Gas Line

[stutcher]

Does the gas line need to be 'brewery approved' line, or will normal 5/16" id plastic be fine?

[stutcher]

And another question on gas, does it matter if the CO2 cyclinder is in or out of the refrigerator?

[mmwmike]

"Brewery approved" is more than a slogan: it represents a tested product that will perform in a commercial setting. Our Super Vinyl hose is very flexible, and will retain its flexibility for many years. It will wiithstand pressures up to 50 psi.

We get asked your second question alot. We even posted it on our FAQ (Frequently Asked Question) page:
14. Q. Do I need to keep my CO2 cylinder inside the refrigerator with the beer keg?


No. CO2 (or mixed gas) cylinders do not have to be kept in the refrigerator. Cylinders are often put outside of the refrigerator to allow maximum use of the refrigerator interior space. All that is needed is a small hole in the side or back of the refrigerator for the gas line to go from the regulator to the keg coupler.



But for safety reasons, keep in mind that cylinders must always be kept upright, away from sources of heat, and be secured with a chain or heavy cord to prevent it from falling over.



Should the gas cylinder be exposed to a source of heat, the gas inside the cylinder will expand resulting in over pressurizing the cylinder. This causes pressure relief valve on the cylinder to blow, which makes an incredibly loud boom.



Mike Godwin, Micro Matic USA, Inc. Northridge, CA

[stutcher]

Mike, thank for the reply. To put it bluntly, I'm frustrated as hell with not being able to solve my foam troubles. I'm on third keg (current one being Saranac Pale Ale) and I can't get the foam under control. When I pour a glass, I would say it comes out 25% beer, 75% foam.

My setup: Keg in the fridge. My shank is approximately 5" above the top of the keg tap. My temp is 38, verified by putting a thermometer in a glass of water that sat in the fridge overnight.
-I bought a new shank, 8" in length so the outside stayed cold.
-I bought all new washers for the hose nipples.
-I bought new new washers for the faucet
-I bought new a new washer for the faucet / shank connection
-I new new clear 3/16id line (all these new items bought at
MicroMatic by the way).
STILL HAVE FOAM.

-My beer line is 5' in length. It comes up out of the tap, and is
coiled neatly, horizontally, before it attaches to the shank.
When I draw beer, the beer in the line is pefectly clear, no foam.
-I thought in comparison to water in the fridge, that the beer was
warmer when drawn. Two nights ago, I moved my 20lb tank into the
fridge. Without a doubt, the beer is colder with the CO2 inside.
Still foaming.
-My pressure is 12 psi. I read here or else where, it should take
four seconds to fill a 10oz glass with beer. With the way my
beer/foam comes out of my facuet, I fill my 16oz glass in what
seems like 3 seconds. To me, it seems like the pressure is to
high. Turn it down, still foams.

Do you have any other suggestions for solving my foam problem?

I never thought solving a foam problem could be so difficult.

[Scott Zuhse]

With the beer clear in the line but still foaming, first thing to check is for any burrs in the shank or faucet. Second issue would be for any pressure leaks. These will drive you crazy. Putting the cylinder in or out of refrigerator will have nothing to do with how the system will perform. Try to find out what the volumes of CO2 are. Check out their site at http://www.saranac.com/products/beer/. If this is around 2.5 volumes, your pressure should be 14 PSIG at 38 degrees liquid and dispensing at sea level. Be aware that when beer is foaming it appears to be coming out very fast. Naturally you will want to reduce the pressure. If you do, the foam will become worse.

Scott Zuhse, Instructor Micro Matic Dispense Institute

[stutcher]

Mike, my shank is brand spanking news, it is 8" long. I felt the outside of it yesterday before drawing the first beer of the day, and it was plenty of cold. I will check for pressure leaks very carefully this evening. I don't know the history of my faucet, where it came from, how old, etc. I think I may invest a new stainless steel one. Thanks for your post; I will follow up in a few days.