Soon to be new to my own Draft Draw!!!

[jmc1972]

I do not yet have my own system and am waiting on my Fed refund next week prior to my ordering the conversion kit, however I have a few questions and if I anyone can help me it would be greatly appreciated.

The Kit I'm buying is the Premium Kit from Micro Matic. Love the price and the products (though I'm not well versed in the quality). My wife and I enjoy Michelob Ultra (well I try and enjoy it because its the only one she'll drink with me - I personally like Stouts and other very, very dark Beer with a bit of a hoppy taste - none the matter).

My question is this - to ensure I keep a 1/2 Keg from going flat while making sure we get "professional" pulls what should I set my pressure to on the CO2 Regulator?

I ask because (and yes my wife has my money in her pockets - better than saying balls) she has agreed to this endeavor based on the Cost/Benefit Analysis and Return on Investment I performed for her and if I lose a Keg she won't be too please thus preventing me from temporarily receiving the not so common enjoyment at bedtime - if you understand.

Any help with setup on both the install and the pressure is greatly appreciated. The tank I'm purchasing is the 5#.

Thanks in advance for all advise!!!!!

[Scott Zuhse]

Glad to assist a forum member who understands that it is important to keep Mama happy! First procedure would to be to place a full bucket of water in your refrigerator immediately. Calibrate a thermometer - fill glass with ice, then water and top off with ice. If you have a basic dial pocket thermometer, adjust pointer to 32 F while in the ice bath.

Now try to adjust your refrigerator so that the bucket of water can be maintained to 38 F. At this temperature and if you reside between 1 to 1000" elevation, set your regulator to 14 PSIG. The kit should come with five feet of 3/16 " ID vinyl. This will be sufficient for a descent flow speed.

Continue to post for any additional assistance.

[jmc1972]

Scott,

Thanks for the reply, I know have the kegerator made, chilled, etc. I just put the keg in, tapped it, and now I get ALOT of foam, when the foam settles I have nearly flat draws. I have a pretty clear beer line with the Co2 set to 12 psi.

After I draw I have tiny bubbles flowing back toward the keg from the regulator.

How long should I let the keg settle before expecting to not have foam? It was in the back of a car rolling around for about 17 miles

Any suggestions are absolutely appreciated!!!!!

Thanks!!!!

[TAPMAN]

The ''rolling around in the back of the car'' is not as much of an issue as is the 17 miles of not being refrigerated.It does not take long for a 38 deg. keg to warm up above 40. It is crucial that your beer temp be below 40 deg.If you have the fridge set cold enough, you beer shoul be OK today, Also, the reason you had flat beer once the foam settled, is because all that foam you had is actually the CO2 escaping from the beer. Tapman

[jmc1972]

Thanks for the info, now with risk of being a pest is there any place I can find out the recommended psi setting for Ultra? I've read everything from 8 to 14. I'm at an elevation of 5,868' and have also read to switch out my beer line from the 5' to an 8'. I'm just getting a little confused and am not sure if the keg will stay good for a couple months. This is fun and confusing at the same time, kind of like getting drunk, having your fingers slammed in a door and it doesn't hurt (which I've done in the past )

Oh, I almost forgot - I've got a commercial grade dual gauge co2 regulator, the top is for the co2 and the second is for the keg. I have the co2 gauge set at 12, and the bottom gauge shows below the green section. Will this needle come up in time, is it possibly defective, or does it need to be calibrated? I noticed a calibration sticker on the back of the co2 gauge, but none on the keg gauge.

Thanks!!!!!!!

[jmc1972]

My refrigerator with the keg, cinder block, and wood is now keeping the keg at a steady 46 degrees - it's been like this since earlier this morning when I went out to check on it. The fridge is only about 6 years old. I'm getting the 46 degree reading from a temperature/capacity strip on the outside of the keg.

What should I do to not loose this keg?

Thanks!!!!

[jmc1972]

I went to my local homebrew store and talked with the owner. He told me that Coors Light, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, and most other light's are extremely tempermental. (Figure, my first Keg and get the tough one). He suggested that I switch out the beer line from the 5' I had to a 10', pump the co2 up to 13 psi. Doing this took care of the regulator issue, however I'm still getting about 50% foam with 50% beer.

How long should I expect to get a large amount of foam? The draw tastes great, looks great, and smells great. I have minimal bubbles in the beer line now as opposed to having several constantly flowing to the coupler and the shank. I also purchased a thermometer that hangs on the door of the converted fridge so I can get the temperature at the point of draw.

I've got my fingers crossed and hope to have pure, cold flowing beer very soon!!!!!!

[Scott Zuhse]

Once you decide to maintain a temperature at 38F, then you can adjust your temperature to 16 PSIG to the keg. No more, no less. Then you can install maybe seven feet of 3/16" line. Anymore and your beer will be coming out too slow.

Did you adhere to the instructions in the first reply? Get your piece of refrigeration to 38F liquid. I doubt that the keg can be saved at this time. You may have dumped so much foam that you have lowered the carbonation level of the beer.

Ultra has 2.6 vols of gas. At 36F and your elevation, to maintain equilibrium between the gas in the beer and the gas pushing the beer, use 16 PSIG.

[jmc1972]

Hi Scott,

I did follow your initial instructions and got the fridge down to either 36 or 38 degrees - can't remember - its been a short time, however it feels like forever ago since I posted the first question and all the things I've attempted.

Coincidentally I found that my compressor fan stopped working sometime after I installed the system and placed the keg in the fridge, Murphy's Law I guess - the Return on Investment has increased in time substantially.

So as of now - I'm picking up a stand-up freezer, thermostat control, and a new Keg tomorrow. The total cost is around $138 + tax. I found someone who is going to give me a freezer (she has no space for it) for free, the thermostat control is $65.00 at my local brew shop, and the new keg is going to cost me $73.00 from a store less than 2 miles away. I purchased the 1st Keg from a store which was about 17 miles away and all of the sway and shifting may have played a part, along with the lack of ability to cool to 38 with the keg in place. I tried to go the cheap route and purchase the original keg from a place that sold it for $44.95, however I've now learned my lesson. I'll buy from a close shop which will ensure the lowest amount of movement within the Keg and slow the warming on of the brew inside.

My line is currently at 7' 3/16" I.D., with a co2 pressure at 15 psi and it worked out well with the exception that I've already gone through the 1st keg!!!!!

Don't know if I drank it all or most of it was full, but a 1/2 Barrel in less than a week and never got drunk might be impressive to many, however I did pour out quite a bit of foam in the attempt to balance correctly.

I should have everything up and running tomorrow - though I do have one last question (hopefully)!!!! Should I wait to place the keg in the freezer until the freezer is somewhere between 36-38 degrees since the store I'm getting it from is less than 2 miles away or should I place the Keg in immediately to maintain the temp? As an amateur at this whole thing my thoughts were to obtain the keg, let it sit in my garage and settle for the hour or 2 it will take me to pickup the Freezer and convert, than place the keg in with 7' line with a pressure of 15 lbs and adjust downward from there if necessary.

Please let me know your thoughts. By the way - if there's anyone in the Denver Metro Area looking for a fridge which already has the holes cut in it for a tap I have one FREE ready to go!!!!! - LOL

Thanks!!!!!

[jmc1972]

Through the help of all on this site I'm now the proud papa of a converted kegerator which pours out draws with a liquid temp of 37 degrees (+/- .5).

I have cigars for all which on the wrapper say - Baby kegerator!!!!!!

[Scott Zuhse]

Congratulations! As to your keg, place it in your kegerator as soon as possible.