Air in beer line of kegging system

[Jono]

Guys,
Have been lurking this forum for a while, picking up invaluable information from you brewing gurus, and the time has come for me to call on the keggers out there for advice. I recently took the plunge and bouthgt a kegging system. Unfortunately I have a consistent problem with getting air in the beer line, this causes me to pour 2+ schooners of froth before I can get properly poured beer. The problem seems to get worse the emptier the keg gets. I am wasting alot of beer in froth at the moment, so I really need some help.

Thanks in advance

Jono

[luke]

Check the beer line for tiny holes ??

[Lebowski]

If your serving pressure isnt high enough (or it is overgassed) the CO2 will come out of solution I have found. Also if you have a fridge tap the first half glass or so tends to be a bit frothy untill the tap cools down.

[rwh]

I'm not a kegger but I've read up on it a fair bit. From what I've read, heaps of froth is a sign of excessive carbonation. Try lowering your pressure.

The warm tap sounds reasonable too as the capacity of a liquid to hold gas reduces as the temperature increases, so warming beer makes the CO2 come out of solution at a lower pressure.

[Shagger]

Do you force carbonate or naturally condition?
I'm guessing you have a pluto gun?
I've heard some systems 'spit' before pouring properly and is due to the position of the tap on the door. (Can't remember if it was too high or too low!)

[Jono]

Guys,
Thanks for your help so far, I re-read my initial post, and I have left out some information that might provide some clues to the porblem.

At the start of the keg the beer comes out fine, as it empties the problem starts. If the keg is left for more than a few minutes between pours large amounts of air go from the keg into the beer line (air is clearly visible in the line for up to 30cm depending on how long it has been left), once I clear the air from the line the beer pours fine, if I pour a second glass straight away there is no porblem.

The beer is poured at about 2 degrees celcius from a pluto gun at sits in the fridge (hooked to a handel on the keg).

The keg itself is one of the new Morgans 23l jobs with the same fittings attached as a post mix keg.

I don't think that the beer is overgassed as it pours fine once the air is cleared from the line.

I am force carbonating.

The pouring pressure is about 6-7 psi.

Hope someone can point me in the way of a solution.

Cheers


Jono

[Duane]

Hi Jono, check this link, (cant remember where it came from)
Lots of info on balancing your system.
May find something of use for you.

[Duane]

woops forgot link.
Cheers.
http://www.hbd.org/clubs/franklin/publi ... lance.html

[Shaun]

Jono

Some things to check:

1. Leaks in the system. Check for leaks by spraying all your connections with soapy water and look for any bubbles forming in the soapy water. Pay particular attention to the bottom of the keg posts, all disconnects and all joins.

2. Beer lines. The length of your beer line is important; it should be about 2m long if using 4mm beer line or 3m long if using 5mm beer line.

3. Over carbonation. Remove the keg from the from the fridge and let all pressure out of the keg then let it sit out of the keg for 30 minutes and repeat. Place the keg back in the fridge return to pouring pressure and see how it goes.

4. Faulty gun. Check all the o rings in the pluto gun.

[luke]

1.
Pour your second beer and flood the beer line , watch over time to see if the air sneaks in from the tap or keg?

2.
Had frothy beer some time back when dispensing, worked out it was gunk build up at the tap dispensing end , which would squirt beer and lots bubbles
. got the cotton buds out and cleaned the dispense end and all good.

[Stangas]

i was gonna say the beer line length.. i had the same problem due to this

i went the 5mm by 3m that i leave coiled in the fridge with some cable ties to neaten up

[Jono]

Guys,

I seem to have sorted out the problem, thanks for all your suggestions, looks like it was a pressure imbalance issue, serving at a higher pressure fixed it. I think it was due CO2 coming out of solution at the lower pressure. I carbonated at 105kPa for 5 days, and am serving at 100kPa, and all is well.

So thanks again for you help.

Regards

Jono