I don't know what to say....

[Schmoltsbeer]

I made an IPA a couple of weeks ago, and go to hook it up in my keezer and after a few days carbonating (I blast carbonate around 3 times serving PSI then clear the pressure in the keg and reconnect at serving pressure) and I get nothing coming out of the tap. I'm looking at the line, it's got some liquid but it's not clearing. I've narrowed the problem down to hop-particulate in the tube leading to the tap. The line is fine, however, I believe the actual grommet in the line connection on the tap is clogged with hops. Because it was when I inspected it previously. Short of doing anything MORE silly with this beer, I am looking for an opinion, or perhaps some advice. I don't have a way to rack from keg to keg with pressure, so what would happen if I racked from the keg to another keg with my racking cane? Will I need to depressurize? I know oxygenation and all sorts of other baddies could be lurking in my future, but I will probably just make sure I stay drunk until those crises are totally averted. What would you do in this situation?

 

[wardens355]

Disconnect and clear everything after the liquid post (disconnect, tubing, etc.). Connect a disconnect that is attached to tubing only, with the tubing in a jug or other container, and see if you can force out any crap that is at the bottom of the keg.

 

[Schmoltsbeer]

I tried something similar, but I'm not getting any movement at all. I have been lazy and not using hob sacks, so I suppose Iw ill go back to that after this episode too..

 

[jperry]

I've had a similar, if not the same problem, before. I figured out that some hops, had clogged the poppet. I fixed it, by taking off the liquid out post, and cleaning it out, it was really packed with hops.

 

[wardens355]

I tried something similar, but I'm not getting any movement at all. I have been lazy and not using hob sacks, so I suppose Iw ill go back to that after this episode too..

Clean the poppet as suggested. If that doesn't work, bleed pressure off the keg, disconnect the gas and serving line disconnects. Put a liquid disconnect on the gas line and force anything stuck in the dip tube back into the keg. Alternatively, you could remove the dip tube and clear it, then re-insert.

 

[Schmoltsbeer]

Thank you kindly for your advice. Prior to posting I had an idea it was the dip tube, I withdrew the dip tube, cleared it (there was debris) and reinserted the dip tube. I had an idea there might still be debre, so then I tested the whole system from faucet (perlic 650ss) to keg. I was getting no flow from the keg. I must deduce from this that the problem was debris in the keg. I have plenty of CO2, as well as roughly 10ft lines from keg to each faucet. I subsequently racked via racking cane, after further tinkering with other lines to test the faucet, which proved that suspected faucet was fine when running off of proven keg. So, I racked to a keg, changed my connectors because that keg runs on different fittings and retested. Retest was a success. Beer is now poring properly, though maybe slightly under-carved because of having to rack it. I find my problem was excessive hop-particulate and it will be resolved with the purchase of a hop-screen so that I can avoid further issues like this. I generally don't use more than 4 oz of hops, however with this IPA I used almost 8 oz and ended up racking quite a bit of the particulate to the keg apparently. Again thanks for your help. As you confirmed my checks were at least about on point.

 

[wardens355]

Thank you kindly for your advice. Prior to posting I had an idea it was the dip tube, I withdrew the dip tube, cleared it (there was debris) and reinserted the dip tube. I had an idea there might still be debre, so then I tested the whole system from faucet (perlic 650ss) to keg. I was getting no flow from the keg. I must deduce from this that the problem was debris in the keg. I have plenty of CO2, as well as roughly 10ft lines from keg to each faucet. I subsequently racked via racking cane, after further tinkering with other lines to test the faucet, which proved that suspected faucet was fine when running off of proven keg. So, I racked to a keg, changed my connectors because that keg runs on different fittings and retested. Retest was a success. Beer is now poring properly, though maybe slightly under-carved because of having to rack it. I find my problem was excessive hop-particulate and it will be resolved with the purchase of a hop-screen so that I can avoid further issues like this. I generally don't use more than 4 oz of hops, however with this IPA I used almost 8 oz and ended up racking quite a bit of the particulate to the keg apparently. Again thanks for your help. As you confirmed my checks were at least about on point.

If you can, cold crash before transferring to the keg and be careful about racking large amounts of sediment next time. I recently made 10 gallons of Imperial IPA with 23 oz of hop pellets, 4 oz dry hop. Cold crashed, transferred, everything pouring smooth, and I use 1/8" serving line.

 

[Schmoltsbeer]

I don't always have capacity to cold crash, but I am going to buy a stainless steel hop filter for the boil kettle to at least take care of that part of the mess. I was a bit reckless when racking. I was just using a new set up in my defense. but seriously, I will definitely be better prepared to prevent things like this in the future. I really appreciate you advice.