Frozen CO2 canister, beer everywhere.

[mikeol]

I went down to get a beer this evening and found there to be beer all over the bottom of my freezer, and the CO2 bottle frozen I have two 5 gallon corny kegs hooked up to the system, both of the kegs had no pressure in them at all, also one of the kegs completely emptied its contents all over the freezer, the other one has beer in it, but no pressure. I have the temp in the freezer set to 34 degrees +/- 1 degree. The CO2 container was in the freezer. I have one keg with an outside tap and one with a picnic tap. Anyone have any idea what may have happened so I can resolve the issue? Thanks in advance.

Mike

 

[mattd2]

I went down to get a beer this evening and found there to be beer all over the bottom of my freezer, and the CO2 bottle frozen I have two 5 gallon corny kegs hooked up to the system, both of the kegs had no pressure in them at all, also one of the kegs completely emptied its contents all over the freezer, the other one has beer in it, but no pressure. I have the temp in the freezer set to 34 degrees +/- 1 degree. The CO2 container was in the freezer. I have one keg with an outside tap and one with a picnic tap. Anyone have any idea what may have happened so I can resolve the issue? Thanks in advance.

Mike

I'm guessing the picnic tap leaked. What do you mean by "and the CO2 bottle frozen"?

 

[mikeol]

I'm guessing the picnic tap leaked. What do you mean by "and the CO2 bottle frozen"?

The beer that was in the bottom of the freezer was not from the picnic tap (sorr I didn't clarify that.) The CO2 bottle was covered in ice and empty so there must have been a rapid release of CO2. I am unable to find any damage to the lines. Right now I'm thinking I may just need to fill up the bottle tomorrow to find the source of the problem. I just don't see where the beer came from!

 

[number40fan]

The beer was from the keg without the tap installed?

 

[mikeol]

The beer was from the keg without the tap installed?

The beer was from the keg w/ the tap installed.

 

[northcal]

Maybe your temp controller failed and the temperature got too cold and froze the beer?

 

[mikeol]

Maybe your temp controller failed and the temperature got too cold and froze the beer?

The beer was not frozen. Around the CO2 bottle was frozen from the rapid release.

 

[GenIke]

Is the bottle up to date on that inspection/certification they stamp on there?

 

[mattd2]

SO either the line from the keg to the tap in the door/collar split and drain you keg, or the keg itself failed somewhere (either the shell, or around the out post). Those are the only way to get beer out of that keg and into your freezer. Then when the keg was empty CO2 started flowing out that leak pretty quickly to cause the tank to freeze. I would expect the leak to be a decent size. Check the tightness of any hosetail connections, MFL, shank tailpieces, etc. but it might be a case that you need to wait for a full tank to check (unless you have a oil less air compressor and want to try use that to pressurise the empty keg).
Show us some pics?

 

[number40fan]

The beer was from the keg w/ the tap installed.

Was there still beer in the line that had the party tap hooked to it? If there was, then the leak was pre-party tap line. No beer in the line....party tap did a party fail!

 

[mattd2]

Was there still beer in the line that had the party tap hooked to it? If there was, then the leak was pre-party tap line. No beer in the line....party tap did a party fail!

He already said that the beer that leaked was not from the keg that the Party/picnic tap was connected to.

 

[number40fan]

He already said that the beer that leaked was not from the keg that the Party/picnic tap was connected to.

You sure?

The beer was from the keg w/ the tap installed.

 

[mikeol]

SO either the line from the keg to the tap in the door/collar split and drain you keg, or the keg itself failed somewhere (either the shell, or around the out post). Those are the only way to get beer out of that keg and into your freezer. Then when the keg was empty CO2 started flowing out that leak pretty quickly to cause the tank to freeze. I would expect the leak to be a decent size. Check the tightness of any hosetail connections, MFL, shank tailpieces, etc. but it might be a case that you need to wait for a full tank to check (unless you have a oil less air compressor and want to try use that to pressurise the empty keg).
Show us some pics?

