Keg funk, I have it.

So, I started kegging two batches back. The last batch was an English Brown, this one is a Scottish 80. Up until the English Brown, I have always bottled with no problems after the first few batches when I started 2 years ago. Well... both brews seem to have developed a funk. I finished the English Brown off a few weeks ago and cleaned with PBW, sanitized with Star San, then racked the Scottish 80 into the keg. Its been in the keg about 3 weeks now and is developing this flavor that is increasingly starting to taste a lot like the same funk I had with the English Brown. It is this sort of creamy flavor. It is not necessarily bad but, its this bland/creamy flavor. When I got the keg I disassembled it, soaked all parts in PBW for an hour, then changed the rubber parts and put it back together.

Anyone have any ideas? All the beers have tasted fine going into the keg outside their extreme green-ness. Just when I am looking at the green flavor to die down, this cream flavor increases. Is there a wild yeast somewhere in there that is slowly grabbing hold here?

Only thing that comes to my mind is, did you clean the dip tube?

I have watched too many carry on films not to smile at this!

Did you clean the lines and the tap also? What type of equipment is in your set up?

Clean your lines, not only liquid out, but gas in. I had gotten a bad infection in 2 kegs from some funky stuff in the gas in lines.

Its a brand new system. Originally it was just a single keg with a cobra faucet. I built my kegerator and it now runs through a regular tap.

I didn't clean out the dip tube. I just soaked it in the PBW for an hour and then the Star San. I am wondering if that is where my problem lay.

I cleaned my lines by filling the keg with Star San and pushing about 2 gallons through on 4 psi.

I am going to re-approach how I go about cleaning my kegs from now on. I'm going to completely disassemble my keg and soak it and all parts in a hot PBW solution overnight. Then I am going to scrub the diptube (which means I have to purchase one of those brushes). I am also going to replace my lines just to be careful.

It is frustrating. I have been brewing for awhile and never had any problems with my bottles.

noremorse1 said:

I am going to re-approach how I go about cleaning my kegs from now on. I'm going to completely disassemble my keg and soak it and all parts in a hot PBW solution overnight. Then I am going to scrub the diptube (which means I have to purchase one of those brushes). I am also going to replace my lines just to be careful.

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I don't think you need one of those brushes. If you just disassemble everything and let the dip tubes soak in PBW you should be golden.

If its coming on over time, perhaps your co2 is too high and its just getting overcarbonated?

Just took apart the keg completely this time. The co2 diptube had a bunch of dry crusty stuff at the top. Looked kind of suspicious. Everything else looked fine. I also dissasembled all my lines and removed the fittings. Keg and all metal parts are soaking in a hot ass water/pbw solution overnight. I am going to crash cool my IPA for 2 days and then keg it up with new lines and o-rings.

noremorse1 said:

Keg and all metal parts are soaking in a hot ass water/pbw solution overnight.

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Ass water might be part of the problem...

Get a CO2 filter at www.morebeer.com

If you do not do this then anything in the CO2 can go right into the keg. This could equal "instant infection".

Clean and sanitize everything that touches the beer at any time. Always sanitize everything just before use.

Starsan is the best sanitizer IMHO. Do Not Rinse after the Starsan.

WBC said:

Get a CO2 filter at www.morebeer.com

If you do not do this then anything in the CO2 can go right into the keg. This could equal "instant infection".

Clean and sanitize everything that touches the beer at any time. Always sanitize everything just before use.

Starsan is the best sanitizer IMHO. Do Not Rinse after the Starsan.

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Yeah, I have been using Starsan for the past few years, havent had any issues before this.

I was thinking about picking up a co2 filter too... hmm...

WBC said:

Get a CO2 filter at www.morebeer.com

If you do not do this then anything in the CO2 can go right into the keg. This could equal "instant infection".

Clean and sanitize everything that touches the beer at any time. Always sanitize everything just before use.

Starsan is the best sanitizer IMHO. Do Not Rinse after the Starsan.

Click to expand...

The inside of the CO2 tank is a sterile environment. There are no nasties that can live in liquid CO2.

I bought the filter anyways. It is on sale right now at more beer and cost a whopping $4.20. I also bought a stainless steel racking cane.

If anything else, for peace of mind. Keg has been soaking in PBW for about 6 hours. After work tomorrow I will empty it, scrub it, rinse it... the sanitize it with Star San and reassemble. As soon as my more beer order comes in, I will rack to this keg. Hopefully it doesn't develop a funk this time around.

GNBrews said:

The inside of the CO2 tank is a sterile environment. There are no nasties that can live in liquid CO2.

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Really? I don't think you could guarantee that at all. It's coming through fittings and hoses and sometimes the beer backs up into those fittings and hoses when there is a big pressure differential. Yes I have check valves in case you ask.

Absolutely. If there has ever been beer inside the distribution system or regulator, those parts of the system should be sanitized or disposed of. What I'm saying is that inside the tank, and up to the regulator, it's a sterile environment. If there's beer in the lines, it's tainting the tubing between the filter and the keg anyway, so it's really not doing anything.

GNBrews said:

Absolutely. If there has ever been beer inside the distribution system or regulator, those parts of the system should be sanitized or disposed of. What I'm saying is that inside the tank, and up to the regulator, it's a sterile environment. If there's beer in the lines, it's tainting the tubing between the filter and the keg anyway, so it's really not doing anything.

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Well that is the part you clean and sanitize on a regular basis on the exit side of the check valve and filter. All the stuff on the inlet side is kept clean by the filter. Do as you wish but for me the filter is a must have.

Added the in line filter to my co2 line and went all Nazi like on the keg. IIPA is kegged up. If this doesn't solve my issues, I do not know what will.

noremorse1 said:

Just took apart the keg completely this time. The co2 diptube had a bunch of dry crusty stuff at the top. Looked kind of suspicious. Everything else looked fine. I also dissasembled all my lines and removed the fittings. Keg and all metal parts are soaking in a hot ass water/pbw solution overnight. I am going to crash cool my IPA for 2 days and then keg it up with new lines and o-rings.

Click to expand...

I had an infection from a crusty dip tube. After I bought a brush to scrub my dip tubes, I've been amazed at all the gunk coming out from scrubbing them. All my kegs have been craigslist purchases, and hot PBW soaking wasn't enough to clean them.