Foamy Beer

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by pweis909, May 12, 2017.

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  1. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    I have three kegs hooked up to the same regulator gauge via a splitter. One keg is delivering excessively foam beer. The others are not. Help me troubleshoot, please? FWIW, the foamy mess is coming from a 50% wheat beer, but I am skeptical that this sufficiently explains the problem.
     
  2. Tebuken

    Tebuken Initiate (0) Jun 6, 2009 Argentina

    How many PSIs are you using?
     
  3. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    I would swap the beer lines/faucets with each other to see if the problem stays with the keg or the delivery hardware.
     
  4. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    ~10
     
  5. Tebuken

    Tebuken Initiate (0) Jun 6, 2009 Argentina

    We know wheat beers are high carbonated , if the others are less carbonated this could be the culprit, it would be better to dispense these beers using different regulators.
     
  6. ECCS

    ECCS Pundit (755) Oct 28, 2015 Illinois

    Is it possible the beer is over carbed? How long has it been CO2 and at what psi?
     
  7. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    Reciprocal transplant study completed. It's not the line. Next, I guess I can check the valve. But I'll need to depressurize
     
  8. Jaguar10301

    Jaguar10301 Crusader (423) Mar 1, 2010 Maine

    What about the tap? If it is not clean the imperfections or buildup could be causing disruption that is foaming the beer up...

    You switched the lines so a kink in the line shouldn't be a problem, but i'm thinking the tap for now...

    I'm not an expert with kegging but in my old system i always ran 3 beers off of 1 regulator and didn't have major differences with carbonation.... they should all be the same no?
     
  9. Tebuken

    Tebuken Initiate (0) Jun 6, 2009 Argentina

    Close the valve of the wheat beer and dispense some pints while losing some pressure
     
  10. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    I'm using picnic taps right now and when I switched lines, I also switched taps. I think you are right, i.e., that they should all be at about the same pressure. They have lines of approximately the same length, are approximately at the same temp. Since the line switch didn't reveal anything, I think the next thing to investigate is the keg post. To swap those, I'll want to depressurize, as I said previously. (In one of my first jobs back in the day, I worked at a place that used cornies as soda kegs. Messing with the post valve, under pressure, sprayed me with soda syrup.)
     
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  11. Jaguar10301

    Jaguar10301 Crusader (423) Mar 1, 2010 Maine

    Mmm beer, but I suppose he probably has the pressure release thing right, don't know what is called but mind always had it... Little ring to pull it open..
     
  12. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    The gas-in valve is closed. I do have a pressure release valve and will release that and play with the dispensing post tomorrow. Not tonight. I've had a lot of foamy beer and now is not the time to get analytical and mechanical.

    Once additional thought is that this wheat beer is dryhopped in the keg. This is not the first time I have ever done this, but I do see some fine hop particulates in the beer (as the foam recedes). I know particulates can act as nucleation points for bubbles.
     
  13. PortLargo

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

    This is most likely your problem. The hop debris is causing the CO2 to become too excited. I've had considerable pressure build up in my kegs while dry hopping (but before adding the gas) . . . it's kicking out the residual carbon dioxide. In your case your three kegs are carb'ed to the same level, but Mr. Hop Debris is fighting you. The problem will correct itself as the debris clears, or you will need to bleed/reduce pressure.
     
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  14. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

  15. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    Doesn't seem that way.
     
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  16. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    To clarify, the hops are contained in a bag. The level of particulate is not huge, although maybe it does not have to be to create this effect. The beer has been kegged for about a month.
     
  17. Jaguar10301

    Jaguar10301 Crusader (423) Mar 1, 2010 Maine


    I doubt it but could the bag be anywhere near the post and disrupting flow as it exits the keg? I mean I can't imagine your hop back is a the bottom of the keg, but thought I'd ask..
     
  18. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    Like maybe the bag has been sucked into the dip tube?
     
  19. Jaguar10301

    Jaguar10301 Crusader (423) Mar 1, 2010 Maine

    Was thinking something like that, I'm just guessing at things here lol....
     
  20. Tebuken

    Tebuken Initiate (0) Jun 6, 2009 Argentina


    Quite unlikely, it would be impossible for beer to flow through the tube.
     
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