Kegged and flat??

[gunguy45]

I made a Northern brewers kit, Three Hearted Ale, and it tastes great, but it is dead FLAT!
I kegged it into a sixtle(SP), had it under 30 psi. for a week, still no carbonation, any suggestions??

I searched, but didn't seem to find an answer.....

Pete A.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Sounds like you have a leak somewhere in your system. Also...at 30psi for a week, you're lucky you didn't have glasses full of severly overcarbed beer.

 

[blackwaterbrewer]

shake it the crap out of it with the gas at around 25 psi. when i say shake the crap out of it, i mean roll it it back and forth on the ground vigorously until you get tired ( like 2-3 minutes. leave it in the fridge for 3-4 days without touching it and your beer will be carbonated. it might not be conditioned and ready to drink, but it will be bubbly. if you do this and it is still flat, you have a problem with your kegging system (i.e. a leaky CO2 line, fitting or the oval ring on the corny keg. start with a tried and true carbonating method. it may not be the best way, but if your system is right, it works every time.

good luck

prost

 

[david_42]

Are you certain you are getting CO2 into the keg? Close the tank valve and shake the keg hard. If the gauge doesn't move, you're not getting any CO2.

 

[gunguy45]

shake it the crap out of it with the gas at around 25 psi. when i say shake the crap out of it, i mean roll it it back and forth on the ground vigorously until you get tired ( like 2-3 minutes. leave it in the fridge for 3-4 days without touching it and your beer will be carbonated. it might not be conditioned and ready to drink, but it will be bubbly. if you do this and it is still flat, you have a problem with your kegging system (i.e. a leaky CO2 line, fitting or the oval ring on the corny keg. start with a tried and true carbonating method. it may not be the best way, but if your system is right, it works every time.

good luck

prost

NOT a corny... I'm using a sixtel. I'll try "rolling it around some", no leaks, I've sprayed all fittings with soapy water, no bubbles????

 

[Julohan]

Somehow the gas is not dispersing in the keg. I would imagine your tank would be empty if it was set at 30psi and leaking for week.

 

[lamarguy]

Are you certain you are getting CO2 into the keg?

I second that. Is the sanke coupler hooked up correctly?

30 PSI for a week at 38F is soda level carbonation. That would be impossible to miss in beer.

 

[gunguy45]

Somehow the gas is not dispersing in the keg. I would imagine your tank would be empty if it was set at 30psi and leaking for week.

No leaks... ???

Just"shook the P!$$$$$" out of it, we'll see.....

 

[Julohan]

Can you hear the gas going in?

 

[gunguy45]

I second that. Is the sanke coupler hooked up correctly?
30 PSI for a week at 38F is soda level carbonation. That would be impossible to miss in beer.

How does one hook a sanke up incorrectly... nor being a smart a$$, just askin'.

 

[gunguy45]

Can you hear the gas going in?

Yes, if I tap a Pitcher, after turning the gas off, when I turn it back on, I hear it going in.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

Let me ask the group a theoretical question...
I am not suggesting this is Gunguy's problem, but...

If you had a substance (like some type of oil) in the keg when you racked your beer into it, would the co2, still be absorbed into the beer?

I experienced something like this a couple years ago... I had a portable co2 charger that connects to a 2 liter bottle with a carbonator cap. The only co2 I had handy was from an air gun, so I used it... A short time later I noticed a oily film on top of the beer. Checking a bit closer, I could smell the oil from the co2 cartridge (I think it may actually serve as a lubricant for air guns). I know carbonating in a 2 liter is far from ideal, but was just curious how it would go... bottom line, it didn't. There was plenty of pressure (the bottle got very tight). I left this in the fridge for 3 or 4 weeks, and resulted in zero carbonation.

I wonder if the oil created a barrier that prevented the absorption of co2. And I wonder if any other common substance may have a similar result?

 

[gunguy45]

Let me ask the group a theoretical question...
I am not suggesting this is Gunguy's problem, but...

If you had a substance (like some type of oil) in the keg when you racked your beer into it, would the co2, still be absorbed into the beer?

I experienced something like this a couple years ago... I had a portable co2 charger that connects to a 2 liter bottle with a carbonator cap. The only co2 I had handy was from an air gun, so I used it... A short time later I noticed a oily film on top of the beer. Checking a bit closer, I could smell the oil from the co2 cartridge (I think it may actually serve as a lubricant for air guns). I know carbonating in a 2 liter is far from ideal, but was just curious how it would go... bottom line, it didn't. There was plenty of pressure (the bottle got very tight). I left this in the fridge for 3 or 4 weeks, and resulted in zero carbonation.

I wonder if the oil created a barrier that prevented the absorption of co2. And I wonder if any other common substance may have a similar result?

Nope, not my issue,

 

[Ohio-Ed]

Nice graphic.
Good luck.

 

[lamarguy]

How does one hook a sanke up incorrectly... nor being a smart a$$, just askin'.

Silly Question About Tapping A Keg