Now what? (EDIT: Naturally carbing a keg)

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kmlavoy

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Kegged a beer two weeks ago that I need for two weeks from now. I did it with sugar, but I pulled a glass today to see where it was, and it's flat as hell. When I released the poppet, nada. I'm guessing I had a leak of some sort, probably the lid. It was my first kegged beer, so I probably just messed up when I did the kegging. I just reset the lid with a CO2 charger, so we'll see if it's still holding pressure tomorrow.

Is my only choice if I want this to be carbed to force carb it?
 
Is the keg in the fridge? If it is, then all the yeast pooped out of suspension and went dormant. Why are you carbing with sugar when it's in the keg? You will be using CO2 to push the beer out anyways. CO2 is CO2. Just force carb it.
 
You'll need to find out if you actually have a leak first (providing the refrigerator issue EvilTOJ mentioned isn't the case) or you won't be able to force carbonate either. Put some pressure in the keg and put some soapy water on the posts and around the lid and pressure relief valve and see if you get any bubbling.
 
I did not put it in the fridge. I do actually read the old posts before I do something stupid. Usually.

I primed with sugar as I didn't have the dough to get a regulator just yet. Thankfully, our president and Congress are delusional enough to think that sending me $600 is going to make the economy better. So, I'm going to get it tomorrow. And a CO2 tank. Then we'll see.

Thanks for the tips. Speaking of which, is there any trick to setting the lid? LHBS doesn't carry lube, among many other things, so...

This bad news was tempered by the fact that I had my best, cleanest, best target hitting brew day yet, so I've got that.
 
You can use petroleum jelly as keg lube. Take everything apart like the posts and lid and goop em up.
 
If you're getting the CO2 tank and regulator, you've still got plenty of time to force carb. You're going to want those anyway, the chargers are nice but I sure wouldn't want that to be my ONLY way of dispensing beer.
 
EvilTOJ said:
You can use petroleum jelly as keg lube. Take everything apart like the posts and lid and goop em up.
Click to expand...

Actually, EToJ, petroleum jelly will eat the rubber o-rings. For a quick solution, KY jelly would be a better choice.
 
Nix on the KY:

Ingredients:Chlorhexidine Gluconate, Glucono Delta Lactone, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Methylparaben, Purified Water, Sodium Hydroxide

All "Keg Lube" is is food-grade silicon grease.
 
kmlavoy said:
I did not put it in the fridge. I do actually read the old posts before I do something stupid. Usually.

I primed with sugar as I didn't have the dough to get a regulator just yet. Thankfully, our president and Congress are delusional enough to think that sending me $600 is going to make the economy better. So, I'm going to get it tomorrow. And a CO2 tank. Then we'll see.

Thanks for the tips. Speaking of which, is there any trick to setting the lid? LHBS doesn't carry lube, among many other things, so...

This bad news was tempered by the fact that I had my best, cleanest, best target hitting brew day yet, so I've got that.
Click to expand...

Maybe I am missing something here, You didn't have any co2 when you first added the brew and sugar into the keg?

If not I always thought you had to add some pressure (psi) to set the lid so it would seal? So maybe the lid never seated?
 

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