Pour issues with Coors Light

[Fastsc92]

I got my first keg of Coors Light two weeks ago, mainly because I wanted to switch things up a little bit and my girlfriend prefers Coors anyways. I'm having issues getting a proper pour and I'd like some advice if possible.

My set-up is as follows:
Danby Kegerator
Dayton Blower Fan
3" opening to the tower
5' of 3/16" beer line
System is clean
Glasses are clean

Beer is pouring at 34deg as verified by a digital thermometer and a calibrated analog thermometer.
Tower temp is 36deg.
CO2 pressure has been set in the range of 11psi all the way to 16psi.

My first draw results in lots of foam. More foam than this system ever gets. I think I can eliminate temperature as being the culprit, as the beer temp is crisp and cold, and the tower is properly cooled.

I experience no bubbles in the beer line, so I do not believe that the CO2 is escaping the beer. If I set the pressure to 16psi, I feel that the beer is dispensed too fast. If I set it to 10ish psi the beer flows properly, but in either scenario, I get the same type of foaming on a first draw, or after 10min wait. If I assume 2.6 volumes of CO2 at 34 deg...I should have a setting of about 10-11psi.

I was thinking I could extend the beer line to 8', but even though the system is pouring faster at the 16psi setting, I'm still experiencing foam for about 70% of the first draw. I'm assuming that extending the line would slow the pour, but wouldn't take care of the foaming issue. Once I pour a full glass, the beer is crisp, cold, and has plenty of carbonation.

Have any others experienced issues with pouring Coors? Is it a harder beer to dispense for some reason? I have no issues with dozens of kegs of Bud, Sammy and Harpoon, but this is giving me grief. Any advice?

[Hophead]

Based on what you've posted, it sounds like everything should be OK with the system.

Plain and simple, Coors Light may be one of the most difficult beers to pour. There are lots of people that have posted on this forum about trouble with Coors Light. First off, it's a highly carbonated beer from the brewery and typically requires 16 PSI at 38 degrees beer temp. At any pressure above 12-13, 5ft of beer line is just not enough. 7-8 feet is helps a lot.

Also, when you pour a light beer, try opening the faucet for a second before putting the glass under it. If you get even a little foam out of the faucet, anything you pour on top of that will also turn to foam. Bartenders have learned this trick and it saves them a lot of time and wasted beer.

[Fastsc92]

Since I don't plan on getting another keg of Coors, I'd rather not spend the $$ to purchase and ship a longer beer line. Since I'm pouring at 34deg, I may try lowering the pressure somewhere around 9psi and see what happens.

[KillianBoy]

Fastsc92,
If your so certain that longer beer line won't solve your and won't spend the money to do it, then don't but be prepared to finish the keg in the next couple days. PSI that low will make the beer go flat in a few days then you have to deal with that problem. Guys have solved foam problems with longer beer line (search forum please). Light beers are notorious for being finicky, they tend to move faster down beer line causing foam, lengthening beer usually helps, it took me 1/6 and 1/2 of Michelob Ultra to get it to pour semi well, then came the Budweiser absolutely no problems (it does pour slower but no foam) all I have to do in the next Budweiser is shorten line for little faster pour then it'll be perfect.

KB

[cubby_swans]

16psi @ 38F is right for coors. You adjust up 1PSI per 2 degrees above that, and down 1PS per 2 degrees below that.

At 34F you should be running 14psi. (at sea level)

[daswerve]

Fastsc92,
ALL I run in my kegerator (Danby with all mods) is Coors Light. Trust me, you HAVE to have a beer line longer than 5 feet to control the flow. I upped mine to 8ft with MUCH improvement in pour speed, but I think 10 feet is the key with Coors Light.

[bonefish]

I don't believe he ever mentioned his elevation. That needs to be considered.
SEAN

[Fastsc92]

I'm right around sea level for my elevation, maybe around 300ft. I ordered 8' feet of 3/16" line and I'll give this a try until the keg is emptied. According to my smart strip, I'm about half-way through it. Lowering the pressure certainly helped, but I only did that for a day before I bumped it back up to the 16psi range. I was afraid of getting too flat of beer, so it's been back to 16psi, and I haven't touched it or poured anything in days.

If I pour a glass now, it's alot of foam, and if I keep dumping out the foam, the beer is crisp. If I allow the foam to settle, then continue filling, then settle again, the beer is flat. While pouring, the beer is exiting the faucet pretty quickly, and I can see it getting aggitated on the way out. Hopefully the longer line helps, slows the flow, and stops the aggitation. I'm kicking myself now, because I only ordered 8'. Hopefully I won't need any extra.

Chances are, I'll never get Coors again, just because it's not my top choice in beer. Luckily I have another 5' line with a tailpiece so I can just swap it out for my other brews. I also ordered a new cleaning kit, as my dog found that the pump and container would make a nice chew toy

[Scott Zuhse]

Coors Lt. is a 2.7 v/v product and with this level and that it is a lighter bodied product, you will need to cross your "T's" and *** your "I's" . " Align the stars", if you will. Follow cubby_swans recommendation for pressure as this is dead on.

If there are any issues with your system, even slight, Coors Lt. will tell you. Your system cannot have any sharp edges anywhere and your temperature and pressure must be accurate. Be certain that you do not have any burrs are obstructions anywhere in the shank or at the back of the faucet.

As to the longer line, yes it will allow you to control an issue but it does not solve the problem. You will still have a streaky or not so clear flow thus resulting in a product where the gas content has changed.

And as stated in the past, if you start out with foam in the glass and attempt to pour clear beer on top of the foam, it is over. As soon as you see that the flow is not right, stop, dump out the foam and start over with clear beer.

Good luck!

[Fastsc92]

well as an update to this issue....

I installed 8' of 3/16" line and triple checked the system. Beer is pouring at 35 deg.. Regardless of what I do, any pour results in a lot of foam.

I get much better results when I lower the pressure to 10psi, but I still get a decent amount of foam on the first pour. When I apply higher pressure as recommended, I get much more foam.

When the pressure is set at 10psi, the beer is crisp and cold, and has plenty of carbonation. Any higher pressure results in foam and flat beer. I'm assuming that it's being over carbonated.

I completely cleaned my system and scrubbed the heck out of the shank, faucet, and coupler.

It may just be the Coors, but I'm out of ideas. I think my best bet is to finish the rest of this keg, and switch back to something that I know pours better.