Beer won't hold it's gas??

[RobJ]

Hi all
Done a batch of stout using AG, really pleased with the colour and flavour but wen I sparged I got a bit greedy and collected too much so it finished at 3.9 ABV, I've had it in my corni keg for a week now with plenty of gas in it but when pull a glass off, head is great at first and it tastes very smooth but after a short while the head disappears and it almost tastes watery, anyone with a similar experience???? Cheers


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[flars]

When you pour is the head composed of large bubbles or is the head tight and dense?

 

[RobJ]

Tight and dense, I would say if I leave it the head would it the for 8 mins but when it's gone it tastes watery


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[pdietert]

Not to seem rude but this has been discussed many times:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/what-add-more-head-body-453987
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/oh-elusive-foam-331834/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/dissapointing-batch-338907/

To add to these, you thinned out the body by over sparging so that will affect the body.

What was the target OG?

 

[flars]

Tight and dense, I would say if I leave it the head would it the for 8 mins but when it's gone it tastes watery


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First 3.9% would be a typical dry stout. No problem there. I'm thinking to short of primary time and/or combined with carbonating a green beer. Bleed off the CO2 pressure and let it sit in the keg for a couple of weeks at room temperature to mature.

 

[RobJ]

I've got plenty still in the carboys (I collected Too much) I'll let that sit and see what it's like, put this one down to experience, cheers


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[RobJ]

Not to seem rude but this has been discussed many times:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/what-add-more-head-body-453987
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/oh-elusive-foam-331834/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/dissapointing-batch-338907/

To add to these, you thinned out the body by over sparging so that will affect the body.

What was the target OG?

I have actually read this thread, I'm picking bits and pieces up along the way but there a lot to take in, got a recipe ready and I'm going to calculate the water correctly, this was my own recipe I was aiming for 1050-1055 but finished with 1047, collected too much wort by sparging too long, get it right next time, cheers


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[pdietert]

I have actually read this thread, I'm picking bits and pieces up along the way but there a lot to take in, got a recipe ready and I'm going to calculate the water correctly, this was my own recipe I was aiming for 1050-1055 but finished with 1047, collected too much wort by sparging too long, get it right next time, cheers


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Cool, I would give it time. It usually takes at least a week to any beer to age. It should get better and the head will probably develop more.

 

[Yooper]

One of the things that strikes me is that if the beer seems to be carbonated ok, but looses the carbonation and/or head right away, it seems like the person saying that will eventually mention they have 4-6' serving lines on the faucet.

What happens is that the co2 is "knocked out" of suspension due to the lack of restriction on the beer line and they will get a foamy head at first, but with little retention and with poor carbonation in the beer.

Just a wild guess, but are your serving lines for the beer under 6', and is the regulator kept always at 10 psi? Or are you purging before pouring?

 

[hlm123]

Not to seem rude but this has been discussed many times:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/what-add-more-head-body-453987
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/oh-elusive-foam-331834/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/dissapointing-batch-338907/

To add to these, you thinned out the body by over sparging so that will affect the body.

What was the target OG?

It doesn't seem like these address the same question posed here.

Did you carbonate at room temperature by any chance?

 

[Mare_Mortis]

I have the same problem, This is my first run at kegging so I expected a ton of problems and so far I have hit them all. I carbed at room temp waiting on all the parts for my keeper, after about a month of conditioning the keg went into the keezer (regulator has been at 14psi the entire time) and once the foam settles there is still a head but the beer itself is flat.

 

[RobJ]

Cool, I would give it time. It usually takes at least a week to any beer to age. It should get better and the head will probably develop more.

It's been a couple of weeks now, the head seems fine, it's wen it's gone it's just missing something.... Body!! it taste watery, great taste but like diluted juice, it's nice but not as nice as freshly squeezed. I just don't know whether to dump it and make space or to see if it gets better, I can't see how it will, shame tho because for me first stout it's not far away , cheer tho pal


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[RobJ]

One of the things that strikes me is that if the beer seems to be carbonated ok, but looses the carbonation and/or head right away, it seems like the person saying that will eventually mention they have 4-6' serving lines on the faucet.



What happens is that the co2 is "knocked out" of suspension due to the lack of restriction on the beer line and they will get a foamy head at first, but with little retention and with poor carbonation in the beer.



Just a wild guess, but are your serving lines for the beer under 6', and is the regulator kept always at 10 psi? Or are you purging before pouring?

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[RobJ]

The beer line is only 18" and the golden ale I done (my first batch) is fine
Like I said above I think it's lacking body, still open for advise as that's my opinion and don't know wether to dump it or not, cheers


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[RobJ]

I have the same problem, This is my first run at kegging so I expected a ton of problems and so far I have hit them all. I carbed at room temp waiting on all the parts for my keeper, after about a month of conditioning the keg went into the keezer (regulator has been at 14psi the entire time) and once the foam settles there is still a head but the beer itself is flat.

