Hey guys. I just did a refrigerator keg conversion with the kegco kit from beverage factory. I got a keg of Sam Adams octoberfest and taped it but got almost all foam. The regulator was reading about 10 pounds of pressure for the first couple days then probably the 3rd day I came home and it had gone up to 22 pounds, then 38 the next day, then 40+ the next day. After that I disconnected the coupler and started doing some research. All this time the beer had been pouring way too fast out of the tap and was 80 or 90% foam. I figured that the regulator wad broken and called beverage factory and got a better taprite regulator. Since then I followed the advice from another thread here to shake the keg and release pressure gradually over time then to slowly bring back up to pressure. Well I am still getting almost all foam. Is the beer ruined from being at a high pressure for potentially a couple days (I'm not really sure if the gauge was accurate in what it was displaying)? Or hopefully can the beer still be salvaged? If not dies anybody have any experience in getting a place like beverage factory to refund the cost of the beer that was ruined by their faulty product? Thanks for the help.
It isn't ruined. How long did you do the shake and vent for? There are a half dozen other things that can cause foam also. Are you sure you assembled all parts of the kit properly? What does the beer in the line look like before you pour?
like Doug mentions, there are a dozen things that can be causing foam. "help, my beer pours foam" is the title of every third thread around here... unlikely you will get BF to buy you a new keg. that is not their business. they are responsible for their product, not your beer. if they had to pay for all the foam that is being poured on their systems, the losses would cause them to go out of business in a few hours I suspect. also, regulators sometimes go off. it is not uncommon, so while it seems to you that they are selling junk that is only because you have not had the experience of seeing a few hundred regulators. make sure your beer is at or as near as possible to 38 degrees. be sure the system is balanced... read up. continue to relieve pressure for a day or two, then attach the coupler at 10 to 12 psi and wait 4 or 5 days. then pour. be patient. Cheers.
One thing you might try is to remove the check valve from the CO2 line and set the regulator to the correct pressure. Let this sit for a few days. This will allow the excess pressure to vent through the regulator, gradually getting the carbonation level right. Patience is critical here. If you really, really need to pour a pint or two, you can lower the pressure to 2 psi temporarily. The beer will still be overcarbed, but that should help with the foam until the problem is fixed.
I should probably add that, if you remove the check valve, be sure to vent the keg before connecting the gas. Otherwise, you may end up with foam (beer) in the gas line and in the regulator -- another frequent topic here.
It took me something like 7-10 days when I overpressurized a keg similar to yours (Bad regulator). Might have been Sam Adams too, can't remember. I kept venting keg until excess CO2 was gone, and beer was fine. I may have also shut off the CO2 supply for the 1st day or 2 because the beer was extremely overpressurized. But I was staying on top of the venting process because I was thirsty!! Keep Sam @ 37-38 degrees C and around 13 psi. I also had too short of a beer supply line (5 ft) that was not helping matters. I get perfect pours every time now with 10 ft of line. And you must take beer temperature properly.
I think I shook and vented about 5 times in total with about 6 hours in between each. Temperature is correct at 38 degrees and the keg had been kept cold the whole time. The beer line and CO2 line are both 5 foot runs. There are a few bubbles in the beer line, but color looks fine. Everything seems assembled OK. The taprite regulator said it didn't need the extra washer between it and the CO2 tank unless I misread the instructions. Thanks for the tips guys.
I have been at work all day, but since the pour last night was 90% foam, I doubt anything had changed.
Your venting should have taken care of the over pressure. You don't want any bubbles, color doesn't matter. 5' is a little short for my tastes. although there are others here who run that length, most have better luck in the 7-8' range. How are you taking your temperature - calibrated thermometer in the second consecutive glass, not touching the bottom or in the foam? How does the second glass compare to the first foam wise?
I have a thermometer in the fridge. Which of those methods is best for checking the beer after the pour? Second glass has been the same as the first.
Air temp means nothing here. You need to calibrate the thermometer. Put it in a glass of crushed ice and water that has been sitting for 10 minutes or so. Take the temperature of the water without touching the glass, it should be 32. If not adjust it, if it is adjustable. If not you need to correct any temperatures you get by however far off 32 you are. Pour a glass of beer into a room temp glass. Immediately dump or chug, and pour a second one in the same glass. Take the temperature of the beer, not foam, without touching the glass. You still need to understand balance as Bill suggested. With the proper reading of the temperature, and the volumes of CO2 for the beer you can then determine the correct pressure.
OK I finally got around to testing the temperature after being out of town for work. The first test showed 44.3 degrees and the second test showed 46.3 degrees in the second glasses without touching the sides. The 44.3 degree poor had less foam than the second test and it went away a little faster but still a bit too much. Bubbles are still forming and collecting in the high points of the beer line and the beer is still pouring much faster than I have poured at the breweries I have helped at. Thanks again for the help.
Bubbles in the line tell you that it isnt balanced. As temp goes up so does pressure. 46 degree beer is no fun for anyone, but that suggests you need to be in the 15-16 psi area based on a guess at 2.5 v/v. If at the proper balance you are still pouring too fast the solution is to add beer line. Go with 8 or 9 feet to start, you can always cut back.
