Keg over filled to gas in post

[Keir]

Hey guys/girls. I'm new here and figured I'd post this question in this section since it's a bit of a noob question/mistake...

I over filled a keg and the beer is slowly leaking out of the gas in post. I guess I never noticed it leaked because I always had pressure on it. On this beer I decided to naturally carb the beer instead of force it because I'm almost out of CO2 and haven't had a chance to get my tank filled.

So... question is, should I drain a bit of the beer off so it's below the level of the gas in so it won't leak and keep a light pressure on the beer so that it doesn't leak CO2 and cause flat beer? Any risk of contamination with this small leak?

Thanks for your help!

 

[PVH]

Do you mean that beer is going into your gas in line or that you do not have the gas connected and the beer is still coming out? Two separate issues there.

 

[BendBrewer]

When did you keg it? I would try to pour beer out of it as normal as soon as you have the pressure inside to do so.

Keep an eye on that level next time. It's ok to leave a little in the bucket or a sample.

 

[Keir]

No CO2 hooked up, and yes beer is leaking.

 

[Keir]

I kegged it on Sunday, 5/1. I doubt it's ready, but I could put some CO2 on it and push some out.

 

[BendBrewer]

I would worry about connecting your gas onto a post that is leaking beer. Got a picnic tap that you can connect and see if it will pour some. Most likely you won't need much.

Still trying to understand why it's leaking though. Is everything tight? Poppers set? Even full, why is there a leak? If beer is coming out then all your co2 is too.

 

[PVH]

No CO2 hooked up, and yes beer is leaking.

OK. If you don't get a leak on this keg when it is hooked up to the gas, that probably means the poppet is not properly returning to the closed position. Beer in the valve can easily cause this. A thorough cleaning would be my first step.

 

[Keir]

On Sunday I hooked up my CO2 tank to hit it with a blast to seat everything and removed the co2. It leaked for a bit sunday night, but stopped. Then yesterday i noticed it started to leak again, so I hooked up the tank again and hit with another blast of 40 PSI thinking that I didn't get everything to seat the first time. But that didn't seem to work. I figure when I get home I'll try to pour some off naturally, if that doesn't work I'll hook up the CO2 again and pour off some to get the level low enough. Then leave the CO2 on it at about 2psi to not over carb. Whatcha think?

The post had probably been leaking the whole time, but I never noticed it because the CO2 was being pushed in, instead of out in this case. I'll for sure clean it good.

Thanks again!

 

[bucfanmike]

Yeah you have to clean that poppet. If it isnt sealing then you will not be able to naturally carb the carb.