Poppet failure. Big mess

[joutlaw]

I kegged my best bitter last week and primed the keg with corn sugar. I was going to let it sit for a few weeks before putting it in the fridge. Well I woke up this morning to see the rug in my kitchen soaked. Probably 1/4 of it was covered in what I realized was beer. I looked at the beverage out and noticed beer bubbling from it. Thinking that on its own it built up too much pressure I released it and then hit it with 12 psi. Beer was still coming out. So I opened it up to see that I lost about 1 1/2 gallons. Crap.

So then I went to change the poppet. I couldn't get the post off to save my life on this pin lock keg. The 3 pins made it awkward for sure. So I transfered it to another pin lock keg and had a little foam. Not to bad, but I'm worried about the beer.

You think this batch is doomed from oxygenation?

Any tips on getting the post off. I know they make a special socket, but its like 20 bucks.

 

[2nd Street Brewery]

Probably no oxygenation, the fact that it was pushing out the bad post means you should have more than enough CO2 in there to keep it from happening.

 

[sonvolt]

Been there brother, . . . been there.

What I did - took a minute to reflect and think about all my dead homies. Now I don't have to "pour out a little liquor" for quite some time.

 

[Brewpastor]

Poppets can be a big PITA and so can pin locks. But I wouldn't worry about your beer, other then mourn the lost gallon, 16 pints that never fulfilled their purpose in life. NOW THAT IS SAD!

 

[user 4295]

My question is, if you don't have the proper socket to remove the keg fittings, how did you properly clean and sanitize the keg before you put your beer into it in the first place?

John

 

[joutlaw]

When I tap a keg I sanitize it... then pressurize it with C02. Push the sanitzer out with a cobra tap and let it sit. No problems with that method so far.

 

[gnef]

you can make the socket yourself. just buy a 13/16 socket, and cut out the four points that you would need in order to get the socket off.

also, just because you put sanitizer into it doesn't mean there isn't stuff that can grow in there that the sanitizer couldn't reach. break down your kegs every now and then and run cleaner and then sanitizer, you may be surprised what is left on teh sides of the poppets, diptubes, etc.