Frothing Beer

[craigo]

Ive read the articles on kegging so i bought 5mm line diameter and have it at 3m lenghth and hooked it up but when i pour a beer at 70psi i get a full glasss of froth any suggestions on what im doing wrong would be appreciated. i let it carb up over two weeks i didnt force carb. the beer is between 2 and 4 degress.

 

[sp0rk]

Chilled glasses and having the tap cold helps

 

[bum]

when i pour a beer at 70psi i get a full glasss of froth

Isn't 70psi really high for serving pressure?

 

[spudfarmerboy]

Ive read the articles on kegging so i bought 5mm line diameter and have it at 3m lenghth and hooked it up but when i pour a beer at 70psi i get a full glasss of froth any suggestions on what im doing wrong would be appreciated. i let it carb up over two weeks i didnt force carb. the beer is between 2 and 4 degress.

Mate, 70 PSI is very high, you only need about 10-12 PSI.
If you are measuring in KPa, aim for 70-90 KPa.

 

[craigo]

Mate, 70 PSI is very high, you only need about 10-12 PSI.
If you are measuring in KPa, aim for 70-90 KPa.

Ok thank you il try that pressure. Will the beer still keep the same Carbanation.

 

[goomboogo]

At what pressure did you carbonate the beer for 2 weeks?

 

[craigo]

Sorry it is at 70 kpa not psi.

 

[thebigwilk]

I have a kegerator serve at 13 psi if the pressure drops to much lower over time you can get break out in the line (bubbles) this also can cause to much foam and head,you might also have over gassed the beer if its been held at 70psi for a long time, you can rock the keg then release pressure (do this a few times) keep in mind it might stir up the sediment on the bottom of the keg if its home brew it will settle out again in a few days. Break out can also happen if your beer line is to long , theres a lot to be said and understood about balancing a kegging system.

 

[craigo]

At what pressure did you carbonate the beer for 2 weeks?

About 70 kpa.

 

[pk.sax]

turn the gas off, burp the keg from the prv (let the pressure out, don't let it all out if you can manage not to).

Try pouring, if its pouring beer, not froth, but it is too slow then turn the gas back on but turn it down a lot, increase it until the flow rate is OK. Without a flow controller, you'd have to match the line length to the intended serving pressure, there is no magic line length that will guarantee foam free pours (what I mean to say is that tap quality and connections add a lot of variables, need to give yourself some margin).

Also, what taps are you using?

 

[Nick JD]

What temp is your fridge at?

Mine at 7C pours nicely at about 40Kpa, at 4C it needs about 75kpa.

 

[Mike L'Itorus]

your line length is too long for the serving pressure that you require (irrespective to temperatre, and therefore disregarding the required carbonation level. Although, both these bits of info would be useful). 5mm ID line, at 3m in length, would require aprox 110kPa for a balanced pour at this length, assuming your tap height is level with the top of the keg rubber. (which is common. Or an even higher pressure, if the tap is higher.) So serving at a lower pressure than that required by the line length will cause the beer to degas in the liine itself, forming bubbles behind the tap, which in turn causes frothing. The beer is therefore undercarbonated relative to the length of the line.

Note that I am not sugesting that the beer itself is undercarbonate, or that the serving pressure is incorrect: the pressure is relative to the temperature of the beer and the desired carbonation level. Rather, I am saying that your line is too long.

You have the following choices:
What temperature you want, and
what carbonation level you want.

Based on these choices, you are then presented with a set pressure to achieve this.

Based on this set pressure, you are then presented with a set line length to balance the system, based on tap height and line resistance.

search for, and download, crozdogs carbonation chart (I believe v1.2 may be the latest. Pls correct me if I'm wrong), and enter your specific data.

What you will find is that (assuming tap height of 60cm above centre of keg), you will need ~1.7m of 5mm Line for a balanced pour. (which would give you aprox 2.4 volumes of CO2 at 4C; lower at higher temps, higher at lower temps).

and who said I couldn't be f&^$ing serious??

 

[pk.sax]

Cocko said you wouldn't be still

 

[Mike L'Itorus]

Cocko said you wouldn't be still

Maybe, but that's 'cos Cocko's a big porkspin-loving-c%^t. Although, he is good in bed.

 

[donburke]

that spreadsheet should also not be taken as gospel

for example, it tells me i need 0.8 metres of 5mm beer line, 3m height of tap from keg, beer at 2 or 3 degrees and pressure of 70kpa for 2.5 volumes. my beer line length is 5 metres and i get a good pour everytime, i had no choice because of physical distance between taps and kegs

i think the problem is something else, most likely overcarbonation

can you post a pic of your setup, is the beer line inside the fridge ?

 

[craigo]

that spreadsheet should also not be taken as gospel

for example, it tells me i need 0.8 metres of 5mm beer line, 3m height of tap from keg, beer at 2 or 3 degrees and pressure of 70kpa for 2.5 volumes. my beer line length is 5 metres and i get a good pour everytime, i had no choice because of physical distance between taps and kegs

i think the problem is something else, most likely overcarbonation

can you post a pic of your setup, is the beer line inside the fridge ?

yes the beer line is in the fridge il try to post pics latter

 

[Mike L'Itorus]

donburke....If your taps are 3m above the centre of your keg, than I presume that either your kegs are on a lower floor, and your tapsare on an upper floor; or, you suffer from the most extreme case of gigantism I've ever heard of, as 3m is almost 10feet high. If the latter, please contact Guinness World Records, as you might be eligable for a spot in their next publication. :blink:

 

[donburke]

its the girth that deserves accolades

 

[craigo]

turn the gas off, burp the keg from the prv (let the pressure out, don't let it all out if you can manage not to).

Try pouring, if its pouring beer, not froth, but it is too slow then turn the gas back on but turn it down a lot, increase it until the flow rate is OK. Without a flow controller, you'd have to match the line length to the intended serving pressure, there is no magic line length that will guarantee foam free pours (what I mean to say is that tap quality and connections add a lot of variables, need to give yourself some margin).

Also, what taps are you using?

ok i did what you suggested and when i turned the gas of and poured it poured perfectly but when i turn it on and turn it down i still get froth until i get to the point when its pouring to slow. I also seem to have alot of bubbles in the beer line is that normal? Is my line length to long?

 

[pcmfisher]

3m of 5mm sounds a bit long.
When you start turning the gas down or off to pour you are probably making the situation worse, as when the pressure drops there is not enough pressure to keep the co2 in solution, giving you bubbles in your beer line making for a shitty pour.

I would be chopping it down to about 2m and keeping the dispensing pressure at about 70kpa.
(That's provided its not over carbed in the first place)