Ask Better Beer
How Often Should You Adjust The Beer Gas Regulators?
Sometimes managers think they're experts on draught, and they'll go into the beer fridge to adjust the regulators when the beer is pouring with foam at the tap.
They believe that adjusting the regulator will fix the issue.
Usually, they're wrong.
Very seldom are they right, but it doesn't fix it long-term.
Here's the problem:
The regulators are designed to regulate how much beer gas - a mix of CO2 and nitrogen goes into the keg.
They are set it and forget it.
The installer is responsible for designing and building the system. They calculate the final regulator settings based on line length, resistance, and other mathematical factors.
Beer Gas Regulators are set it and forget it.
Here's the problem:
The manager/busser/bartender taps a warm keg, and the beer starts pouring foamy.
It's not pouring foamy because the gas is wrong; it's pouring foamy because the beer is warm.
So the manager goes back and cranks up the pressure on the regulator.
This extra pressure going into the keg helps counter the internal pressure, so the beer won’t pour as foamy, but it will pour faster from the tap.
Now, back at the tap, it comes out faster, but it's solid; it's clear beer, and it’s not foamy anymore.
The manager thinks, Woohoo! I solved the problem!
Wrong.
Because the manager goes home at the end of the shift and doesn't adjust it back down and the keg cools overnight.
Now we've got more CO2 going into the keg than we need and the keg over-carbonates. The morning bartender comes in, and the first pint of the day is coming out really fast, and it's coming out foamy.
Doesn't matter if you dial down the regulator back to normal; the keg is now over-carbonated. We've already got too much CO2 in it. The keg is ruined.
So here's the solution: Set it and forget it. Do not touch the regulators.
Do not touch the regulators. Leave them as they are.
If you tap a warm keg, you will indeed get a foamy beer.
The second part of the solution is to stop tapping warm kegs.
If you tap cold kegs and don't touch the regulator, you won't have foamy beer caused by pressure.
What happens when I tap a warm keg? Foamy beer.
Well, how do we know if it's a warm keg or not?
Warm kegs are caused because they're not given enough time to cool when they come in off the truck.
And when you think about it, beer comes out of the bottom of the keg.
And when kegs are delivered, we stash them underneath the shelves, and we barricade more warm kegs around them.
The fan that blows cold air is located above the keg and blows cold air directly onto the top of the keg.
But the beer comes from the bottom of the keg.
You need to make sure that the kegs are in the fridge for almost two days.
It takes about 40-42 hours for the kegs to cool in the fridge before we tap them.
The other problem is that during the delivery, they usually throw them off the truck, the kegs get knocked around and become agitated, which causes foam.
Let newly delivered kegs sit for 6-8 hours to settle and then allow them to cool for at least two days.
It's better to wait; don’t tap it - 86 it for just a little while until it's ready to be tapped.
Stop adjusting the regulators. You're pouring beer down the drain. It's killing you. It's wasting beer, and it's killing your profitability.
Set it and forget it.
Has someone told you something about your draught system that you aren't sure is true?
Do you wonder why things are done the way they are or wonder how things could be done better?
Ask Better Beer and we'll answer your questions.
And - if we use it in a video, we'll send you some Better Beer swag. Who doesn't love free swag?!
Got a draught question that's been driving you crazy?
You're not alone. Bar owners deal with the same frustrations every day: foamy pints, inconsistent pour quality, lines that never seem quite right no matter how often they're cleaned. The problem isn't always obvious, and straight answers can be hard to find.
That's what Ask Better Beer is for.
Submit your draught question using the form below. If we select your question, we'll answer it and feature it in Pub Magazine, Canada's leading publication for bar and restaurant owners. You'll also get some Better Beer swag as a thank you.
No jargon. No runaround. Just real answers from people who've been in the industry for decades.
How to submit:
- Use the form below to send us your question
- We'll review all submissions and select the best ones
- If yours is chosen, we'll answer it on video and feature it in Pub Magazine
- You get the answer, the recognition, and a little something extra
Whether you're a seasoned operator or just getting started, if draught quality is something you care about, this is for you.