On the table for discussion:
Every one wants to know the 2nd pour temp. because it gives a fairly close temp. reading of the beer within the unit / keg with in a few 10ths of a degree. Understandable. But Why isn't the first pour equally important and why is it rarely asked for compared to the 2nd. pour? The 2nd pour is keg temp. The first pour is outside the keg temp. ie. beer line and tower if installed and tap itself. Wouldn't knowing both temps. aid in narrowing down the cause of foam? Personally I've found that more than a degree or two difference between 1st. & 2nd pour temp. (ie. keg and Beer line Temp.) resulted in foam. At which point tower cooling was a must. Sometime tower cooling was enough but sometimes added box circulation was needed too in an addition.
You can't measure foam temp. because it gives you a skewed reading but the little amount of beer under that should be accurate within a few 10ths. of degree too if measured quickly before the vessel has a chance to wick the temp away. Before I got my unit dialed in and was having 1st. pour foam, I'd get a about half and half foam and beer. The foam Lasted about 1 or 2 seconds. At 5 feet of beer line around 8 oz in the line that time came in about right as pure outside keg beer temp. We've all held in our hands at one time of the other a "SOLO" brand white foam insulated 8 oz. coffee cup. Beer lines 8 oz and coffee cup is 8 too so I'd pour it to the top unless beer got clear first and I'd shut it off at the transition from foam to beer if it happen first or just fill the top to foam if not. I cover it with a book right after because the was the closest best insulator I had at hand and when the foam went down about a minute I would measure it for temp. and factor in a 1/2 degree for the minute slight warm time. This I think gives a pretty good clue as to the beer line temp.
So I put it to you on the floor for discussion
Every one wants to know the 2nd pour temp. because it gives a fairly close temp. reading of the beer within the unit / keg with in a few 10ths of a degree. Understandable. But Why isn't the first pour equally important and why is it rarely asked for compared to the 2nd. pour? The 2nd pour is keg temp. The first pour is outside the keg temp. ie. beer line and tower if installed and tap itself. Wouldn't knowing both temps. aid in narrowing down the cause of foam? Personally I've found that more than a degree or two difference between 1st. & 2nd pour temp. (ie. keg and Beer line Temp.) resulted in foam. At which point tower cooling was a must. Sometime tower cooling was enough but sometimes added box circulation was needed too in an addition.
You can't measure foam temp. because it gives you a skewed reading but the little amount of beer under that should be accurate within a few 10ths. of degree too if measured quickly before the vessel has a chance to wick the temp away. Before I got my unit dialed in and was having 1st. pour foam, I'd get a about half and half foam and beer. The foam Lasted about 1 or 2 seconds. At 5 feet of beer line around 8 oz in the line that time came in about right as pure outside keg beer temp. We've all held in our hands at one time of the other a "SOLO" brand white foam insulated 8 oz. coffee cup. Beer lines 8 oz and coffee cup is 8 too so I'd pour it to the top unless beer got clear first and I'd shut it off at the transition from foam to beer if it happen first or just fill the top to foam if not. I cover it with a book right after because the was the closest best insulator I had at hand and when the foam went down about a minute I would measure it for temp. and factor in a 1/2 degree for the minute slight warm time. This I think gives a pretty good clue as to the beer line temp.
So I put it to you on the floor for discussion
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