[scottcd]

I'm sure this topic has been beat to death but I've searched the forums and tried most of the fixes and can't seem to get my kegerator balanced. I just recently installed a through the door tap system and I'm getting A LOT of foam. I have 2 kegs in a 32 degree freezer with 8 ft of 3/16th ID line coiled on top of the keg so there is no sagging. The keg is sitting at 12 PSI and I cant seem to get it balanced.  When the beer first comes out the stream is slightly "misshaped" and then its evens out into a nice stream, but it foams from the started. I'm pouring at a 45ish deg angle into a slightly chilled glass.

Could my lines be too long?
My kegerator is on my porch in florida in 80deg weather right now, so could my taps be getting too warm?

Any help would be appreciated.

[HydraulicSammich]

Yes, the warm taps can compound the problem of foaming.  Restrictions in the line can also.  I pump cold air from the bottom of the unit up through pvc pipe with an outlet at each shank that cures that problem.  Also, I need a minimum of 10 feet of your size line to quiet the flow and get the head I desire.  I am also at 12 psi. 

[smkranz]

I am surmising that maybe your kegs are too cold, and your pressure is a tad high.  My beer fridges are probably at 40-42° and I keep them at 8-10 lbs. max.  The colder the beer, the more CO2 it can hold in solution, and the more CO2 will come out of solution as foam when it hits a warmer surface.  I would try letting the freezer warm up a good 10 or more degrees if you have that ability, and lowering the pressure.

The hoses from my kegs dangle all over the place inside there, I've never experienced that to be a problem.

When you pour, make sure you open the faucet all the way.

[Hickory]

I have been serving my beer out of my keezer that sits around 32-35* at 12 psi and have never had that problem. I think it's either the taps are getting too warm and throwing extra foam or the line length. I changed mine from 7' to 14' and it made a big difference.

[stevecrawshaw]

have you checked the seat on the dip post. If it is leaking, it can introduce CO2 into the beer line, causing foaming.
cheers
steve

[duboman]

Could also be a bit of hop debris somewhere or dirty taps causing nucleation sites resulting in foamy pours

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[majorvices]

The colder the beer the less foaming you should have. Warming it won't fix the problem, unless it is actually frozen (and I can't understand why you would want to serve beer that cold, unless it is a cheap Macro Lager.)

Take your QDC apart and make sure it is clean. Could be some gunk in there that is causing the issue. Take your taps apart too. Also, it is possible your regulator is faulty.

I'd be surprised if your taps are too warm, although the first poor on a warm tap is often foamy the problem should resolve itself after the tap cools.

[scottcd]

Ok, so I raised my kegerator temp to 40 last night and reduced the serving pressure to 10 psi. It's a tad better but I'm still getting half a glass of foam. I just inspected my dip tube and QDC and they both look fine. I'm going to my LHBS tomorrow and maybe I'll get some longer lines. It seemed like at 12 psi with 8' lines the beer was coming out a little slow but i guess there is no way to know because its mostly foam.

I have been serving my beer out of my keezer that sits around 32-35* at 12 psi and have never had that problem. I think it's either the taps are getting too warm and throwing extra foam or the line length. I changed mine from 7' to 14' and it made a big difference.

Is your setup the same as mine? I just have my line coiled on top my my keg.

The colder the beer the less foaming you should have. Warming it won't fix the problem, unless it is actually frozen (and I can't understand why you would want to serve beer that cold, unless it is a cheap Macro Lager.)

Take your QDC apart and make sure it is clean. Could be some gunk in there that is causing the issue. Take your taps apart too. Also, it is possible your regulator is faulty.

I'd be surprised if your taps are too warm, although the first poor on a warm tap is often foamy the problem should resolve itself after the tap cools.

I thought this too... But I noticed tonight that even on the second pour I'm getting a little "gushing" from the tap. So its probably not that.

[Hickory]

Unless I misunderstand, we have a very similar setup.

[scottcd]

Unless I misunderstand, we have a very similar setup.

Yea almost identical. So I'm gonna grab some longer lines today. Now if I increase my line length am I also going to have to increase my serving pressure? Before I had 8ft @ 12 psi and the flow rate was pretty good besides foaming. When I add that extra line the flow rate will slow correct?

[majorvices]

This sounds like, to me, the beer is simply way overcarbonated. How did you carb it? You
L never be it to serve right if it is super over carbbed, unless you vent the co2 for a couple weeks and get the levels down.

[scottcd]

This sounds like, to me, the beer is simply way overcarbonated. How did you carb it? You
L never be it to serve right if it is super over carbbed, unless you vent the co2 for a couple weeks and get the levels down.

I set it at 13 psi for 5 days. Just checked a carb chart and it says that's above 3 vols... Uh oh. I guess I'll burp it down until it pours correctly. Thanks!

[majorvices]

This sounds like, to me, the beer is simply way overcarbonated. How did you carb it? You
L never be it to serve right if it is super over carbbed, unless you vent the co2 for a couple weeks and get the levels down.

I set it at 13 psi for 5 days. Just checked a carb chart and it says that's above 3 vols... Uh oh. I guess I'll burp it down until it pours correctly. Thanks!

That's still not really too high to pour on your set up. I regularly car to 3.2 or 3.4. Which makes me think your regulator is off again. It's really hard to say exactly. It sounds like you have done every thing right but if the regulator is pushing out 20psi instead of 13 that could be your problem.

[scottcd]

This sounds like, to me, the beer is simply way overcarbonated. How did you carb it? You
L never be it to serve right if it is super over carbbed, unless you vent the co2 for a couple weeks and get the levels down.

I set it at 13 psi for 5 days. Just checked a carb chart and it says that's above 3 vols... Uh oh. I guess I'll burp it down until it pours correctly. Thanks!

That's still not really too high to pour on your set up. I regularly car to 3.2 or 3.4. Which makes me think your regulator is off again. It's really hard to say exactly. It sounds like you have done every thing right but if the regulator is pushing out 20psi instead of 13 that could be your problem.

Ok now what would be the easiest way to calibaratenor check my regulator? Because before I installed my tap system I was getting beer that was carbed fairly well. I just had a 3 ft cobra tap so the beer would shoot out so I would reduce the pressure to serve.

I'm starting to see I'm a mess.

[majorvices]

When the gas is turned off and everything is depressurized does it read 0? Aside from that, or replacing the gauge, I don't know how to calibrate a regulator. I have had quite a few that went wonky over the years, especially if they get knocked over.

The thing that makes me think your beer is over carbbed is that you said at one point that it was pouring slow, and still foaming. Any chance you kegged the beer without fermentation being completely over and let it sit at room temp for a few days?