Here is a strange kegging problem...

Been having problems with my kegs being over carbonated. I bought a new regulator in hopes this may have been the issue. Didn't work, was still getting over carbed. Here is the tricky part...

Last keg I emptied, I noticed it had a little bit of trub I the bottom. At first i thought it was just sediment since i prefer wheat beers. I find this odd because before I keg, I make sure that my fermentation has stopped by taking 3 gravity readings for 3 consecutive days until I get the same FG on all 3 days. Then I cold crash at 36 degrees for about a week. Then I rack to keg, set my psi using carb chart using the set it and forget it method. I've tried force carbing a few times and wasn't pleased with the results.

So my question is this, how in the hell am I still getting some fermentation? I like my beer cold so even after I put it in the keg, I serve it around 38 degrees. I'm using lallemand Munich yeast.

how long are your beverage lines? what psi are you using?

You're not getting fermentation, it's just yeast slowly settling out of solution. I get the exact same thing on my beers. Even if I do a 3 week ferment, then cold crash and gelatin in the carboy before carefully racking seemingly clear beer into the keg, there will inevitably be a small amount of sediment at the very end of the keg when it finally kicks. It's just yeast. Doesn't mean it was still fermenting.

My lines are 3/16 id, a little over 11 feet long, carbing and serving at 13 psi. After about a week AFTER desired carb level is reached is when the over carbing starts. On last keg, was about 2 weeks into it and burped keg and dropped to 10 psi and still got over carbed. It was when I cleaned out this last keg that I realized it was trub and not just sediment of some sorts. In the very bottom, it was sludgy and white just like in bottom of primary fermenter just no where near as much.

I just find it odd that after full fermentation, cold crashing and storing at near cold crashed temps I'm still getting some fermentation.

Good questions from Sputnam.

What makes you say they are overcarbed? If it is that you are getting foamy pours, it is likely a setup issue with your serving system. If it is that the beers are genuinely overcarbed (too much CO2 in solution) it may be that your regulator is not holding a set point. Mine does this as well. I have to set it a little low and see what it creeps to, then I make small adjustments up until I get it where I want it. If I set it right where I intend it to be, when I come back a week later it will be 5 psi high. (Anybody got a good regulator that does not do this?)

I have another batch to be kegged in about a week. I was gonna drop some in a bottle, cap it and see if it carbs up any in the bottle.

I strongly doubt I am picking up wild yeast. I am OCD about my cleaning and sanitation processes. Even my fiancé thinks my cleaning processes are a little over the top.

I've thought about since I make wine I often use a stabilizer to halt further fermentation before sweetening some of my wines.

I just don't understand how I am still getting active yeast. I ferment for about 5 weeks, cold condition for a week, plus keep it in keg at well below fermentation temps.

I doubt it's the regulator, granted my last regulator was worn and tattered, that's why I went ahead and convinced SWMBO, that I needed credit card to order a new, moderately pricey regulator.

Pressure does start creeping up after about 2 weeks and I have to burp and drop pressure to keep it from over carbing.

I've thought about adding a pressure gauge on the keg itself just to see if there is indeed pressure changes, should be easy since I use sanke kegs.

Like it was mentioned before. Its not fermentation. Its yeast in suspension, its not actively fermenting and there will always be a bit of it. The carbing is a separate issue, mine does that too, the problem for me lies in not having an even fridge temperature so a fan of some sort is in order. If you absolutely do not want any trub then you can use finings like gelatin or look into filtering.

freisste said:

Good questions from Sputnam.

What makes you say they are overcarbed? If it is that you are getting foamy pours, it is likely a setup issue with your serving system. If it is that the beers are genuinely overcarbed (too much CO2 in solution) it may be that your regulator is not holding a set point. Mine does this as well. I have to set it a little low and see what it creeps to, then I make small adjustments up until I get it where I want it. If I set it right where I intend it to be, when I come back a week later it will be 5 psi high. (Anybody got a good regulator that does not do this?)

Click to expand...

It is definitely over carbing. Learned all about that when I tried force carbing a few times. It's not my set up. System is well balanced and I never had this problem before I started using this particular recipe. I have a friend that works for a distributor that sets up new kegging systems for new/expanding customers. He checked over my system and gave his thumbs up.

snowtires said:

Like it was mentioned before. Its not fermentation. Its yeast in suspension, its not actively fermenting and there will always be a bit of it. The carbing is a separate issue, mine does that too, the problem for me lies in not having an even fridge temperature so a fan of some sort is in order. If you absolutely do not want any trub then you can use finings like gelatin or look into filtering.

Click to expand...

Got 2 fans, 1 to circulate inside kegerator, another smaller one that is blowing up pipe into neck of kegerator

Possibly a bad QD on the beer side allowing CO2 into the beer line?

Are all of your O rings lubed well?

At 38 degrees that yeast isn't still active.....

Yeast sediment in the bottom is normal.

What volume of co2 are you targeting? As others said, it's definitely not fermenting so if it's overcarbonation, your regulator is set too high for the temperature of the beer. If it's just foaming, it could be kinking or temperature changes in the serving line, or a damaged o-ring on the liquid side post, bad disconnect, beer stone/gunk built up in the faucet or beer line, or the lines are too short.

IMO 13 psi at 38 degrees is too much. I like my ales set at 10psi at 4.5 degrees C.

I see you lowered to 10 psi and burped out the excess pressure. That will work, but it will take a few pours and a few days before you will notice a carbonation drop to the correct 10 psi.

I agree. I would do 8 psi under 40. Cold beer absorbs WAY more gas than warm beer. If I was you I would try this.


Also, why do you think it is fermenting? Because you see yeast at the bottom? Have you taken gravity readings to show fermentation or considered a filtration setup?

Try this chart.
http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php

Looks like 8-10 PSI might be more to your liking.