There’s a reason many people prefer draft beer over bottles or cans: beer from a keg is usually fresher, and bartenders have much more control over how much carbonation to add to beer. One of the things that helps control carbonation is a small tool working hard behind the scenes called a foam preventer.
A foam preventer, also known as a FOB (foam on beer) detector, has one primary function: to detect when a keg is empty and shut off the flow of gas and beer into the line. If a keg kicks without a foam preventer, you could be wasting product, compromising your next keg, and pouring money down the drain.
FOB detectors can save between 2-4 pints of beer per keg. In a moderately busy bar (think going through 10 kegs a day), that can add up to nearly 40 pints a day. That’s thousands of dollars worth of product down the drain without a foam preventer.
At Foxx, we have a range of foam preventers based on the size of your business and how much beer you’re pouring. Here’s how foam preventers work and why you should consider installing them on your lines.
The Ins and Outs of Beer FOB Detectors
To understand how a foam preventer works, you have to know how draft beer is served. Very simply, when served from a tap, beer flows directly from a keg through a system of tubes and carbonation lines. But when a keg kicks, air and foam rush into the line, disrupting the tap — unless you have a foam preventer.
Without a foam preventer, every time a keg kicks, air and foam rush into your beer lines.
Why does that matter? Because if you try to pour from a tap and the keg is empty, then the tap will start to foam and sputter, and after you change kegs, you’ll need to pour a few (very foamy) pints in order to get beer flowing properly again.
A FOB detector works by automatically shutting off beer flow when the keg is empty, meaning foam never enters the line once a keg kicks. You can tap a new keg immediately without having to pour handfuls of foamy drinks before getting the line to work right.
How Does a Foam Preventer Fit Into a Tap System?
A FOB detector is usually placed between the keg coupler (which attaches a keg to the tap line) and the beer line. When the beer level drops (as the keg empties), the FOB detects the foam and closes a valve, sealing the line.
Once you hook up a fresh keg, you reset the FOB, and you’re back in business with no wasted product.
Why You Should Use a Foam Preventer
Installing a foam preventer can save money, time, and, of course, beer.
Foam preventers literally prevent bars and restaurants from throwing money down the drain. As mentioned above, FOB detectors can save about 2-4 pints of beer per keg, which might not seem like a lot on the surface. Depending on how busy your bar or restaurant is, a foam preventer can save a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars a month.
FOB detectors save your servers and bartenders time. There’s no need to purge lines or wait for foam to clear. It can also look unprofessional (and be frustrating to watch) bartenders pour pint after pint of foam.
There’s also the fact that no one wants to see beer go to waste, especially beers that cost a lot to make — and can garner a higher retail price. A bar doing moderate volume can save 40-90 gallons of beer per month.
A FOB detector is a small tool that makes a big difference—it helps bar owners and restaurant operators avoid waste and keeps every pint tasting just the way it should. That means happier customers ready to come back for another round.
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