Much needed help

[sfurst]

I'm new to the home draft game, and recently purchased a Avanti kegerator and a half barrel of Bud Light...

I put a thermometer in my box (though I suspect how accurate it is) and hooked up my CO2 on saturday and my beer has a very flat taste. I have done nothing but adjust the CO2 since I hooked it up going from what the manual suggested (10-12 pounds) to what my friends, who work at a beer distribution company suggested (no more than 8 pounds). I get anywhere from a perfect pour (as far as amount of foam) to full foam, but I always have the flat taste, it seams. I've had the box up on max cool b/c the temp gauge never gets below 38, yet the keg is ice cold and ice crystals have formed up on the back inside of the box...so I suspect maybe the beer is too cold...

anybody have any advise or if they have a similar system/beer, could possibly tell me what the magic combination is...I fear my keg will go bad before I get to enjoy it.

Also, my CO2 pressure regulator has become increasingly hard to turn either way...is that normal???

[ashman]

Welcome to the world of Avanti. If you can take it back now. Read the rest of my posts for my Bashing of Avanti. Good Luck.

[ernestbud]

the main reason you have flat tasting beer is the fact that you do not have enough pressure on the keg the kegs are filled at 38 deg with 12-14psi on them. your guys at the distr. definetly need some draught education. as for the ice crystals that unit is suppose to do that but you have to have the tower COLD

[sfurst]

unfortunately, I can't take it back now...I'll have to make do with what I have for now...

as far as the pressure, I'm going to try and adjust it...however, I'm having trouble turning it, it won't seem to budge, whereas when I first had everything hooked up, it moved without much effort.

I'm going to turn my box back down and try to increase the pressure. If anyone knows why my CO2 adjuster doesn't seem to want to turn, I'd appreciate the help with that as well.

thanks! You guys seem to know alot about all this. Hopefully, I'll be of some use on this forum one day...

[Beer Dr]

Get new friends that know more about beer!!

[sfurst]

Well, I've turned up my pressure to 12 pounds and turned my cooler back down to 37 degrees (keg feels cold, as it should)...However, I checked the temperature of the beer at tap and it read around 43 degrees and still very flat...any ideas?

[sfurst]

Also, I should add that when I pour, I get full foam...

[sfurst]

I turned off the CO2 to the keg so I could actually get beer and not foam to the cup...since I was questioning the temp at the tap. After pouring a beer, I saw my beer temp was actually about 36 degrees, which is where I thought it should be. I guess I was getting the higher reading earlier b/c I was pouring all foam. Any thoughts?

After reading some other threads, I noticed that a lot of Avanti owners (and others) recomended putting at least 5 foot of 3/16 ID tubing to the tap, to control foaming.

I'm still having trouble with my CO2 regulater, getting the adjusting screw to turn. I took it apart, and nothing seemed to be blocking the screw, but it just refuses to turn at all, so my regulator is stuck at 12 PSIG. Any opinion on whether I should keep screwing with this one, or just bite the bullet and buy a new regulator?

I wish I would of known what a POS Avanti was in the first place before I bought, but I"m bound and determined to make this work, since my home bar was designed to it's exact size specifications.