Kegging Issues...

[GurGinator28]

First time kegging out of the new keezer.

Problem: nothing but a small amount of foam and then a few drops come out.

What I've done to this point:

-Racked from a 40 degree crash cooled secondary 24hrs ago.

-Then immediately burped and forced carbed via setting to 30psi and rolled on its side for about 6 min (heard gurgling all the while)

-Then let sit overnight at 12psi.


I've ruled out any type of dry hop clog by forcing co2 through the liquid side and hearing it bubble up (I doubt this ever happens anyway)

I have 10' of 3/16 tubing.

I've even tried cranking the psi way up just to see if I can push liquid though the system... But no luck... I understand the beer is foamy but how can nothing come out of the tap when I'm cranked up to 30 to serve?!

Is this just a waiting game or have I blown some cardinal kegging rule?

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1423106437.653629.jpg

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1423106677.533296.jpg

 

[day_trippr]

I'm going to go with "The Black Beer Disconnects Aren't Fully Engaged With The Locking Ring Down".

Let me know what I won...

Cheers!

 

[UpstateMike]

Is this happening with one keg, or all?

What happens when you disconnect the liquid side QD and slowly depress the liquid post poppet? Does beer come out?

Have you disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled the liquid QD? Have you tried other liquid QDs?

 

[GurGinator28]

I'm going to go with "The Black Beer Disconnects Aren't Fully Engaged With The Locking Ring Down".



Let me know what I won...



Cheers!

I mean I pushed those suckers down....

PLUS I pushed sanitizer through the system prior to racking with no issues. Because of that I don't think the disconnect is the issue.

Suppose I'll swap it out anyway to try

 

[GurGinator28]

Is this happening with one keg, or all?



What happens when you disconnect the liquid side QD and slowly depress the liquid post poppet? Does beer come out?



Have you disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled the liquid QD? Have you tried other liquid QDs?

I don't know about the other kegs. First time using them.

I did push the liquid poppet down and got beer/foam

I'll try another disconnect, but if sanitizer flowed through everything fine prior then I assumed I could push beer through as well.

 

[BlkWater_brewer]

First time kegging out of the new keezer.

Problem: nothing but a small amount of foam and then a few drops come out.

I've ruled out any type of dry hop clog by forcing co2 through the liquid side and hearing it bubble up (I doubt this ever happens anyway)

What you have is too much hop residue in the keg. Sure you forced gas down the liquid side. It gets clogged at the poppet and there is nothing stopping it going back down so it sounds clear. As soon as you pressurize the tank and open the tap, the clog is forced back where it started. I speak from experience. The only real option is to remove the poppet and force the beer thru a filter into a second keg. One thing that may work is just removing the poppet and connecting to your tap, you'll get cloudy hop filled beer for a while. If you let it set for a week or so it should clear up OK. Just don't remove the line with any pressure left in the tank without the poppet in place.

 

[GurGinator28]

What you have is too much hop residue in the keg. Sure you forced gas down the liquid side. It gets clogged at the poppet and there is nothing stopping it going back down so it sounds clear. As soon as you pressurize the tank and open the tap, the clog is forced back where it started. I speak from experience. The only real option is to remove the poppet and force the beer thru a filter into a second keg. One thing that may work is just removing the poppet and connecting to your tap, you'll get cloudy hop filled beer for a while. If you let it set for a week or so it should clear up OK. Just don't remove the line with any pressure left in the tank without the poppet in place.

Thanks for the advice. Think it's worth swapping out dip tube and poppet assemblies? Or will it just reoccur?

I did do a 3 oz dry hop.... Maybe bags next time

 

[UpstateMike]

Perhaps tiestrap some cheesecloth to the bottom end of the liquid diptube to act as a filter.

 

[chickypad]

I've gotten stubborn clogs to clear by removing the post/poppet and dip tube, cleaning the hops from both, hooking back up and immediately drawing off whatever will come - sometimes just half a pint before it clogs again - then repeat 1-2 times. A PITA but not quite as bad as having to jump the whole batch to another keg. It would probably be easier to trim the dip tubes a bit as I don't like using bags when dry hopping in the fermenter, I just have never gotten around to it. Never tried actually removing the poppet, I can see myself screwing that up and making a big mess.

 

[GurGinator28]

I've gotten stubborn clogs to clear by removing the post/poppet and dip tube, cleaning the hops from both, hooking back up and immediately drawing off whatever will come - sometimes just half a pint before it clogs again - then repeat 1-2 times. A PITA but not quite as bad as having to jump the whole batch to another keg. It would probably be easier to trim the dip tubes a bit as I don't like using bags when dry hopping in the fermenter, I just have never gotten around to it. Never tried actually removing the poppet, I can see myself screwing that up and making a big mess.

I ended up swapping liquid assemblies like 5 times before it flowed well enough... Decreasing less hop debris on each swap.

- depressurize
- unscrew and remove liquid out and dip tube parts and replace with sanitized ones
- repressurize and attempt to serve
- do a bunch of times

I'm going to approach this differently next time. I used a bunch of co2 and wasted some sweet hop aroma! Definitely going to shoot for less hops in the keg. Live and learn.View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1423200767.013792.jpg

 

[Kblandfo]

I've had the same experiences.... live and learn. Nice keezer and I think that is a quality picture of a clogged poppet!

 

[GurGinator28]

I've had the same experiences.... live and learn. Nice keezer and I think that is a quality picture of a clogged poppet!

I ended up cutting a cm off the dip tube... I think I finally have it carbed right and flowing well.