Carbonation fluctuation?

[Stevorino]

I have my kegs in a converted chest freezer with a temperature controller. It seems like one day they are perfectly carbonated and the next they are super over-carbonated and taste horrible. Is this normal for a Keezer or am I doing something wrong?

Any suggestions for getting rid of this problem?

 

[albannach]

What's the temperature swing in the keezer?
What deg. differential is set on the temp controller?
Are you using smooth walled PVC beer lines or something else?

 

[david_42]

I think you might have an infection in your lines. Run some Beer Line Cleaner through them, then sanitizer.

 

[Stevorino]

What's the temperature swing in the keezer?
What deg. differential is set on the temp controller?
Are you using smooth walled PVC beer lines or something else?

The temperature I've seen it at 35 and 37 since i've been watching it the past 2-3 days. It's a johnson analog controller -- is there a way to set it tighter?

Normal Beer lines from MoreBeer-- I'm actually about to change them out because they taste like poop (side issue). I'm moving to the Ultra Bev lines from BetterBottle.

As to David -- you may be right on that one, i hadn't thought about that as a possibility, but it makes sense. I'm scrapping all those lines, so hopefully that'll help distinguish if that is the problem.

 

[Stevorino]

Ok, so if I have an infection in my lines -- am I right in assuming that whatever kegs I've hooked up to those lines are screwed?

 

[albannach]

I have a digital Ranco temp controller set at a 1 degF differential and my temp swings about 2 deg cooler than the setpoint so that rules out the temp controller as the source of the carbonation problem.

I also changed out my lines due to a plastic off flavor, they aren't made specifically as beer lines but I have had no off flavors or foam problems with them: http://www.mcmaster.com/#5181k25/=2xk5qn

If there was an infection in the line, the keg MAY be infected. Just drink it fast to "throw it out".

The procedure I use to clean my lines is as follows:
After the keg is emptied:

• Push Oxyclean solution into lines and let sit for 10-30 min.
• Push water through lines to thoroughly flush Oxyclean solution out.
• Push Starsan solution through lines and let soak for 5 min or so.
• Push the rest of the Starsan through the lines till most of the liquid is out.

Then I store my lines sealed up like that, with the Starsan foam still inside them. They are prepped and ready to hook up to another keg when I need them and the acidity of the Starsan function like a mild acid line cleaner. I've never had any problems.

 

[Stevorino]

I think I may have found it out -- see my other thread about it. Essentially I have been thinking my kegs were chilling at 38 degrees and they were much lower in temperature. Waaaaay overcarbonated. Whew!

 

[albannach]

I think I may have found it out -- see my other thread about it. Essentially I have been thinking my kegs were chilling at 38 degrees and they were much lower in temperature. Waaaaay overcarbonated. Whew!

That was my first thought, and why I asked how much the temp was fluctuating in the ole keezer

Glad the problem is solved without any loss of beer!

 

[Stevorino]

That was my first thought, and why I asked how much the temp was fluctuating in the ole keezer

Glad the problem is solved without any loss of beer!

Let's hope I can get it all figured out -- I definitely would like to get all my beer tasting decent again