beer not carbonating in kegs?

[Ntense]

Hi guys,
I do have a problem with my last two brew...

Let me tell you that I brew since 4 years now, all grains with an electric brewery.

I keg using 5 gallons Cornelius and force carb/condition using a CO2 tank inside a commercial fridge in the basement. (Got a pair of 9 ways distribution gas manifold).

I never had a problem this way for years, until now: All of the kegs of the two last brew can't be carbonated. The older ones are.

The tank isn't empty by the way..

I even took one keg and put it in my fridge dispensing beer for a week and it seem not to carbornate there too.

I tried 5 kegs, from 2 differents brews, they don't carbonate at all.

Do you have an idea?!

thanks for the help,

David

 

[kh54s10]

The only things it can be are the co2 is leaking out of the kegs or the co2 isn't getting in at all.

 

[Build]

Are you using the same co2 tank, regulator/gauge, ball lock discconect for both setups you used? If so it could be the regulator/gauge or disconnect. Are you carbing only one keg at a time? If the keg is cold and pressurized, it will carbonate.

 

[casualbrewer]

Sounds like a seal..

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Check your...

Then check your...

Finally, look at your...

 

[Ntense]

I can pressure up to 18 kegs in the commercial fridge.

All of the CO2 connectors are sending the gas to the kegs, I checked.

The older kegs in the fridge (before the last two brews) are okay.

Everything (tank, pressure regulator and disconnects) are all the same.

CO2 isn't leaking, otherwise the tank would be empty?

When I push inside the disconnects, the gas comes out.

I really don't know what's going on, really.

 

[55x11]

I would check for leaks by pressurizing to say 20 psi. Then disconnecting the keg. Wait 24 hours. See if the keg is still pressurized.

 

[kh54s10]

If the kegs are not leaking, I still say that the only other thing it could be is that co2 is not getting in. You can carbonate almost any liquid. There is nothing in a beer that would make one carbonate and another not. The problem is mechanical somewhere.

 

[55x11]

If the kegs are not leaking, I still say that the only other thing it could be is that co2 is not getting in. You can carbonate almost any liquid. There is nothing in a beer that would make one carbonate and another not. The problem is mechanical somewhere.

or they filled the tank with Nitrogen instead of CO2!

 

[kh54s10]

or they filled the tank with Nitrogen instead of CO2!

You can condition a beer with Nitrogen.

 

[chudsonvt]

Since you say you are getting gas out when you push the pin in the disconnect, what about the gas release valve on the keg? If you are not getting gas out of there then I would think it is the actual post on the kegs.

 

[chudsonvt]

Also, it could still be the regulator. Do you have other kegs connected to the manifold when testing the disconnects? The gas you are getting from the disconnects could be sourced from the other kegs connected to the manifold. If so, try disconnecting them all before testing that you get gas. Also, being that there are many feet of tubing with that size manifold, you may have enough volume in the lines to be able to sustain a good gas flow for at least a couple seconds. Just a guess.

 

[chickypad]

You can condition a beer with Nitrogen.

Not sure what you mean. The beer won't carbonate under nitrogen only. It won't "nitrogenate" either under these pressures, as nitrogen is something like 100 times less soluble in liquid than CO2. I agree unless we're missing some of the story it must be mechanical - if it is in fact CO2 and the kegs are seeing the correct pressure at the correct temperature it's impossible for them not to carbonate.

OP are you sure there's not some blockage to the flow somewhere? My only other thought is what you mean by them not carbonating - i.e. they are completely flat with zero bubbles, or they just don't have a good head? Just wondering if there is something about the recipe that is killing head retention that makes you perceive them as uncarbonated. Sorry if this question sounds stupid, I know you are not a new brewer, it's just something is not adding up.

 

[fatherdan]

I had the same problem. Check all your threaded connections. Submerse all connections. You have a leak.

 

[kh54s10]

Not sure what you mean. The beer won't carbonate under nitrogen only. It won't "nitrogenate" either under these pressures, as nitrogen is something like 100 times less soluble in liquid than CO2. I agree unless we're missing some of the story it must be mechanical - if it is in fact CO2 and the kegs are seeing the correct pressure at the correct temperature it's impossible for them not to carbonate.

OP are you sure there's not some blockage to the flow somewhere? My only other thought is what you mean by them not carbonating - i.e. they are completely flat with zero bubbles, or they just don't have a good head? Just wondering if there is something about the recipe that is killing head retention that makes you perceive them as uncarbonated. Sorry if this question sounds stupid, I know you are not a new brewer, it's just something is not adding up.

Maybe all those "Nitro" beers on the market are a mixed gas??

 

[chickypad]

Maybe all those "Nitro" beers on the market are a mixed gas??

Pure nitro is used to push wine and other still drinks. Beers on "nitro" at bars or in our homes are really on beer gas, they are lightly carbonated then pushed at high pressure through a restrictor disc to release the CO2 and make the smooth head. You can't get the high pressure needed with CO2 alone or the beer would overcarbonate, so a mix of nitrogen is added. In a can they use a wiget to get the same effect as the restrictor plate.