Bringing Flat Keg back to life....

So I have a 1/4 barrel keg of yuengling and the pressure was accidentally released on it. It sat for about two weeks in a keezer with no pressure and now I have CO2 hooked back up to it now at 12psi. However as you can imagine its flat and tastes flat.

Is the beer in this keg kicked, or can I recarbonate it and bring it back to life??

 

How long has it been at 12 psi?

 

If you let it sit for a week at that pressure (and leave it alone)it should absorb CO2 back into the solution (beer).

Another option is to look up force carbing on the forums, and try that if you like.

 

He is force carbing... the slow way.

 

I would definitely speed force carbonate, if you want to drink it ASAP. I force carbonate everything... You can crank up the pressure and shake it to rapidly speed it up to a matter of minutes. You can look up details on how to do it and pressure vs temp charts for where it will reach equilibrium. If you try speeding it up by turning the pressure up, keep in mind that, if you have already been drinking out of it, the headspace will use more of your CO2 so if you crank it way up to like 40, it will take a lot to get that kind of pressure/volume into solution so you would likely end up having to purge and waste "precious" CO2. I bet you can find a happy medium.

 

True...
In my head force carbing = high pressure + shaking. You are correct, the 'set it and forget it' at low pressure is still force carbing as well.

Thanks for the correction.

 

I was just giving you **** really.

 

Its been sitting at 12psi for about 24 hours. I'm gonna set it and forget for right now but if I get impatient, I'll do the faster process.

GOOD NEWS! Thanks for the help guys.

 

Also, whats strange is when I have tried to pour a glass during this 24 hours period is that I can pour and I can get a good head on it (which would lead me to believe it IS carbonated right??) But theres no carbonation in the beer itself, you know, I cant see any of the carbonation bubbles in the beer itself floating to the top. Is this normal for a flat under carbonated beer? Or do I have some other problem to look at?

Right now I have my beer line at just over 5' long, the temperature set at 37 degrees and the psi set at 12.

 

It definitely works, I carbed up a sixtel of an east end flatitude bottle release that my buddy got a few cases of. We probably have the only carbed up keg of that Gratitude/flatitude out there. It's delicious.

For reference http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/10485/27476/

 

that's normal. no idea why. but it happens. just have to be patient if you're going to go ~12psi. you can also drop the temp down to 35ish, that'll help the CO2 be absorbed. but just make sure you're matching your pressure to your temp per carbonation chart.

but yeah, its gonna keep doing that until its equalized. at least a week id say.

 

You are getting CO2 into solution now, but it is all getting released during the pour. As time passes, more CO2 will be 'absorbed'. At the end of a week you should be good to go.
The 5' line may contribute to extra head as well. There are quite a few good references in the forums that will point you in right direction to balance your system. You can research them and make your corrections as your lauger gets carbed up again.