still not much carbonation after 3 weeks in the keg

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DankHead

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I have a pale ale in the keezer (42 degrees) thats it been set to 13-ish psi for a little over 3 weeks now. There is still very little carbonation, and the small bubbles I do have only stick around for a minute or so. I'm serving at about 9 psi. Its been at serving pressure for 3 days.

Should I take off the party tap, turn it back up, and see what happens? Or keep it at 9 and let it carbonate as the keg empties?

Kegging has been insanely frustrating for me, and Im just ready to get my system dialed in. Help me, HBT. Help me.
 
Is the beer relatively clear? Having small particulates can cause the CO2 to come out of solution very quickly in the glass and make the beer seem flat. Other than that, I can't think of any reason why the beer wouldn't be carbonated. Is it pouring with a head at all?
 
It's a tad hazy, pours with a head that dissipates pretty quickly. I cold crashed for 2 days before, secondary for 10 days dry hopping. All at 68 degrees the whole time. It's strange, the first 2 pints had pretty good carbonation, then flat fir the rest of them.

I don't know, I feel like I did this one by the book and I'm still not coming up without the results I want. Getting frustrated.
 
Ok. Does it seem like there is carbonation there when you pour it, but it may be rushing out of solution quickly? If so, it could be the particulates or maybe even glassware that is not beer clean.
 
Ok. Does it seem like there is carbonation there when you pour it, but it may be rushing out of solution quickly? If so, it could be the particulates or maybe even glassware that is not beer clean.

Possibly, I just don't see any bubbles coming from the bottom and the body is heavy and flat. I feel like my gauges may be off now...
 
How accurate would you say that 42 degrees is? 9 psi would put you at about 2.1 volumes of CO2 at 42 degrees. That is on the low end.

I don't change my pressures at all. I set them at the correct pressure for the volumes of CO2 that I want and leave them there. Take it up to 14-15 and check it after a few days. That will put you at about 2.5 volumes, which is more consistent with most American craft beer. If that works for you, then just leave it at that pressure.
 
how accurate would you say that 42 degrees is? 9 psi would put you at about 2.1 volumes of co2 at 42 degrees. That is on the low end.

I don't change my pressures at all. I set them at the correct pressure for the volumes of co2 that i want and leave them there. Take it up to 14-15 and check it after a few days. That will put you at about 2.5 volumes, which is more consistent with most american craft beer. If that works for you, then just leave it at that pressure.

+1
 
How accurate would you say that 42 degrees is? 9 psi would put you at about 2.1 volumes of CO2 at 42 degrees. That is on the low end.

I don't change my pressures at all. I set them at the correct pressure for the volumes of CO2 that I want and leave them there. Take it up to 14-15 and check it after a few days. That will put you at about 2.5 volumes, which is more consistent with most American craft beer. If that works for you, then just leave it at that pressure.

Ok, did a little testing. Heres what I found out.

I use a johnson dial temp controller and I have it set at 42 degrees, with the probe in a bottle filled with tap water, sitting on the bottom of the keezer floor. Took a temp reading of the water in the probe bottle and it read 42 degrees. Poured a pint and took a temp reading and the beer is pouring at 50 degrees.

So turn down the temp controller another 8 or so degrees?

The problem with having my gauges set higher than 10 psi while Im serving is that Im only using party taps while I get the rest of my materials for the keezer purchased (taps and collar), and I've already lost a keg (my first homebrew ever) because the pressure was to high while I had the tap on and I drained my keg, and CO2 tank when the pressure equalized. Since then I've been extremely hesitant to even put the tap line on till its "done" carbing, at which point I have to turn it down to 10 psi to serve.
Am I doing it wrong?

Edit: When I keg, after I've cold crashed for two days, I set it at 15 psi and leave it for 2-3 weeks. No shaking or rocking. Just set it and forget it. At that point I turn it down to 10 psi and serve.
 
