Cicerone Certified Beer Server Practice Exam

How long should a keg be stored in the cooler prior to service to ensure it doesn't foam?

1. 2 hours

2. 10 hours

3. 1 day

4. 1 week

The correct answer is: 1 day

To ensure a keg doesn't foam excessively upon being tapped, it should ideally be stored in a cooler for an adequate amount of time to reach a stable temperature, which is typically around 1 day. This duration allows the beer inside the keg to acclimate to the cooler’s temperature, reducing the chances of excessive carbonation, which can lead to foaming when served. When a keg is too warm, the beer is more prone to foaming as it is released from the pressurized environment of the keg. By ensuring the keg is chilled for about a day, the temperature stabilizes, which helps maintain proper beer density and carbonation levels, leading to a smoother pour without excessive head. While some shorter time frames, like 2 hours or 10 hours, might help reduce foaming to a degree, they are generally not sufficient for larger quantities of beer stored in kegs to cool properly. A week is unnecessarily long, as one day is typically adequate to achieve the desired results while ensuring the beer is served at its optimal temperature.