and have it on CO2 to 1.7 Volumes CO2. Great.

Poured my first pint last night and NO head. I figured this. So I got a syringe and blew some beer back into it, and low and behold, a lovely head.

Can I get away with using a 'creamer' style faucet for bitters at 6PSI without the need to go for mixed/beer gas at massive PSI?

The type of faucet I am referring to is this type:

 

[Wabby]

Well I've ordered it regardless.

I will update the thread incase its of any use to anybody once its arrived and I have tried.

 

[mongoose33]

I'm just guessing here, but your beer hadn't had time to carb up, so no head. Typically it might take up to 2 weeks for beer, carbed at serving pressure, to fully carbonate. Further, how readily beer absorbs CO2 is related to the temperature of the beer. It'll absorb more at colder temperatures.

You can accelerate that by carbing at high pressure for 24 hours. I don't do the "how many atmospheres" thing, I just carbonate to what I like. For me, if I have my beer at about 32 degrees and I put it on 30 psi for 24 hours, that gets it to where I like it. It's carbed, nice head, and good mouthfeel. I'll disconnect the gas, purge the keg to get the residual 30 psi out of the headspace, and then reconnect at 10 or 12 psi.

Judging by this chart: http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php if you're at 1.7 atmospheres and 6psi, your beer is at....46-47 degrees F, or 7-8 degrees C. Is that correct?

 

[Wabby]

Yes, 6PSI and 7.2degrees C

Tap should be here today/tomorrow so will hook it up and see if it makes a difference

 

[Wabby]

Makes a difference and can push through @ 6PSI.

Not a stout type pour/settle, but a much better head and longer retention so happy regardless.