Beer shooting out of gas quick disconnect??

Ok.. so I have a strange problem.. or at least, I think it's strange, b/c I probably don't know any better. Here we go:

I just bought a keg a few weeks ago, kegged a recent batch of beer, followed the standard procedures, but primed it with about 2 oz. corn sugar. I waited about 3 weeks before sticking it in my fridge. Let it sit in the fridge for a week @ 40*F. Today I had the intention of tapping it with one of those corny keg CO2 charger things. Here's the important part:

I attached the GRAY QD to the GAS IN post.. and beer shot out of the QD outlet about 10 feet or so! I realize there's pressure in the keg from priming it, but why did beer shoot out of the gas side? What am I missing here?

Yes, I double checked before I put together the keg that I was putting the post with the star pattern and notches on the "IN" side, and the "normal looking" post on the "OUT" side.. I even stupidly tried to put the black QD on the "IN" post, thinking that I had somehow mixed the 2 up. Of course, this led to the black QD being stuck like a bastard on the post and me cursing to death trying to pry the thing off.. luckily I did.

Anyway, what am I missing here? Why is beer shooting out of the gray QD, which I can assure you IS being put on the starred/notched post, which IS attached on the "IN" side of the keg.. Just FYI, I filled the keg practically to the brim. Not sure if that matters or not.

Any insight would be appreciated!

bergman1118 said:

Just FYI, I filled the keg practically to the brim. Not sure if that matters or not.

Any insight would be appreciated!

Click to expand...

It matters. Alot. If you filled past the bottom of the "gas in" diptube, beer will shoot out of the post when you try to put a quick disconnect on it.

For now, release the pressure and take off the lid. Look at the diptube on the "in" post. If you can't see the end of it, remove some beer (a sanitized turkey baster or your autosiphon will work) until you see the bottom of the post. Then put the cap back on and charge up with co2.

Your problem probably is that you filled the keg too far up - there is a short tube that dips down for the gas in, and if the beer level is above that you get a stream o beer!

But... even though the posts are on the correct sides, you didn't accidentally put the dip tube on the gas side, did you?

By the way, I have also tried putting on just the black QD on the "OUT" post and beer does not shoot out.. I have tried putting on the black QD, THEN the gray QD, and beer will shoot out the gray QD. It's funny b/c I can essentially dispense from the gray QD.. that is, until the pressure runs out from the natural carbonation.

bergman1118 said:

By the way, I have also tried putting on just the black QD on the "OUT" post and beer does not shoot out.. I have tried putting on the black QD, THEN the gray QD, and beer will shoot out the gray QD. It's funny b/c I can essentially dispense from the gray QD.. that is, until the pressure runs out from the natural carbonation.

Click to expand...

That's weird! It doesn't make any sense at all, because they are the same inside, it's just the part that fits on the post that is different. It must be that the black QD doesn't fit right, so the beer doesn't shoot out because it doesn't depress the poppit.

I remember double checking to make sure the dip tube was on the "OUT" side..

I think Yooper's explanation makes sense. I mean, I literally filled that sucker to the brim!

And like I said, I had to pry the black QD off of the "IN" post. I had to put a lot of force into it and it's very possible I damaged the thing in the process.

I'll try siphoning some out and see if I can charge it after that. But I probably have to buy a new black QD!