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 Common conditions, causes and corrections
for draft beer gone wrong.
| Condition |
Causes |
Corrections |
Cloudy Beer
Beer appears hazy and not clear.
Top of Page |
Overchilling: Excessive low teperatures may cause cloudy beer. |
Maintain your refrigerator temperatures at 36° to 40°F for the best results. |
| Partial Opening of Beer Faucet |
Always open faucet quickly and completely. |
| Unrefrigerated Foods Placed on Keg |
If unchilled products like meats, vegetables, fish or fruits are placed on a keg of cold beer, the beer becomes warm long before these products cool down. This change in temperature can cause cloudy beer. |
Flat Beer
Foamy head disappears quickly. Beer lacks usual zestful brewery-fresh flavor.
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Greasy Glasses |
Do not wash beer glasses with other glasses that have contained milk or other fatty substances. Lipstick is a fatty substance, so be sure it is removed from glassware. Eating greasy foods while you’re drinking beer can cause your beer to go flat too. Wash glasses thoroughly with a good detergent; do not use soap. Do not dry-wipe glasses. Allow glasses to air dry. Rinse in fresh cold water just before serving beer. It is best to serve beer in a wet glass. Beer glasses should be used for beer, exclusively. |
| Improper pour |
Open the faucet quickly and completely. Proper foam should be a tight creamy head, and on the average glass the head should be ½” to 1” high. Beer drawn without a head has the appearance of being flat. |
| Not Enough Pressure |
Check CO2 tank; if empty, get refilled. Increase the pressure if beer runs too slowly. Correct flow will fill a 10 oz glass in 4 seconds (approximately 8 oz of liquid). Check that there are no obstructions in the air line. Check air line, CO2 regulator and gauge. Regulators will wear down and typically need to be replaced after 4-6 years. Make sure CO2 pressure is ON; do not run the system off the keg pressure alone. Make sure temperature of refrigerator is not above 40°F. |
Loose Foam
Large soap-like bubbles that settle quickly.
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See "Flat Beer" Causes |
See "Flat Beer" Corrections |
Off-Taste Beer
Often bitter ande sometimes completely lacking in flavor and zest. Beer may also have a foul odor or unpleasant taste.
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Dirty System |
Clean the entire system thoroughly, immediately after each keg is emptied. The faucet should be removed, disassembled and cleaned with hot water and a brush weekly. Inexpensive cleaning compounds, equipment and kits are available. Click here for cleaning kits. |
| Contaminated Air Line |
Examine air line and replace if necessary. Dirty air lines should be washed with a good cleaning compound normally used for cleaning beer lines, then rinsed clean. |
| Old Beer |
The beer in the keg may be old and past its prime. Buy a fresh keg. |
Foamy or "Wild" Beer
Excessive amount of foam and not enough liquid beer.
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Warm Beer |
Your keg must always be kept between 38ºF and 40° F. |
| Excessive CO2 |
Lower the amount of CO2 by adjusting your regulator. In a normal keg fridge set up, you should keep your regulator set between 10 and 12 PSI. If a keg is over pressurized, pull the relief valve on your keg coupler for about 3 seconds, then wait about 15 minutes and turn your CO2 tank back on. |
| Old Beer Lines |
Replace old beer lines, especially if you’ve recently purchased or inherited a previously used system. Click here for replacement lines. |
| Improper Pour |
Open the faucet quickly and completely. Proper foam should be a tight creamy head, and on the average glass the head should be ½" to 1"high. Keep the glass at an appropriate distance from the faucet throughout the pour. |
| Obstruction in Faucet |
The faucet should be removed, disassembled and cleaned with hot water and a brush every few weeks. |
| Worn Faucet Parts |
Replace worn washers as needed. If faucet does not open wide, worn parts or entire faucet must be replaced. Click here for Faucet Rebuild Kits and New Faucets. |
| Warm Spots in Your Beer Line |
All beer tubing should be kept inside your fridge to maintain consistently cold temperatures. |
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Draft Beer Troubleshooting