Serving pressures?

[MadMarble]

I've only done one brew using my new corney and was very happy with the result. I think it was more dumb luck than anything else I followed a few bits of advice on the forum and elsewhere on tinternet. I was worried as I only had a party tap at the time. Made sure I only used a low psi to serve and avoided excessive foaming somehow.

So this time I am doing my first home brew stout. I've not done one before as I did not want to be disappointed as I enjoy the pub stuff so much. Any way I digress. I've used the carbonation chart on the sticky thread. But here is my problem serving pressure. I've searched and searched but end up going round in circles.

I'm thinking of serving at 6psi via 3ft 3/8 beer line and 3ft 3/16 beer line to a stout faucet tap. Does that sound about right

I know the beer line accounts for pressure loss but has anyone know of a thread or chart that covers serving pressures? Anyone fancy doing a sticky on the subject? Sorry if one exists that I have missed

[och29]

Use the same chart to work out the serving pressure (any lower and it will 'lose condition'/become less fizzy). To get a good pour you need to balance your lines so that the pressure at the tap is low. BeerSmith have a good article on this: http://beersmith.com/blog/2011/07/14/ke ... raft-beer/

[MadMarble]

Thanks och29.

I am setting up my tap this week for a trial run so I will have a play around with the pressure and line length. Still got a couple of weeks conditioning before a spring bbq. Hope the stout will be ready by then.

[alexlark]

Same chart I used. Apart from an over carbed beer last week my 2 taps have been fine

[MadMarble]

Just went out to check on my corney and I've had a leak of the gas somewhere. Corney is holding the pressure but I've lost 1/4 of my gas tank

Shut everything off. Will carry out some further investigations. Something must have worked loose since my last batch. I did move everything from the shed to the house and back again. So a few joints and connections to check. Wish I had checked it more often I'll be kicking myself for weeks!

[Jim]

Just went out to check on my corney and I've had a leak of the gas somewhere. Corney is holding the pressure but I've lost 1/4 of my gas tank

Shut everything off. Will carry out some further investigations. Something must have worked loose since my last batch. I did move everything from the shed to the house and back again. So a few joints and connections to check. Wish I had checked it more often I'll be kicking myself for weeks!

Yes, it's always best to turn your gas bottle off between sessions. Of course, you know that now.

[Fil]

3 foot/1m of microline sounds about right for 6psi imho, but i would start with a 4ft length and cut back if the pour is too slow.. if its a dedicated stout tap/line, its worth trimming to an optimum length, if a tap/line for any beer you have perhaps fitting a more usual length of 6ft/2m which will cater for all lagers n hi conditioned drinks too but will give you a slower pour at 6psi...

fwiw i use flow control taps for some of my beers, and at lower serving pressures (upto 6-8psi) they are a simple set during the first pour and leave solution, over that they are a sod to set and need a fiddle each pour, you can also get the flow control devices that fit inline in your supply to the tap for curca £8 on ebay..

[MadMarble]

Jim I always turn off the gas in between sessions. This time I was force carbonating. Taking the slow and low approach. Will be reviewing that for the future.

Fil no larger shall pass through any beer line in my house. Stout and Ale only. Sounds like I'm on the right track for what I want though.

Thanks for the feedback guys

[MadMarble]

Update.

Got everything set up and working. Didn't have much chance to play around with different set ups and line lengths though.

I had a slight leak on the JG fitting built into the tap. Angle of the incoming pipe seemed to help. Might have to look at the washer seal?

When I force carbonated in the shed the temperature was fluctuating a lot (quiet low) and I think I may have been too cautious with the pressure. Not much head on the stout. Only had time to play round with the serving pressure before my guests arrived, but the leak on the tap meant I couldn't crank it up too far. Read on line that Guinness is served at between 30-40psi.

Still by the end of the night I could pick the corney up with my little finger so clearly everyone was happy with the way the stout tasted

[LeeH]

40 PSI of CO2 should be interesting.

[rpt]

Guinness is served with a nitrogen/CO2 mix so it will have higher pressures.

[Fil]

i have a presset non-adjustable guinness regulator i ebayed as part of a job lot of useless stuff (ebay after a sample or 5 is a bad idea..)

if useful to u cover the actual postage and its yours.. i have no ideal about it other than the fact guinness is embossed on the body..

[MadMarble]

Yes I am using a 70/30 mix of Nitrogen and CO2.

I understand the higher pressure is required to knock the nitrogen out of suspension as it passes through the stout tap and the restrictor plate, in order to get the cascade settle.

I've read up a bit more and I definitely need to review my carbonating regime. Still a novice at this. There are so many conflicting methods I get head spin every time I start researching it.

[LeeH]

It's simple really, set it to serving pressure and leave it for a week.

With the N2 mix it takes longer but dark beers normally favour the extra time anyhow.

Pressure and temp. If you can fix them you've cracked it.