Tap Foaming Weizen

[professional_drunk]

Got a problem with a weizen I've got on tap. This thing foams like crazy and am not sure what to do about it now. I get a full glass of foam all the time no matter how far I dial back the flow on the taps. There doesn't appear to be any bubbles in the line.

Here are the stats of the setup:

• keezer at 3.5c with fan circulation
• recipe uses 70% wheat
• 2.8m of 4mm ID beer line
• flow control taps
• 25 psi (4 vol)

So for you people who have a weizen on tap. Is there some trick to this that I don't know about?

 

[mxd]

just some ideas/thoughts/Q's

how did you carb it up, could be be way over carbed ?

have you got a pluto or some line to put in 5mtrs of line (or what ever the length is, I know you have flow control taps)

 

[Liam_snorkel]

if it is indeed overcarbed - give this a crack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk79UYGmAk8

 

[Weizguy]

There was a thread, a while ago (not sure), which mentioned the early versions of the cheaper flow control taps were prone to foaming.

May be an idea to drop the serving pressure, now that the keg is at your preferred carbonation pressure.

I usually dispense my weizens at about 20 PSI. Reminds me that it's time to test the Eichen Weizenbock on tap again.

 

[professional_drunk]

Don't think it's overcarbed as I didn't force carb it. The reg has never gone above 25psi.

5 metres of line sounds a bit crazy considering I use less than 1m of 6mm ID for my lagers. I plugged in some values into a spreadsheet floating around here and that gave me 2.8m.

Might try 20 psi and see if that helps. If it does, could mean I need more line.

 

[mxd]

5 metres of line sounds a bit crazy considering I use less than 1m of 6mm ID for my lagers. I plugged in some values into a spreadsheet floating around here and that gave me 2.8m.

1 What is your desired serving temperature in whole or half degrees C between 0 & 15.5? 3.5
2 What is your desired carbonation level (volume of CO2)? (refer to charts on next tab) 4
3 How high is your tap above the centre of the keg? 0.5
4 What size beer line are you using? 5mm I.D. plastic beer line
Required regulator setting for desired volume of CO2 @ desired serving temperature 186.5


5 Calculated line length (standard pressure output ie 6.89KPa) 5.27
Calculated line length (higher pressure output ie 13.78 KPa) 5.06

 

[professional_drunk]

Actually I plugged in 3/16" ID in that spreadsheet since that was closer to 4mm.

• Calculated line length (standard pressure output ie 6.89KPa) 2.91
• Calculated line length (higher pressure output ie 13.78 KPa) 2.79

 

[Black n Tan]

what taps PD?

 

[professional_drunk]

perlick 545SS.

The line seems to be clear of foam when pouring, so all the foam is generated at the tap. Not sure if this tidbit is useful in any way.

 

[Black n Tan]

Some people have had issues with these taps and burrs, which would of course lead to foaming. Does the lever move smoothly?

 

[professional_drunk]

No. I lubricated it recently, but hasn't improved much since doing so.

 

[professional_drunk]

Just found out from this thread that somebody removed the flow control from this tap and it worked better. Might try this out tonight.

 

[Black n Tan]

I think you have one of the faulty taps and should speak with the retailer about replacements. I was talking to someone last Saturday at the swap meet that had this problem and micromatic gave him a new tap. The Perlick site does not list the 545ss. Instead it lists the 650 as a ss flow control. It appears the 545ss may have had a faulty design and are now superseded?