Frozen Keg, Over Carb'd

[kgav8r]

Hi all. My kegerator is located in a small attached outbuilding that is not well insulated. I believe (but did not really confirm) that my keg froze over the last couple of weeks. Air temperature was -8 C at one point. I did notice that the faucet was frozen shut and I was unable to dispense my beer. Today, I was able to draw a pour off the tap and noticed it is very carbonated. My questions: Is this over carbonation likely a result of being exposed to ultra cold temperatures? I did not make adjustments to the CO2 and, in fact, turned it off before the freeze. Should normal "de-carbonating" procedures work? Is there any other method besides running the gas through the liquid dip tube?

Thanks for the responses.

 

[LarMoeCur]

Yes the colder the beer got the easier it is for CO2 to be absorbed. I would just turn the gas off pull the pressure relief to bleed off some of the CO2. Not all of it keep some positive head pressure to not let O2 in. Wait a few minutes or 5 for the beer to release some more CO2 then bleed it again. Wait a few minutes then pull a pint. Repeat until you reach your desired serving carbonation. Then turn the gas back on and set to correct serving pressure. Make sure to account for those cold nights.

If you have a heat source on your controller controlling the kegerator. I'd put a light bulb in a coffee can in the kegerator and set it to maintain your desired serving temps. I have one in my fermentation chamber in the garage. If I didn't my wort would be in the 30's F before morning. Just make sure to set the temp spread a little farther apart other wise when the bulb kicks off the refrigerator will kick on and they will fight each other.

 

[kgav8r]

Yes the colder the beer got the easier it is for CO2 to be absorbed. I would just turn the gas off pull the pressure relief to bleed off some of the CO2. Not all of it keep some positive head pressure to not let O2 in. Wait a few minutes or 5 for the beer to release some more CO2 then bleed it again. Wait a few minutes then pull a pint. Repeat until you reach your desired serving carbonation. Then turn the gas back on and set to correct serving pressure. Make sure to account for those cold nights.

If you have a heat source on your controller controlling the kegerator. I'd put a light bulb in a coffee can in the kegerator and set it to maintain your desired serving temps. I have one in my fermentation chamber in the garage. If I didn't my wort would be in the 30's F before morning. Just make sure to set the temp spread a little farther apart other wise when the bulb kicks off the refrigerator will kick on and they will fight each other.

I like the lightbulb idea! I have been scratching my head on the best method. I do have an aquarium heater that I had considered, but i was reserving that for my fermentation chamber build. Bleeding and agitating was my initial thought for de-carbing, so I may go with that.

I think when the weather warms a bit more, I may add an additional layer of insulation. It has a hard time maintaining cold temps in summer too. I seriously regret not getting the deep freeze for this project. Maybe soon i will upgrade and just convert this to a fermentation chamber.

Thanks for your response!

 

[TheBluePhantom]

Wait a few minutes or 5 for the beer to release some more CO2 then bleed it again. Wait a few minutes then pull a pint. Repeat until you reach your desired serving carbonation.

Or until you keel over from drinking 18 pints.

 

[yoop89]

If you turned off the gas before the keg froze/got colder than your serving temp then it should not be overcarbed. Are you sure that it has completely thawed? It takes a while for 5 gallons of ice to thaw in a refrigerator. If you still have a half a keg of ice messing with the carbonation now isnt going to help a whole lot. Also, if you are pouring off beer while ice is still present its going to be a little higher ABV.

 

[LarMoeCur]

Or until you keel over from drinking 18 pints.

Well lets hope you get it right before 18. Let's say after 6 come back tomorrow.

 

[kgav8r]

If you turned off the gas before the keg froze/got colder than your serving temp then it should not be overcarbed. Are you sure that it has completely thawed? It takes a while for 5 gallons of ice to thaw in a refrigerator. If you still have a half a keg of ice messing with the carbonation now isnt going to help a whole lot. Also, if you are pouring off beer while ice is still present its going to be a little higher ABV.

That was the puzzling thing to me as well. I'm not entirely sure how much beer was in it. I'd say there is probably only 2 gallons left. I can't really recall the specifics now, but I may have turned on the CO2 because the pressure was pegged at zero. This may have been the root cause of my over-carb'ing. I only gave it a couple PSI because having it at a known value made me feel better than resting on the stop. I guess the real take-away here is that I need to move the kegerator indoors! I'll get right on that... quick poll: should I tell my wife before or after moving it?

 

[Dr_Jeff]

That was the puzzling thing to me as well. I'm not entirely sure how much beer was in it. I'd say there is probably only 2 gallons left. I can't really recall the specifics now, but I may have turned on the CO2 because the pressure was pegged at zero. This may have been the root cause of my over-carb'ing. I only gave it a couple PSI because having it at a known value made me feel better than resting on the stop. I guess the real take-away here is that I need to move the kegerator indoors! I'll get right on that... quick poll: should I tell my wife before or after moving it?

After.
It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.