Problem with Coors Light - Foam

[groundhog]

I'm on my second keg of Coors Light and I can't figure out why I'm having a problem with foam. I've had it with both kegs. This is the 5th keg I've had in my Danby, but I'm only having the foam issue with the CL. I've installed a tower blower, 100k resistor, relocated the temp sensor to the top front of the unit, and changed out the 5ft beer line for an 8ft line. Beer temp is 37-38. PSI is now set to 12, although I have tried as high as 16. I've cleaned it in between each keg.

The other kegs were 2 Mich Ultra's and 1 Sam Adams Summer Ale, and they were fine.

Is there something else I'm missing? I like CL, but I'm also most to the point of not getting it anymore.

[Hophead]

I don't drink CL but I do drink Miller Lite - very close in carbonation levels. Just last night I was experimenting with my pours because I would go from a perfect pour to 1/2 foam and I normally have perfect pours all the time. What I found was that the very first, say, 1/2 second of every pour was a mostly foam. (I have a converted fridge with the shank coming through the side so no tower.) When I ignored this and immediately poured into a "beer clean" glass, I would get about 1/2 pint of foam. Whenever I let this 1/2 second of foam drain into the drip tray and then start filling the glass, the pour was perfect. Any amount of foam in the glass would cause even more foam.

I think commercial lite beers - especially CL and ML - might be the toughest to deal with in terms of getting the pressure perfect and getting the pour just right.

IIRC- I'm pretty sure 12 PSI is too low for CL at 37-38. I think I've read that 15-16 is required because it's a high volume CO2 beer.

[groundhog]

I had it at 16, but I had the same problem. I have noticed that if I use a mug, I get a lot of foam, but if I use a glass it's less, but still more than it should be.

[Scott Zuhse]

Not only is CL a higher carbonated product, it is a light beer. Less apt to keep gas in solution. Very finicky. Need to be accurate with temperature using calibrated thermometer.

At sea level @ 38F, 16 PSIG should do the trick. Shank opening should be 1/4" ID and you will have better luck if your tailpiece and shank fitting is 1/4" as well.

[wags1]

I have also noticed that CL is very finicky when it comes to pour technique, angle of glass, snap open the tap, etc. Except for my wife’s friend, who is a bar tender, I'm about the only one who can tap it at my house without getting too much foam...

[groundhog]

Not only is CL a higher carbonated product, it is a light beer. Less apt to keep gas in solution. Very finicky. Need to be accurate with temperature using calibrated thermometer.

At sea level @ 38F, 16 PSIG should do the trick. Shank opening should be 1/4" ID and you will have better luck if your tailpiece and shank fitting is 1/4" as well.

I have a Danby so I'm not sure what size mine are.

[Hophead]

I have also noticed that CL is very finicky when it comes to pour technique, angle of glass, snap open the tap, etc. Except for my wife’s friend, who is a bar tender, I'm about the only one who can tap it at my house without getting too much foam...

Even at bars, I often see less experienced bartenders having trouble pouring miller lite and coors lite. Seems like they open the faucet, insert a glass then overfill to run some of the excess head off. Lots of waste usually.

I just poured a ML from my system and definitely noticed that if I pay complete attention to what I'm doing (exactly what you pointed out), it's a perfect pour. When I get lazy, I end up with a little excess head.

[rocky]

I actually worked at a bar in NC this summer. We had coors light on tap. Honestly, I'd open the tap, for about half a second and let the foam run off, then fill the glass. I think it was more due to the faucet not being cooled properly. They had a glycol system that probably ran roughly 75ft in some areas. The last time I check they were running something above 20psi, but also had a nitro/co2 mix system.

[groundhog]

Ok, with 12 psi, and temps at 37-38 I'm getting good pours. There is a lot less foam. First pour is about 2" foam, and 2 thru last pour is 1" or less. I did talk to the bartender at the local joint we go to every Friday night, and he thinks the psi should be 8-10. I also talked to the guys at the local brew store store (that's where I picked up the beer line), and they think it should be at 8-10 also.

Everything I've read on here says 16 psi. Any suggestions why it's better with 12 psi?

[kurney]

my parents run coors light at 10-12 psi. I called Molson Canada when we first connected it and they suggested 12 psi.

[groundhog]

Guess I'll keep it at 12 and see what happens.

[Hophead]

1st thought that comes to mind is...How do you know the gauge on your regulator is reading correctly?

2nd thought is...Coors light ships from the brewery with a very specific volume of CO2 (carbonation). When you put it in the kegerator and tap it, you need to apply an equal pressure of CO2 to keep the carbonation from breaking out of the beer plus 1 or 2 PSI extra for "push". If you use too little CO2 pressure initially, the beer will pour foamy but only until the carbonation remaining in the beer and the applied CO2 pressure equalize. When that happens, the beer should pour just fine BUT it won't have the same carbonation as intended by the brewery and will probably not taste 100% correct. For some people, they either don't care or can't tell the difference. So, 10-12 PSI on Coors Light at 38 degrees will eventually work but the beer no longer has the "original" carbonation level.

I drink Miller Lite more than anything (although it's certainly not my favorite beer or style of beer - it's just less filling and doesn't make me fat!). I also like the way it tastes out of the bottle but don't like dealing with deposits and returns so I have it on tap instead. I found that I need to keep at least 14 PSI (at 38 degrees) CO2 pressure to maintain the carbonation level at anything close to how it comes out of the bottle or at any of my favorite bars.

My guess is that if the carbonation level of your Coors Lite is good and "normal", then you're probably applying more than 12 PSI but the gauge isn't reading correctly.

[groundhog]

I would think it's correct, but I guess I don't really know if my gauge is reading correctly. How would I go about finding out if it is or not?

I don't notice a difference in taste.

[Hophead]

If you don't notice a difference in taste or carbonation level (as compared to a decent local pub or even the bottle) and it's pouring OK, then I wouldn't worry about the gauge being a little off.

If you had to verify, one way would be to add a shraeder valve (like on a tire, AKA as an "F" pressure testing valve in some applications) to the outlet side of the regulator either just before or after the gauge or put a tee in under the gauge. Then you could use any ol' tire pressure gauge to test it.

[groundhog]

[QUOTE=Hophead;36346]If you don't notice a difference in taste or carbonation level (as compared to a decent local pub or even the bottle) and it's pouring OK, then I wouldn't worry about the gauge being a little off.

If you had to verify, one way would be to add a shraeder valve (like on a tire, AKA as an "F" pressure testing valve in some applications) to the outlet side of the regulator either just before or after the gauge or put a tee in under the gauge. Then you could use any ol' tire pressure gauge to test it.[/QUOTE]



That makes sense. Thanks for the help.