Keg Dispensing Problem

[Spartan 117]

Hey guys,

I've recently put together my kegging system and have been trying to balance it. I've used an excel spreadsheet (crozdogs) to determine the length of beer line I need as well as reading the wiki topic on "hoe to balance a graught system" and am pretty sure the beer is carbed properly. Anyway my problem is when the beer dispenses it comes out in "blocks" of liquid it's never a continious stream more so a segmented flow. Any advice would be great.

I'm using 5mm ID beer line, serving at 5psi and use a bronco tap.

Cheers

Aaron

 

[A3k]

Hey guys,

I've recently put together my kegging system and have been trying to balance it. I've used an excel spreadsheet (crozdogs) to determine the length of beer line I need as well as reading the wiki topic on "hoe to balance a graught system" and am pretty sure the beer is carbed properly. Anyway my problem is when the beer dispenses it comes out in "blocks" of liquid it's never a continious stream more so a segmented flow. Any advice would be great.

I'm using 5mm ID beer line, serving at 5psi and use a bronco tap.

Cheers

Aaron

Hi Spartan,
If your pouring/storing pressure is below the carbinating pressure, then carbon dioxide will come out of solution while storing and can end up with bubbles in the line. This will cause some froth in when pouring... if your line is wound up, then you can get a collection of CO2 at the upper parts of the loops. When you pour after not using it for a while, you will get beer, gas/froth, beer, gas/froth until the beerline has been purged.

Does this sound like your problem. If so, increase your pouring pressur (although kinda counterintuitive at first)

Cheers,
Al

 

[OzBeer_MD]

If your pouring/storing pressure is below the carbinating pressure, then carbon dioxide will come out of solution while storing

Thats a fundamental that I have only just learned after a few years of hit and miss. Good post!

 

[Spartan 117]

Hi Spartan,
If your pouring/storing pressure is below the carbinating pressure, then carbon dioxide will come out of solution while storing and can end up with bubbles in the line. This will cause some froth in when pouring... if your line is wound up, then you can get a collection of CO2 at the upper parts of the loops. When you pour after not using it for a while, you will get beer, gas/froth, beer, gas/froth until the beerline has been purged.

Does this sound like your problem. If so, increase your pouring pressur (although kinda counterintuitive at first)

Cheers,
Al

yeah that sounds like the problem, I have something like a little beer reservoir in the loop at the lower parts, I'll up the serving pressure and see how it goes.

Thanks

Aaron

 

[Pete2501]

If gas is building up inside the beer line it could also be a temp difference.

 

[Spartan 117]

If gas is building up inside the beer line it could also be a temp difference.

I thought that first off but the line and tap both stay in the fridge until I go to pour so they're pretty cold.

Aaron

 

[Gavo]

If your pouring/storing pressure is below the carbonating pressure, then carbon dioxide will come out of solution while storing and can end up with bubbles in the line.

My money is on this tip. The only time I have this problem is when I back off the serving pressure. The trick is to get to know what works for your system and your way of carbonating.

Gavo.

 

[crundle]

If you know the temperature of your fridge, and you know how many volumes of CO2 you want your beer to be, then you can set your regulator to a constant serving pressure and let your kegs gas up at this serving pressure. It will take a bit longer (around 10 days or so) to reach the correct carbonation in the keg, but your beer also has a chance to let any sediment drop out so it is clear to drink.

If you do it this way, your beer will be PERFECTLY balanced every pour. The disadvantage is that it takes longer to carbonate than using a quick method like the Ross method, but it does eliminate any chance of either over or under carbonating.

cheers,

Crundle

 

[mxd]

I think 5 psi is a little low for carbontion, I am 80Kpa @ 2 Deg and 2 mtrs of line. I have been over carbed, under carbed etc..

So I just set it at 80Kpa and left it alone for 10 days (well slight adjustments every couple of days) and now it seems fine.

 

[Spartan 117]

I used the ross method and it worked fine, I think anyway, the fridge is at 6C and I'm using 2.6 metres of line. Tried turning the serving pressure and it seemed to make it worse, it just spat out foam, I also then disconected the keg from the gas gave the keg a shake to "de-carb" it and then tried to serve it at notrmal pressure, still the same deal, segemented flow and foam (although not as much). It's so annoying !!!!

Aaron