Increasing carbonation in keg --> increasing line length?

[tmm786]

Currently, my beer pours well most of the time. Proper head, decent carbonation, not too foamy. However, I feel my beer is typically little under-carbed to my liking. If I raise the regulator a couple PSI to get a little more carbonation, will I need to immediately replace and increase my serving line length to keep the "more carbonated" beer from pouring too foamy?

I keep the regulator around 13PSI with 10 ft of serving line, and the kegerator is around 38 degrees.

 

[day_trippr]

Per our favorite carbonation table the combination of 13 psi and 38°F will eventually reach equilibrium at ~2.7 volumes of CO2. That's a couple tenths on the high side for most generic ales already...but personal preference counts more than convention.

Referencing the only beer line length calculator worth using 13 psi using 3/16" id solid pvc beer line with a 10 second pint pour needs 11 feet of line - so you may be on the edge with 10 feet.

Adding another couple of psi would raise the carbonation to ~2.85 volumes and bump the recommended line length to almost 13 feet, and I imagine your pour quality will go down hill at that point...

Cheers!

 

[MT_Keg]

Maybe something like this would help?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/the-cure-for-your-short-hose-troubles.100151/

 

[day_trippr]

I used those many years ago when I was uneducated and had 6 foot lines
They do work, pretty well actually, but kinda messy and they will slowly dissolve if left in a standard Star San mix.
I still have at least a half dozen never-used sticks as I went to 12' lines...

Cheers!

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

Referencing the only beer line length calculator worth using 13 psi using 3/16" id solid pvc beer line with a 10 second pint pour needs 11 feet of line - so you may be on the edge with 10 feet.

Adding another couple of psi would raise the carbonation to ~2.85 volumes and bump the recommended line length to almost 13 feet, and I imagine your pour quality will go down hill at that point...

Cheers!

I went through the same problems dialing in my pours and ended up using 11 feet of 3/16" inside diameter beer line tubing. My methods were far from scientific though. I bought two 14 foot lengths of beer line and kept cutting them back until the pours from both taps were perfect. I keep my kegs at 34F and carbonate and serve beer as 12-13 psi.

 

[tmm786]

Thanks for the feedback. The comments confirm what I was thinking. In the short term I have increased my pressure by 1-2 psi and can tell a difference in the carbonation level. Beers have poured well so far, but I have historically had intermittent foam problems even at my old setting. So, it may be time once I see an issue just to go ahead and change out lines as the problem happens.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

You can also change out your taps for flow control. If your pours are too fast/foamy you just turn the knob to increase the back pressure. Not a substitute for proper line length, but suited for variance in tank pressure, and increase in desired carb level.