Overcarbed/undercarbed beer

[hathro]

Hi all,

Just kegged a beer at 10psi for a week, it's now been two weeks and it pours half beer and half head. The second pour is better but the beer is still undercarbed. The foam suggests it's overcarbed.

Quick stats:
- sitting in kegerator at 4ish deg. Varies a bit between the top and bottom of kegerator. 4deg is at the bottom (lowest temp)
- 4m of 4mm ID beer line
- 10psi pours at a good rate
- per lick 525ss taps

I think the beer line is too long. I'd like some advice before I cut it

Have turned the gas off, ran some pints and purged but the beer just poured flat. Then I put the gas back on at 10 psi and it's still foamy and the beer is flatter than before.

Any advice appreciated. Still very new to kegging.

 

[stevemc32]

Here's a line length calculator that might help.

http://www.calczilla.com/brewing/keg-line-balancing/

 

[Black n Tan]

I am not sure I can give you a clear answer, but with a serving pressure of 10psi and 4 metres of 4mm line, it should not pour at a "good rate". If the line is in fact 4mm and the pressure is in fact 10psi, then you would need somewhere south of 2 metres of line. I am not sure if that explains the lack of carbonation though.

 

[hathro]

I've made two videos of the pouring.

Pour 1 - http://videobam.com/oGRaC
Pour 2 - http://videobam.com/tBwIe

Pour 2 was much better and the carbonation when drinking was good. Leads me to believe the problem lies in the line length coupled with the temp of the beer in the line as this only happens to the first pour. I've read that a font fan helps quite a bit with this model of kegerator.

If you view the first video in full screen, you can actually see foam pouring, then black beer after a few seconds.

 

[dicko]

It appears to me like the first pour is foamy to start and that is because the font and the beer line is hot and when the beer comes through the gas comes out of suspension.
Ensure that you pressures are in fact correct and use the line length calculator to get it right.
I wouldn't entirely trust that KK Regulator if that is in fact the type you have...they are generally cheap and nasty.
It is indicating from the vids that at 10 psi the beer would pour slower over 4 metres of 4 mm line.

The other problem is that the pissy little fan that comes with the kegorator will not keep the font cool.
What I was doing was for the first pour just run a small amount into the glass which will be the foam then tip it ( usually down your throat ) then pour your beer.
I eventually got around to fitting a bigger fan into mine and directred the air upwards toward the top of the fridge.
This helped to even the temp.
Also check that the temp on the kegorator is correct. There was a modification for the kegorator to get the temp closer to the actual reading by fitting a resistor across the temp sensor wires.
I also fitted a stc temp controller to my kegorator to get it colder for the summer months.

 

[Hawky]

I have only just finished setting up a fridge to start kegging and was wondering how far do you fill the kegs up all the way or just to the gas tube

 

[Yob]

To the weld line at the top of the keg, initially when I started I used to fill them on bathroom scales so I knew when I hit 19l

 

[hathro]

I wouldn't entirely trust that KK Regulator if that is in fact the type you have...they are generally cheap and nasty.

The other problem is that the pissy little fan that comes with the kegorator will not keep the font cool.
What I was doing was for the first pour just run a small amount into the glass which will be the foam then tip it ( usually down your throat ) then pour your beer.
I eventually got around to fitting a bigger fan into mine and directred the air upwards toward the top of the fridge.
This helped to even the temp.

Also check that the temp on the kegorator is correct. There was a modification for the kegorator to get the temp closer to the actual reading by fitting a resistor across the temp sensor wires.
I also fitted a stc temp controller to my kegorator to get it colder for the summer months.

Thanks dicko, it is a Keg King regulator. Which reg would you recommend replacing it with?

The fan will help a lot distributing the temp within the fridge and keeping the font cold I think. I'll be doing this shortly.

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[dicko]

I have a KK reg that seems to read fairly close to spec but a mate of mine has the same reg and it is way out....like he only just opens it and the pressure is too high even though the gauge reads close to no pressure.
If it is new ring KK and tell them you want it replaced if it is faulty.

My regulator of choice is a Harris http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=751 as I have had good service from them but the Micromatic is pretty good as well I believe. BOC do a regulator as well but it is a bit more expensive.

When I fitted the fan I got a bigger one that needed a power pack to run it as the power supply inside the kegorator is very low amps and wont run anything but the KK fan or the font cooling kit.
I just used a power pack I had lying around the place...maybe from a phone charger or something like that.

 

[hathro]

The only issue I have with my reg is that I'll set it to 10psi and it will creep to ~15psi within a few minutes. If I let some CO2 out from a QD, it will drop back to 10 straight away. I have a check valve installed so it isn't pressure coming the other way?

Other than that, I'm not sure how to check if it's faulty?

 

[dicko]

Do you know anyone with a good regulator that you could try.
That is what I did with my mate. I fitted one of mine onto his set up and presto, it poured perfectly.

I would say if it is creeping up on pressure then there is a good chance that it is stuffed.

 

[Black n Tan]

The only issue I have with my reg is that I'll set it to 10psi and it will creep to ~15psi within a few minutes. If I let some CO2 out from a QD, it will drop back to 10 straight away. I have a check valve installed so it isn't pressure coming the other way?

Other than that, I'm not sure how to check if it's faulty?

sounds to me that your pressure is in fact set to 15 psi and therefore your beer is overcarbed. Just because it drops back when you pull the relief valve doesn't mean it is set to 10psi. If it keeps going back to 15 psi over a few minutes then that is the set pressure. I would take the keg out and let warm and the burp a few times. Then shorten you beer line and dial back pressure to 10psi, and I would expect you will get less frothing and a better carbonated glass of beer.

 

[hathro]

sounds to me that your pressure is in fact set to 15 psi and therefore your beer is overcarbed. Just because it drops back when you pull the relief valve doesn't mean it is set to 10psi. If it keeps going back to 15 psi over a few minutes then that is the set pressure. I would take the keg out and let warm and the burp a few times. Then shorten you beer line and dial back pressure to 10psi, and I would expect you will get less frothing and a better carbonated glass of beer.

Your advice was spot on. I'm now enjoying my perfectly carbonated beer.

I love a happy ending.