Kegerator problem with foam

You need to know the beer temperature before you can go at this properly. Until you know that, it is all guessing. Are you opening the handle all the way? It didn't look like a quick full pull when you started to pour, it looked like a slow not all the way open pull. If you aren't opening it quickly and all the way you are making foam right out of the gate, and if you pour foam on foam, you get more foam.

 

Knowing that you have a nostalgia unit, that means your probably pouring mid 40s. Which means you need pressure up around 14-15Lbs PSI.Which means your gonna need to swap out beer line to a 10ft beer line to slow the flow..But as Doug said you need to know accurate beer temps before dialing in exactly.

 

Adding on to what zero said, if you look where the beer line comes out of the coupler you will see that there appear to be CO² bubbles breaking out of solution, thereby indicating that your pressure is set a little too low. Ideally, the line should be beer only with no gas pockets. (We call such a line "packed")

It's entirely possible to balance your system without knowing the temperature:

1.) Bump your regulator up about ¼-½# by turning the adjusting knob ⅛ of a turn clockwise.

2.) Wait 10 minutes

3.) Pour 4 oz. of beer by opening the faucet completely

4.) Put glass of foam inside keg box

5.) Observe beer line at coupler...look for bubbles breaking out of solution. They will become increasingly smaller and slower to break out as you continue to perform this operation.

6.) If you see bubbles, repeat Step #1. It's critical that you only turn the adjustment knob ⅛ turn (clockwise)

7.) Close door and wait 10 minutes.

8.) Open door and drink the beer which was foam earlier (waste not...want not)

9.) Pour 4 oz. of beer by opening the faucet completely

10.) Continue this process until your line is packed and no bubbles appear in the beer line exiting the coupler

11.) Once no bubbles appear, turn the regulator up one more ⅛ turn.

12.) Mark your regulator with a Sharpie® to indicate an initial balance point in case a friend, family member or pet moves the adjustment knob in an attempt to help you out. There is usually a locknut to assist with this. tighten it up.

13.) Report back to this forum when you are pouring clear beer with a 1" collar of foam

14.) Enjoy a bright future with draught beer at your disposal!

 

i was curious about #4, then read #8. and you are right.
Cheers.

 

Opening the door on a Nostalgia is going to be a killer. They can barely keep cool with the door closed.

 

if by tap you mean faucet, the thing that beer comes out of, sticky faucets are not uncommon. they stick if not excercised regularly, so drink more often. or clean frequently. what you want is a forward seal faucet. the perlick perl is your answer. chrome is fine, but stainless is better. you already have a faucet wrench so change over is easy. you do have a faucet wrench right?

a tap, properly named, is the coupler. you tap a keg with the coupler. or an actual piece of wood with a mallet. tap. that is a common mix up and has become virtually synonymous but for the draft world it helps to differentiate and it makes you sound smart too.

you must be sure of the temp of the first beer poured into the glass. it must be within a degree or two of the interior of the box. a tower fan will help quite a bit, but if you keg beer is 45 and your tower beer is 47 that's not a solution.

let us know.

Cheers.

edit.
no, a whiny gurgling sound is not normal. I've seen it in the movies though. I can comment further and possibly get a temporary ban but I'm not going to do that. not normal for draft beer.

 

Did you perform all of the steps in Post #4?

We understand your frustration...but the solution has been typed out very neatly for you.

Please perform that operation and then report back. If the problem persists, video of said gurgling action would be helpful.

Keep the faith!

 

expect all adjustments to take a day or so to have an effect. the additional CO2 gas does not dissolve into the beer immediately.

you are on your way.
we really do need to know temperature as well.
Cheers.

 

Hmm, if he is good at 12-13 psi, then maybe the temp isn't that bad. May not need to have longer beer line.

 

I am bringing this thread back to life as I have just received for christmas a Nostalgia Kegerator. I have my kegerator in my garage in PA if that matters. I just bought a liquid thermometer as well as a fridge thermometer as well to test both. My most recent foam pour was about 37 degrees Farenheit. So, I'm not sure if the temp is my problem. I also bought a 10' tube in case I need to change that as well.

My issue is pressure. When I have i at 12 PSI as I see everyone reccomends as a good starting point, I dont get any thing from the keg when I pull the handle. So I have increased to close to 18-20 PSI and now I just get foam?

What can I do to fix this, I am very frustrated waiting to indulge after a hard days work.

Thanks,

 

Never seen one other than on eBay.

 

Sounds like you have a crappy regulator or a loose connection. If you are not dumping/losing alot of your CO2 due to a loose connection, my guess would be the regulator.

Can't answer csice on tower cooler; mine came with one so I never had to look into it.

 

http://bfy.tw/3zR3

 

Well done IA.