Fast Pour

[Pete2501]

Afternoon fellow Publicans,

I'm reluctant to post questions because there's a heap of info on the forums but feel like doing so anyway. I love my beer and would like to get a perfect pour using my Picnic Faucet. A fast pour is causing massive nucleation resulting in a large head.

After reading Balancing A Draught System (thank you) I've replaced my beer line with 4m of 5mm x 8mm Flexmaster Beverage Tubing. Also used reckoner.pdf, 48kb to provide an accurate KPA. 4m of line @ 7C and 110KPA should theoreticaly give 2.6 volumes of gas and a nice pour.

I don't want to waffle on so here's some bullet points.

• Room temperature glasses used
• glasses rinsed with cold tap water
• minimal water left in glass
• KPA 110
• fridge temp 7 degrees
• Desired carb 2.6 volumes
• 4m of 5mm beer line
• Picnic faucet dispenser

I used a thermometer to measure the beer temp once I poured it.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post,

 

[Adamt]

Is your picnic faucet and line stored in the fridge also? Does the foaming continue after you pour the first glass or two?

Also try dropping your serving pressure down to 90-100kPa.

 

[clean brewer]

You also dont need to have your gas on all the time to pour the beer, there is enough pressure in there to pour anyhow, just turn the gas on when the pour slows too much or not at all to fill the headspace again.... I also have mine set to 70-80kpa.... :icon_cheers:

CB

 

[raven19]

I would decrease the pouring pressure back to 50 - 70 kPa and maybe try an even longer length of beer line just to see the differences.

2c only.

 

[Pete2501]

Is your picnic faucet and line stored in the fridge also? Does the foaming continue after you pour the first glass or two?

Also try dropping your serving pressure down to 90-100kPa.

It sure is. It doesn't stop after the first or second so I didn't suspect a temperature difference to be the cause.

Would dropping the serving pressure cause me to lose the desired CO2 levels?

You also dont need to have your gas on all the time to pour the beer, there is enough pressure in there to pour anyhow, just turn the gas on when the pour slows too much or not at all to fill the headspace again.... I also have mine set to 70-80kpa.... :icon_cheers:

CB

So far dropping the pressure for serving seems to be the consensus. I'll assume I need to change it back when it's resting so i don't lose CO2 levels.

I would decrease the pouring pressure back to 50 - 70 kPa and maybe try an even longer length of beer line just to see the differences.

2c only.

The easiest thing for me at the moment is decrease the pressure while drinking/server. I'll try a much longer line during my fortnightly trip to the LHBS.

Thanks for your time and speedy replies. :icon_cheers:

 

[Adamt]

Also, ensure you open the tap the whole way, and do it quickly.

 

[Pete2501]

Also, ensure you open the tap the whole way, and do it quickly.

This is something I didn't clue onto at first until reading the balancing article and it makes a massive difference.

I have a highly trained itchy beer dispensing trigger thumb now. ^_^

 

[Fourstar]

I have a highly trained itchy beer dispensing trigger thumb now. ^_^

Just make sure your thumb doesn't slip... ive smahed two glasses with the tap handle flying back doing this! h34r:

First time i did it...

 

[troopa]

Are you force carbing ?
I agree that the pressure is too high.. for me(mines set at 98-100). But you may like your beers highly carbed so i cant comment on that

Have you got access to another picnic tap or any other tap?

Tom

 

[Pete2501]

@Fourstar Haha dude that's harsh. Even with a plastic faucet? You must work out at a beer gym or something.

@Troopa Nope, no force kegging I've had it sitting at 110 for over a week now. Too high for serving or too high in general? Yeah I've been using the reckoner.pdf to aim at 2.6 volumes because i want that higher carbonation to match the big pale ale flavour. And no access to another tap or such until fortnightly LHBS run.

I didn't try dropping the pressure just yey because I'd drink the beer. I'll check this out on Saturday when I meet up with some other sandgropers.

 

[Fourstar]

@Fourstar Haha dude that's harsh. Even with a plastic faucet? You must work out at a beer gym or something.

Yep, standard cobra tap. All it took was a well timed accidental flick and BAMM, glass all over the place! <_<

 

[brendo]

@Fourstar Haha dude that's harsh. Even with a plastic faucet? You must work out at a beer gym or something.

Fourstar is an impressive beast of a man... and you wouldn't believe the size of his thumb... h34r:

 

[Maple]

Fourstar is an impressive beast of a man... and you wouldn't believe the size of his thumb... h34r:

This is going back to CM2's rule of thumb again isn't it....

 

[brendo]

This is going back to CM2's rule of thumb again isn't it....

sure is Dave... sure is...

 

[Fourstar]

This is going back to CM2's rule of thumb again isn't it....

Chipolata fingers anyone? I'll strike you down with my bratwurst thumbs!

Hey Kleiny! Make sure they don't make their way into your cereal bowl mate. Thats what the Cheerios are for! :lol:

 

[usastman]

I had issues with my keg setup with foaming. I have resolved the issues but when I was tring first - I had chilled and carbed my keg - My first time pouring I had just installed my tap and lines - got heaps of foaming.

Seems to been resolved - and I think the difference was that my lines to my taps had been chilled. Maybe somehow cool down you lines going to your tap. This may stop beer hitting warm lines - maybe causing additional foaming?

 

[Pete2501]

@usastman I've got my 4m line and cobra/picnic tap inside the fridge with the keg so unless it's too cold then I doubt it's that.

I'll post back on Saturday after the tasting to see if dropping the pressure around or below 100KPA does the trick. If not I'll either get a flow restricted or a longer length of line. I'd prefer not to change my keg pressure just for serving.

 

[brettprevans]

completely OT. so sorry Pete

This is going back to CM2's rule of thumb again isn't it....

all right you smart arses. link\

edit
ok something on topic to contribute. ive found that anything over about 100kpa i get too much head. i like about 80kpa.

 

[Pete2501]

@CM2 All good :icon_cheers: Another thing I could try is dropping the fridge temp so the KPA doesn't need to be so high. l

 

[brettprevans]

nah 7C is good. you dont want your beers too cold or too warm,