Foam - Need the Experts

Discussion in 'Home Bar' started by TDahlin, Jan 17, 2022.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
Page 3 of 3
  1. TDahlin

    TDahlin Initiate (0) Jan 17, 2022

    So new keg is settled. Psi set to 14. I’m getting 1-2in of foam first pour. I'm going to take the insulation out of the tower and wrap the outside instead to see if more airflow helps.
     
    #41 TDahlin, Mar 17, 2022
  2. billandsuz

    billandsuz Pooh-Bah (2,097) Sep 1, 2004 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    Before you do, please check the temperature of the first pour compared to the interior.
    You do need good flow of air but a tower with a fan is always going to he a bit warmer than the interior.

    Let's check before doing a lot of unnecessary work. My suggestion anyway.
    Cheers
     
    #42 billandsuz, Mar 17, 2022
    IceAce likes this.
  3. TDahlin

    TDahlin Initiate (0) Jan 17, 2022

    I read this too late. Changing the insulation In the tower made minimal difference. I'll check temp on first pour and report back.
     
    #43 TDahlin, Mar 23, 2022
  4. TDahlin

    TDahlin Initiate (0) Jan 17, 2022

    1st pour is between 39.5F and 40F. Inside temp is 36F
     
    #44 TDahlin, Mar 23, 2022
  5. IceAce

    IceAce Pooh-Bah (2,274) Jan 8, 2004 California
    Pooh-Bah

    You really want to get that liquid temp down to 34-36°F
     
    #45 IceAce, Mar 25, 2022
  6. TDahlin

    TDahlin Initiate (0) Jan 17, 2022

    Inside liquid temp is 36.
     
    #46 TDahlin, Mar 30, 2022
  7. PortLargo

    PortLargo Pooh-Bah (1,831) Oct 19, 2012 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    There's still some doubt if you have a balance problem or a tower cooling problem. Suggest you pour some beers and post some pics. Do a normal pour, followed by a second pour (posting a side by side pic would be nice). Then immediately dump the second pour and refill the same glass with a third pour and measure the beer temp using a calibrated thermo (pics again helpful). This should answer the question.

    I know that's pouring a lot of beer all at once . . . but it's a sacrifice you need to make.
     
    #47 PortLargo, Mar 30, 2022
  8. TDahlin

    TDahlin Initiate (0) Jan 17, 2022

    Fully open faucet, or restricted like I've been pouring? There's less foam with a slower pour - I'd guess about 20s to fill a glass.
     
    #48 TDahlin, Mar 31, 2022
  9. PortLargo

    PortLargo Pooh-Bah (1,831) Oct 19, 2012 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    A typical pour is with a faucet fully open, that should give the best results. If you get a better pour with a restricted faucet that might be part of the problem . . . 20 seconds for a pour is way too long. I suggest letting it rip and compare how the second pour turns out (have your camera ready). It's also important to nail down the beer temp.
     
    #49 PortLargo, Mar 31, 2022
    billandsuz and DougC123 like this.
  10. DougC123

    DougC123 Savant (1,186) Aug 21, 2012 Connecticut

    If that isn’t a flow control faucet not opening it all the way is a problem IMO. @PortLargo is heading that way when he is suggesting let it rip.
     
    #50 DougC123, Mar 31, 2022
    billandsuz likes this.
  11. IceAce

    IceAce Pooh-Bah (2,274) Jan 8, 2004 California
    Pooh-Bah

    Think of the faucet as an on/off switch.

    It should always be fully open or completely closed. Anything in between creates foam-producing turbulence.
     
    #51 IceAce, Apr 1, 2022
    billandsuz likes this.
  12. TDahlin

    TDahlin Initiate (0) Jan 17, 2022

    It's a flow control. I got it because when I used to have pretty good pours, it was with really long line. The idea was to reduce line length with flow restricted.

    Here is a pic of 1st and 2nd pour. 3rd pour was 38.7F.

    https://ibb.co/sF1464Z
     
    #52 TDahlin, Apr 2, 2022
  13. PortLargo

    PortLargo Pooh-Bah (1,831) Oct 19, 2012 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    Your 2nd pour looks borderline perfect, and temp is pretty much right where you want it. All evidence leans toward your beer being properly balanced (are you still at 14psi?). The most logical explanation is tower is too warm, which causes gas to leave solution. You mentioned you have a tower fan, I would explore how it is circulating the cooler air. Where is fan placed in the unit? Ideally it would be at lowest point with tubing directing the coldest air to the highest (warmest) point.

    I have no experience with flow-restricted faucets, but how you have them set may be causing a problem. I would play around with the restriction setting, to include having no restriction.
     
    #53 PortLargo, Apr 2, 2022
    billandsuz likes this.
  14. TDahlin

    TDahlin Initiate (0) Jan 17, 2022

    The tower fan is pulling from the middle. There's no room to go lower, but there's another fan pulling air from the bottom to the top. The tower fan is blowing directly on the shank at the top of the tower. Still at 14psi.

    With the faucet restricted, I can get first pour with 1/3 the foam of the first pour in that picture - which is about where I was when I had loooooong line and no flow control. It might also be worth noting that the first pour of the night is more foam than the first pour an hour later.
     
    #54 TDahlin, Apr 3, 2022
Page 3 of 3
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.