Overcarbed Keg? Here's an INSTANT SOLUTION!

[fastricky]

We've got some friends staying with us this weekend from Canada and I wanted to premiere a Creamy Ale I made which would be served on Nitro. Well, I'm still figuring out carbonation levels when it comes to Nitro, and I carbed the keg at room temperature so I kept it at 26psi for a few weeks to compensate for the warm carbing temp.

Well, that may have worked for a beer served regularly, or a beer that isn't prone to a massive head, but it was ALL WRONG for this beer.

Hooked it up, opened the tap - nothing but thick foam. Disaster!

Well, I didn't have time to wait 24-48 hours to get the CO2 down by just opening the pressure release every few hours...

Here's the answer that worked flawlessly:

1. Depressurize the keg.

2. Hook up the CO2 into the OUT connection on the corny (you'll have to switch out your hookups for this maneuver).

3. As you can see in the photo directly below, you can then attach a short release to vent the CO2 out of the IN connect. If you don't have this available, you can just use the pressure vent on the lid.

4. Now open the gas for a second. Wait a beat. Do it again for a second. Wait for the CO2 to travel fully thru the beer (if you're not sure, put your ear to the keg, if you hear bubbles, it's still making its way thru).

5. OK, now vent the CO2, but do it slowly and gradually. This is what makes the dohickey I've got attached a good idea - I can open the valve and release the gas in a slow, controlled manner. But using the pressure release on the lid can work just fine too, just be patient. Otherwise you'll get a lot of foam flying out.

6. Repeat steps 4 & 5 3-4 times. You might need to go an additional 1 or 2 times depending on how overcarbed the keg is (I did).

Essentially what is happening is the CO2 being blasted thru the keg from the bottom (coming in thru the OUT connection which has it entering the keg from the bottom of the dip tube) is pushing all the CO2 in solution out.

IT WORKED FLAWLESSLY! Perfect pour 30 minutes later.

 

[Poindexter]

This looks curiously like another handy function of an adjustable spunding valve ;-)

Cross linked.

Other stuff to do with an adjustable pressure relief valve:https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/cold-component-keg-creativity-50550/

 

[fastricky]

Hey y'all, just wanted to reiterate this was a flawless fix - we had perfect pours all night. It took me 20 minutes max to take out the keg, hit it with the CO2, get it back in the keg, and clean up.

The main thing is tho', after the 20 minutes, the pours were perfect as well. Wished I'd thought to do a before/after pic!

 

[cyberbackpacker]

Parts list for your adjustable spunding valve fastricky? How much did it set you back to build?

 

[fastricky]

$25. But not critical...

Bleeder Valve

AND I should have said repeat steps 4 and 5... not just 5. (Original post edited/corrected).

 

[lmg95]

Essentially what is happening is the CO2 being blasted thru the keg from the bottom (coming in thru the OUT connection which has it entering the keg from the bottom of the dip tube) is pushing all the CO2 in solution out.

I really don't see how pushing CO2 into your beer through the dip tube will cause CO2 to come out of solution... it just doesn't make sense to me scientifically.

But hey it apparently worked and you were able to enjoy some great beer so congrats

 

[Mad_Milo]

With no head pressure in the keg, you are essentially agitating the beer with co2 (important as you won't oxidize the beer) and the beer vents the co2 to the head space as it degasses. By venting the excess pressure each time, the head space returns to atmospheric pressure.

 

[mysteryberto]

I'm not sure how long it would take but another thought would be to put a CO2 fitting on the keg and run a tube into a bottle of water. The keg would constantly vent CO2.

 

[fastricky]

Don't ask me on the scientific explanation, but it works. And as advertised, near instant results.

In fact since learning this method I had a beer I accidentally kegged AFTER checking the FG... well, it was too high. SO I used this method to remove the gas (it had been carbonating for 9 days) and got it back into a fermenter pitched onto a yeast cake.

