First Pint Foam Using a Kegerator

A forum to discuss the various ways of getting beer into your glass.
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Binkie Huckaback
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First Pint Foam Using a Kegerator

Post by Binkie Huckaback » Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:46 pm

I've read lots about kegerators recently and a lot forum posts and articles (especially American) seem to centre around excessive foaming caused by beer cooling in the lines before it reaches the taps. Purpose-built kegerators seem to come with a fan which blows cold air up the tower and in the US you seem to be able to buy fan kits to fit to home-built kegerators, but not in the UK (or rather those that are seem rather expensive and looking at photos seem to have US plugs).

Has anyone with a home-converted kegerator have any trouble with foaming? If so, how have you combatted it?

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Jocky
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Re: First Pint Foam Using a Kegerator

Post by Jocky » Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:10 pm

The problem is usually caused by either not balancing the line against the keg pressure OR warm serving taps and lines.

On the second point, how are your taps set up? Putting taps through a collar works well (my setup) as the back of the tap is kept cold on the inside of the kegerator. A tower is harder as it doesn’t stay as cold, so you either need a fan to blow cold air up or add a cooling line on recirculation.

On the line length issue, UK Brewers have the advantage of being able to buy 3/16” OD line. It’s very narrow, but means a small amount will help balance the keg pressure, stopping CO2 escaping while heading to the tap.

UK wise we have the advantage of 3/16” beer line availability.
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Binkie Huckaback
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Re: First Pint Foam Using a Kegerator

Post by Binkie Huckaback » Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:35 pm

Thanks Jocky. I've yet to finish my kegerator. It's an under-counter fridge, but I'm not using a tower. I'm undecided as to whether or not to build a cupboard around it (with sufficient ventilation) so I can also use it for storage and have taps in the door or whether to have some kind of what Americans call a 'coffin box' on top of the fridge. Though probably the latter.

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IPA
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Re: First Pint Foam Using a Kegerator

Post by IPA » Fri Apr 02, 2021 7:15 am

I have lost count of how many times I have said this but here I go again.
There is only ONE reason why beer foams out of the tap. Forget about all of those stupid American line length calculators and circulating fans. And especially carbonation calculators, which are only meant to be used for bottled beer.
The reason is that the beer is over carbonated.
If you bottle beer there should be only a slight hiss when you remove the cap. As there is with all commercial beers.
If it makes a loud pop it is over carbonated and will foam, or as our transatlantic cousins say fob, if it is contained in a cornie
It really is that simple. If you don't believe me try this.
Fill a cornie with water. Pressurise it to two bars and see if it foams when coming out of the tap
"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." Dean Martin

1. Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... "f*ck, what a trip

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Re: First Pint Foam Using a Kegerator

Post by Binkie Huckaback » Fri Apr 02, 2021 10:05 am

I guess that makes sense, but I can also see that beer that has been sat in an uncooled line for a day could foam as it's warm.

A question I didn't ask, but is linked is how do I ensure the first beer I pour is at the correct temperature if my tap is in a tower or similar, rather than fitted through the door or body of the fridge?

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IPA
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Re: First Pint Foam Using a Kegerator

Post by IPA » Fri Apr 02, 2021 12:42 pm

The amount of beer in a line going to a tower is minute and will make no perceptable difference the temperature of the beer in the glass. If you want you can do do what the bars here in France do ( their line length is much longer) and pour away the first couple of cls when pouring the first glass of the day. A couple of more tips. Use a float take off and never prime with more than 2.5 grammes of sucrose per litre. I hope this helps. BTW my lines are 75 centimetres long.
"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." Dean Martin

1. Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... "f*ck, what a trip

It's better to lose time with friends than to lose friends with time (Portuguese proverb)

Alone we travel faster
Together we travel further
( In an admonishing email from our golf club)

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