Newbie Draft Question

Hi Bill,

Pure foam? It is normal for the first two oz to be foamy, but not pure foam, especially the first draft of the day. I just pour my first glass until the foam reaches the top and let it settle for a few minutes before I continue filling. If you time it right, your first glass can have a wonderfully creamy 1in head, with no beer wasted. You must be patient for a good pour. And practice! :-)

Your pressure is more than what I keep. I aim for 8 or 9 psi. Your temp is a little cooler than mine, but I think well within normal. I think mine is about 43 Fahrenheit.

Since your keg cooler is new, I'll assume that the hose is clean and a proper length (mine seems to work well at 5 ft). I clean my religiously as I'm drinking the last glass from the keg, before the beer has a chance to dry in the line. I.e. if you're not willing to clean lines, don't pour yourself a glass if you suspect you're near the end of a keg. I also change my line once a year. Insist on a food grade quality line

3/16 ID, 5/16 OD. Dirty lines cause not only excess foaming, but bad tasting beer. If you're not sure of the quality of the line at your local hardware store (I'm not), order your line from a beer supply store. 5 ft of quality line per year is very cheap compared to the price of a single keg, so don't skimp on it.

C02 conservation tip: Near the end of your keg, as soon as you notice the flow turns suddenly to 100% foam, quit pouring immediately, without filling your glass. Cut off the C02 right then. And only after you've cut off the C02, continue filling your last glass, and milking the keg. There is plenty of pressure in your keg to dispense whatever is left. This simple procedure can easily double the life of your C02 supply, and won't waste a drop of beer.

-Howard

Oh, and one more thing. Help the poor dealer lift the keg into your vehicle. ;-)

-Howard