IPA keg, can't dispense....

[mike_57401]

Hey y'all,

I foolishly dry hopped a keg with maybe 5 oz. pellets in a muslin bag.... And can't dispense anything. The keg has sat in my fridge for three weeks after I tried to dispense it.

I'd like to transfer to another keg somehow, and bottle from the keg.

I have no floating dip tube or anything like that. I'd like to bottle in the next few days if possible, no time to mail order any gear.

I wonder if I can pull the poppett valve from the post and the disconnect?

Any thoughts, experience?

 

[AlexKay]

This has happened to me; I fixed it with a floating dip tube I happened to have on hand. That doesn't help you any, though.

Even if you disassemble and clear out the liquid out post (after totally depressurizing), it will probably clog again nearly immediately. Maybe someone else has a clever solution, but I'd try to decant into another keg and then dispense from there, possibly repeating if necessary. Total suckage from an oxidation standpoint.

 

[AlexKay]

I did try hooking up gas to the liquid out post to try to blow out the clog, but that got me nowhere.

 

[AlexKay]

This was my thread asking for help.

 

[PCABrewing]

I wonder if I can pull the poppett valve from the post and the disconnect?

Any thoughts, experience?

The simple answer is yes.
Relieve the pressure, then unscrew the poppet.
Pull the dip tube and clear it, but as Alex said, it will likely clog again pretty quick if you have that much hop matter in there.
I second the vote to decant though if it is well carbonated it may be foam city. You probably need to siphon.
Probably best to drop the temp as much as possible before you start, in the target vessel as well.

 

[mike_57401]

Thanks guys. I think I've got a few options to work with.

 

[mike_57401]

So I settled on siphoning to a new keg, said keg being pre purged with CO2. I put the cap on my racking cane, and carefully lowered the cane into the keg, avoiding the bottom... Hadn't used that cap on the racking cane in years!

It worked great, clear IPA. Next time, I'm using a floating dip tube or at least dry hopping in a fine mesh nylon bag.

 

[BongoYodeler]

I would now purge the headspace like there's no tomorrow, and then drink this asap.