Wondering if anyone can shed any light on this problem that has been plaguing me for months and months and months. If my beer sits in the line for more than a few seconds, it has a horrible metalic taste that is unpalatable. Tried many different lines, got new perlick taps, tried picnic taps, various disconnects, poppets, kegs, beer posts, etc. Did some tests using tap water today, and found the following:
1) Tap water is normally alkaline PH = 7.7. Once it touches the clean stainless inside a keg it drops to 6.7 or thereabouts. Thats even before i close lid and carbonate. Water taste is ok or maybe slightly different but i cant be sure.
2) tap water under co2 pressure gives same horrible metallic flavour as beer when left in line for a few minutes. PH of water is 6.3 afer being under about 10psi for few minutes, then gas released and water taken from keg (not under pressure, tipped out)
So there seems to be 2 irregularities. One is the PH drop when water is contact with keg, and the other is the flavour which doesnt appear to be related to the beer, given the water experiences it. Maybe my CO2 is contaminated???? Seems unikely but I have put myself through the mill and thats the only thing thats constant.
My process is sound and my beer is ok out of the bottle when naturally carbed. Please help! I'm trying to keep my spirits up but this is a tough one! I've read a few posts with similar problems but the original poster has never closed out the thread with a solution? Hope they didnt give up.
1) Tap water is normally alkaline PH = 7.7. Once it touches the clean stainless inside a keg it drops to 6.7 or thereabouts. Thats even before i close lid and carbonate. Water taste is ok or maybe slightly different but i cant be sure.
2) tap water under co2 pressure gives same horrible metallic flavour as beer when left in line for a few minutes. PH of water is 6.3 afer being under about 10psi for few minutes, then gas released and water taken from keg (not under pressure, tipped out)
So there seems to be 2 irregularities. One is the PH drop when water is contact with keg, and the other is the flavour which doesnt appear to be related to the beer, given the water experiences it. Maybe my CO2 is contaminated???? Seems unikely but I have put myself through the mill and thats the only thing thats constant.
My process is sound and my beer is ok out of the bottle when naturally carbed. Please help! I'm trying to keep my spirits up but this is a tough one! I've read a few posts with similar problems but the original poster has never closed out the thread with a solution? Hope they didnt give up.