Problem with Corny keg - TOO foamy!

[nedrierson78]

Have a problem with an IPA I have in my corny keg. The only thing that comes out is completely foam.

I started with an IPA. Dry hopped in a secondary fermenter, but did not use a hop bag. Used hop pellets. Had quite a few hop particles in the first few glasses. Prob got 10 pints out of the keg and it started to get all foamy. No beer, just foam.

I do not have the "in" and the "out" switched. I am suspicious that the intake pick-up at the bottom of the keg may be clogged with hop particles. Today I hooked up the co2 to the "out" side to try to blow it clean. Worked for a 1/2 a glass, and more foam.

The keg and ALL tap hardware sit in my fridge, so nothing that touches the beer is warm.

I know there is 3/4 left of beer in the keg.

Need some suggestions. Should I try to rack to another keg?

 

[nedrierson78]

To add more info, I force carbed at 40psi for 24 hrs, then 30 psi for 24 hrs, then try to pour at 5psi. Might be overcarbed... Only foam comes out of the tap handle.

 

[Yooper]

To add more info, I force carbed at 40psi for 24 hrs, then 30 psi for 24 hrs, then try to pour at 5psi. Might be overcarbed... Only foam comes out of the tap handle.

Definitely overcarbed.

You can try turning off the gas and pulling the pressure relief valve often, and then wait until the overcarbonation is fixed. Next time, NEVER carb at 40 psi, and 30 psi isn't so great either.

Depending on your fridge temp, 10-12 psi is probably about right. It will take7-10 days to carb up completely, though. If you MUST do it faster, you can set it for 30 psi for 36 hours (no longer) then purge and reset it to 10-12 psi and it'll be ready in 4-7 days.

In my opinion, "saving" three days isn't worth overcarbing the beer, though.

 

[david_42]

Sounds like clogging. Since all of the pressure drop is at the clog, you get lots of foam. Try racking it.

 

[Yooper]

Sounds like clogging. Since all of the pressure drop is at the clog, you get lots of foam. Try racking it.

Ah, that's a great point that I missed!

Maybe the quickest/easiest check at this point would be depressurizing and removing the "out" post. Then you can pull the diptube and hold it up to the light and see what the problem is. Maybe the poppit is clogged with debris also.

 

[stevedasleeve]

Happened to me a few times, I bet it is not overcarbed, I suspect hop material is in your tube. Try pressurizing way up and blowing it out. If that does not work depressurize, take off the liquid out post and rinse it out. I use a spray bottle of star san for these types of emergencies... good luck!

 

[nedrierson78]

Took the "out" pop off post off and it was jammed full of hop material! Found this out after I racked it to a second corny keg.

Learned a new piece of keg equip that I need to clean each time....

Thanks for the great tips!