So I have 2 True Refrigeration 4 tap kegerators and 1 Perlick 4 tap kegerator that are all outside and I'm located in PA...the heat has not been kind to our area but the inside kegerator temps are around 34-36F depending on how hot it is outside and my beer temp ranges from 38-42F. I have 4 sixtels tapped in each kegerator and have no issues with most of them, except one. I have a seasonal brew that is made just for me, its a wheat beer with white grape fruit. (I run a beer garden in a high profile, high guest attendance attraction area), it pours perfectly in my other two kegerators but in my brand new TR kegerator it just gives me foam constantly. I've adjusted the new kegerator multiple times and it poured fine for the first few weeks of business but the past 3 weeks I haven't been able to use it. I can tap my Troegs or Leinenkugel to the same coupler and they pour fine, but when I tap my seasonal one it gives me foam no matter what beer line I use. I have 3/16th inside diameter beer line that about 10ft long, wrapped and suspended from the roof of the kegerator (all other beer lines are like this and I have no issue) and my Co2 is between 11 and 13 depending on the weather. I've purged Co2 and waited for the keg to settle and purged again, I've let the keg sit over night tapped and tried again the next day and I still get foamy pours. I've taken apart my coupler and put it back together to make sure there were no issues or to see if anything was gooped up and it still gives me foam. I've talked to multiple home brew stores in my area and my beer distributer and they all said its either my temps are too high or my Co2 needs adjusting. I have literally tried everything they have suggested but nothing works...I really need this line up and running as it is effecting business ...anyone have any ideas?
The advice they are giving you is 2/3 complete . . . the other variable is beer line length. From your description, it seems your seasonal is carb'ed to a higher level, this will require a longer line. You could ask the brewer what the carb level is, if he responds with something like "you should set 12psi" then he's a doofus to be ignored. What you are looking for is "volumes of CO2", something like 2.7 or 3.0. My first suggestion is to lower headspace pressure to something like 2 psi, then see how it pours. You can't leave it this way because it will go near-flat, but it's a test to see if you do not have enough resistance (line too short). Don't be afraid to toss the old line and add a 12 - 14 footer. I run 12 footers at 16psi with no problems (see recent post: "Can't pour my wheat beer"). If it really pours good in the other kegerators you might have uneven temps in the offending kegerator . . . maybe rotate the kegs and see what happens. Your other problem is; beer temp ranges from 38-42F . . . this is a pretty big range. I'm surprised your other beers don't randomly act up. BTW, it can take days for a pressure change to fully equalize . . . so don't be expecting quick results when you twiddle those knobs.
To dovetail with what Mr. Largo is saying, first you need to figure out why the CO² is breaking out of solution. This can be a balance issue (temperature / pressure relationship) or, since this is a new unit, it quite possibly could be mechanical. Here is your checklist: Before you do anything, observe the beer line where it exits the coupler. Look for the first bend in the line and describe what you see. Is is packed with only beer, or does the line contain bubbles of CO²? Use one of your good beer lines as a quick comparison. If bubbles exist, move to step 2. If none are present, proceed to Step 6. If there are bubbles in the line, you have a balance issue. Dial the pressure up 2lbs. and pour off a few ounces of beer into a pint glass to fill the line with beer again. Save this beer (and/or foam) in the cooler. Observe the line where it exits the coupler. (A flashlight makes this easier). Are there tiny bubbles exiting upward? These bubbles will now tell you how far off you are. Larger bubbles moving quickly means we are still way off. Teeny bubbles moving slowly indicates we are close. Wait 5 minutes and then repeat Step 2 using the same pint glass. Continue to repeat steps two and three until the bubbles disappear. You have now successfully balanced that keg. Drink the beer you saved from performing Step 2 in celebration of your accomplishment! A packed line with no bubbles means that there is a defect somewhere in that line or in the keg itself. Swap this keg with the one right next to it and tap each in on the other one's line. Pour a couple of ounces of each and observe the pour. (A 3/16" ID beer line contains one ounce for every six feet) Determine which faucet now has a problem pouring. If the original problem child is still behaving badly, there may be an issue with the coupler, the line itself, the shank or the faucet. I'd start by changing faucets since that is most likely the issue and it's easiest to do. (I'm taking you at your word that you inspected the coupler and there are no missing / torn gaskets and that the check ball is moving freely in the piston) If the problem moved to the other formerly fine faucet...the keg is suspect. Often the gasket in the keg gets nicked or torn, resulting in a bad seal with the coupler. Either way, you need to get credit for that keg and a replacement from your distributor. Please take the time to let us know what the result is...it will greatly assist us in helping others in the future!