Thank you for the input, I did not take any pictures unfortunately. I checked the connections did not notice anything that seemed off. I will get the bottle filled tomorrow hook up the system and hopefully the problem will show easily. I will update tomorrow or the following day.

 

[mattd2]

You sure?

I was... but then I realised how ambiguous OP's response was

The beer that was in the bottom of the freezer was not from the picnic tap (sorr I didn't clarify that.)...

I don't know whether he meant it was not from the keg with the picnic tap, or it was from the keg with the picnic tap but he is sure it was not coming out the picnic tap...

 

[number40fan]

I understand. He didn't see it coming from the tap, but it is a very good suspect...with the candlestick, in the kitchen!

That is why I questioned if there was still beer in the beer hose.

 

[mattd2]

Thank you for the input, I did not take any pictures unfortunately. I checked the connections did not notice anything that seemed off. I will get the bottle filled tomorrow hook up the system and hopefully the problem will show easily. I will update tomorrow or the following day.

Good luck! Grab a spray bottle of really soapy water and spray everything down with it and look for the bubbles. Also remember to give everything a good twist/movement just in case the leak only happens once the lid is shut and pushes the lines down or something else.

 

[kaconga]

I went down to get a beer this evening and found there to be beer all over the bottom of my freezer, and the CO2 bottle frozen I have two 5 gallon corny kegs hooked up to the system, both of the kegs had no pressure in them at all, also one of the kegs completely emptied its contents all over the freezer, the other one has beer in it, but no pressure. I have the temp in the freezer set to 34 degrees +/- 1 degree. The CO2 container was in the freezer. I have one keg with an outside tap and one with a picnic tap. Anyone have any idea what may have happened so I can resolve the issue? Thanks in advance.

Mike

Both kegs are hooked up to taps. The empty one was not the picnic tap, but rather the outside tap. IPSO FACTO it is most likely a leak from the line or out post as previously was mentioned.

 

[zachattack]

Good luck! Grab a spray bottle of really soapy water and spray everything down with it and look for the bubbles. Also remember to give everything a good twist/movement just in case the leak only happens once the lid is shut and pushes the lines down or something else.

If it's a liquid leak, you don't need soapy water to see it :cross:

OP, first try it without the liquid disconnect attached. That will rule out the post.

 

[PosterGuy]

Sounds like the regulator blew out.

After losing the CO2 tank the already pressurized keg(s) leaked beer past the check valve(s) and out through the failed regulator.

 

[Hello]

Thank you for the input, I did not take any pictures unfortunately. I checked the connections did not notice anything that seemed off. I will get the bottle filled tomorrow hook up the system and hopefully the problem will show easily. I will update tomorrow or the following day.

You cannot really see a gas leak so you'll need to follow the below advice. Obviously there was a failure but it sounds like if you lost liquid then perhaps the idea that the regulator blew and blew a lot of CO2 in at once, that pushed out the liquid and thus lost the beer.

Good luck! Grab a spray bottle of really soapy water and spray everything down with it and look for the bubbles. Also remember to give everything a good twist/movement just in case the leak only happens once the lid is shut and pushes the lines down or something else.

Use starsan not soap. It works just the same and you don't have to deal with soapy water all over the keezer and kegs.

 

[mikeol]

I found the source of the problem! Where the tap connected from the inside of the fridge to the outside, there was some sort of failure. I got a new CO2 canister today and found the leak very easily. Basically just a matter of I didn't tighten it down enough after I rinsed some gunk off I feel. Funny thing was I poured a couple pints and checked the system after I reapplied it and noticed nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe the pressure built in the line and found its way out? Or perhaps there was some water left from rinsing which expanded when it froze (though the temp wasn't set to freezing 33 is darn close.) So that explains how the beer got everywhere and why the CO2 canister rapidly released. Problem solved a little more than 3 gallons of beer wasted. Its not all bad news though....I have another brew just finishing up in the fermenter that I was going to bottle now it'll be on tap, of course that is if I resolved said issue. Thanks for everyones input.

Mike