silly kegging questions

[JimmyM]

Just picked up on this - Have you got it dispensing now???

Just wanna ask a few questions going back to the start...
Re batch priming - Id have thought 18 (even 10) days would be plenty of time for the priming sugar to have finished producing co2/alcohol - just like my beer can ferment out in about 7-10 days in the fermenter - same thing - right?

I just dont get how force carbing a beer that is foamy is going to help here? Maybe im missing something.

[newToBrew]

this is my first time kegging - I was  following the general bottling Rule of 3 Weeks priming & applying that to the keg, I think the foaming was related to the temp of the beer and the flow rate on the tap and maybe due to the fact taht I probably dispensed before the C0s was totally abasorbed into the Liquid ??
  making this up now - but this is my impression
What it really could have been down to was I did not realise you were suppossed to release that 2.5 bar pressure before serving and set it to something like .5 !!


- force carbing - is just coz I haven't got the time to wait for the prime time

I guess I've kinda experienced a comedy of errors here, I'm gonna dispense another pint or two again tonight to test   

[JimmyM]

Yeah but thats my point/question - where does your "general bottling Rule of 3 Weeks" come from? - this 3 weeks would include conditioning etc - but in terms of the yeast generating co2 - that should be done in about a week if its kept at the right temp.

So - ok - the first night you might have got foam because it was warm but thats a bit like an over carb situation - cool the keg and try again - I wouldn't have said carb some more.

See how it goes tonight, but ive a feeling it could be worse - you may have to stop in Hallmark for your mate and put this one down to experience

Ah no... You can de-gas - i.e. shake and let off the valve on the top - leave to settle, cool it right down and try again.

But sure we'll see what happens later.

[newToBrew]

ha your right seems worse - i'll try what you said so  - its npt very carbonated as in the beer once the foam settles is not espesially fizzy - anyway - i released the Gass form the Keg and threw it out the back -might have another look in a few hours

[JimmyM]

Ah right - What type of tap do you have?
You said its got flow control didnt you? Make sure its down as far as low as possible - i.e. restrict the flow.

I primed in the keg a few times and it would usually allow me to dispense half the keg without any gas at all.

Id be interested in hearing ciderheads opinion since it was him who gave you duff advice in the first place haha ah no...

I think you just want the beer to flow out smoothly at this stage - so my advice would be to get as much gas out of it and then just dispense with a small amount of co2 after you have the situation in the keg under control.

So the best time to vent the keg is when it is warm cos the co2 wont be dissolved in the liquid as much.
After you vent you can shake and vent some more. repeat a few times.
After that though i'd give a little squirt back into the keg - make sure the lid is sealed etc.

Then cool her right down and try serving from it again.

[newToBrew]

one o the brass taps from the group buys - brought keg back in released whatever gas could be released gave it a shake released - shaen again - will leave a while and repeat - u sayin then just attach & check reg for serving pressure ? so the basic idea is tha I have over carbed ?

[Ciderhead]

Id be interested in hearing ciderheads opinion since it was him who gave you duff advice in the first place haha ah no...

Cheeky ucker!
It takes min 10-14 days to carbonate a keg using just priming sugar.
Warm temp that allows yeast to fart is no good for max C02 absorbtion.
The issue here was lack of time before the party this Sat, force carb at high pressures 2.5bar in this case for a couple of days at cold temp to get co2 into the liquid. 2-3 days at that pressure and you will get closer to your desired carbonation vols.
As per the link I sent you its all temp dependant, so you will get there quicker with lower ambients.
Vent pressure every 12 hours and serve at 0.25-0.5 bar to test.
if you try serve at 2.5 bar good luck it will piss everywhere. 

[newToBrew]

ok so !!  - the carb level right now is not as important as the serving of teh beer  i.e without foam - given taht its a newcastl;e clone thats not that carbed anyway so I'd prefer to serve a slightly low carbed beer instead of a foamy one....

no need to fall out guys it aint gonna ruin the session.... (just  my rep as a home brewrer )
a feck it - til be grand !!!!

