Bubbles In Beer Line

[The Rebel]

Hi all
I have just setup a kegging system (Yahooo) and have gassed my first keg,I think I may have overgased it I am getting my beer line full of gas bubbles and in turn all head in my glass any ideas how I can fix this ?
Beer still tastes bloody good though

 

[Doc]

Disconnect the gas and release any pressure using the pressure release valve.
Then shake the keg and slowly release the pressure again.
Do this a three or four times then let the keg sit for a few hours.
This should get rid of the excess carbonation and see you right.

Beers,
Doc

 

[GMK]

Listen Doc...

This will work.

Also, make sure that the pouring pressure is not too high.

 

[Nearly]

Hello Rebel,

There is a good infomation about foaming (and lots of other stuff) on MoreBeer.com.

It explains a system that the Americans use for kegging that doesnt seem popular here in Australia and yet I believe it should be.

If you balance the kegging pressures as suggested you only need one pressure from your bottle. You carbonate and pour at the same pressure with consistant results every time. No shaking etc. You can have one keg carbonating (takes up to a week) while the other is dispensing.

It is a lot simpler than it looks at first read. It is a shame that the Australian retailers dont quote pressure drop for their beer lines but if I ever find that kind of info out I will post it here. My target at the moment is about 12.5 PSI for carbonating/dispensing. I will need smaller beer line or longer to achieve this however.

Hope this helps.

 

[Randy]

How cold is the fridge.

I have air bubbles in the beer line from the keg to my magic box.

This is because the beer going into the magic boy is warm and does not hold carbonation. I had to up the pressure to keep it carbonated.

Upping the pressure was not a problemb for as nearly says the longer hose produces restriction and a pressure drop when flowing. Also this is better for giving a quick spirt to achieve better head. for when sitting still the line is at full pressure.

 

[The Rebel]

Many thanks for your replies I gave the keg a good shake and all is well now (finished the keg over the weekend HIC!) I am trying the 100kpa and a 5 meter 5mm beer line and it is working very well great pour and good creamy head .My wife can't understand why I am in the garage so much ( telling her I am fixing my motor bike) :chug:

 

[Randy]

Don't worry man all motors need lubrication.

 

[Nearly]

Rebel, 5 metres of 5mm!! Rats! I just put 4 metres on and found it wasnt enough.... and even then I thought I was going overboard. My new plan is to try the smaller line (is it 3mm??).

In the light of what you are saying though I can take heart that at least I could revert to 5mtrs of 5mm if I have trouble with the 3mm.

What I am tring to achieve is to take the pouring pressure of the system (initially it was 55-60kpa) up to the carbonating pressure of 85kpa so that I can have one pressure that both carbonates and pours the beer. No more fiddling with pressures and releasing gas when you want to drop from carbonating pressure to pouring pressure.

Rebel, from what you are saying it appears to me that you have achieved that. If you leave a newly filled keg at the pouring pressure for 5days to a week it will be perfectly carbonated. This is not all that practicle if you only have one keg but with 2 kegs and a T piece in your gas line it means that your second keg will be perfectly carbonated when you need it. Without the T piece you can achieve the same thing by the occasional momentary swap of the gas line from pouring keg to spare keg.

I would have thought however that 100kpa will eventually overcarbonate the beer. I will look out for any future posts from you to see what happens. Enjoy the kegging.... its great isnt it!

 

[JWB]

B) Always a great arguement about pouring beer from kegs.
I remember going to parties and there would be up to 10 experts playing around with the gas on comercial beer kegs to get a good pour...In the end most of the beer was poured into jugs and left to settle resulting in flat warm beer and plenty of wased foam running in rivers into drip trays or onto the floor...

After experiencing the same results with my keg set up a few years ago my method is now !!!!
Fill keg and seal..hook up to gas and burp the keg a few times to get any air out....put keg into fridge and turn pressure up to 200kpa...leave for 48 hours and take keg out of fridge and leave on the floor in a cool place until needed.
When needed it goes back into fridge to cool down and gas is hooked up and pressure is set at 30kpa and left alone...
I find the the beer is perfectly carbonated and pours like a pub beer.All I do at the end of a session is take the pluto gun off and wash the line out and curl it up and put back in fridge to keep cold..I never turn the gas off at the bottle and never have to release pressure or adjust it...

I agree that beer does age a little when left in the keg for a few weeks and I guess if you only have one keg its a bit harder to age your beer....Its extra expense I know but another 2 kegs solve many problems..


My method and im happy with it


Cheers

JWB :chug:

 

[Nearly]

I agree JWB... lots of potential troubles and lots of experts. But when you get something that works for you its really the best way to drink beer.

Just so I understand... when you put the keg back in fridge it is at 200kpa.. do you burp it down to the 30kpa? If so, before or after it has cooled? Also, how long is your beer line and what size is it?

Thanks for sharing your method... this sharing of knowledge is a big help to those of us just starting.

 

[The Rebel]

Nearly
I have 2 kegs sat in the fridge (well 1 at the moment cos I drank the other) the one I am drinking now has been in the fridge for 14 days at 100 kpa and is pouring fantastic and a perfect head .I have a tee piece and two gas connectors so when 1 is gassing the other is being drunk I will try to get some pics soon but must go back to garage (bloody bike always needs fixing LOL) :lol:

 

[Nearly]

Yep bike fixing takes a lot of time but someones gotta do it!

Rebel, so you have prooved that 100kpa is not too high. Your setup sounds perfect. This is interesting and helpful, thanks. Its all good info... I think I will be doing something very similar to you but with a shorter distance of the smaller line. (I understand its a fair bugger to get on to the fittings though... )

 

[GMK]

Nearly,

You can buy splicers/converters that go from 4mm to 6mm
I use/sell them in my kegging setup.
You use a small piece of 6mm line to go from the converter to th e disconect barb.

I usually sell them for 5.00 including clamps.

Hope this helps....

 

[JWB]

<_<G "day Nearly.

I use 3 mtrs of 4mm inside diameter line .
The excess line is usually wound around in a coil and sits neatly on the top shelf of the fridge with the pluto gun in its own little homemade holster...(made after inbibing in a few cold ones on a rainy day)


I put the new keg into the fridge and burp all pressure out of it ...then raise pressure to 30 kpa while airvent is open.Once it settles at 30kpa I shut airvent and am confidient that things will settle at 30kpa.

There are lots of ways to do it....mine is works for me

Cheers

JWB

 

[Nearly]

Ken,

If you and I lived in the same town I would be round your place like a shot picking your brains and getting all the gear through you. What you have on offer is good stuff at beaut prices, but in my case I prefer to be on the spot for getting gear. This is no reflection on your stuff as I know that heaps of folk here have had the pleasure of buying good gear cheap through you with excellent results.

You have done me a service a few times though, simply by showing what the lowest price on a bit of gear is. Then if I know what ballpark a retailer should be selling in, I dont waste money on someone who has gone too far from reasonable. Thanks for your assistance and advice. Sorry for rambling on... cheers!

 

[Nearly]

JWB,

Thanks for that info... I am sure that I am not the only one benefiting from yours and others experience that you guys have been kind enough to share here. Thanks again.

 

[GMK]

Hi Nearly,

thanks for the feed back....

I appreciate your comments.

As you said...it provides you with a bench mark for pricing...

Might see you over Adelaide one day...

Ken...