Carbonic Bite or Keg Infection

[JoeSpartaNJ]

I have had an issue with the same keg on 2 different beers now. The first beer, a SNPA clone, I force carbed @ 30 psi for 24 hours, then lowered to serving pressure, 8 psi. The beer always tasted off. I originally I thought it may have been from kegging the beer green (2 weeks grain to keg,) but it always had the flavor of carbonic bite from over carbing. I even degassed the beer for a week and re-applied to serving pressure, (worked in the past) no real change noticed.

After that keg was finished, I replaced it with a brown porter. I made sure this beer fermented out completly. This time, I let the beer carb up slowly @ 8 psi (38 degrees,) going on 8 days now. The carbonation is fine, but alas, the carbonic bite is back.

I did clean the keg with oxyclean and sanitized with star san before and after the pale ale. I however did not totally disassemble the keg either time.

Do you think it is possibly overcarbed or do you think there maybe a keg infection issue?

all suggestions welcome.


Thanks,

Joe

 

[BigFloyd]

I like to disassemble and clean/sanitize my kegs between each batch. Every couple of batches, I'll take the poppets out of the posts (warning, it can get a bit tricky) for cleaning. That's the only way I'm comfortable knowing that I've provided a nice, clean new home for my precious brew. One of these handy tools really helps - http://www.sears.com/craftsman-11-16-x-7-8-in-wrench-offset-ratchet/p-00943365000P?prdNo=7&blockNo=7&blockType=G7

Give it a couple weeks. If the bite fades away, it was carbonic. I had a batch that did that not long after I first started kegging. That's why I just now do the 10-12 psi for 2 weeks carb. It takes that long for it to taste at its best anyway.

 

[JoeSpartaNJ]

Thanks for the reply. FWIW, my other keg was carbed the same way and does not have the same issue.

 

[JoeSpartaNJ]

I am also going to clean the lines and see if that improves anything. I usually do that between kegs, but don't remember if I did before the pale ale keg. I know I did not do that between the the pale and porter. I know, my bad on that one.