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pnh2atl · 02-07-2011, 03:58 PM

I have had 5 gallons of an ESB on gas for two weeks. No carbonation. 12psi on the regulator and I vent the keg every now and then just to make sure there is pressure on it (and there is). It is in the kegerator, cold but just won't carb. The brew went fine and it tastes good, just flat. Any ideas?

**jeffmeh** · 02-07-2011, 04:08 PM

What is the temperature? When you serve it, how much foam do you get? If you are getting quite a bit, then it is probably carbed but the CO2 is getting knocked out of solution when serving. You need to balance your line length for your CO2 pressure and temperature.

You could try knocking the pressure down as low as you can get to push the beer, venting the pressure off of the keg, and serving to see if it is carbonated. This would be a temporary fix, but it would tell you whether the beer is carbonated (and perhaps over-carbonated).

If you are getting no foam, then I am stumped.

pnh2atl · 02-07-2011, 04:25 PM

The temp is in the high 30s. O get zero foam. There is no CO2 coming out of solution at all. There is no carbonation in the mouth feel either. It is flat, san gas. It seems like a physical impossibility but non the less there is nothing happening.

Bottenbrew · 02-07-2011, 06:01 PM

Try the roll the keg method, I had a brew that wouldn't carb until I did that for some reason. I have seen people speculate it happens because there is a slight oil film on the top preventing CO2 from going into solution, but I think it is just conjecture at this point. Either way roll it back and forth for 5 minutes and see if it changes anything.

sco999 · 02-07-2011, 06:20 PM

Did you overfill? I also will suggest shaking or rolling the keg. The first beer I kegged was flat after 40hours @30psi then 1 week @12psi temp was 39F. I shook the keg for a few minutes then it carbed.

pnh2atl · 02-07-2011, 06:49 PM

I think the film theory has merit. I once had 3 kegs lagering and I hooked them up to gas. One was way less carbonated then the rest and I speculated it was due to some ice that had formed in the keg limiting the surface area of the beer and CO2. I'll go give it a shake and see what happens.