HELP Corny Despencing Foam

[Will12283]

Just connected up my beer line to my corny and tried to dispense a lager, all I got was foam

My corny has been sat in my kegorator at about 10c for just over 2 weeks. I gassed it to 30 psi and left the gas connected for 3 days. I then disconnected the gas and left the keg for a week.

Today I connected the gas at 20 psi after releasing the pressure in the keg.
My beer line is about 2m of 3/8 and 2m of 3/16 beer line.
My tap has flow control but adjusting this makes no difference.
I'm starting to think my gauge is not working properly.

Any ideas of what to do would be much appreciated

Thanks
Rhys

 

[Antony]

Generally a result of too high of a pressure, causing a very sudden pressure drop when dispensed, and knocking all the co2 out of solution, making foam

Get more line/thinner the viscous drag causes a pressure drop along the line causing a) a slower and more controlled pour, and b) a lower pressure drop at the tap, and less co2 realased from the fluid.

 

[Fil]

with a kegortor and temp control a good starting point for condition would be a look up chart like found here
http://www.kegerators.com/articles/carb ... -chart.php

sus the level of condition u want and set the temp and pressure accordingly.

if left at the table temp and pressure for a week or 2 the keg should be fully conditioned and set to maintain that level of condition throughout the pour.

sounds like u have enough microline to balance any pressure upto about 12psi with 2m/6ft..

when conditioning with excess pressure its easy to over condition which may take more than 1 or 2 vents to correct.

 

[puravida]

I assume the keg is still in the fridge at 10C? If you took it out and placed somewhere warmer, the CO2 will be trying to escape.

I think there are two things to fix - I think you have probably over carbed a little bit. I often do this by accident and it is easy to fix. Disconnect the gas line and lift the gas release pull at the top of your keg to purge any gas out. Leave it a day and then do the same again. Repeat for 4-5 days and you should see the carb levels drop back down. I have an IPA I am doing this to at the moment in fact.

Second I think your serving pressure is way too high. I set my gas to between 2 and 5 psi for serving depending on the beer. All you need is enough to push the beer out of the tap.

You could also chill the beer down a bit if you wanted.

 

[Will12283]

I assume the keg is still in the fridge at 10C? If you took it out and placed somewhere warmer, the CO2 will be trying to escape.

I think there are two things to fix - I think you have probably over carbed a little bit. I often do this by accident and it is easy to fix. Disconnect the gas line and lift the gas release pull at the top of your keg to purge any gas out. Leave it a day and then do the same again. Repeat for 4-5 days and you should see the carb levels drop back down. I have an IPA I am doing this to at the moment in fact.

Second I think your serving pressure is way too high. I set my gas to between 2 and 5 psi for serving depending on the beer. All you need is enough to push the beer out of the tap.

You could also chill the beer down a bit if you wanted.

Will try the degassing over the next few days. As this is a lager I was trying to get some fizz in it. I know lagers need a higher level of co2 than beers

 

[Fore]

Beer line.

I started with 30cm 3/8" ID = nothing but foam, far from the professional looking pour I was hoping for. Then added 1m of 3mm ID = helped a lot, but still half a glass of foam. I then thought, why not just add loads of the 3mm ID tubing and see what happens. I swapped out the 1m for 3m and now pour no foam whatsoever, a pint takes about 15-20 second to pour. For the first time I also get proper carbonation in my beer (it's not lost in the pour).

The 3mx3mmID has become my standard for all 3 kegs as it's quite simple to create a head. I have 2 techniques for head creation, i) near the end, only slightly open the tap, which gives a very tight creamy head, or ii) just simply be a bit less careful with the pour.

With the 3m line as standard, I can still set any pressure I want in the Cornie. It's just that a lower pressure necessary for an ale takes a few seconds longer to pour. For me, that's of no concern.

 

[Will12283]

I have a felling that my reg might be the problem.

I adjusted it today and the needle didn't move at all. So looks like I'm in need of a new one.

