Newbie

[Mickchap]

Hi everyone. I’m Mick from Sydney. I’m new here. I used to brew a loooooong time ago. About 25 years. Then kids happened. Now they are older and I have more time. I used to just brew and bottle. Now I have bought a keg system after lots of friends have said it’s so much easier than bottles. Last week I kegged my first brew but I think I have over carbonated. Every time I pour the beer it’s 80% froth. How do I fix this????

 

[philrob]

Welcome to AHB Mick.
I have never kegged and bottle all my brews, but others on here should be able to give you some guidance. Good luck and enjoy your return to brewing. A lot has changed over the last 25 years with wider choice of ingredients such as malts, yeasts etc.

 

[Mickchap]

Welcome to AHB Mick.
I have never kegged and bottle all my brews, but others on here should be able to give you some guidance. Good luck and enjoy your return to brewing. A lot has changed over the last 25 years with wider choice of ingredients such as malts, yeasts etc.

Thanks Philrob

 

[TwoCrows]

Dirty glass.
Temp of beer.
Pressure in the keg.
Pressure pushing the beer.
Beer line diameter and length of line.

 

[Mickchap]

Dirty glass.
Temp of beer.
Pressure in the keg.
Pressure pushing the beer.
Beer line diameter and length of line.

Glass is clean.
I have a gun so everything is in the fridge nice a cold.
No pressure in keg when the bottle is turned off. When I pull the pin on the keg a little little little bit cones out.
I have tried using from 4 to 10 PSI to push the beer. Same result.
Beer line is just over 1.5 metres but under 2 metres. Diameter is the normal 5-7mm that I bought from the home brew store.

 

[mblwest]

It is most likely you have over carbonated the beer. When the beer is in the keg it is in equilibrium with the pressure, when you dispense you are exposing it to atmospheric pressure which causes the absorbed gas to expand and be liberated. So you need to reduce the pressure in your keg. Turn off your gas supply then burp your keg (lift the safety valve) to release the pressure. Note the pressure reading after doing this and leave it for a day. The pressure should rise in the keg as the excess gas comes out of the beer and fills the keg. Turn the gas back on, set at 10 or 12 psi then see how you go, may need to do this several times. This will improve as the keg gets emptier as the head space increases. Also make sure when using the gun you gully depress the handle, don't try to make it come out slow. If you want it slow, reduce gas pressure, burp, then pour.
Cheers

 

[Mickchap]

It is most likely you have over carbonated the beer. When the beer is in the keg it is in equilibrium with the pressure, when you dispense you are exposing it to atmospheric pressure which causes the absorbed gas to expand and be liberated. So you need to reduce the pressure in your keg. Turn off your gas supply then burp your keg (lift the safety valve) to release the pressure. Note the pressure reading after doing this and leave it for a day. The pressure should rise in the keg as the excess gas comes out of the beer and fills the keg. Turn the gas back on, set at 10 or 12 psi then see how you go, may need to do this several times. This will improve as the keg gets emptier as the head space increases. Also make sure when using the gun you gully depress the handle, don't try to make it come out slow. If you want it slow, reduce gas pressure, burp, then pour.
Cheers

Thanks Mblwest. I’ll try that. It’s a lager and I put it to 32 PSI for 48 hours to carbonate. Is that the going rate or too much???? This is what the brew shop told me to do.

 

[mblwest]

That sounds OK but don't sweat it, there is no harm done to the beer, you just get these practical issues and mouth feel. You know if it is flat when you drink it, if you are getting a glass full of froth you know it is over, as a general rule of thumb. Equipment issues can add to this but start with this. My Brewfather app (if you don't have this get it) has me at 10.4 bar for 1 week. At the end of the day, you can just set it at the desired final pressure and wait, the law of partial pressures will mean you get equilibrium eventually, but who wants to wait right??

 

[Mickchap]

That sounds OK but don't sweat it, there is no harm done to the beer, you just get these practical issues and mouth feel. You know if it is flat when you drink it, if you are getting a glass full of froth you know it is over, as a general rule of thumb. Equipment issues can add to this but start with this. My Brewfather app (if you don't have this get it) has me at 10.4 bar for 1 week. At the end of the day, you can just set it at the desired final pressure and wait, the law of partial pressures will mean you get equilibrium eventually, but who wants to wait right??

Thanks for that info. I’ll have a look. After I pour it if I wait 2 mins, the head retention is good, not flat and it actually taste not too bad.

 

[WAYNOMAD]

That sounds OK but don't sweat it, there is no harm done to the beer, you just get these practical issues and mouth feel. You know if it is flat when you drink it, if you are getting a glass full of froth you know it is over, as a general rule of thumb. Equipment issues can add to this but start with this. My Brewfather app (if you don't have this get it) has me at 10.4 bar for 1 week. At the end of the day, you can just set it at the desired final pressure and wait, the law of partial pressures will mean you get equilibrium eventually, but who wants to wait right??

1.4 bar mate

 

[AlesandTales]

Welcome here Mick,

Here is the basic theory behind carbonating a keg.
You need to factor all these points into your system.



Here is a topic from many years ago on this very forum explaining how to force carbonate with a real chance of success.

https://aussiehomebrewer.com/threads/ross-method-of-forced-carbonation-of-kegs.8535/

 

[Mickchap]

Welcome here Mick,

Here is the basic theory behind carbonating a keg.
You need to factor all these points into your system.



Here is a topic from many years ago on this very forum explaining how to force carbonate with a real chance of success.

https://aussiehomebrewer.com/threads/ross-method-of-forced-carbonation-of-kegs.8535/

Ok thanks for that. I’ll have a look at it.

 

[AlesandTales]

Ok thanks for that. I’ll have a look at it.

Here is an easy beer line length calculator to use.
Most of them are in Feet and Inches, this one can do both.

https://brewingcalculators.com/beer-line-length/