Worked again!

 

[sharpstick]

couldn't you accomplish the same thing by just turning the keg upside down instead of replumbing it?

 

[fastricky]

Interesting question... So you'd turn it right side up to vent the gas I reckon? Not sure it'd work as well, but it probably would work.

 

[Poindexter]

You could turn it upside down, but you would have to turn it back over to vent it.

Plus if you natural carbed on sugar you would have all that yeast and crud back up in the beer.

Nice going fastricky.

 

[ChshreCat]

since you're just agitating the beer, wouldn't shaking it and venting do the same thing? I mean, if you have sediment, pumping CO2 through the dip tube will stir that up as well.

 

[Poindexter]

since you're just agitating the beer, wouldn't shaking it and venting do the same thing? I mean, if you have sediment, pumping CO2 through the dip tube will stir that up as well.

Could do I guess. I have enough kegs in rotation that I natural carb on sugar just because I can. When I tap a new one I run the crud out, usually less than a pint, and then pour an actual pint to sample.

If I get one overcarbed I am going to give this a try.

Shaking and venting will give similar results, just the curve won't be as smooth I think.

 

[teu1003]

Here's a really easy way to do this ... invert the keg at least enough so the "out tube" is out of the beer. then put the gas on (i used about 10 pounds). squeeze the pony tap (have a cup ready to catch the beer in the line and "spit" that comes out). you will hear the bubbling and the gas will be coming out of the tap. turn the gas off but keep the tap open til everything stops. turn the keg back right side up and turn the gas back on see whats what. I had a keg that was dispensing 3/4 of a cup of foam and fixed it in about 45 seconds. FANTASTIC TIP!

tu

 

[chuggs]

couldn't you accomplish the same thing by just turning the keg upside down instead of replumbing it?

Now why the heck didn't I think of that!!

I've been looking into those air stones for Nitrogenating my stouts. I could attach the airstone to the short little gas-sy side...and flip the keg upside down to bubble the Nitrogen/CO2 blend in. Shake, vent, repeat...until I get some good Nitrogen disolved into solution. It wouldn't hurt one bit to leave it in the keg. Just turn it right side up...and dispense.

EUREKA...

Sometimes it's the simple fix that works the bestest!

 

[Hound_Dog]

This is a bit of a zombie thread, but I just wanted to comment that I just tried the flip upside down technique, and it worked perfectly.

 

[Austin_]

Glad this thread popped back up. I tried fastricky's fix two weeks ago. I hooked the gas up to the out valve and slowly released the pressure. Worked like a charm.

 

[lower1310]

lets just say that I am truly flummoxed, I don't understand why this worked, but it did for some unknown reason. Unless there is something truly wrong with this, like maybe it will hurt my equipment(don't know how) this should be a sticky.

 

[BuddyBrews]

Anyone know how long or how many times to do this

 

[BuddyBrews]

We've got some friends staying with us this weekend from Canada and I wanted to premiere a Creamy Ale I made which would be served on Nitro. Well, I'm still figuring out carbonation levels when it comes to Nitro, and I carbed the keg at room temperature so I kept it at 26psi for a few weeks to compensate for the warm carbing temp.

Well, that may have worked for a beer served regularly, or a beer that isn't prone to a massive head, but it was ALL WRONG for this beer.

Hooked it up, opened the tap - nothing but thick foam. Disaster!

Well, I didn't have time to wait 24-48 hours to get the CO2 down by just opening the pressure release every few hours...

Here's the answer that worked flawlessly:

1. Depressurize the keg.

2. Hook up the CO2 into the OUT connection on the corny (you'll have to switch out your hookups for this maneuver).

3. As you can see in the photo directly below, you can then attach a short release to vent the CO2 out of the IN connect. If you don't have this available, you can just use the pressure vent on the lid.

