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first keg

Chas at Tahoe

Master Brewer
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Aug 9, 2009
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Location
Reno, Nevada
I just bought a keg setup w/5gal conri keg.  I brewed an american amber ale and kegged it about three weeks ago.  When I try to tap it I get a glass of foam with very little beer.  I'm not sure what's going on.  My pressure is about 12lbs.  Any ideas?
 
Lots of reasons why this can happen.  Assuming you are using a cobra tap, the length and inside diameter must be paired to the keg pressure.  You need to have the CO2 at the correct pressure for the temp the beer is at to obtain the proper CO2 volume.  Too much will cause dispensing issues too.

I use 5' of 3/16" tubing.  I never have foaming issues.  I keep the keg at 11 psi @ 40F.  I do have one larger  diameter shorter tubing that I have to lower the dispensing pressure in the key or I have foaming issues.

I use these from morebeer.  http://morebeer.com/view_product/18243/102296/Beer_Line_Assembly

 
  Like jomebrew said, there are lots of reasons.

1 How did you carbonate? Forced or Conditioned?
1a if forced how much pressure
1b if conditioned how much priming sugar
2 What size tubing?
3 What temp was it stored at?
without knowing any of these ,I would try releasing pressure in keg? Does it still pour?
 
X2 on tubing length.  Try a longer piece of hose to your tap if you are using a short length, 5-6 ft is typical.  It allows a gradual pressure drop before leaving the tap so foaming is suppressed.  Also, if you force carbonated you may have overdone it.
 
Before dispensing cut off the gas from the regulator and use the bleeder valve to drop pressure in the keg.

You'll reach a point where you can dispense beer instead of foam.

Just remember to put the pressure back on at the end of the night or you'll lose carbonation.
 
I brewed an American Amber Ale and siphoned it directly into the keg.  No priming sugar.  I bought my setup at a brew shop here in Reno so the hose lengths are what they gave to me.  My co2 bottle to keg is about 3/8ths x 5' and my keg to tap is about 10".

I Just moved into my house so didn't have a way to cool the brew so I just hooked it up at 14lbs and let 'er rip.  I chilled it with ice yesterday, reduced pressure to 7lbs and it still foams.  I get about 5" of foam and 1/8" of beer.

I wonder if my keg is faulty.  It was used...
 
The keg to tap hose is the critical one - if its only 10" as you posted, its way too short.  The idea is that you get a gradual pressure drop along the length.  5-6 feet should cover 10-12 lbs of pressure nicely.  The temperature is important and needs to be stable or you will have CO2 constantly in flux in and out of solution in your beer - not very "nice head" friendly.  You'll want to make sure the whole tank is somewhat insulated if its just on ice.
 
Well, I agree with the above info.  I would bleed out all the pressure I could in the keg until it would barely pour and from that point put it on 4 to 6lbs of pressure. 

It's not your keg that is causing the foam.  It's the excess carbonation and that is because the amount of co2 you initially put in the keg was too high.

Another thing to consider and this is from never seeing your set up is that your pressure gauges are incorrect.

You'll get your temp and pressures dialed in.  I always tell my wife I drink beer in the name of science. ;)
 
Thanks for the input.  Good advise from all! 
I shut off the CO2, bled the keg pressure, reconnected the CO2 at 3lbs and got a nice heady glass of Amber Ale.  Perfect carbonation. 8)

The brew shop here in Reno told me to keep the tap hose as short as possible.  I'll try a couple feet and report what happens.

Drink beer for science.  I'll have to try that one.  I also like the Benjamin Franklin quote, "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

MikeinWA, I used to live around Moses Lake.  You close?  Well water.  Hard as a rock.
 
Figuring ideal gauge pressure of straight CO2 when carbonation level is not known:
1. Set the regulator pressure to 5 psi.
2. Tap a fresh keg. Make sure the keg has been in the cooler long enough to be at the cooler temperature.
3. Pour a small amount of beer through the faucet.
4. Observe the beer in the draught line directly above the keg coupler (with a flashlight if necessary), inspecting for
bubbles rising up from the beer in the keg.
5. If bubbles are present, raise the regulator pressure 1 psi.
6. Repeat steps 3 - 5 until no bubbles are present.
This is the lowest pressure at which the gas in the beer is not escaping. This is your ideal gauge pressure.
 
I live on the west side.  Water is perfect here.  ;D  The east side is where I hunt and fish though.

I'm glad you got the pressure sorted out.
 
The brew shop here in Reno told me to keep the tap hose as short as possible.  I'll try a couple feet and report what happens.

Do some googling on the subject and you will find much disagreement with your brew shop's advice.

I've only got 3' between my keg and tap, and I've got 6' 3/16ID 5/16OD PVC on my shopping list right now. From what I've learned I think it will at least lessen my need to bleed off pressure (and waste CO2 I spent money for) before dispensing.
 
Finally got a nice glass of American Amber ale out of my keg.  I dropped the pressure to 4psi after chilled in ice then bled the keg a little before dispensing.  I got a nice 1" head and plenty of carbonation.  4psi may be a little high though.  On second round I had to bleed pressure again to get a good head.  hmmm.

My son is a Msgt in the airforce and is heading to S. Korea.  We had a rib cook off with home made beer. 

sweet.

Thanks to all who made suggestions.  You made my going away party perfect.  Ribs and Beer, what could be better?
 
Chas,
Glad to see you got your pressure problem solved in time for your party.  The members of this forum always seem to come up with solutions to any situation.  I have learned much, and avoided many problems from information that I read here.

Thanks to your son for all that he does, and thanks to his family for their support.
 
if you are using a picnic tap, I have seen people not used to using these only squeeze the dispensing lever only part way constricting the flow and making a ton of foam. Make sure you always open tap 100%. 
 
Yep, picknic tap.  I quit opening it 100% when it foamed over the first time.  I'll try it full open at about 3psi.  see what happens.

Thanks for the tip.  8)
 
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