New to kegging - foaming issue

[AstroBrew]

After finally getting sick of bottling ive moved onto a keg setup with a keezer build in progress.

The issue is that when pouring i get pure foam and a tiny amount of uncarbonated beer.

The story goes... Full corny keg of beer left to condition for 10days at 12psi @ 6deg celius in a temp controlled freezer. then attached about 8ft of beer line and a cheap party tap. I have tried serving between 8-14 and no difference...

The beer is still uncarbonated and pours full foam.

I seem to have so many areas where the issue could lie i wondered if somebody could help?

Is it the serving pressure? Beer line length? Cheap tap thats the problem? Why hasnt the beer atleast carbonated?

Cheers!

 

[ManseMasher]

What diameter beer line?

 

[Dads_Ale]

What size beerline are you using? You really need 3/16 to drop the pressure at the tap.
Is most of the 8ft length in the fridge? If not the line and beer will warm up encouraging the C02 to come out of solution.

I dispense at 20psi ( I like highly carbonated beers) with minimal frothing. Keg at 6c with a couple of metres of 3/16 beerline in the fridge. I use JG fittings to step down from 3/8 line at the keg and up to 5/16 at my tap.

 

[AstroBrew]

Thanks for the replies.

Its 3/8 diameter beer line. Whats best?

 

[ManseMasher]

I use 3/16". 9' of it at 10psi gives me this straight off the bat. 3/8" on the post and party tap, John Guest 3/8" to 3/16" reducing couplings x2 and away you go.

 

[Dads_Ale]

You issue will be the 3/8 beer line. It will not be dropping the pressure enough.
I would get some 3/16 line. Think I have about 2m on mine but you could start with more and give it a try. You can always reduce the length if the pour is too slow. You can get 3/8 to 3/16 JG reducers to allow you to connect at each end

 

[Fore]

I think you'll find a lot using 3/16. The larger diameters are for longer lines, from cellar to bar. You see pics of some using the larger lines in a keezer, and they have metres and metres of line. 3/16 just helps cut out all that length.

As above, I also use(d) 3 metre of 3/16 line. Got there more or less by trial and error, starting longer and cutting shorter until I got the flow I wanted.
I say used, because now I have an in line chiller between my keg and tap, and as the chiller adds its own pressure drop, I now only need 1 metre of line.

 

[AstroBrew]

I spent so long researching the connections and finding co2 i jst bought the 'beer line' from the shop i was using didnt think ahead.

Learnt from your mistakes!

Il get the 3/16 line and give it a go

Thanks all

 

[jenivida]

I have exactly the same problem 3/16 pipes and reducer are in the mail

 

[AstroBrew]

Right ... Stupid question again

I have the tiny 3/16 pipe and a reducer. Fitting to a party tap?

From beer out post on keg i have a quick release to a john greed screw on to 3/8 pipe, then the reducer then the length of 3/16 pipe... How do i attatch that tiny 3/16 tube to anything?? Does it need stepping up again?

Sorry for newb question.. I just wana get some delicious beer from this keg ha

 

[Dads_Ale]

Right ... Stupid question again

I have the tiny 3/16 pipe and a reducer. Fitting to a party tap?

From beer out post on keg i have a quick release to a john greed screw on to 3/8 pipe, then the reducer then the length of 3/16 pipe... How do i attatch that tiny 3/16 tube to anything?? Does it need stepping up again?

Sorry for newb question.. I just wana get some delicious beer from this keg ha

Yes you need to step it up to fit the line that fits on the party tap

 

[AstroBrew]

Thanks! Maybe simple to everyone else. Feel like im puttin john guests kids through college with the amount of fittings ive bought :)

 

[Dads_Ale]

Thanks! Maybe simple to everyone else. Feel like im puttin john guests kids through college with the amount of fittings ive bought :)

Doesn't matter how many you you never have the one yu want next time...

 

[Ray1314]

I've got the exact same problem. First ever batch of cider I'd ever kegged had been on 35psi for over a week, was really excited to use my new Blichmann beer gun, and all I got was lots of foam and a small amount of flat cider!

Could you let me know how you get on please? I've ordered some new hose and fittings, but as of Thursday I'll be out of the country for 6 weeks so won't get to see if it fixes the problem.

Ray

 

[AstroBrew]

I've got the exact same problem. First ever batch of cider I'd ever kegged had been on 35psi for over a week, was really excited to use my new Blichmann beer gun, and all I got was lots of foam and a small amount of flat cider!



Could you let me know how you get on please? I've ordered some new hose and fittings, but as of Thursday I'll be out of the country for 6 weeks so won't get to see if it fixes the problem.



Ray

I used about 4ft of 3/16 and it works great! No foam!! Let me know how you get on

Thanks everyone

 

[peebee]

Everyone's stuck on this pipe diameter business. But it doesn't explain the un-carbonated beer; just explains a reason for lots of foam.

Astrobrew: Are you priming this beer or just attempting "force carbonation"? While I might consider "12 psi" to be huge pressure, I don't think it will do for "force carbonation" unless you do a lot of shaking the keg! The two weeks extra while going over pipe sizes might just have been enough to show signs.

 

[AstroBrew]

Force carbing only. I thought the foaming was decarbonating the beer but perhaps thats not the case and 12psi for 2weeks doesnt do the job?!

I have no experience but i didnt have an awful lot of headsace ontop of the keg and do wonder how much carbonation i will get leaving it jst sitting on 12psi.

 

[ManseMasher]

Everyone's stuck on this pipe diameter business. But it doesn't explain the un-carbonated beer; just explains a reason for lots of foam.

Astrobrew: Are you priming this beer or just attempting "force carbonation"? While I might consider "12 psi" to be huge pressure, I don't think it will do for "force carbonation" unless you do a lot of shaking the keg! The two weeks extra while going over pipe sizes might just have been enough to show signs.

Perhaps not stuck on (certainly not everyone, anyway), but misunderstanding it? 3/16" is beer out line. The diameter of the beer out line could be 6', it has nothing to do with the gas in line, and it's the gas in that does the carbonation. As for force carbing pressure, 30 psi would be closer to the mark. Shake the keg for a good few minutes at this pressure. Disconnect the gas if you want after that, but stick that pressure in again after a couple of days and shake it again. Just to be clear though, foaming beer is down in the main to beer out line diameter/length, carbonation has nothing to do with beer out line.....

 

[ManseMasher]

http://www.morebeer.com/articles/kegging_homebrew

And this might help.....