Can't get the CO2 pressure right. What am I doing wrong?

[agurkas]

So I am in a bit of kegging hell.

This is what I am getting with my Belfian Wit.
It is sitting in a keg at ~50F. Tried pressures 15 to 25PSI. Running a 7 foot beer line and one of those adjustable flow Perilicks... No matter what I try, I am getting this foam milk.

WTH am I doing wrong?

 

[worksnorth]

What I'd do is turn the CO2 off to the keg. Blow down the keg, release all of the pressure. Start again at say 3 psi and work up, 15 psi may be to much.
Another thing to look at is your beer line coming right off the keg as you are drawing a beer at the faucet. If the beer in the hose at the keg connection is foamy as you are pulling the beer you may have a restriction in the keg connection itself. This hosed me for a long time on one of my kegs, the keg connection hadn't been drilled correctly and was causing the foaming.
I'm really thinking that you may just be using to much pressure though. Start over from scratch after de-pressuring the keg.
Good luck!
Cheers

 

[lumpher]

try 12 psi and see if that doesn't help. like works says, drain the co2 in the keg first

 

[agurkas]

If the beer in the hose at the keg connection is foamy as you are pulling the beer you may have a restriction in the keg connection itself. This hosed me for a long time on one of my kegs, the keg connection hadn't been drilled correctly and was causing the foaming.
I'm really thinking that you may just be using to much pressure though. Start over from scratch after de-pressuring the keg.

Actually, now that you mentioned this, beer in the line is a bit foamy (but nothing like what it comes out).

 

[usfmikeb]

I usually carb my kegs at ~18psi, and then drop them down to 10psi to serve. After carbing, be certain to release the pressure to get the excess off. If you're pushing it through to the tap at 25psi, all you're going to get is foam.

 

[Yooper]

Carbonation is a function of both temperature and pressure. Here is a kegging chart so you can see what the pressure should be: http://sdcollins.home.mindspring.com/ForceCarbonation.html

At 50 degrees, the pressure should be around 18 psi for 2.54 volumes of co2. A wit can even beer much higher carbed, up to 3.5-4 volumes of co2.

The "problem" with serving a warmer beer means that the co2 comes out of solution easier, "knocking" it out of suspension as it goes through the lines.

At 50 degrees, 15' of serving line (3/16") would not be too long to balance the system. At 7', it's WAY too short and will foam like a SOB.

There are two things I"d do. Once is to try a colder temperature for your kegerator. The second is to get much longer beerlines for serving.

I'm currently using 10' lines for all of my perlick taps at 40 degrees and 12 psi. It's the perfect amount of resistance for me. If I was serving at 50 degrees and 18 psi, I'd go much longer.

 

[day_trippr]

Yikes! That is one foamy pour!

From everything I read, before I'd do anything dramatic, I'd replace the O-ring under the Out dip tube flange, because that glass literally looks like it's been injected with CO2, and if that Out dip tube O-ring isn't perfect, that's pretty much what you'll get....

Cheers!

 

[JuanMoore]

Carbonation is a function of both temperature and pressure. Here is a kegging chart so you can see what the pressure should be: http://sdcollins.home.mindspring.com/ForceCarbonation.html

At 50 degrees, the pressure should be around 18 psi for 2.54 volumes of co2. A wit can even beer much higher carbed, up to 3.5-4 volumes of co2.

The "problem" with serving a warmer beer means that the co2 comes out of solution easier, "knocking" it out of suspension as it goes through the lines.

At 50 degrees, 15' of serving line (3/16") would not be too long to balance the system. At 7', it's WAY too short and will foam like a SOB.

There are two things I"d do. Once is to try a colder temperature for your kegerator. The second is to get much longer beerlines for serving.

I'm currently using 10' lines for all of my perlick taps at 40 degrees and 12 psi. It's the perfect amount of resistance for me. If I was serving at 50 degrees and 18 psi, I'd go much longer.

This ^

Yikes! That is one foamy pour!

From everything I read, before I'd do anything dramatic, I'd replace the O-ring under the Out dip tube flange, because that glass literally looks like it's been injected with CO2, and if that Out dip tube O-ring isn't perfect, that's pretty much what you'll get....

Cheers!

Also a possible contributing factor, but the line is way too short for that temp and carb level either way.

 

[FATC1TY]

So important, it was posted 3 times people!!

I'd say it's your pressure and line length for sure.

 

[day_trippr]

So important, it was posted 3 times people!!

I'd say it's your pressure and line length for sure.

I had missed where he was trying pressures up to 25 psi. Having seen that, I totally agree that at the very least that he has a majorly over-carbonated brew on his hands which needs to go on a de-gassing regimen - stat.

The line length is marginal, but with a flow-control faucet I suspect it can be made to behave - once the beer has been tamed...

Cheers!