Troubleshooting foaming beer… from kegs

[MrStacy]

I have an ongoing problem with foaming out of my kegs. It seems that when the keg is full I have no problem pulling a pint with a perfect head. However, as the keg gets low, say about a gallon or so left, when I draft off a glass full I can see clear beer immediately comes out at first, followed by a blast of foamed beer, and then I end up with mostly a glass of foam with a small amount of clear beer in the glass. Any clues as to what I’m doing wrong?

 

[Minbari]

I have an ongoing problem with foaming out of my kegs. It seems that when the keg is full I have no problem pulling a pint with a perfect head. However, as the keg gets low, say about a gallon or so left, when I draft off a glass full I can see clear beer immediately comes out at first, followed by a blast of foamed beer, and then I end up with mostly a glass of foam with a small amount of clear beer in the glass. Any clues as to what I’m doing wrong?

What pressure are you serving at?

What diameter is the beer line?

What type of beer line? (Silicone, pvc, evbarrier)

Kegerator temp?

I have found that if it foams at first, pour the first 2 oz in a glass you aren't drinking from, wait 10 sec and then pull it. Make sure your glass is clean and wet.

 

[MrStacy]

I guess that would have been helpful info! I pressure to 11 lbs. My beer lines are 8mm Duotight Eva barrier tubing and I use the Kegland ball locks with flow control. My beer lines are 3 feet long and I didn’t calculate proper length for that size tubing. I keep my kegerator at 38 degrees F. I’ll try the 2 oz. pour technique to see if that helps but any suggestions for how to stop the problem altogether? Thanks for any advice.

 

[Sandy Feet]

When you carb, the 11psi is probably good. After a week or two, it needs to be turned down (bled, beer served until fallen, or whatever way you want to do it) to about 4 PSI to keep serving. Otherwise, you end up with the foam as the beer has absorbed all the CO2, especially when cold.
I wonder how I know this? LOL. I also had a lengthy discussion with the dude at the homebrew store one day.
It isn't so much that you only have a little beer left. It is everything has been absorbed into the beer and the extra CO2 has nothing to do but foam when it hits the outside and your cup.

 

[MrStacy]

That makes perfect sense! I’ll go turn them down now. Thanks! By the way is the 4psi sort of universal, or might it need adjusting based on line length and resistance from tubing size?

 

[Minbari]

I guess that would have been helpful info! I pressure to 11 lbs. My beer lines are 8mm Duotight Eva barrier tubing and I use the Kegland ball locks with flow control. My beer lines are 3 feet long and I didn’t calculate proper length for that size tubing. I keep my kegerator at 38 degrees F. I’ll try the 2 oz. pour technique to see if that helps but any suggestions for how to stop the problem altogether? Thanks for any advice.

From what I have gathered other the years. We aren't a bar, lol. So we don't have a constant string of pours. This allows co2 bubbles to collect in the tubing. When it hits the faucet, foam! So, the 2oz thing seems to clear it, at least it works for me. After the pour, I just put the foamy bits in my glass, no waste.

Looks like everything else is good, evbarrier line is the best I have found and length is less important

 

[Sandy Feet]

That makes perfect sense! I’ll go turn them down now. Thanks! By the way is the 4psi sort of universal, or might it need adjusting based on line length and resistance from tubing size?

I'm using 4 PSI with a picnic tap, so not much different from your line.

 

[Minbari]

When you carb, the 11psi is probably good. After a week or two, it needs to be turned down (bled, beer served until fallen, or whatever way you want to do it) to about 4 PSI to keep serving. Otherwise, you end up with the foam as the beer has absorbed all the CO2, especially when cold.
I wonder how I know this? LOL. I also had a lengthy discussion with the dude at the homebrew store one day.
It isn't so much that you only have a little beer left. It is everything has been absorbed into the beer and the extra CO2 has nothing to do but foam when it hits the outside and your cup.

Have to disagree. You leave your keg @ 4psi and your beer will go flat. You have to keep the keg at the psi for the volume of co2 for the style. I serve high volume beers at 20psi with zero issues.

 

[Sandy Feet]

If I leave mine at 12 with the picnic tap, it will foam like a bitch. After a couple of weeks, if it is turned down, it works well. The last time I didn't bleed it. I just turned the gas off until it fell. All of my stuff is inside the fridge and stays in the 30s.

 

[Craigerrr]

3 feet is too short, and 8mm is too large. I use 3/16" ID (5mm) and 10 feet, perfect pours right to the end at 10/11 PSI. The effect the smaller ID, and the extra line length has is a reduced pressure and flow rate at the tap. I love physics, the laws you can't break even if you try!

 

[Donoroto]

That makes perfect sense! I’ll go turn them down now. Thanks! By the way is the 4psi sort of universal, or might it need adjusting based on line length and resistance from tubing size?

No, 4 PSI is not universal.
I pull the pressure release until the hissing is mostly done, which is maybe 1 or 2 PSI, then dispense through a standard picnic tap with good results. After pouring (I tend to use pitchers) the pressure is increased to whatever it should be (maybe 11-14 PSI).