Backwards Lines = Mess

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CheemsAF

CheemsAF

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Well, got my second rebuilt keg in the mail 3 days ago and kegged my nut-brown ale 2 days ago. Little did I know I just created a huge mess. I never ensured that the "in" wasn't the dip tube, and the "out" wasn't the gas tube. Yep, you read that correctly. So when I hooked up the CO2 line to what was labeled "in" I got a bunch of bubbly sounds of the CO2 going through the beer. Being new to kegging, I didn't think much of it. After purging and then shaking the keg at 30psi, I let it sit for about 12 hours. This morning it dawned on me that the bubbly sound was the CO2 going into the dip tube. I went out and pulled the purge and beer went EVERYWHERE! What a mess. I opened the top and sure enough, the keg came installed backwards - dip tube connected on the "in".
Lesson learned: know your equipment and don't take the equipment provider for granted.

Thought you experienced keggers would get a laugh at my expense. Cheers!
 
I don't understand the issue? I don't think that the problem was that your dip tubes were switched, because some people actually do this purposely. In fact, breweries use a similar system, except that they have diffusion stone to carbonate the beer more quickly.

The problem was probably that you shook it up and carbonated it, and then opened the top (even though it was 12 hours later). Kind of like if you shake up a bottle of coke and open it you get sprayed.
 
Ditto

devilishprune said:
I don't understand the issue? I don't think that the problem was that your dip tubes were switched, because some people actually do this purposely. In fact, breweries use a similar system, except that they have diffusion stone to carbonate the beer more quickly.

The problem was probably that you shook it up and carbonated it, and then opened the top (even though it was 12 hours later). Kind of like if you shake up a bottle of coke and open it you get sprayed.
Click to expand...
 
I guess it's me not understanding other reasons why the dip tube is supposed to be where the beer comes 'out' from. Understandable that the mess was from 30psi and 12 hours later = shaking a 2 liter bottle of coke and opening the bottle. But the curiosity of the bubbly sound during those 12 hours is what led to pulling the purge and making the mess. :)

But Devilshprune, you bring up a good question: does the beer carbonate faster if the tubes are backwards??? I.e. does the CO2 that is 'directly' injected into the beer via the dip tube allow for quicker carbing since it's at the bottom and not on the top? Also, I'm going to go searching on the forum, but this is the first time I've heard of a diffusion stone. What is that? I've seen cooking diffusion stones (actually have one) that when you throw into a boiling pot of water, instantly reduces the likelihood of a boil over. Are they the same thing? If I throw my cooking diffusion stone into the bottom of my keg the keg would carb faster? Thanks.
 
I would recommend taking the whole keg apart, replacing rubber, and re-assembling when you buy a used one. That could have saved you here, though I know that now I'm a lot better about reassembling properly now than I was at first...I think I got lucky a lot at first.
 
CheemsAF said:
I guess it's me not understanding other reasons why the dip tube is supposed to be where the beer comes 'out' from. Understandable that the mess was from 30psi and 12 hours later = shaking a 2 liter bottle of coke and opening the bottle. But the curiosity of the bubbly sound during those 12 hours is what led to pulling the purge and making the mess. :)

But Devilshprune, you bring up a good question: does the beer carbonate faster if the tubes are backwards??? I.e. does the CO2 that is 'directly' injected into the beer via the dip tube allow for quicker carbing since it's at the bottom and not on the top? Also, I'm going to go searching on the forum, but this is the first time I've heard of a diffusion stone. What is that? I've seen cooking diffusion stones (actually have one) that when you throw into a boiling pot of water, instantly reduces the likelihood of a boil over. Are they the same thing? If I throw my cooking diffusion stone into the bottom of my keg the keg would carb faster? Thanks.
Click to expand...

The reason the long diptube is where beer comes out from is because it has to reach to the bottom to suck it all out, like a straw. The gas line has a diptube as well, but it just extends like 2 inches into the keg.

A diffusion stone is basically a piece of stainless steel with a bunch of tiny holes in it. You connect this to the beverage out diptube, and it serves to disperse the gas into lots of tiny bubbles that can dissolve into the beer more easily. I have no idea if they work or not, because I don't have one.

As far as connecting the CO2 to the beverage diptube? I doubt it works. I've read that the bubbles are too big too make a difference, and also there are not going to be bubbles the whole time, just initially. They just bubble through the beer up to the headspace anyway. Think of it like blowing bubbles through a straw, they don't carbonate your beer do they? Bad example, but you get the point.
 
Devilshprune, thanks for the insight.

Understand your bubble analogy. I was just thinking since the CO2 actually makes contact with the beer that it may carb faster than injecting it into the headspace and forcing it into the beer. But, you're probably right, doesn't make a difference after thinking about it.

Yeah, the diffusion stone is definitely not anything like mine for cooking with. The cooking one is an actual stone. Anyways, all is good. It's set back at 12 psi and I'm just waiting for it to carb. Hopefully soon, family's coming into town this weekend and this nut brown ale is dying to be in a pint glass. Appreciate the help.
 

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