What have I done to mess up my Set up? Beer is frothy and noisy

[Frank Sebem]

Hi all

I am a total Newbie hey so please forgive me if I say something that doesn’t appear right or if I go on and on but I would like to give you guys as much information as possible to see if you can help me.

So, I bought a maxi cooler in January and got my mate to set it up with me.
my mate from the pub gave me a new Bottle of 30/70 gas. I bought a barrel Of Carling from a local supplier and for that whole barrel everything went well. After I had finished that barrel of Carling I went back to buy another barrel but they did not have any Carling so he sold me a barrel of Becks. The first few pints of becks went okay but then I decided that I needed to clean the lines. So I used the pressurised container to clean the lines and then followed it up with water. However since we put everything back together again we have had a problem pulling pints. All of a sudden when I am pulling a pint it is very noisy as if it is spluttering down the lines. If I look at the clear beer line that is coming from the barrel and going into the cooler I can actually see bubbles moving from the barrel to the cooler when I am pulling a pint. The beer line that is coming out of the cooler to the font is also spluttering and now full of bubbles which of course is making the beer very lively. In fact, it’s impossible to pour a pint. It’s 90% froth 10% beer. I have tried lots of different settings on the in-line regulator but it hasn’t altered. The difference I have noticed with this barrel of becks as opposed to the previous barrel of Carling is that it is now very noisy in the pipes when I’m pulling it (a spluttering/clicking noise) Beer from the barrel to the cooler seems to have a lot of spluttering and bubbles in it and obviously the beer then coming out of the cooler is the same. Something to note is that if I don’t pull a pint and I just leave the system alone then I can see bubbles very slowly going back from the cooler moving back towards the barrel.
I’ve tried messing with the pressure on the gas etc with an Allen key but I am not entirely sure what the pressure should be anyway. Any advice guys?

 

[Manners]

I think your mistake was drinking carling mate..... sorry couldnt help myself- few beers into the rugby!

Im sure someone will be along shortly who knows more than me on the subject, which will not be hard. Hope you get it sorted

 

[Frank Sebem]

FFS. Don’t know whether to laugh or cry. I saw Notification and thought to myself oh here’s the answer there might be time to get the beer back on. Enjoy the Rugby mate. Further to that, to make it worse I’m now drinking cans of warm Carling.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Further to that, to make it worse I’m now drinking cans of warm Carling.

I don't think your day could get any worse.

 

[chillipickle]

You actually drink carling?

 

[Manners]

Roflmaool... you’ve just cheered me up after a horrendous english performance! I reckon bojo told em to lose on purpose so the scots will take pity and not vote for independence...!

 

[hughjamton]

1st. Don't mess with gas valves unless you are sure that you know what you are doing.
2nd. You have the wrong gas, you use 60/40 gas or CO2 on Lagers and Ciders and 30/70 gas on bitters or stouts (smooth products)
The pressure is determined by the environment that the kegs are kept in. Usually pub cellars are around 12c so if this is the case most products that are on mixed gas 30/70 and 60/40 should be set at around 35psi and CO2 products at about 20psi.
Fosters on 60/40 gas would be 35psi or on Co2 20 psi
This would be the same for Carling, Carlsberg, San miguel, Kronenbourg, Stella, Becks etc
If the kegs are kept in temperatures of more than 12c the pressure will need to be higher.
For a home or mobile bar where the keg is not chilled I would probably set the gas pressure at about 25psi on CO2 gas products and 38psi on mixed gas. Just remember to turn the gas bottles off when you aren't using them or they'll become over cabonated and pour pure foam.
I find co2 is much easier to use and control. I have 60/40 but only really use it as a stop gap if I run out of co2.

 

[Frank Sebem]

Thanks for your reply mate. Taking into account I am using the wrong gas it’s obvious I got away with one when I had the Carling on. Have I lost the full Barrel? What can I do to save the 60 pints I have left in the Barrel?

 

[hughjamton]

Thanks for your reply mate. Taking into account I am using the wrong gas it’s obvious I got away with one when I had the Carling on. Have I lost the full Barrel? What can I do to save the 60 pints I have left in the Barrel?

The gas you have is for things like Guinness or John Smiths, ie smooth with lots of tiny bubbles.
That type of beer, although it has a creamy head isn't particularly fizzy compared to lager.
This is because there's not a lot of co2 in the mix but there is a lot of gas to push it out of the barrel.
Is the barrel kept somewhere cold? This would help the co2 absorb into the beer.
Turn the gas off and continue drinking your beer, you'll still get a lot of foamy beer out, when it stops pouring regas it and and disconnect it from the coupler then leave it somewhere cold for a couple of days.

Once you pour the foam and it settles is the beer flat? Put it in a non nucleated glass and see if there are still bubbles in the beer.
If it's still fizzy you could pour it into a jug then into a glass when settled. Chances are though it will be flat as a fart.
None of the above may help, but worth a try.
See if your mate can swap the gas for a 60/40, at this stage it might not help much, but it may.
You could ask your mate in the pub to phone the technician from the brewery that the pub uses to see if he's got any suggestions.
Consider changing over to co2 in the future, it will mean new gauges, but it's easier to sort out, and after all, your only drinking crap lagers.