4. Now open the gas for a second. Wait a beat. Do it again for a second. Wait for the CO2 to travel fully thru the beer (if you're not sure, put your ear to the keg, if you hear bubbles, it's still making its way thru).

5. OK, now vent the CO2, but do it slowly and gradually. This is what makes the dohickey I've got attached a good idea - I can open the valve and release the gas in a slow, controlled manner. But using the pressure release on the lid can work just fine too, just be patient. Otherwise you'll get a lot of foam flying out.

6. Repeat steps 4 & 5 3-4 times. You might need to go an additional 1 or 2 times depending on how overcarbed the keg is (I did).

Essentially what is happening is the CO2 being blasted thru the keg from the bottom (coming in thru the OUT connection which has it entering the keg from the bottom of the dip tube) is pushing all the CO2 in solution out.

IT WORKED FLAWLESSLY! Perfect pour 30 minutes later.

Im about to try this!

 

[BuddyBrews]

Wow this is the trick. works too good. Gonna put it back on the co2 JUst on 12 psi hopefully get back up to perfect carbonation in a day or so but anywY GREAT TRICK!

 

[r8rphan]

this thread should be stickied...

 

[Flomaster]

so I was pressurizing some empty kegs to check for leaks and forgot to reset the regulator I had I had my keg at 35psi... result was a glass full of foam. I purged pressure in the keg, set the regulator at 10psi. woke up the next morning with a keg at 50 PSi... NO bueno. I have since purged and tried to get the keg to stop pouring a glass of foam.

well after 3 days of being pissed off i tried the method in this thread I had book marked weeks ago before I even kegged.

well with OUT having a fancy doohicky I just put my gas coupling on my "out" post until I heard the bubbling stop. then I slowly released the release valve in the lid. did this about 3 or 4 times. the last few times I got foam spewing out of the vavle.

I poured a perfect pint at 12 psi with out any extra head.

3/16th tubing at 5' long at 38 degrees.

-=jason=-

 

[day_trippr]

The answer to "Why does this work?" is the injected CO2 provides lots of nucleation sites which cause CO2 to come out of solution, which in turn provides even more nucleation sites, forming a cascade.

It's like a controlled version of the Mentos Bomb...

Cheers!

 

[jakecpunut]

so I was pressurizing some empty kegs to check for leaks and forgot to reset the regulator I had I had my keg at 35psi... result was a glass full of foam. I purged pressure in the keg, set the regulator at 10psi. woke up the next morning with a keg at 50 PSi... NO bueno. I have since purged and tried to get the keg to stop pouring a glass of foam.

well after 3 days of being pissed off i tried the method in this thread I had book marked weeks ago before I even kegged.

well with OUT having a fancy doohicky I just put my gas coupling on my "out" post until I heard the bubbling stop. then I slowly released the release valve in the lid. did this about 3 or 4 times. the last few times I got foam spewing out of the vavle.

I poured a perfect pint at 12 psi with out any extra head.

3/16th tubing at 5' long at 38 degrees.

-=jason=-

So glad I found this thread! I left mine at 30 for 3 days and it was over carbed.. this little trick worked perfectly! Makes me want to do this every time now to hurry up and get the beer carbonated!

 

[barrooze]

Thank you for this! Did a variation of the original process and fixed a horribly overcarbbed keg into a perfectly-carbbed keg. I just swapped the gas and liquid connections on my keezer and opened the faucet when i wanted to vent the gas. Thanks again!

 

[apparatus]

I have to say this is a brilliant solution and does work instantly and flawlessly.

 

[pensphreak]

Tried this for the first time on 2 kegs and it worked perfectly

 

[natescape]

Just tried this on a pair of super-carbonated refrigerated kegs. On the first keg, after about 4 tries, I started getting massive head spillage when I vented the CO2. It spewed out of the vent when I released the CO2. On the second tank (which was more full-on head), it started spewing on the second release of CO2.

Was my initial carbonating just too crazy carbed? Should I try it again in a day or two?