Anyone in the South Wales area want to lend me one till after Christmas/ new year lol

 

[joe1002]

I have a felling that my reg might be the problem.

I adjusted it today and the needle didn't move at all. So looks like I'm in need of a new one.

Anyone in the South Wales area want to lend me one till after Christmas/ new year lol

If you adjusted it down you will need to decrease the pressure in the keg (pull on the pressure release valve) to see the needle move down. The gauge shows the pressure in your keg, not what the reg is set to. Decreasing your reg won't automatically reduce the pressure in your keg, it just means it won't top up the co2 until it drops below a lower figure. :thumb:

 

[Will12283]

pull on the pressure release valve) to see the needle move down. The gauge shows the pressure in your keg, not what the reg is set to. Decreasing your reg won't automatically reduce the pressure in your keg, it just means it won't top up the co2 until it drops below a lower figure. :thumb

This is what I have been doing but I think the gauge is knackered. Even if I purge the keg and start from scratch with the gauge it need a tap to even move from 0 psi

 

[joe1002]

pull on the pressure release valve) to see the needle move down. The gauge shows the pressure in your keg, not what the reg is set to. Decreasing your reg won't automatically reduce the pressure in your keg, it just means it won't top up the co2 until it drops below a lower figure. :thumb

This is what I have been doing but I think the gauge is knackered. Even if I purge the keg and start from scratch with the gauge it need a tap to even move from 0 psi

Ah ok :thumb:

 

[Will12283]

Maybe Santa will bring me a new one. Or should I just treat myself before christmas??

 

[Will12283]

Well I am slowly giving up on the idea of having lager on tap.

I have tried 30psi for a week then dispensing, and all I got was flat lager and a pint of foam.

Tried de gassing and then pressurising at dispensing pressure for 2 weeks. Still have flat lager.

Anyone got any advice before I throw this batch, it tasted fine but flat lager is not for me

 

[Fil]

re reading the original post, your serving at 12C?

thats warm for a highly conditioned lager, try a lower temp..

if you have conditioned the beer too much for the temp your serving at, it will foam out leaving flat beer behind with the slightest provocation.

http://www.kegerators.com/articles/carb ... -chart.php

 

[pittsy]

You need 3/16 beer line and around 6ft , have your corny at around 7c if poss and psi around 20 for a week and it will work . I bet you have 3/8 line , if so you'd need about 20ft or more to get no foam

 

[joe1002]

I bet you have 3/8 line

Erm, have another read of the OP

My beer line is about 2m of 3/8 and 2m of 3/16 beer line.

 

[Will12283]

The problem I have at the moment is the lack of power to my shed. When this is sorted I can control the temp a lot better.

As stated I have 2m of 3/8 and 2m of 3/16, but thinking of investing in 3m of 3/16 and trying that.

Need to order some more beer like anyway as I had another corny for Christmas.

 

[pittsy]

I have 3 kegs waiting to go into my brew fridge , all gassed up temp corrected to my ideal psi etc and have issues with foam and head etc until i chill keg down to around 7c for at least 24hrs and now enjoying a lovely pint . What average temp are the kegs at (sorry if already mentioned )

 

[Will12283]

They are in a kegorator that without power holds at approx. 10-12c.

It's going to be a bit of a job running power down so that need to wait for better weather. I am thinking of running an extension lead down for now, but the bad weather has even put that idea on the back burner.

Might just be a case of make shandy for a while at least it will be carbonated then lol

 

[Fil]

ambient temps in the shed should be low enough to serve at the moment? standing the kegs in bowls of cold water will help chill too, a jockey box (cold box filled with ice and a copper coil to feed the beer to the tap thru ) is a budget soultion in warmer weather, im not a fan of the very fizzy but at the ambient temps in the coalshed/beercellar where i store my kegs a pressure of 12-15psi serves and maintains a farly fizzy ginger beer which pours well thru a 5ft tength of 3/16" line.

 

[pittsy]

Btw don't give up on lager on tap . I do wheat at 7c ish at around 20psi for a week then serve at 20psi with 3/16 beer line approx 5 ft .