[boapiu]

I am force carbonating at 10-12 psi and when I start to serve from the keg it seems over carbonated, too much head and foam. Generally these beers are pale ales (my fav) but also on everything I force carbonate at 10-12 psi. I have tried 10 ft lengths of beer line from the keg to the picnic tap and this doesn't make a difference from 3 ft lengths or 10 feet of cheap HD tubing - still too much head. However, I used my spare CO2 tank for serving only, set at 2-4 psi and had acceptable results. Unfortunately, as time wore on the beer seemed to loose carbonation, as expected. I would like to connect all my kegs to one source of pressure and both force carbonate and serve without swapping things around, but I don't like the beer coming out of the picnic tap with so much force, or the excessive head which results. What's a mother to do?
Wondering if I am missing something here or is this the cost of doing business. If anyone has experienced similar and solved same, I appreciate your input. TIA.

[brew inspector]

Are they all foamy or just the first pour?   If subsequent pours immediately following the first are better it is usually unchilled beerline. Also check the temp in the kegerator by filling a container of water and placing at the door of the kegerator. Should by close to 40.

[brew inspector]

Are they all foamy or just the first pour?   If subsequent pours immediately following the first are better it is usually unchilled beerline in the tower.  Also check the temp in the kegerator by filling a container of water and placing at the door of the kegerator. Should by close to 40.

[boapiu]

Everything from the keg to the picnic tap is kept inside the fridge. I am not using a tower, just a 5 gal soda keg with a picnic tap on the end of a length of beer line. So, the temperature should not be a factor. But I will take note of any difference from the first pour to subsequent ones.

[morticaixavier]

you can try even longer beer line, or smaller ID beer line. If your co2 pressure is balanced by back pressure from the serving line, and it's not an issue with warm beer in the line, then I would suspect an obstruction somewhere between the bottom of the dip tube and the tap.

take a look at the poppet on the liquid out post. is it sitting kind of high above the post? if the poppet spring is a little too long it can cause restriction point that will cause foaming. If that looks good...

Try dumping pressure from the keg and pulling the liquid out post. You might find gunk in the poppet or in the dip tube itself. Clean it out well with hot water and a dip tube brush, re-sanitize, reassemble, and pressurize again.

you can also try holding the tap and glass way up high. high as you can reach and see if that improves the pour any. Stand on a chair if you can. maximize the lift the beer has to achieve. this is equivalent of adding more beer line to your system

[boapiu]

ks are much better today. pour number 4 or 5 on the keg and everything seems normal. using about 10 ft of beer line and CO2 pressure set on 10-12 psi. guess I should have tried the right kind of beer line.