Bloody foam!!!

[Davebispham81]

What size beer line are you all using with your corny kegs? I just bought 3M of 3/16 from ebay but now i have it i think its way too thin, the picnic tap i got from Norm is never gonna fit on line that thin, i really need to sort this foam problem or the keg is gonna end up in the bin, Im not sure why Norm even sent me this 1 foot long picnic tap as its pretty much useless

Any help with this would be much appreciated.

 

[abeyptfc]

i use picnic tap no bother with my corny, i also use the beer line he gave me and had no problems, dont know what size it is though. what psi are you carbing and serving at? is the keg in a fridge or room temp? have you let out the excess pressure through the valve?

 

[Davebispham81]

the keg is in the fridge at 2*C and is being carbed at 8PSI, from everything i have read i think this should carb the cider to 2.25 volumes but the line on the tap Norm sent me is way too short . can anyone tell me what size beer line fits the plastic picnic tap thing that Norm sent me?

 

[Archtronics]

Have you tried dropping the pressure to about 3psi to serve?

Also just get a connection that ups the size, I have 3/16 going to 5/16 on my font.

Mark

 

[Davebispham81]

i have been dropping the pressure to serve but im fed up with all the messing around, i just need to know what size of beer line to buy

 

[Mark1964]

to reduce foam get some micro beer line its only about 4mm ish in diameter youll also need 2 in line connectors and put about 5 inches of micro line just before the tap. Your dispensing pressure looks too high though drop to around 2 to 3 psi

 

[Davebispham81]

found the answer in another post, 3/8 is the size i need, ill start with 3 meters and if nessesary trim it back till it pours just right.

 

[snail59]

This is how my lines are set up.

pours the perfect pint every time :thumb:

 

[Davebispham81]

Where can i get some of those reducers???

 

[PhatFil]

you want your beer at the tap between 1-2 psi, if its 8 psi at the keg, then factor in the resistance of the pipe, i have seen metrics for the different resistances, and on memory (which fails) your looking at 2psi per foot of the mircoline 3/16, and i think about .3psi per foot on standard line, so stick 2-3 foot of micro line in your feed to your tap..


best get a real tap, I struggled over the summer with a click on the keg tap US style sample tap what with summer temps i was filling a 2ltr jug with foam to get a pint (if i was lucky) of dead flat ale.. with the current temps and served thru a propper tap i get a clean full pint out of the tap with just the right head.

I leapt at these kegs so quickly i didnt factor in all the additional costs connectors, taps, gas, cooling etc... but once you pour a crystal pint out of a shiney keg.. well its a good moment :) now got 5 kegs....

reducers can be bought anywher u buy the line almost, they are another additional cost hehe

 

[Davebispham81]

I found somewhere for the reducers
http://www.barleybottom.com/menu/&category=5&cat_name=Cellar Equipment
i just wish id known about this place before i bought the beer line off Ebay, they`re way cheaper. I also bought this tap from Ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130584405...05209&_sacat=See-All-Categories&_fvi=1&_rdc=1
will it do the job?

 

[PhatFil]

I found somewhere for the reducers
http://www.barleybottom.com/menu/&category=5&cat_name=Cellar Equipment
i just wish id known about this place before i bought the beer line off Ebay, they`re way cheaper. I also bought this tap from Ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130584405...05209&_sacat=See-All-Categories&_fvi=1&_rdc=1
will it do the job?

Yes that should work fine, similar to my taps without the flow control,

if you strip it to clean it.. beware on reassembly the lever assembly may feel screwed in tight but just open the lever each way a lil and reattempt to screw it on and repeat a few times, otherwise you may well have a very leaky tap like i did on my first attempt at pouring from taps....

 

[Davebispham81]

Flow control??? what will a flow control tap do that this one wont???

 

[PhatFil]

Flow control??? what will a flow control tap do that this one wont???

flow control taps have a twist on the barrel which allows you to fine tune the pressure to the tap

http://flic.kr/p/awzmXK

 

[PhatFil]

once i got over my teething issues (pressure/temp/beerline length/leaking taps............)
Im pouring this.....


http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6235/626 ... c40b_b.jpg

 

[Davebispham81]

Those are some nice taps. do you still need to get the right length of beer line then or do you just use the flow control tap to reduce the pressure for dispensing ?

 

[PhatFil]

Those are some nice taps. do you still need to get the right length of beer line then or do you just use the flow control tap to reduce the pressure for dispensing ?

So Far i have plumbed one keg in as the beer line goes thru the wall into the not very well sheltered coal shed where the kegs will live once the level floor goes off (tomorrow??) -- all a work in progress. I plan on having all 4 taps up with a selection of ales, i drank the test keg within a fortnight, am sitting on 6 bottles of the brew for tasting later.. .. that ale i served at about 4-8psi thru twisted and contorted line about 2.5-3 meters long..
no restriction pipes needed. the flow control seems more of an on off thing to me?? and the first attempt was a beer shower with a very leaky tap.. see my earlier warning.. after a lill teething it worked a treat and i took way too much pride in serving my pals my beer thru a propper tap :)

However i currently prime carbonate and am considering trying forced carbonation which i did try in the summer with only foam as a result... temperature is crucial to retaining co2 in the beer i finally learnt.. Also I have plans for a larger and have a ginger beer kit on the go, both of which will want serving at higher pressures and will then need some pipe restriction, and perhaps another gas regulator too...

The taps n font came from ebay after i lurked about for ages I set myself a limit, lost loads of auctions, finaly found this one the seller had taken a really bad photo and it was filthy, no one else bid on it, and the folks were kind enough to meet me half way on the road..

I killed one tap trying to remove it from the font.. i ripped the JG fitting apart as it gripped a 90 dergee bend fitting inside the font ho hum..

 

[StubbsPKS]

This is how my lines are set up.

pours the perfect pint every time :thumb:

What sizes are those Snail?

I am just about to make the switch to cornies and I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything I will need.

So far I've got:

Regulator
Maybe 6m of beer line (for gas and beer)
A set of QD
A tap


Am I missing anything?

 

[WelshPaul]

What sizes are those Snail?

Those look like 3/8" OD lines going into a 3/16" OD line.
You can buy suitable John Guest adapters easily on eBay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JOHN-GUEST-SP ... 415ec44733

 

[snail59]

What sizes are those Snail?

Those look like 3/8" OD lines going into a 3/16" OD line.
You can buy suitable John Guest adapters easily on eBay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JOHN-GUEST-SP ... 415ec44733

Spot on Paul. 24" of 3/8th each end and 60" OF 3/16ths in the middle. set the regulator to 8psi for service and for me it has been fine.