I built a keezer last year and it's been awesome, but I've had a persistent problem with foam during initial pours. I keep my keezer in the garage (no space for it inside and the wife wouldn't particularly care for it) and I live in Texas, so temps inside the garage regularly go into the 100s when the sun is out, meaning the taps get WARM.
Of course, when I pour off about 1/4 of a pint, the tap cools down and it pours perfectly. But by the time I come back for another pint, the tap warmed up again and I gotta pour off more foam. That adds up over time, and I'd rather be drinking that beer! (don't you dare suggest I just start guzzling foam)
I've tried all the usual stuff: balanced my lines, adjusted serving pressure, recirculated air inside the keezer with a fan, and it's all had zero impact on the initial foam. My question to other outdoor keezer owners in the southwest is: what do you do to manage initial foaming? I've heard extra-long shanks can help by providing more thermal mass, but I'm skeptical of that and don't want to spend that money on a bunch of new shanks if I'm not certain it will work.
Of course, when I pour off about 1/4 of a pint, the tap cools down and it pours perfectly. But by the time I come back for another pint, the tap warmed up again and I gotta pour off more foam. That adds up over time, and I'd rather be drinking that beer! (don't you dare suggest I just start guzzling foam)
I've tried all the usual stuff: balanced my lines, adjusted serving pressure, recirculated air inside the keezer with a fan, and it's all had zero impact on the initial foam. My question to other outdoor keezer owners in the southwest is: what do you do to manage initial foaming? I've heard extra-long shanks can help by providing more thermal mass, but I'm skeptical of that and don't want to spend that money on a bunch of new shanks if I'm not certain it will work.