BEER WENT INTO MY CO2 LINE WHILE CONNECTED TO UNITANK

[HoundboundCo]

I attached the co2 line from my tank to the carbstone port on my SS Brewtech Unitank to start carbing the beer, but a few days in I noticed beer had back flowed into my co2 line. When I went to pressure transfer, that beer in the co2 line pushed back into my Unitank. What is the cause of this and did that beer in my co2 line just mess up my whole batch?

 

[James_AZ]

Pressure in the tank became greater than the pressure in the line and pushed beer into it. When stuff like this happens there is a chance of infection, but you’re probably gonna be fine. When you started transferring your beer the pressure in the line pushed the beer back into the uni.

You may want to consider putting pressure in at the top of the tank, rather than through the carbstone, when transferring. When the pressure enters from the carbstone it stirs up the beer.

 

[HoundboundCo]

Pressure in the tank became greater than the pressure in the line and pushed beer into it. When stuff like this happens there is a chance of infection, but you’re probably gonna be fine. When you started transferring your beer the pressure in the line pushed the beer back into the uni.

You may want to consider putting pressure in at the top of the tank, rather than through the carbstone, when transferring. When the pressure enters from the carbstone it stirs up the beer.

That’s what I’ve done in the past with my Spike Flex fermenter. There is a place on the top of the lid to add pressure through the top, however, the Brewtech Unitank does not have a port on top unless it’s sold separately online and I just haven’t gotten it yet.

 

[James_AZ]

Spike all-in-one PRV, has it all for pressure fermenting.

 

[HoundboundCo]

Spike all-in-one PRV, has it all for pressure fermenting.

If I attach my Spike PRV to the blowoff can on my Unitank and push pressure up the cane through the top will that risk pushing back anything that may have entered the can during fermentation potentially causing infection?

 

[ducati]

Just based on my personal experience, I wouldn't be worried about infection in this batch. Allegedly, bacteria doesn't grow in CO2. Guessing the tubing and fittings need cleaned well to protect future batches. Tubing is relatively cheap, consider replacing just to be safe if there is any question.

You didn't mention the regulator, so assuming that stayed dry in CO2. If the beer did get that far, definitely want to at the very least disassemble and clean, or, if bad enough, rebuild. Bacteria can live between batches, and any residue can affect its performance. This is why my first regulator is no longer around. Sigh. Just sharing opinion and experiences. Good brewing.

 

[James_AZ]

If I attach my Spike PRV to the blowoff can on my Unitank and push pressure up the cane through the top will that risk pushing back anything that may have entered the can during fermentation potentially causing infection?

For transferring, I’d probably add pressure through the blow off cane over the carb stone. If you connect and turn the pressure up slow, i’d expect not much junk gonna blow into your beer. Just make sure your gas pressure is higher than the Uni pressure when you connect.