High ABV beer with high FG not carbing in keg

[grv]

Hi all,

I have an imperial stout that finished out around 1.025 with an ABV of 9.75%. Finished higher than I wanted, but so be it.

I normally force carb in the keg, cold crashing to around 36-38 degrees, then letting the beer sit at around 30 PSI for a day, then a week at serving pressure to get in the ball park of what I want.

This monster has been sitting on about 35 PSI for a few weeks, with no sign of any significant carbonation occurring. I was thinking about one of those carbonating lids with the stone attached, but before I drop $60 on something like that (or take on a DIY I don't have time for at the moment), I figured I would ask you whether you have any advice as to how to get this thing to carb up.

Thanks!

 

[Newsman]

Are you sure you're getting CO2 into the keg? I would recommend making sure your tank and regulator are one and the QD is firmly pushed onto the post. What happens when you pull the manual release in the lid? Do you get gas coming out, do you hear CO2 going into the keg? If not, something is off and you're not getting CO2 into the keg. Triple-check everything including any back-flow prevention valves on your CO2 regulator.

 

[grv]

Are you sure you're getting CO2 into the keg? I would recommend making sure your tank and regulator are one and the QD is firmly pushed onto the post. What happens when you pull the manual release in the lid? Do you get gas coming out, do you hear CO2 going into the keg? If not, something is off and you're not getting CO2 into the keg. Triple-check everything including any back-flow prevention valves on your CO2 regulator.

That was my original thought too. Hate to admit how many times I've had one shutoff in the wrong position

Gas is definitely on. Big rush of gas when the relief valve is pulled, etc. It's just being obstinate.

 

[mjlower]

Possible to be overcarbed? Are you getting a lot of foam when you pour?

 

[grv]

Possible to be overcarbed? Are you getting a lot of foam when you pour?

Absolutely zero foam...

I've never done it, but I am thinking of rolling the keg on the floor with some pressure applied.

 

[Newsman]

Hmm... I was going to ask if there was any way the CO2 could be leaking out, but if you're getting CO2 when you release the safety that doesn't seem likely. Something else you could try would be to put the gas on the liquid-out post and bubble the CO2 up through the liquid that way.

 

[hopfool]

Is your gas bottle cold? Full bottles of CO2 sometimes don't like to go from liquid to gas or something when they are cold. You still get gas, just not what ya think. I keep my gas bottles at room temp and don't have any trouble at all.

 

[grv]

Hmm... I was going to ask if there was any way the CO2 could be leaking out, but if you're getting CO2 when you release the safety that doesn't seem likely. Something else you could try would be to put the gas on the liquid-out post and bubble the CO2 up through the liquid that way.

That's probably a little safer than rolling the thing around, but still a little more aggressive than what I'm doing now. I'll give it a go.

 

[grv]

Is your gas bottle cold? Full bottles of CO2 sometimes don't like to go from liquid to gas or something when they are cold. You still get gas, just not what ya think. I keep my gas bottles at room temp and don't have any trouble at all.

Mine are outside the keezer, so they're at basement temp. That's interesting though!

 

[Sir-Brews-Alot]

Any update on your problem? Specifically a solution? I am currently having the same issue with a 11.5% Imperial Porter that finished at a similar FG as yours. I set it at 30 psi for 24 hours then 15 psi for 7 days and absolutely no carbonation. So I kicked it up a notch and set it at 30 psi for another 5 days, still nada. The beer pours completely flat with no foam. I can hear C02 going into the keg, and when I pull the pressure release valve gas comes out. For some reason, it just isn't absorbing into the beer. After 3 years of kegging, and probably 30+ batches of beer, this is the first time I've ever had this problem. Of course, it's also the first time I've ever tried to keg such a big beer. Most beer I brew is under 5% ABV.

 

[Sir-Brews-Alot]

Well nevermind, I finally got it to carb up. I set it to 30 psi again, unhooked it and rolled it around on the floor for a few minutes and that got the c02 to dissolve into the beer. No clue why it wouldn't absorb without agitation, but whatever.

 

[grv]

Oops - sorry I missed your post. I ended up doing exactly the same thing.