Will beer lose carb level once dialed down to serving psi

[Pelican521]

Hi all, I'm getting ready to keg a beer for the second time (been bottling for years) and had a quick question.

On my first kegging attempt, I dialed down the pressure to around 8-10 psi every time I poured so I wouldn't get a glass of foam, and then I would bring the psi back up to around 13 psi.

I did this because I was worried that the beer could slowly drop it's carb level over time if the psi was left at 8-10 psi once fully carbed.

Can this happen, or will the beer remain carbed desired level once I reduce to serving pressure?

thanks in advance!

 

[brdb]

The beer will eventually reach equilibrium with whatever the pressure in the head space is. So if you set your pressure to 8psi, the beer will eventually reach a carbonation level equivalent to 8psi and whatever temperature the beer is at.
If you're getting a glass full of foam, I would look at other factors such as beverage line length, beverage line diameter, and whether or not your lines get warm on the way to the tap (e.g. if you have a tap tower).

 

[Pelican521]

Ok, good to know. Glad I wasn't just being paranoid. At the time of my first kegging I was using 7' of line with a picnic tap. Everything was kept in the fridge so everything was cold.

Now I'm planning on installing a tap to my fridge door so I'm not sure if the resistance would change vs a picnic tap...

 

[DrunkleJon]

Ok, good to know. Glad I wasn't just being paranoid. At the time of my first kegging I was using 7' of line with a picnic tap. Everything was kept in the fridge so everything was cold.

Now I'm planning on installing a tap to my fridge door so I'm not sure if the resistance would change vs a picnic tap...

The consensus usually is to go for 10-12 feet of 3/16 ID beer line. If you notice your through the door taps are not cool/cold to the touch a fan in the fridge to keep temperature stratification to a minimum will usually solve problems.

I am preferential to the Set and forget carbing method (set it to serving pressure an let it sit) it takes about 2 weeks to carbonate up fully, servable usually by the week/week and a half point.

 

[Pelican521]

Ok, thanks. I may be needing longer hose i suppose...I would be worth the extra few bucks to be able to keep the pressure the same when carbing and serving.

 

[slarkin712]

Another issue you might be seeing is CO2 coming out of solution and air bubbles forming in the lines. This can cause foamy pours. It is most often caused by serving the beer at a pressure lower than its carbonation level. Do you see air pockets on the back side of your taps after you have not made a pour in a while?
What happens is the beer is carbed to some pressure level. If the beer is then set at a lower pressure level the CO2 no longer has enough pressure to keep it in solution and air pockets are formed in the lines. You should just carb and serve at the same pressure.
And you may need longer serving lines, which depend on your carb pressure, temperature, line diameter, and serving elevation relative to the keg. For example, I usually have my beer at ~39F, 12 PSI, 3/16" line, serving elevation of ~+3 feet, and I use 8-9 feet line without any foaming issues.