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  1. 06-21-2009 06:30 PM #1
    newtobeer
    newtobeer is offline Junior Member
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    Default Super Foamy beer

    Hey guys...

    I just opened a bar... and i dont know how to adjust the pressure on my beer taps! the keg is in the fridge about 38-40 degrees and about 25-30 feet of insulated slack between the fridge and tap. The tap is about 40 inches off the floor.

    The beer is super foamy about 85%... does anyone know what my problem is? or what hte correct pressure should be?

    HELP in texas!
    Thanks!
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  2. 06-21-2009 07:07 PM #2
    cubby_swans's Avatar
    cubby_swans
    cubby_swans is offline Super Moderator
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    Default

    Do you have a glycol cooled insulated run?
    ____________________________________________
    Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed.
    Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery
    and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this beer, they might
    be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself,
    "It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than
    be selfish and worry about my liver."
    ____________________________________________
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  3. 06-22-2009 06:29 AM #3
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    Hophead
    Hophead is offline Senior Member
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    Default

    Just insulating the beer line is not enough...it needs to be cooled too. Shorter runs (10 feet or less) can be "air cooled" using a blower mounted in the fridge. Anything longer and you need to use a much more expensive, commercial-type chilled glycol system.

    The object with both systems is to keep the beer line as close to the temp of the beer in the keg ALL the way to the faucet (tap). Once the beer becomes warmer than it is in the keg, you will get foam and lots of it.

    Another thing to consider is the amount of resistance that 25-30 feet of "slack" line creates. Most keg beers require 12-16 PSI of pressure to keep the beer properly carbonated. In your case, if you're running the typical 3/16" beer line, you need A LOT more pressure to push the beer that far - probably more like 30 PSI and that will cause the beer to become over-carbonated very quickly.

    As you can see, there's a lot more to having beer on tap than just hooking everything up. There's definitely some science involved and there's not many ways to cheat!
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