Foam: Beer Line Layout Question

[rok1432]

I am using a summit kegerator and it seems as though every time I pour a beer, it turns out to be approx 3/4 or more of foam, but if i pour another beer immediately or soon after, it pours out properly.

Since most home kegerators don't have a fan blowing the air around and up through the tower, is this the result of the beer sitting in the line in the tower being warm? If so, is this then unavoidable?

I believe that I have the proper pressure in the keg, I clean the lines and faucet frequently, and I am using a 5' vinyl beer line.

Since I believe that pressure and temerature are not the issue, I am trying to troubleshoot this a bit more and was wondering if the layout of the beer line needs to be a certain way. There are no kinks in the line, but since the keg is only a few feet away from the faucet, the beer line does loop a few times. Does this negatively effect the pour? And if so, how should the beer line lay out?

Thanks

[psychodad]

Most likely the warm tower is your issue. Either blow cold air up there, or live with one foamy beer a day.

[Jeff Stanley]

The problem is your warm tower. This happens with all cheap kegerators and frankly, they aren't worth installing a fan. They're junk.

If you are using this commercially, just get good equipment.

If you are using this at home keep in mind that there are exactly 5.5 30-packs in a 1/2bbl. If you throw in the cost of cups, kegs are often more expensive than cans.

Bottles / cans are the best bet for home 99% of the time.

[Scott Zuhse]

Gee Jeff, that was so helpful! Just so happens that alot of the owners of this junk you refer to have actually dispensed pretty darn good beer the life of the keg - due to the help from other forum members.

Scott Zuhse, Instructor Micro Matic Dispense Institute

[Jeff Stanley]

Scott,
I agree that those things are fine for the novelty of draught beer at home. I think "domestic" draught at home is silly when you break down the costs compared to the current low cost of canned beer. I know it's silly. Most of the craft drinkers I know love variety too much to comit to even a 1/6bbl, but I guess it would make more sense cost-wise for craft beer.

But...
Would you really suggest a bar buy one of those things? This is in a part of the forum called "bar, pub and restaurant dispensing". No way in a million years would I suggest one to a retailer. No way would I suggest someone spend $150 upgrading one either. If it is being used in a commercial setting I would say sell it on craigslist.com and buy a commercial-quality unit.

[roush]

Well, I bought mine because my frequent trips to the convenience store to pick up some beer was frustrating. Then, recycling all those bottles (nobody should ever drink beer from a can) became pretty painfull, too. I didn't buy it for novelty, or to save money on bulk, I am simply lazy.

I was excited when I got the thing, but had the same warm tower problem. I had some plumbers tape lying around the house. I wrapped it around the part of the line that was in the tower, and then continued down for about 6 or 8 inches into the freezer. The metal conducts the heat and it transfers down the tower into the cooler. This heat transfer keeps the tower cooler.

Pours fine now. If you happen to have some copper wire lying around, you could probably do the same with that. Also, my tower is insulated with foam. Others may not be. If yours isn't then definitly do that as well.