Beer Fridge Filled with Beer...Keg Empty

[FlacoEje]

So I opened my top loading refrigerator today that holds my keg, and low and behold, the entire base of the fridge is filled with beer. My CO2 tank is empty, and my keg is empty. The entire keg has somehow dispensed itself inside the fridge...

Good news is the plug that holds in water held so my entire garage isn't filled in a sticky beer mess...

I have a single CO2 regulator and a picnic tap that looks to be okay...does anyone have any idea what would cause such a failure and the beer to dispense?

I don't see an issue with any connections but something obviously failed. I'll disassemble and investigate, but this must have been experienced before.

 

[cloudybrewer]

If it was me, I'd pop the lid off the keg, put in some water, reinstall the lid, and get the CO2 filled. The you can watch it closely for the problem and shut it down without wasting much CO2.

 

[arnobg]

The picnic tap is the likely failure. I'd investigate that first.

 

[mongoose33]

I once had a keg on gas in my ferm chamber, chilling it and dispensing w/ a picnic tap. When I laid the PT across the top of the keg and closed the door, it fell down and wedged between keg and wall of the fridge, and started....dispensing.

Fortunately, I caught it very quickly and lost only a little beer. And a little time to clean it up.

And I ended up wiser.

 

[FlacoEje]

Well,

Picnic Keg determined at fault. what I haven't confirmed yet is user error or equipment failure. my Co2 tank is empty so I can't test, but determined based on the location of the standing beer that indeed it came from the picnic tap.

Fortunately it wasn't an all-star batch. Unfortunately it was about 4 gallons worth that self-dispensed.

Many lessons learned, including how to empty 4 gallons of beer from the bottom of a fridge.

My biggest regret at this point is I forgot to take a picture I was so mad.

 

[Sadu]

I had the same problem. I used to hang the picnic tap on the lip of the keg, but it was always awkward with 4' of beer line.

One day, picnic tap gets caught on something or wedged between something while I'm closing the fridge door and there's half a keg of really nice pale ale spilling out of the fridge and all over the floor. I was in the room at the time so I noticed in time (kinda), otherwise it would have been a full keg and a full CO2 tank lost.

Some people have no problems at all with picnic taps but an experience like this puts you on guard for sure.

 

[divrack]

There is only one thing for it. Might as well accept it. Youre gonna have to get a straw.
https://goo.gl/images/uQpkSg