[denny]

The thing is, if you pick up the keg and old it horizontally and shake it, it doesn't make any difference which port the gas is going into.  They're both below the surface of the liquid.

When I did the shaking, I would lay the keg on the floor and roll it back and forth.

So you didn't actually shake it, you rolled it.  You're in the music business, what if you had rattled it? 
Would the gas and liquid ports still be below the surface?

Oooh, shake, rattle and roll...the Bill Haley method!

Yep, they were definitely submerged.  FWIW, I recall also trying it by shaking them standing up and still didn't see a difference.

[duboman]

So I believe I finally figured all this out but have  additional questions:

This last batch I both bottled and kegged. Both the keg and the bottles have been conditioned and refrigerated for the same amount of time at the same temperature. My bottles are pouring crystal clear, commercial quality pours. My keg is tapping cloudy and it is not simply chill haze.

I am still getting a little too much foam and I have 5' of liquid line. My taps are approximately 3' to the center of the keg. For this issue I am assuming I should lengthen the lines, perhaps to 7-8'? The pour is kind of quick and the lines are 3/16 ID. They are refrigerated from keg to tower completely.

I noticed with my first keg that the dip tube goes basically all the way down almost into the little recess in the bottom of the keg. Is it possible that I am continuously sucking up trub each time I tap? Should I have cut the dip tube a little shorter to leave a little more space and avoid this suck up of sediment?

Appreciate the continued help!

[morticaixavier]

So I believe I finally figured all this out but have  additional questions:

This last batch I both bottled and kegged. Both the keg and the bottles have been conditioned and refrigerated for the same amount of time at the same temperature. My bottles are pouring crystal clear, commercial quality pours. My keg is tapping cloudy and it is not simply chill haze.

I am still getting a little too much foam and I have 5' of liquid line. My taps are approximately 3' to the center of the keg. For this issue I am assuming I should lengthen the lines, perhaps to 7-8'? The pour is kind of quick and the lines are 3/16 ID. They are refrigerated from keg to tower completely.

I noticed with my first keg that the dip tube goes basically all the way down almost into the little recess in the bottom of the keg. Is it possible that I am continuously sucking up trub each time I tap? Should I have cut the dip tube a little shorter to leave a little more space and avoid this suck up of sediment?

Appreciate the continued help!

more line or less push should help with the foamy pour. I suspect you are correct about the cloudiness. it should clear up eventually.

[duboman]

So I believe I finally figured all this out but have  additional questions:

This last batch I both bottled and kegged. Both the keg and the bottles have been conditioned and refrigerated for the same amount of time at the same temperature. My bottles are pouring crystal clear, commercial quality pours. My keg is tapping cloudy and it is not simply chill haze.

I am still getting a little too much foam and I have 5' of liquid line. My taps are approximately 3' to the center of the keg. For this issue I am assuming I should lengthen the lines, perhaps to 7-8'? The pour is kind of quick and the lines are 3/16 ID. They are refrigerated from keg to tower completely.

I noticed with my first keg that the dip tube goes basically all the way down almost into the little recess in the bottom of the keg. Is it possible that I am continuously sucking up trub each time I tap? Should I have cut the dip tube a little shorter to leave a little more space and avoid this suck up of sediment?

Appreciate the continued help!

more line or less push should help with the foamy pour. I suspect you are correct about the cloudiness. it should clear up eventually.

I would have thought so to on the cloudiness but it has been almost 2 weeks at 39F like an extended cold crash and still cloudy, even after consecutive pours, that's why I asked about dip tube length. I don't think line length would really fix that issue as the beer in the lines is cloudy as well.

[morticaixavier]

So I believe I finally figured all this out but have  additional questions:

This last batch I both bottled and kegged. Both the keg and the bottles have been conditioned and refrigerated for the same amount of time at the same temperature. My bottles are pouring crystal clear, commercial quality pours. My keg is tapping cloudy and it is not simply chill haze.

I am still getting a little too much foam and I have 5' of liquid line. My taps are approximately 3' to the center of the keg. For this issue I am assuming I should lengthen the lines, perhaps to 7-8'? The pour is kind of quick and the lines are 3/16 ID. They are refrigerated from keg to tower completely.

I noticed with my first keg that the dip tube goes basically all the way down almost into the little recess in the bottom of the keg. Is it possible that I am continuously sucking up trub each time I tap? Should I have cut the dip tube a little shorter to leave a little more space and avoid this suck up of sediment?

Appreciate the continued help!

more line or less push should help with the foamy pour. I suspect you are correct about the cloudiness. it should clear up eventually.