I've sonc egot my habds on an actual cylindr - ill pick up a bit of plumbers tape tomorrow and be able to stick on the real reg so may be a llttle better than just this spurting business with the midget

( ... spurting midgets ... sounds soooo bad !!)

[JimmyM]

Dont worry, we wont be falling out any time soon
I'll sneak into his room n give him a midnight hug in the travel lodge in cork

[Ciderhead]

No need to sneak in, we're sharing ....a single bed

[newToBrew]

 
we're all friends here !!

one more question.. (well probably loads but we'll go with this one for now )
the tubes/piping

1. the Beer Line - what is the best one   Inner Dimensions Outer Dimensions ?

I have 2 Group Buy Taps - so I guess the fitting is pretty standard or at least there is loads of you guys using them

On the one I am currently using the tube fit snugly on the fitting - I prob would have gotten it on without softening it in hot water

I did have I think its a 5/16  tube I tried to put that on the 2nd Tap Last night but no matter how long I stood it in Boiling Water it just would not go on !!

Does the tube width have a big impact on foaming ( the wide 1 i'm using is @ 3 meteres in length )

I could always pick up some in one of the DIY Shops today - have to pick up plumbing tape anyway

So if it does have an imapct and a moire narrow tube would reduce foaming - what would you reccomend  Dimensions wise and length wise

2. The Gas Line - is this as important as the Beer line in terms of width and length ?

thanks
Guys 

[Ciderhead]

Thats the problem with Jimmy he rocks up sets your world on fire and then when he's had his fill moves on to his next conquest. 
A new Brewer is not just for Christmas Jimmy!!

[JimmyM]

Haha PMSL -
But i dont know the answer to these questions...
But i suppose i can always make one up like you did

OOOh i want out now - just incase you come back with bigger guns

[JimmyM]

I use pub taps and they tend to have different diameter line into them than the line homebrew people end up with for whatever reason - so i remember i had to get an enlarger or a reducer to go from our home brewers beerline size to the tap - ill look up my ebay purchases to see what i bought and get back to ya

[JimmyM]

This is exactly what I got
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/3-8-OD-polythene-pipe-Food-Grade-Beer-/160924117323?pt=UK_BOI_Restaurant_RL&hash=item2577d3294b
I know these ebay links often expire so the seller is
username: lig5150
Shop Name: The Harmony Hut
This is 3/8 inch (OD) line not sure of ID but you shouldnt need to worry, this line will work for the Group buy taps - cos i had a similar tap.
Look at the shop theyve piles of stuff. Try get it all at once to save on shipping.

Now, i may have confused you when i mentioned pub taps and stem adapters.
If you do ever end up with pub taps e.g. heinken, carlsberg bud, they will usually have a John guest fitting in the shaft that takes a smaller OD line than 3/8 - they take 5/16.
So you need one of these
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/3-8-x-5-16-Stem-Adapters-John-Guest-/160889479118?pt=UK_BOI_Restaurant_RL&hash=item2575c29fce
thats a 3/8 to 5/16 stem adapter.
Make sure you dont get them numbers reversed cos it wont fit.
The John Guest part number is PI061210S if you're stuck.This little jobby will just go between your 3/8 line and the JG fitting on the tap.

Now...
Gas line - i used the same line for my gas. It fitted the reg i had which was barbed and i got off a guy in the north off beoir - i had another reg which i got from Geoff in the B&C and it seemed to fit that too.

And another thing - you asked about line diameter - my understanding is the smaller the better. Two wide and it will gush out and give you foam.
But you shouldnt need to worry bout that too much with flow control taps
TBH your story above baffles me a little - not sure why you ended up with such bad foa in the first place. I just read ur post again and you mention your 5/16 tube - that prob came from a pub;
If you wanna use that you need to get the opposite of what I linked to above - a stem adapter that enlarges instead of reduces - but either way you will need some 3/8 tube on the tap to enlarge too - and at that stage its kinda pointless.
My advice: stick to the 3/8 line, you had a bad experience but dont let it set you back man!!