Foam

[Nberry]

I need to know if someone has had the same issue with foam from the kegarator like I am having. I currently have a IPA in a 5 gallon keg and when I draw some from the kegarator I get foam. I have 10' of 3/16" beer lines for the keg and the pressure is set on 12 psi. I carbonated the batch at 18 psi for four days then burped the keg and dropped the pressure to 12 psi. I have tried everything that I see in videos that I have watched but I am not finding good results with what I have tried. Any suggestions?

 

[Minbari]

I just went through this myself. most of the time it is because of over-carbination. turn the reg down to 10PSI (or off) and let the pressure push the beer for a day or two.

What kind of beer line are you using? I replaced all my silicon lines with EVAbarrier lines. believe it or not, but silicon is gas permeable and co2 will escape. the drop in pressure in the line causes all the foam. after the lines being replaces, the problem went away

 

[Steve SPF]

Is that 10 inches of 3/16? You may also find that a longer piece will be helpful if you have some. You could start with a couple of metres and see how you go with that. It may slow the flow down but it will kill some of the foaming as well. Also temperature, the colder you get the beer the more the CO2 will stay in solution.

Good luck; excess foam is a pain

 

[Donoroto]

He means 10 feet, 3 meters.

 

[Steve SPF]

He means 10 feet, 3 meters.

Oh wow, that's already a lot of microbore pipe then isn't it?

 

[GFHomebrew]

I run 4.5m 4mm ID EVA beer lines here serving pressure can be quite high if I like and not much foaming.
The brew store sells it in 20M rolls so I had plenty for my 3 tap line.

Always good to have more length I say

 

[Donoroto]

Oh wow, that's already a lot of microbore pipe then isn't it?

Yes. I'd think that 10' (not 10") of 3/16" (4.7mm) at a serving pressure of 12 PSI would be good.

Besides super-carbonated beer, it's possible that the tubing is soiled. A hour or so soak in warm PBW or beer line cleaner should clean it, but if it is relatively new that might not be the problem. Another possibility is not opening the tap fully, or a soiled tap. But I'm really grasping at straws here.

Experiment" Reduce keg pressure to 2-4 PSI and try serving. It'll be slow, but should hardly foam at all. If it still foams, pressure isn't the issue.

 

[Nberry]

Yes. I'd think that 10' (not 10") of 3/16" (4.7mm) at a serving pressure of 12 PSI would be good.

Besides super-carbonated beer, it's possible that the tubing is soiled. A hour or so soak in warm PBW or beer line cleaner should clean it, but if it is relatively new that might not be the problem. Another possibility is not opening the tap fully, or a soiled tap. But I'm really grasping at straws here.

Experiment" Reduce keg pressure to 2-4 PSI and try serving. It'll be slow, but should hardly foam at all. If it still foams, pressure isn't the issue.

I think the beer is overcarbonated and that is the problem. I currently have my CO2 turned off and I am still getting foam. I am letting the keg sit and absorb the CO2 and then I will turn it back on at 6-8 psi and see where this takes me.

 

[GFHomebrew]

I think the beer is overcarbonated and that is the problem. I currently have my CO2 turned off and I am still getting foam. I am letting the keg sit and absorb the CO2 and then I will turn it back on at 6-8 psi and see where this takes me.

Maybe fully vent the co2 out via PRV then leave this to equalize for the duration of a beer then come back vent keg again pour another beer if it's under control then put the 8psi on

On the rare occasion I've overcarbed a keg I'll just do as you've done and turn off the gas to that keg and have a session on it usually a couple of pours over an hour or three period will sort it