There's always a story before a question like that. Shortly before Labor day weekend, I went to go fill up two growlers from my kegerator only to find no beer was running. Thinking the beer line froze, I check the lines and all is well on that front but my CO2 tank is empty. The day before I was adjusting the carb levels in the keg because they were too high and the release valve must have got caught slightly open. I'm obviously bummed because I was bringing my Scottish Ale to share with some friends. It was too late to go get a new bottle of CO2 and I was leaving in a few hours. So I re-checked the release valve and then left.
Now that I'm back and I got a new tank, the beer is off. It's darkened considerably from a reddish brown to a dark brown (almost black) and while bitter is not the correct term, "sharp" is probably more dead on. And while I don't have the original and final gravity figures, it tastes almost like the alcohol content has increased. It wasn't a great beer to begin with (fermented too high with a Scottish strain) but it was at least drinkable. Now- not so much (though it does make a great marinade).
Has the beer oxidized? Is there a problem with leaving it in the keg without a CO2 cover? I would have to imagine that CO2 head bled out as well.
Now that I'm back and I got a new tank, the beer is off. It's darkened considerably from a reddish brown to a dark brown (almost black) and while bitter is not the correct term, "sharp" is probably more dead on. And while I don't have the original and final gravity figures, it tastes almost like the alcohol content has increased. It wasn't a great beer to begin with (fermented too high with a Scottish strain) but it was at least drinkable. Now- not so much (though it does make a great marinade).
Has the beer oxidized? Is there a problem with leaving it in the keg without a CO2 cover? I would have to imagine that CO2 head bled out as well.