My Lager seems to be flat

Hey Guys,

I have recently primed my pressure barrel and have drank a few pints of my lager (made from a kit) and it tastes very nice indeed.

However, I do not have the desired fizz that you would get from a pint in the pub.

It pours from the tap very well and I equalise the pressure with my gas bottle as directed. I get a cracking head on my lager which to my surprise lasts all the way down the pint unlike my stout or brownale.

There are bubbles in the lager hence the head but is this the correct fizz or should it be stronger?

Now I am new to this so this may be the norm but im just not sure, please advise i would very much appreciate it.

What did you prime with? Corn Sugar, DME, or a CO2 tank? I'm not quite sure what you mean by a pressure barrel. It sounds like a kegging system in which you'd need to force carbonate the beer with a C02 tank.

I get a hit or miss once in a while. I used a pressure keg long ago when just starting out and it did not have a pressurising system. Just the priming was the pressure. I did run into the occasional flat batch (drank it anyway) and later found out that the lid sometimes did not seal right. That and in my haste, probably didn't clean the way I should, quantity not quality and all that. Since then, I just went to a kegging system, and have not had a problem. It may be your quantity of priming ingrediant, or sanitation of the vessel, or perhaps a leak in the seal. I never pinned it down myself.

The pressure barrel is a kegging system with a gas valve at the top to help equalise the pressure and a tap at the bottom to pour your beer/lager.

I do use a gas bottle to equalise the pressure to ensure good pouring and gaining a good head on my pint.

I have tightend the seals and they seem ok.

I used cane sugar to prime and used the correct quantity stated (also making sure it was dissolved). Maybe I have just hit a bad batch - it still tastes good tho.

I just cant get the lager to fizz like a pint from a pub - should I have tried priming it again or do you think its just a one off batch or does lager not get as fizzy as those you get from a can or the pub?

What is the kegging system you talk about and can I add more fizz(
carbonation) to my pint threw this?

Many thanks for your advice tho guys, I am learning quick - I think!!.