Fine Tuning To Create Less Foam?

[fulci]

I have a Summit Kegerator that I was having some foaming issues with (1/3 beer, 2/3 foam per glass). After taking some advice from the forum, I tried lowering the temp while monitoring a glass of water inside the kegerator. After turning up the temp to max cooling, it got so cold in the kegerator that it froze the glass of water. When I tried to pour a beer at the low temp, I found that my CO2 has run out after only having the tank a week. I got a new tank, checked all the connections and found some leaks which I fixed. Now, the beer is better. There still seems to be quite a bit of foam at the pour but once it settles, I'm getting about 3/4 beer and a 2" head. The head is much thicker than before and tends to stay around for quite a while. The question now is, how can I fine tune the system to reduce the foam a bit more. Currently my CO2 pressure is at 12 psi, inside of fridge is around 30 deg F. The outside of the tower is cool to the touch. Any suggestion would be appreciated.

[cubby_swans]

Originally Posted by fulci

I have a Summit Kegerator that I was having some foaming issues with (1/3 beer, 2/3 foam per glass). After taking some advice from the forum, I tried lowering the temp while monitoring a glass of water inside the kegerator. After turning up the temp to max cooling, it got so cold in the kegerator that it froze the glass of water. When I tried to pour a beer at the low temp, I found that my CO2 has run out after only having the tank a week. I got a new tank, checked all the connections and found some leaks which I fixed. Now, the beer is better. There still seems to be quite a bit of foam at the pour but once it settles, I'm getting about 3/4 beer and a 2" head. The head is much thicker than before and tends to stay around for quite a while. The question now is, how can I fine tune the system to reduce the foam a bit more. Currently my CO2 pressure is at 12 psi, inside of fridge is around 30 deg F. The outside of the tower is cool to the touch. Any suggestion would be appreciated.

You didn't say what kind of beer, but MOST beers require 13-14 psi for 38 degree beer. You need to lower the pressure 1lb for every 2 degree drop in temperature. You can measure liquid temperature by getting a 10 dollar 'food/meat' thermometer from any grocery store, target, wal-mart, etc and use it to check the temp of a glass of water left in the kegerator, or just checking the temp of the beer poured as soon as it's in the glass. If your liquid temperature is in fact 30 degrees, you should be setting your pressure to something more like 10. Also, the length of the beer line should be about 5'. Some kegerators do ship with 4' lines, which are just too short imho.

[monkey710]

+1 for cubby

[fulci]

Beer at faucet is 41 deg F. Inside air temp of fridge is 30 deg F. Beer still has significant foam (1/3 glass). I turned down the fridge last night as far as it could go and the glass of water inside the fridge is < 30 deg F. Last time I did this, the inside of the fridge got so cold that the water froze. CO2 is still at 12 psi. Outside of tower is cool to the touch. The beer being poured is Berkshire Brewing Company Steel Rail Pale Ale. Any further suggestions?

[monkey710]

You need tower cooling. You have a significant temperature differential which is a main culprit for foaming. The tower may be cool to the touch, but a 41 degrees is cool to the touch, but too warm for the beer.

[fulci]

With the kegerator as cold as it can go, the inside of the fridge is below freezing (water glass froze). Beer at the faucet is between 38 and 39 deg F. Quite a bit of foam at the beginning of the pour. After the foam settles I have about two inches of foam in the beer glass. Is tower cooling my only other option now?

[TheSlavik]

By the sounds of it yes. You need to get cool air up into the tower to stop the inital pour from foaming.