Beer Out Post Problem

[Aus_Rider_22]

Hi guys.

Hooked up 2 new brews up to the gas and tap today. Mainly just a taste test so I just used 1 line between the beer out post and tap shank. This helped me realise there was a problem with a keg and not the split lines or taps. What has been happening is that one keg pours fine and the other blows out a lot of froth before clear beer. Both kegs were chilled together and gassed up and served at same pressure. I thought this might be an anomaly between the co2 split and the taps but I believe I have found the answer. The first keg poured nice with a long lasting head and no crazy froth. When I changed over to the second keg the troubles started again. The tap would spit froth and bubbles for a second then onto clear beer which produced an ice-cream. It wasnt until I opened the fridge and had look at the line that I noticed something. Once connected to the beer out post bubbles start coming up the line from the post. This keg always had been a barstard to put the beer disconnect on but I didn't think much of it.

Anyway it makes sense. The beer out post isn't right. It's leaking co2 into the line somehow. My question it would be as simple a new rubber on the post or go out and get a new post?

Cheers!

 

[cdbrown]

Might be the diptube that has a small hole in it. Once the foam pours through is the beer pouring at the same speed as the good keg?

 

[Ian Gommers]

Hey dude, try a new seal on the dip tube, I had the same issue with a keg. Have a Schweppes keg that gives me trouble all the time. No problem with my Corny's though, better diip tube design.

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

Glad I started this thread as both are doing it now! Is there supposed to be bubbles forming in the line at all?

 

[DUANNE]

if there is bubbles in the line that is usually a sign the beer is overcarbed. one keg may have just carbed up a bit quicker than the other. have you changed the gas pressure from what you would normally use?

 

[Ian Gommers]

Read his post again, 2 kegs, splitter, same pressure, 1 keg fine, 1 keg foamsville. Overcarbed, dont think so.

if there is bubbles in the line that is usually a sign the beer is overcarbed. one keg may have just carbed up a bit quicker than the other. have you changed the gas pressure from what you would normally use?

Oops, missed the second post, both kegs now foamsville, hmmmmm.................................Overcarbed maybe?

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

To be honest I had thought of that but didn't really consider as it didn't taste overly carbonated. It definetly is as the bubbles rising from the bottom of the glasses are rapid and continuous.

Does anyone ever notice the bubbles flowing up the line from the beer post? If so have they found it's overcarbed or any other similar problems.

 

[MHB]

The answer to 90% of all keging problems "The Beer Is Over Carbonated"
As mentioned above you can sometimes get a pin hole in the dip tube (rare) more often you need to have a look at the O-Ring under the post, that's the one around the pipe in the picture. It is possible for CO² to leak around/through that O-Ring and mix with the beer, causing exactly the symptoms described. It can be replaced or at a pinch a couple of turns of plumbers tape over it to pad it out a bit can get you out of trouble.



To the second part of the question Yes bubbles often form in lines, the dissolved CO₂ in the beer is at equilibrium for the temperature, if the temperature in the line is higher than that of the keg, gas will start to come out of solution.
Things like whacking great heat sinks sticking out of the fridge (Tap) or the fact that the top of a fridge is often up to 5^oC warmer than the bottom will do it every time.

MHB