I am brand new to kegging, just a couple of weekends ago I kegged my first batch. Everything went pretty well. After racking to the cleaned keg, I cold crashed the beer in the keg to about 38 degrees, and once cold and after venting the oxygen out then did the shaking the keg trick to get it carbonated quickly. I used about 20 psi to force carbonate/shake, and then I left it at a steady 11 psi.
After about a week though, I’ve found that the first pour comes out very smoothly with a nice head and carbonation. The second pour is almost all foam. Perfect pour to serious foam. And it did not do this at first at all.
I have 5 feet of liquid line between the keg and shank. The fridge remains at about 38 degrees. And I replaced all the o-rings prior to using the keg.
5’ of 3/16" will suffice (EDITED TYPO). You’ll get more foam than usual, but you’ll get foam on all your glasses, including the first. A longer hose is something to try as a first step, though, for sure; alternatively, you could also try an epoxy mixer (search the forums) inside the dip tube for a similar effect.
However, usually it is the other way around. Normally with a kegerator, the first pint has foam as the lines and tap are warm. As the first beer cools them down, the next few are much less foam. At least that is my experience, regardless of line length
Check to make sure your post o-rings are not cracked and your posts are tight. Also check the dip tube for an obstruction or a crack. If it is foamy right out of the keg into the beverage lines then it has to be in the keg. It is unusual that the first pour is fine but the second one is bad. I’ve seen beer alternate between non-foamy and foamy with an obstruction in the dip tube, but that was more of a ‘pulsing’, and it also happened on any pour.
I think that was it, the liquid post had about an 1/8" (less really) of turn left to go on it. I just can’t image that could cause the problem, but whatever…problem solved.
On top of being fun learning something new in kegging, it is so ridiculously better than bottling that words can’t describe it.
If the o-ring under the dip tube is not fully compressed, you can let air into your beverage stream and really hose it up. Glad you got it sorted out, kegging is so much easier than bottles!
Seems like after sitting for a while the beer that was already in the line had a chance to tame down overnight (the first pour), then the second one was affected by the loose post. Although 5 feet wouldnt hold much of a pour. Only logical reason I can think of.
