Party pig explosion!

[jonbomb]

I invested in a party pig yesterday. Last night i decided to fill it up with some beer so I can have it ready for thanksgiving. Everything was going well. I was having trouble screwing the clasps together but eventually they were tight enough. I then finally activated the pressure pouch. Well once that thing got activated forget it. I heard a hissing noise then eventually a nice stream of beer was spraying out the side of the claps.

I was forced to run it to my yard so I didn't get to much beer in the house. I made sure to hold the button in order to get all the beer and pressure out. Eventually I started unscrewing it and I noticed I had the clasps on wrong. Finally I realized that if I fully unscrew it the valve and rings would blow off and hit me in the hand. So i popped the pressure pump.

In the end I wasted two and a half gallons of beer and 3 hours of my time trying to get the valve on. I forgot to mention that I screwed the valve on in the beginning and forgot to add the priming sugar.....What a horrible bottling night. At least I will have a nice brew ready for thursday

 

[wacko]

Pictures!!!

 

[jonbomb]

I wish I took some... It was horrible beer all over my kitchen... I was up till 6am I started at 1:00

 

[AnonyBrew]

Yikes! This is good info for people.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

If it makes you feel better the last time I went to pop the pressure pouch it completely blew up in my face.

 

[jasonsargo]

Ha! I used mine again after 10 years, and forgot how to safely unscrew things a little to reach in there with a piece of coat hanger and pop the pouch. Yeast sediment all over the ceiling, and a bolt launched across the room. I felt like a *******, but I won't make that mistake again.

Party Pigs do rock, though.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

One of you should add a post with pictures depicting the correct method.

 

[Hartski]

Sounds like they should include safety goggles when you buy one.....

 

[jonbomb]

Yea well. Here is some good advice to anyone who buys one. Make sure to screw the clasps together right. If you find any resistence with the screw do not force them to be screwed together because it will not work and u will waste your beer!

 

[jasonsargo]

Great idea, Yuri. And yes, Hartski, safety glasses/keeping your face away are a great idea, especially if you don't know what you're doing. When mine blew up, I was draining multiple Pigs and was using a cordless drill to save some time. Not paying attention was my mistake.

I don't think I can get pictures on here easily, so I put two on Flickr, with descriptions.

The point is, the occasional pouch may pop on it's own as the valve backs out, but by NOT backing the screws off all the way, you will leave the clamp attached and unable to fly apart, and give yourself a gap to shove a piece of bent coat hanger in to pop the pouch. Just keep the Pig upright outside, or covered with a towel in your sink, and you'll be fine.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/scnightrod/5199398411/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scnightrod/5199992612/

 

[jonbomb]

Yes thank god I read up online about how to dismantle or we would have had some problems lol!