First Time Kegging Problem

[bakersbrew]

So I have had two kegs force carbing for two days at 30psi. Today I go to lower the psi to serving pressure and beer starts to shoot into the gas line towards the regulator. Its weird. This is my first time kegging, but I am pretty sure I have everything right.

When I am done force carbing at 30psi I am supposed to drop the psi down to 10-12 on the regulator, then purge the excess gas then serve right? Maybe I should shut off the gas at the manifold and then lower it down to serving temp.

I dont know what I am doing wrong here. Can someone enlighten me?

 

[michelson39]

Are you sure you have the gas/beer lines hooked up to the correct sides?

For beer to go up the gas line, it means the bottom of the gas tube thing is under beer. If the lines are in fact hooked up to the correct sides, then perhaps just empty a little beer out so the level is below the gas tube thing in the top of the keg.

Hope it helps!

 

[bakersbrew]

i am sure that they are hooked up to the right sides. i double and triple checked. it only happened on one keg that was really full. so i am guessing i just filled above the gas line. i didnt know that is something i could do. will it not carb right if there is a little beer in the gas line? most of it got pushed back into the keg by turning up the psi.

 

[camiller]

Yes shut off at manifold before reducing pressure at regulator. Your keg is probably a little overfull and the end of the dip tube is in the liquid(hopefully). Shutoffs with check valves would prevent backflow. It is probably a good thing you used clear line for your gas lines, I use red and would not notice something like that and you really dont want beer getting into the regulator.

 

[camiller]

i am sure that they are hooked up to the right sides. i double and triple checked. it only happened on one keg that was really full. so i am guessing i just filled above the gas line. i didnt know that is something i could do. will it not carb right if there is a little beer in the gas line? most of it got pushed back into the keg by turning up the psi.

Sure it will still carb.

 

[bakersbrew]

the beer did reach the regulator. it was only for a few seconds though. is the regulator ruined or should i not worry too much about it?

 

[camiller]

Personally, I would worry. But I haven't done it myself so I can't give you any real thoughts on how much longer the regulator will last. I think to be safe I'd go ahead and order the repair kit for that brand of regulator and install it.