I'm just looking for ideas on things to check. I've read through tons and tons of posts on the subject, but can't find anything that helped. So I thought I'd ask here. I have a little kegerator from best buy, an insignia I think? Anyway I keep it hooked up to a temp regulator I got on amazon, to keep the temp in the box perfect. The beer pouring out is right at about 36 degrees according to my thermapen. Until recently I had only had kegs of rolling rock or bud in there, but this time I went with a keg of goose island ipa. Did not have any foam issues before this keg. But this keg is just foam foam foam. So what am I doing wrong? What's difference about goose? I will hit you with the details I can. I have 10' of 3/16" ID 5/16" OD beer line. It's been cleaned regularly. Usually once a month. I am at 5000 ft elevation Pressure is set to 11 psi There are 2 fans in the box, one blowing up into the tower, and one blowing on the chill plate. I just put a couple cups of water in there to check the temps with my thermapen that way. Observing the pour, it does not start out as foam. It starts as beer. Then comes foam. Then after a while of foam, we go back to beer. But beer on foam just makes more foam. From what I've read, I don't feel my issue is warm beer in the line. I think it's something else. Also, how do you guys run your lines? Just let them hang out on top of the keg? I really appreciate any pointers. Sorry for the long post.
Sounds over carbed. Look into degassing. If your temps are right the only other thing I can think of is a dirty beer line
I should also mention it passes the back the back to back pour test. Meaning if I pour my first beer, it's all foam, but my second pour is OK. I checked the temp in my cups of water, 34 degrees in both. Pour temp is showing slightly warmer. But still cold. I'm tired of pouring out foam. Something has to be happening to it while it's sitting in the lines.
I have 10' lines, I leave them in the bottom of the box where it is coldest. If you have beer then foam then beer, I'd say you have a pocket of CO2 breakout. Uncoil that line and take a look after it has rested a while, you will likely see the pockets. It also matches your experience with second pours being ok. At 36 and assuming a v/v of 2.7 the balance pressure is more like 12.5. With 10' lines you can easily bump up to that and then some. Give 13 a try. I'd say under pressurized as opposed to over.
It also seems like it comes out pretty fast on that first pour. Not sure if that has anything to do with it, just trying to provide all relevant details.
Going to try uncoiling my lines and letting them drop to the bottom and upping my psi to 13. Will leave it like that and update in the AM. Tomorrow's a holiday after all. I was thinking my line is coiled around where my fans are. Maybe the air circulation is actually sucking the cold off my lines and the beer is getting warm there?
There is also such a thing as too much circulation. I'd go with the tower cooler only. I assume you have a line from that going all the way up to the shank?
Right now I just have a fan blowing air up from the keg into the tower. I ordered an actual tower cooler earlier today, but it won't be here for a while.
Roger that. My line running into the tower is actually inside a copper tube. Should I upgrade my faucet? I'm not sure what's in there, but I bet insignia doesn't ship them with the best parts. And if so, what's the best faucet for the budget minded beer drinker? A perlick stainless?
When you get the tower cooler, pull the copper tube out and put the cooler line up to the shank. The return air will cool the beer line fine. A Perlick faucet is a good investment, and you will never have sticky faucet syndrome.
Ok, still having issues. I have my tower cooler installed. My shank and line are cool to the touch in there. My beer is pouring at 36 or 37 degrees. I read something online about the flashlight test and tried that. I'm getting all the way up to about 17 or 18 psi before I stop seeing bubbles escape from the coupler. Actually I see 1 or 2 bubbles out of the coupler but I figure that's pretty good. But at that psi my beer pours so fast, about 6 seconds a pint. Is that my issue? Just seems so weird so many kegs have run through it fine while this one has issues.