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[RobJ]

This is my first 2 batches of AG and my first time kegging so I'm no expecting perfection, so that y I'm asking all the questions, great help on here, everyone seems to have been there and done it, I don't know if it will get body if I let it mature, I'll probs just leave it for a bit longer and see what happens, cheers


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[Jogurt]

I don't think I have ever encountered a problem like that - pour a beer with fine head and fine taste and then... SNAP! With head gone, body gone in an instant, just like that.

 

[Teromous]

It is likely that the head and the body problems are two completely unrelated issues. The lack of body or wateriness might not be a carbonation issue, but could be a result of either your recipe or your water profile. Have you brewed any thin-feeling dark beers in the past?

 

[Hello]

It could help to post the recipe but 18" beer line? That's really too short.

 

[DocScott]

It could help to post the recipe but 18" beer line? That's really too short.

This ^^

I'm having a little trouble understanding what the problem is. Sounds like 2 issues. First being thin, watery beer - which is likely a recipe, water, or procedural thing. Second being poor carbonation - which is likely a glassware or hose length issue.

On a separate note, the title of this thread is too good to resist this...

"Beer won't hold it's gas??" -- This is one of my wife's biggest complaints, but it isn't the beer that won't hold it's gas...its her husband!

 

[Yooper]

One of the things that strikes me is that if the beer seems to be carbonated ok, but looses the carbonation and/or head right away, it seems like the person saying that will eventually mention they have 4-6' serving lines on the faucet.

What happens is that the co2 is "knocked out" of suspension due to the lack of restriction on the beer line and they will get a foamy head at first, but with little retention and with poor carbonation in the beer.

Just a wild guess, but are your serving lines for the beer under 6', and is the regulator kept always at 10 psi? Or are you purging before pouring?

The beer line is only 18" and the golden ale I done (my first batch) is fine
Like I said above I think it's lacking body, still open for advise as that's my opinion and don't know wether to dump it or not, cheers

While one beer may have poured fine, that would be very unusual. 18" lines are about 8.5 feet too short for good pours of carbonated beer.

 

[RobJ]

It could help to post the recipe but 18" beer line? That's really too short.

What length should the beer line be??


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[RobJ]

While one beer may have poured fine, that would be very unusual. 18" lines are about 8.5 feet too short for good pours of carbonated beer.

I've actually had a problem pouring my golden ale now, really frothy, is this because the line is too short, if I have a longer line will it still be fine in my keggerator?? Or will I have to clean the line all the time? Cheers


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[kh54s10]

I have picnic tap lines that were premade. They are about 3 ft long. I then installed faucets in the door of my fridge. I went with the often mentioned 10 ft. My pours are great once I wait long enough for the beer to properly carbonate. 2 1/2 to 3 weeks or longer. I have had a slime pipeline lately so I finish off half the keg before it reaches prime.

 

[RobJ]

If I have a 10ft line, will I have to pull a class off first before my proper beer or will if be fine sitting in the line for a few days?? Cheers


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[RobJ]

This ^^



I'm having a little trouble understanding what the problem is. Sounds like 2 issues. First being thin, watery beer - which is likely a recipe, water, or procedural thing. Second being poor carbonation - which is likely a glassware or hose length issue.



On a separate note, the title of this thread is too good to resist this...



"Beer won't hold it's gas??" -- This is one of my wife's biggest complaints, but it isn't the beer that won't hold it's gas...its her husband!

I've now come to the conclusion that the gas is ok it's the watery issue and lack of body ... Don't think any of us hold our gas, ha ha


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[kh54s10]

All the kegerator builds I have seen have the extra line inside somewhere. I doubt anyone worries too much about the beer sitting in the line. If you do the volume inside 10 ft of beer line does not add up to much.

 

[RobJ]

Makes sense, longer line tomorrow then, cheers


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[RobJ]

Thought I would let everyone know, I never realised that you have to keep the co2 line connected all the time, I've now got a gas line through the side of my keggerator with a Y splitter on. Followed the link for force carbing and it works a treat, Cheers!!!


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[budbo]

I've got plenty still in the carboys (I collected Too much) I'll let that sit and see what it's like, put this one down to experience, cheers

Could you explain that one to me? How can "collecting too much" make the beer watery? not boiling it down is the problem there.

 

[RobJ]

Could you explain that one to me? How can "collecting too much" make the beer watery? not boiling it down is the problem there.

The guy said bleed the gas off and let it sit for a while, I said I've still got plenty in the carboys and I'm gona let that sit. I collected more than the recipe stated, meaning I sparged for too long so I had a watery wort. It's actually turned out pretty well, was just a bit impatient, was only my second batch, like I said I'll put it down to experience, which I did and have nailed my wort collection pre boil and had perfect amount in the fermenter with the right OG, patients and experience is the key I'm finding


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