Foamy Kegged Beer even at 38F

[etbandit]

I am entirely new to kegging.

I have a kegged beer at 38F which is dispensing only foam. I am using a beer gun and 6.5 feet of beer line and have tried dispensing at 4 psi, 7 psi, 15 psi. All have resulted in entirely foam. The beer remains a liquid in the beer line but froths up as its is dispensed at all the above pressures.

I have tried using 12 feet of beer line to increase line restriction, and then dispensed at 4 psi, 7 psi, 15 psi but I still get all foam.

I carbonated the beer via the beer "out" diptube side at 36 psi by shaking vigorously for 5min, so I don't know exactly what the carbonation is. I suspect that I may have overcarbonated since dispensing with 12 feet of line at 4psi is still resulting in all foam

Any suggestions?

[lunkhead]

[QUOTE I carbonated the beer via the beer "out" diptube side at 36 psi by shaking vigorously for 5min?[/quote]

Foam, hummm OK?? So what is a "beer gun"? What are you checking the beer temp with?

[etbandit]

Originally Posted by lunkhead

[QUOTE I carbonated the beer via the beer "out" diptube side at 36 psi by shaking vigorously for 5min?

Foam, hummm OK?? So what is a "beer gun"? What are you checking the beer temp with?[/quote]

A beer gun is otherwise known as a pluto gun. Checking temp with 2 independent and accurate thermomenters. The first measures a bottle of water that is inside the chest freezer. It reads 38F. The other thermometer measures the air temp inside the chest freezer. It fluctuates between 29F and 38F depending on whether the freezer compressor is on, but nevers goes above 38F

[John12865]

I would suspect that over carbonation is the problem. Did you try releasing pressure at the head of the keg by pulling the safety pressure valve?

[jmc1972]

If you have a temp of 38 (should be liq temp) than I would have to agree with John.

What is the distance of your coupler to the shank? This distance will determine the length of beer line required.

What type of system are you running - is it a converted fridge or freezer, or is it an over-the-counter kegerator? Is the tap in a tower or is it on the front of the unit?

What type of beer are you trying to pour?

No matter what - BLEED the pressure off the keg via the valve on the coupler (turn off the co2 or you'll have a serious mess).

Post your answers and myself and others can help you. Also, follow the 2 thermometer thing - 1 in a bottle or glass of water and another somewhere near the middle of the beer box.

I keep 5 thermo's in my unit - all from different manufactures on different walls of the beer box, with the last in a glass of water on the door shelve of my converted freezer. I do the door because its the warmest place in the unit (it does become a balancing act to ensure the beer doesn't freeze). I also have my temp set to 32 (with a Johnson Control) and I have beer flowing at 29.