Qk Keg Question

[studio1]

Probably a simple answer to this:

I use picnic taps with short lines (about 1 foot) to dispense my beer - I'm finding foaming a bit of a problem when pouring and the carbonation on my beers is a bit low when the kegs are setup and left around 1bar.

Do I need to balance my system with longer dispensing lines...? Or can I crank up the CO2 pressure and once I have achieved the desired carbo level in my beers can I bleed off to serving pressure and the CO2 stays in solution?

Cheers

[denimglen]

"Do I need to balance my system with longer dispensing lines...?" - Yeap

Honestly, I don't reckon wanking around with the regulator and bleeding and all that shit is worth the few bucks for a few meters of line.

If you just crank up the pressure and bleed off everytime you'll slowly use carbonation, remember that inside the keg the pressure in the headspace and the pressure in the liquid are trying to come to an equilibrium.

If you look in 'The Library' thread I've posted a couple of guides on carbing and balancing lines.

[studio1]

yeah cheers - didn't realise the library was looking so comprehensive...thanks for setting it up.

[Barry]

I don't find I need longer line with picnic taps. The black silicone 4mm internal diameter line that my picnic taps came with provides enough resistance. My lines are more than a foot though, probably 2ft.

1 bar is too high for serving pressure. You want between 50 and 70kpa in my experience (about 0.5 bar).
If you leave them at 1 bar to condition, how long before you start pouring? I would imagine they won't get up to equilibrium for a couple of weeks, temperature dependent obviously. But, they will quickly get over carbed - which might be why your beers are a little flat - you're losing all the carbonation when pouring.

I force carb overnight, then wind back to serving pressure - about 60kpa. The beer loses a bit of it's forced condition over the first week but then reaches a good equilibrium, which for me is definitely on the soft side - the beers I make don't really suit a really spritzy level of carbonation.

[Stu McKinlay]

You could just crank the temperature down... but I'd probably balance.
I'm always surprised how many problems people have with kegging. I keep 'em freezing and gas them up by feel. Never had a problem but I guess I under carbonate at the worst.

[denimglen]

Just out of interest...

Do you serve at freezing too? Or bring them back up to temp?

I thought you would have been a 'warm' beer kinda guy.

My kegerator is doubling as a lagerator at the moment at 4C, and I fucking hate it, all the beer tastes so bland at this temperature - now I can really see why all the big boys serve their beer 'ice-cold'. I might have to start pouring into a prewarmed glass to get a decent temperature beer.

[Barry]

Ha, pre-warmed glass. I've been known to zap my pint of bitter for 20 seconds on high. Yes I am a freak.

[denimglen]

That actually crossed my mind, glad to know I'm not the only one.

I'm gonna try it now haha.

[Mike Neilson]

I have seen this before You have to have quick reflexes as the C02 can get away on you!!

[denimglen]

Yeah, haha, I was thinking their may be some volcanic type shit going on.

10 secs was good for me.

[Greig McGill]

We do that at the RCC when the kitchen isn't in use...

[Stu McKinlay]

Serve at freezing? what the FUCK!???!!!???
A chiller is for conditioning, not serving.

Cellar temp from here to November... there's a couple of months over summer where I'll chuck a beer in the fridge to cool it a little.

[jt]

I'm always surprised how many problems people have with kegging

A generalisation - but most people could do with their fingers being chopped off when they buy a regulator - might stop them playing with it ...