I use a johnson dial temp controller and I have it set at 42 degrees, with the probe in a bottle filled with tap water, sitting on the bottom of the keezer floor. Took a temp reading of the water in the probe bottle and it read 42 degrees. Poured a pint and took a temp reading and the beer is pouring at 50 degrees.

How many kegs do you have in the freezer? If only one, then you may have an issue when it comes to having enough thermal mass to hold the temp. That little bottle of water is going to get cold much faster than a whole keg of beer. You could try turning it down and see what happens.

The problem with having my gauges set higher than 10 psi while Im serving is that Im only using party taps while I get the rest of my materials for the keezer purchased (taps and collar), and I've already lost a keg (my first homebrew ever) because the pressure was to high while I had the tap on and I drained my keg, and CO2 tank when the pressure equalized. Since then I've been extremely hesitant to even put the tap line on till its "done" carbing, at which point I have to turn it down to 10 psi to serve.
Am I doing it wrong?

By party taps, do you mean picnic taps? Like this? That is all I use for mine and I have not had any trouble with losing beer. Is it leaking out or something? I have never had that happen.
 
"party taps" So the tap did not stay closed and it blew out you whole keg? To be safe only hook up the tap when you are serving your beer. Get that beer down to around 38 to 40 and set your pressure at 12 psi. If you turn down your pressure to serve you need to turn it back up after you are done.
 
"That little bottle of water is going to get cold much faster than a whole keg of beer. You could try turning it down and see what happens."

Be careful when doing this though sometimes the water in the bottle will freeze up.
 
How many kegs do you have in the freezer? If only one, then you may have an issue when it comes to having enough thermal mass to hold the temp. That little bottle of water is going to get cold much faster than a whole keg of beer. You could try turning it down and see what happens.



By party taps, do you mean picnic taps? Like this? That is all I use for mine and I have not had any trouble with losing beer. Is it leaking out or something? I have never had that happen.

currently 2 kegs, but can hold 4. I'll play with the temp till I get the beer being served down to 40. Getting a bigger probe bottle to try and keep the temp on the controller higher.

Yes, sorry. Picnic taps is what I meant, not "party taps", and the problem came when i set the gauge to 15 psi. When the kegs pressure equalized, it was at or above 15psi, which is what I assume is the max pressure the tap line can hold (which was attached), thus draining my keg and CO2 tank.

"party taps" So the tap did not stay closed and it blew out you whole keg? To be safe only hook up the tap when you are serving your beer. Get that beer down to around 38 to 40 and set your pressure at 12 psi. If you turn down your pressure to serve you need to turn it back up after you are done.

Correct, drained the keg and CO2 tank. I was afraid this was my only option till I get my collar and Taps installed. Its what I've currently been doing and its a huge pain, and is extremely messy/sticky/stinks. I was hoping that I could set it for 3 weeks at 15 psi, and after I turn it down to serving pressure of 9 psi it would keep the carbonation it had attained. Is this not the case? Am I really this dumb..
 
Yes, sorry. Picnic taps is what I meant, not "party taps", and the problem came when i set the gauge to 15 psi. When the kegs pressure equalized, it was at or above 15psi, which is what I assume is the max pressure the tap line can hold (which was attached), thus draining my keg and CO2 tank.


I have never had this problem. It was coming out of the end of the tap? Where you normally pour from? I would return that tap if that is the case. I have had my pressure up to 25-30 psi with no problems.

I was hoping that I could set it for 3 weeks at 15 psi, and after I turn it down to serving pressure of 9 psi it would keep the carbonation it had attained. Is this not the case? Am I really this dumb..

As soon as you turn it down, it wants to find equilibrium. As you pour off you are losing head pressure and thus you are losing dissolved CO2.
 
I have fixed my problem. I just had a faulty picnic tap that wasnt rated to hold more than 15 psi. Fixed it. Done deal. Thank god!

Edit: Still needs to be colder though...
 
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