I would have thought so to on the cloudiness but it has been almost 2 weeks at 39F like an extended cold crash and still cloudy, even after consecutive pours, that's why I asked about dip tube length. I don't think line length would really fix that issue as the beer in the lines is cloudy as well.

line length is for the foamy not the cloudy. you can shorten the dip tube but I find that eventually the sediment clears if its that. I suppose the keg could be infected so new sediment is being deposited all the time. or there is just a lot in which case shorten the tube and/or transfer to a clean keg.

[duboman]

So I believe I finally figured all this out but have  additional questions:

This last batch I both bottled and kegged. Both the keg and the bottles have been conditioned and refrigerated for the same amount of time at the same temperature. My bottles are pouring crystal clear, commercial quality pours. My keg is tapping cloudy and it is not simply chill haze.

I am still getting a little too much foam and I have 5' of liquid line. My taps are approximately 3' to the center of the keg. For this issue I am assuming I should lengthen the lines, perhaps to 7-8'? The pour is kind of quick and the lines are 3/16 ID. They are refrigerated from keg to tower completely.

I noticed with my first keg that the dip tube goes basically all the way down almost into the little recess in the bottom of the keg. Is it possible that I am continuously sucking up trub each time I tap? Should I have cut the dip tube a little shorter to leave a little more space and avoid this suck up of sediment?

Appreciate the continued help!

more line or less push should help with the foamy pour. I suspect you are correct about the cloudiness. it should clear up eventually.

I would have thought so to on the cloudiness but it has been almost 2 weeks at 39F like an extended cold crash and still cloudy, even after consecutive pours, that's why I asked about dip tube length. I don't think line length would really fix that issue as the beer in the lines is cloudy as well.

line length is for the foamy not the cloudy. you can shorten the dip tube but I find that eventually the sediment clears if its that. I suppose the keg could be infected so new sediment is being deposited all the time. or there is just a lot in which case shorten the tube and/or transfer to a clean keg.

No infection, other than the cloudiness the beer tastes and smells awesome so once it's kicked I'll look at what's in there and go from there, thanks!

[bluesman]

Here's a great manual that covers most of what you'll need for kegging, serving and maintaining your draught system.

http://www.kegworks.com/faqs/Draft-Beer-Quality-Manual.pdf

[duboman]

Here's a great manual that covers most of what you'll need for kegging, serving and maintaining your draught system.

http://www.kegworks.com/faqs/Draft-Beer-Quality-Manual.pdf

Thanks, I'll give that a read!

[duboman]

That's a great resource but raised another question. I have read many people keep the Co2 tank in the kegerator but this guide states that should not be done with no reason listed as to why? So why is this not recommended? Mine is inside, does it really matter?

[In The Sand]

That's a great resource but raised another question. I have read many people keep the Co2 tank in the kegerator but this guide states that should not be done with no reason listed as to why? So why is this not recommended? Mine is inside, does it really matter?

Because you can fit more kegs in the kegerator if you don't store the co2 bottle in it . At least that's my reason!

[duboman]

That's a great resource but raised another question. I have read many people keep the Co2 tank in the kegerator but this guide states that should not be done with no reason listed as to why? So why is this not recommended? Mine is inside, does it really matter?

Because you can fit more kegs in the kegerator if you don't store the co2 bottle in it . At least that's my reason!

Yea, I get that but in my case it would only allow me a 3 gallon keg so not really a big deal, the article though made it seem like it was a bad idea to keep it inside as in detrimental but no reason why was provided so I am curious.

[scottNU]

That's a great resource but raised another question. I have read many people keep the Co2 tank in the kegerator but this guide states that should not be done with no reason listed as to why? So why is this not recommended? Mine is inside, does it really matter?

Because you can fit more kegs in the kegerator if you don't store the co2 bottle in it . At least that's my reason!

Yea, I get that but in my case it would only allow me a 3 gallon keg so not really a big deal, the article though made it seem like it was a bad idea to keep it inside as in detrimental but no reason why was provided so I am curious.

I think there is a bit of science and a bit of experience at work.  The ideal gas law, PV=nRT, states that as temperature goes down (T), then the pressure (P) of the system (the CO2 tank) also must go down assuming volume (V) and amount of gas (n) are kept constant.  That's the first item. 

The second item is experience.  I have heard people express concern about tank and regulator seals not working as well at lower temperatures, problems with freezing due to rapid dispensing and keg space being used by the tank. 

I keep my tank in the refrigerator and have no complaints.  I think you can do whatever works best for you and your system/set-up.