Help

[CJ51974]

Bought a sanyo fridge, tower kit with the 5 ft line, 3/16th line, low profile coupler. Beer at 38 degree and pressure at 12, for yungling lager. I was getting bubbles forming from the coupler into the beer line after each pour and had to waste like 8-10 ounces before goood beer would pour. I found that the check valve on the coupler was bad, replaced it for a regular coupler, and cleaned all the lines out. Still doing the same exact thing. I checked all the fittings, i dont know why its doing this. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Heres some pics of what i made Facebook | Adam Zubricky's Photos – Summer

[edramshaw]

Did you calibrate the thermometer you are using to check you temps? Those dial type do get knocked out of whack sometimes and you could be getting a false reading. Also did you have a blower forcing cold air in the tower? If not the warm air in the tower will cause the beer in the lines up there to warm and thus foam.

[CJ51974]

Well I am not forcing cold air up into the tower, I can see that being a problem if I am not drawing beer for a few hours. But if I wait anymore then 30 seconds from the last beer i got from the keg, bubbles immediatly start forming and cause the foamy first cup. I just dont know, I waste about 8-10 ounces and then i can get all the perfect beer I want as long as i dont wait more then 30 seconds before my next pour.

[Larry Tapper]

Check the gas seal gaskets on both the keg and tavern head, it ssounds like the two are not sealing.

[CJ51974]

I have checked, rechecked, and checked again. Everything seems to be correct. I have heard talk off blaming the keg or brewer, is that a possibility? I guess ill just ride this keg out and see if the next one is the same.

[scott91575]

Sounds like a bad coupler or keg. I had a similar issue. Thanks to many here I replaced it with a top of the line micromatic coupler. Works awesome now (there were other mods, but that and a long line really helped as long as the temp is right).

I had an old setup years ago and I would say 1 out of every 10 kegs would be poor. We learned to go to the same guy with quality kegs. There can be trial and error. Hopefully it all works out.

[CJ51974]

Thanks for the help, it sucks because I was real excited to build this thing and just seeing almost an entire beer wasted each pour is really a buzz kill. For now the beer tastes good and im happy with that. Ill just ride this keg out and see if the next one does the same. I know for a fact this second coupler is not bad so Its got to be the keg(hopefully). If the next keg acts the same ill try longer line and such until I hopefully take care of this problem. Thanks again.

[jmc1972]

CJ,

I would say that you have an issue with liquid temp. I originally had my system set up at 38 degrees and had similar issues, once I dropped the temp to 36 all issues disappeared. What is you elevation? I live above 5,280 ft and found that I needed a 9' beer line to create the necessary resistence for a clean pour and no bubbles in the line. Another problem is that your tower is warmer than the rest of the unit - warm air rises so you have warmer air in the tower.

Do you know what the exact liquid temp is? I had a thermometer reading the interior of the unit at 36 and the actual liq temp was at 40. When I dropped the temp to allow the thermometer to read 32 I had a liq temp of 36. I have multiple thermometers throughout my unit. I have one on each door - 3 different brands, and 1 in a glass of water to give me liq temp readings.

I would have to think that you would see a drastic improvement if you can get your liq temp colder.

[CJ51974]

I live right at sea level, and I thought about liq temp too, I set it colder and was pouring beer and measurning 36 and I was still having the same results with the lower temp. As far as the tower, i figured that if I wasent going to pour for a few hours or days then the first glass might be warm so I just let that one pour out. That would not be a problem for me. However I have to let 8-10 ounces pour before taking a glass and then if I wait more then 20-30 seconds I have to let more pour out otherwise It will be a full glass of foam. Latley I have been pouring more pitchers because I hate wasting a glass of beer everytime I pour. ill try it again tho, ill get the temp down to 35 and see what happens, thanks.

[CJ51974]

I finished my keg, used micromatics clean stuff to clean out all the lines and everything. Got a new 1/4 of yungling and let eveything sit and get to the correct temp and pressure. And its still doing the same. I let it pour like 8 ounce and then I can pour myself a glass quickly. About 10 seconds later I pull the top cap off the tower and see a group of bubbles right at the end of the hose connecting into the faucet. After I wait a few mins I see small bubbles form from the coupler up the line which get bigger and bigger and form spaces. This is really frusterating because I believe I have done everything correctly, and I doubt it could be the keg for the second time.Any help is greatly appreciated.

[CJ51974]

I dropped the pressure down to 10 and the beer temp to 36. It seems to be a little less foam at first, but im sitll gettin those bubbles forming out from the coupler. This is driving me nuts, any help please??

[mtlcafan79]

I've had a tough time getting Yueng to pour with no foam either. I've done everything but a blower on my kegerator so far. I too get some air forming right above the keg coupler if it sits long enough. Tried different pressures from 12-16. Temps from 39-34. I've just sorta learned to deal with some foam on the first pour and a little more than what you'd expect at a bar from then on. I've noticed at parties that some people just don't know how to pour a beer too, but I show them the correct way. I think Yueng is just sensative in a kegerator environment.

[CJ51974]

Thanks Mtlcafan. It must just be the yungling Now that I lowered the pressure and temp, I can deal with loseing a few ouces each pour. The good thing is that after I let those few ounces go, I can a perfect glass. Maybe next keg il try out a different beer and see what happens.

[edramshaw]

Back to my original post, did you measure the temp with a calibrated thermometer? You need to have this reading to accurately diagnose the problem. You symptoms are common and consistent with beer that is not cold enough and a tower that is too warm. When you pour a beer the colder beer chills the line which allows you to pour a proper beer. When you wait a bit the beer warms and the process repeats itself. Turning down the temperature will cause other problems. 1) the beer will start to get flat after a few days (although this my save your problem with foamy beer you will now have a problem with flat beer). 2) the beer in the keg is carbonated to a certain level, the head pressure you apply to the keg keeps the system in balance and holds the carbonation in the solution. Too low and the co2 will escape from the solution (causing bubbles in the line and foamy beer until in levels out), too warm and the solution cannot hold the level of carbonation needed and the beer will pour foamy/flat.