Why does Party Kegged beer become skunked?

[DRoyLenz]

This was a result of another thread posted today: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/rekegging-store-bought-keg-140592/. I didn't want to hijack the thread, so I posted a new thread.

I attended a cook-out, tailgate style party in Midland, MI two weeks ago for the Michigan State/Wisconsin game . They had a half barrel of Bud Light, and we polished off about 2/3 of it. The next day, the guy who hosted the party (knowing of my recent intake of brew knowledge) asked me why keg beer is always skunked a few days after a party. He assumed that it was because the beer WAS cold, then became warm, which will skunk beer. I told him that this was a common misconception, and that it was UV light that actually skunked beer. But there is no UV light getting to beer in a keg.

So is it because you're replacing the CO2 in the keg with O2 with a party pump? Is it actually skunking the beer, or oxidized it?

Thanks!

 

[flyangler18]

You are not skunking it, but oxidizing the hell out of it with a pony pump.

Of course, warm adjunct-laden macro-lager is pretty damn heinous to begin with.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

It's oxidized. Not skunked. Skunked is un-mistakable. Leave a bottle on the window seat for a day in the sun. Chill it then open it and take a big whiff.

Skunked is more an aroma than a taste. Oxidized is more a flavor than an aroma.

However, there is some interplay between the senses.

 

[Bobby_M]

Right, oxidized. The hand pump/picnic tap is the cheapest way to dispense 15 gallons of beer in one day. Most people can't be bothered putting a regular tap on there and hooking up a tank and regulator. If they did, the beer would last for a year.

 

[pjj2ba]

This was a result of another thread posted today: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/rekegging-store-bought-keg-140592/. I didn't want to hijack the thread, so I posted a new thread.

I attended a cook-out, tailgate style party in Midland, MI two weeks ago for the Michigan State/Wisconsin game .

You went up to Midland to go to a party That's your first problem right there. No one parties in Midland. I should know, I grew up there! It is one of those quintessential, great place to raise kids if you are a parent, but extremely boring if you are a kid.

Eastman party store at least has a pretty good beer selection we always check out when we visit - at least compared to around State College

 

[NoisufnoC]

yeah, i bought a picnic tap for this exact reason. I've got a 5lb c02 bottle that pushes kegs for parties nicely. plus you dont have to worry about the guy who insists on pumping the keg non-stop.

 

[DRoyLenz]

You went up to Midland to go to a party That's your first problem right there. No one parties in Midland. I should know, I grew up there! It is one of those quintessential, great place to raise kids if you are a parent, but extremely boring if you are a kid.

Eastman party store at least has a pretty good beer selection we always check out when we visit - at least compared to around State College

Yeah, tell me about it. All of my college friends grew up in Midland, went to Midland High, all of their Dad's worked for Dow, etc. etc. One of them decided to move back, work for Dow, and start a family there (talk about your Norman Rockwell fantasy!). I think he got the keg from Eastman. I was a little pissed when I found out he could've gotten a keg of Oberon, and went with BL, but it wasn't my decision unfortunately.

 

[oswegan]

They had a half barrel of Bud Light, and we polished off about 2/3 of it.

Dear Father, please help these poor lost souls for they don't understand the error of their ways, Amen.

 

[lamarguy]

The next day, the guy who hosted the party (knowing of my recent intake of brew knowledge) asked me why keg beer is always skunked a few days after a party. He assumed that it was because the beer WAS cold, then became warm, which will skunk beer.

After a few days at room temperature, it's also possible for hand pumped beer to develop common infection off flavors. Most rented taps/faucets are far from sanitary and you're introducing wild yeast and bacteria at each pump.

 

[DRoyLenz]

Dear Father, please help these poor lost souls for they don't understand the error of their ways, Amen.

I drank a few glasses of it, because it was the only beer option available, and I'm not a snob about it, but I ended up switching to Jack and Coke's, because after that game, I just needed to get drunk, and there's only so much of that I can ingest if I don't want to be hungover as all hell the next day.

Great party though!

 

[oswegan]

I drank a few glasses of it, because it was the only beer option available, and I'm not a snob about it, but I ended up switching to Jack and Coke's, because after that game, I just needed to get drunk, and there's only so much of that I can ingest if I don't want to be hungover as all hell the next day.

Great party though!

I was just kidding around, but I guess I am a snob now that I think about it.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

If Bud Light started to develop a taste on ANY kind, I'm sure that half of America would stop drinking it tomorrow.

 

[Kirbster]

After a few days at room temperature, it's also possible for hand pumped beer to develop common infection off flavors. Most rented taps/faucets are far from sanitary and you're introducing wild yeast and bacteria at each pump.

I can attest to that. During college last year I worked at a liquor store for a couple years. We had a mixed solution of sanitizer that we would use to clean and sanitized the pumps. But when we needed to sanitize 20-30 taps for the weekend, we never left the solution in the taps long enough to be effective. So I would always want to stay away from liquor store taps if you're planning on getting a keg of the good stuff.

 

[DRoyLenz]

I was just kidding around, but I guess I am a snob now that I think about it.

No sweat, no offense taken!