Another PSI question

[slt140]

This one is related to foamy beer (surprise, surprise). I have an 8' 3/16 line, and my beer is about 38 degrees (F). I always seem to have foamy beer, but I am getting a tower fan which I hope will help. In the meantime, for some reason I seem to have less foam at about 8-10psi, instead of 11-12psi (which seems a more appropriate setting). Beers I make or buy are at about 2.5 volumes. My question is If I bleed the keg before I serve it and serve at the aforementioned 8 psi, will my beer go flat before I drink it (approx. 2-3 weeks)? My intuition tells me that I will lose carbonation in the beer unless I balance the serving pressure with the carbed pressure. Does that question make any sense?

 

[malkore]

It won't go flat but you will lose CO2 volumes in the beer as it equalizes the pressure of the headspace.

if the beer is 12psi and you crank it to 8psi, it'll start to bleed that 12psi in to the headspace and line. every pour will allow more gas to come out of the beer, until the beer is at 8psi (and whatever lower CO2 volume that equates to).

of course you just increase it back to 12psi for a week, and the beer is back to 2.5 volumes.

 

[slt140]

how fast will it equalize? it takes me about 2-3 weeks to drink a 1/6 keg. How much will I lose in that time? Can I just put it back to 12 every couple of days for a day at a time to keep it carbed?

 

[thisjrp4]

Why don't you save yourself a whole lot of hastle and just keep the beer at 10 psi. I run 10' of line and 10 psi, and its perfect. A little slow but no horrible foam or messing with the keg or regulator.

 

[slt140]

I probably should just get a longer line. The thing is I recently got the kegerator and it came with a 5' line, so I bought an 8' line thinking that would give me proper resistance up to 16#, but it just isn't enough. I know that, but replacing a brand new line is just bothersome to me. How long do you guys use your lines before replacing them?

 

[thisjrp4]

I used the 5' line that came with my tap tower for about 18 months. Then I got tired of reading dozens of postings and calculating hose lenght with different formulas to stop the foaming, and I ripped out the 5' line and put in the 10'. The beer line is about $0.50 per foot. Spring for the $10 and you'll be very happy.

As long as you keep the lines clean I don't think you need to change them that often. Pretty much as soon as a keg blows I put in a half gallon or so of boiling water and run it through the lines.

 

[shortyjacobs]

Ballpark guess....less than a week and it will have equilibrated at 8 PSI. It pours better at 8 PSI instead of 12 because your system is balanced at 8 PSI.

Get longer lines, (10' +), and make sure your tower is cooled, and you problems will be solved.

 

[slt140]

Thanks for the advice everyone, longer lines and a tower cooler it is.