My Carbonation Dial is leaking or foamingUpdated a month ago

During Purification

The Carbonation Dial is a valve on your Pinter which allows your Pinter to self-regulate its internal pressure levels. This means that if your Carbonation Dial is not in the correct position it may be open and allow some liquid to escape. Make sure your Carbonation Dial is on setting 5 while cleaning and purifying your Pinter, and then turn the Dial to the correct setting for your Press when moving on to Brewing and Conditioning.

During Brewing

A little foaming during Brewing is completely normal and is a sign of a lively beer. If the foam is going past the indent of your Carbonation Dial there may be an issue. This can be caused by the following:

Near a heat source - if your Pinter is near a heat source, like a radiator, it may be a lot more lively than usual. We recommend moving your Pinter away from the heat source to a steady room temperature of 18-22°C.

Overfilling - filling past the fill-to-line during the set-up of your Pinter can mean there is less head space for any building pressure. This can mean that when your Pinter is pressurising during fermentation, it pushes some beer through the Carbonation Dial at the back. Wipe any excess brew away from the Carbonation Dial and make sure to thoroughly flush the dial through before your next brew.

During Conditioning

You may need some extra help from a member of our team. So we can help get this resolved quickly for you, please get in touch with our Customer Care Team via Live Chat or Email using the flashing red dot to your right, with the following information:

- Your full name and email address
- Your order number
- A photo or video of your Carbonation Dial and the leak that is occurring
- A short explanation describing at which stage of the process you noticed the leaking 

During Tapping

A couple of things can cause a small leak from the Carbonation Dial during Tapping. As this comes out as foam, the leak can appear much bigger than it is.

Follow the below steps to get back on track to great Fresh Beer!

Conditioning your Beer or Cider is a required step, as not only does it add key tasting notes to your Beer or Cider, but it also allows the CO2 produced naturally by the yeast during the fermentation stage to dissolve into the liquid. If your Beer or Cider is not at a consistently cold enough temperature for the entire period of time stated on your Fresh Press, the CO2 may not have the opportunity to fully absorb, leading to flat beer, a foamy pour and potentially foam being forced through the Carbonation Dial at the back. To resolve this, you can simply condition your Pinter for a couple more days at a lower temperature, ensuring that the temperature stays consistent for this time. A full fridge, and opening the fridge frequently, can lead to a higher temperature or a fluctuation in temperature.

When tapping the first few pints from your Pinter, you do not need to change your Carbonation Dial setting. This is because the Pinter is designed to be tapped at pressure. Opening your Carbonation Dial early can lead to some foam being pushed out of your Carbonation Dial. To resolve this, ensure that you have your Carbonation Dial in the same position as stated on our app - this is usually setting 5. 

For your last few glasses, you may need to release the pressure to make sure you get all of your brew. When opening your Carbonation Dial, turn this to the OFF position very slowly to allow your Pinter to regulate its pressure and prevent foaming. Return the Carbonation Dial to the previous setting in between pours to ensure your brew stays fresh!