Beer not Dispensing

[neon0107]

Hello All,

So I have run into my first issue with a keg of beer. It is my first NEIPA. I went to test it last night to see how the carbonation is coming along and nothing would come out. I first made sure all connections were good and had gas flowing. I thought maybe it has trub blocked in the tube, although when I moved the beer it did not look all that cloudy (which i was expecting since it is a NEIPA, but know I had some water issues with this batch). So I tried attaching the gas line to the out side and see if pushing some CO2 might unblock anything. No luck. The only other thing I can think of is maybe i put something back together incorrectly with the post after cleaning.

Any suggestions? What would you try?

Thanks

 

[BrewInspector]

Check for a frozen line. Depending on your setup, the beverage line may have a frozen section that is sometimes difficult to detect. This has been my problem every time it has occurred.

 

[hezagenius]

How did you test it? Through a tap? Whenever I've had a blocked diptube, I would usually get a faint hiss of pressure release when I opened the tap. Then it would stop. If I came back 30 min later, I'd get that same faint hiss and then it would stop again.

What psi did try pushing into the liquid post? A few psi might not be enough. And if you are carbing at 10+ psi and pushing into the liquid post at 2 psi, you won't be doing much. Did you hear bubbling inside the keg when you did it?

 

[IslandLizard]

New kegs?
Universal poppets?

Reduce the pressure to 10-12 psi, then try pushing the poppet down with a small screwdriver or a nail set. Have a towel ready to catch any beer coming out.
If you can't push it in or it takes a lot of effort you may have the post assembled wrongly.

If beer comes out, is your QD assembled correctly? You should be able to push the poppet in the QD too with the back of a small screwdriver or the back end of the nail set.

 

[RandR+]

If you can push the poppet like @IslandLizard suggest then make sure the quick connect has the part that pushes the poppet down inside it.

Had a quick connect that the piece broke off so it didn't work and had to be filed for repair.

 

[Dice_Boken]

I'm having the same problem. I can't get anything to come out at all. I took a nail and pushed in the poppet valve and foam sprayed everywhere in a 10 foot radius. It's under about 15 psi at the moment. I don't have a kegerator or keezer yet so it isn't frozen and I didn't dry hop it either. Any clues?

 

[hezagenius]

Well, if beer comes spraying out its probably not a clogged diptube. So the problem lies outside the leg. It's most likely the quick disconnect. Are you using a picnic tap?

 

[Dice_Boken]

Well, if beer comes spraying out its probably not a clogged diptube. So the problem lies outside the leg. It's most likely the quick disconnect. Are you using a picnic tap?

Yes I am.

EDIT: I put some Co2 into the keg via the out post instead of the in post and heard bubbling. Turn it off after a few seconds. That seems to have fixed the problem and I'd recommend OP do the same.

 

[mongoose33]

@Dice_Boken since your post sprays beer, it has to be the QD, the picnic tap faucet or (unlikely) a clog in the dispensing line.

There's not a lot that can go wrong w/ a picnic tap. Unscrew the top, make sure it's clean inside and that you can see down into the line. If not that, then take apart the QD. That'll likely be the issue.

Either it's clogged, or it's assembled incorrectly.

 

[Dland]

If keg pressure is too high, it can push up too much against the poppet for the keg connector, especially if poppet is a little sticky. This was already sort of addressed here already, just wanted to reiterate.

 

[IslandLizard]

It's the balance of the 2 springs that makes the 2 poppets open at the same time. One spring in the post and one spring in the QD. They both have to compress enough when connected to create a passage.

Newer kegs and posts using universal poppets often exhibit a problem as the pyramidal spring in the post can be a tad too long, causing too much counterforce. Snipping one turn off the bottom, or a little more (by trial and error) usually fixes the issue.

 

[neon0107]

Thanks all for the suggestions. I was out of town and just got to try a few of these tonight. I had to take the post off and yes found some hop trub. Cleaned it out and tried again to no success. I noticed from IslandLizard ideas that I could not push poppet in and it did not look like it is actually sitting flush (if that makes sense) I tried the QD on another keg and it works fine. I ordered some new poppets and a post last night and will try swapping those out one at a time to see if that is it. Thanks again everyone.

 

[IslandLizard]

I could not push poppet in and it did not look like it is actually sitting flush

If they're universal poppets, the narrow end of the pyramidal spring holds the poppet. The wider base is the bottom, and will sit on top of the dip tube. If the poppet doesn't sit flush inside the post, it will likely leak.

Chances are the (universal) spring is a bit too long, giving too much resistance.

 

[pigroaster]

If they're universal poppets, the narrow end of the pyramidal spring holds the poppet. The wider base is the bottom, and will sit on top of the dip tube. If the poppet doesn't sit flush inside the post, it will likely leak.

Chances are the (universal) spring is a bit too long, giving too much resistance.

Two things. I find I need to usually cut a turn of the poppet spring off to have less pressure on the seal. I also use a syringe with slits cut in the sides at 90 degrees to each other so the syringe sprays when it is pushed down on the poppets. A box cutter cuts notches great! I always use star san and do both poppets when I clean my kegs. Usually one or two fills of syringe. This makes sure any beer is out of dip tube and sanitizes it inside. Works great.

 

[IslandLizard]

I find I need to usually cut a turn of the poppet spring off to have less pressure on the seal.

I had mentioned cutting a turn off the spring before, in #11. I'm glad you reiterated that, because the OP has ordered new poppets and a post, without reporting back on or addressing the actual poppets and springs he already has in use.
Chances are he's just getting more universal poppets.

I also use a syringe with slits cut in the sides at 90 degrees

Now that's a very innovative way to spray Starsan inside the posts!

I push hot PBW, water, then Starsan (in that order) through all my dip tubes and posts to clean them. That is, if I don't disassemble them for cleaning.