Keg that just won't carb!

[Hwk-I-St8]

This has me somewhat baffled. I brewed a "bourbon barrel" porter that I aged 3 months in a corny keg. When I decided it was ready, I moved the keg into my kegorator at 36 degrees and started a "set it and forget it" force carb at 10 psi. After two weeks, it was still not very carbonated, so I bumped it up to 12 psi. My IPAs at that temp/pressure are plenty carbonated. The porter? It pours the same as it did after three months in the barrel.

It's tasty, but it's still pretty flat. Even an aggressive pour leaves virtually no head at the end of the pour. What gives?

 

[Konadog]

Was the keg filled up to the point that the gas tube was covered with liquid inside?

 

[The_Bishop]

Was the keg filled up to the point that the gas tube was covered with liquid inside?

Aside from the problem that beer could backflow into your gas lines/regulator, what would that have to do with anything?

When you say '10psi set it and forget it', do you mean that the keg has been pressurized to 10 psi and kept connected to the gas supply the whole time? Or that you gassed it up to 10 PSI and disconnected it?

 

[chris000]

Was the keg filled up to the point that the gas tube was covered with liquid inside?

what difference would that make?
there still would be headspace and as long as CO2 is connected, it would not make a difference to the beer.
Shutting off CO2 and creating a lower pressure anywhere in the system than the keg with an immersed gas in tube is a different story. Speaking of it, is the OP sure that the keg was pressurized all the time. Just setting a regulator does not mean gas is necessarily flowing through a gunked up disconnect.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

It's been connected to a CO2 tank the whole time. I've served a number glasses and filled a couple bottles for samples, so it's only 3/4 full now.

Also, I have a manual pressure relief valve and I can release pressure and hear more gas going into the keg.

 

[sgwink]

try raising the pressure again to see if you can force the co2 into suspension. It also could have to do with your recipe and technique if you have no head on your beer.
Worse case scenario is crank up your pressure to 20ish and roll the keg on the ground until you hear gas going into the beer. good luck

 

[jalc6927]

Could be gauges are not accurate

 

[ejf063]

Same exact thing happened to me on a Belgian pale ale this month. Everything else carbonated on the lines but that one. So I did what sgwink suggested: I pulled the keg from the keezer and put it on its side and cranked the pressure of the co2 to 30-35 psi and I heard the gas being disbursed into the liquid. When the tank was filled with gas, I stood it upright and released the pressure then repeated. I did this 4/5 Times, each time making sure I heard the gas bubble into the beer. Then, when the pressure was still around 30 I returned the keg and let it sit there for 24-30 hours.... then took a sample. It worked. The beer started to hold carbonation. The beer actually stayed at the high pressure for 3 more days before I returned it to normal. But you’ll have to take small samples every 12 hours or so after that first day to make sure it doesn’t over carb.