Stupid Kegging Mistake. Can it be saved?

[VanHolton]

I brewed an amber ale that was just okay. I had it kegged for a while and about halfway through the keg I decided to dry hop it to see if I could liven it up a bit. Well here's where I went wrong: no hop ball, or bag. Just threw the pellets into the keg.... Well now, as anyone with any foresight can imagine, anytime I try to pull a pint, I end up clogging the poppit valve with hops. I have to shut off the Co2, pull the pressure release valve, remove the keg post and clean it out just to get beer to come out. IF I even get a glass full, it's completely degassed, and I can't see any end in sight. Is there any way to save these last 2.5 gallons? Would racking to another keg just give me oxidized beer?

 

[nealf]

Just make sure you cover your racking cane with a nylon bag or something and purge the receiving keg with CO2... I have done this before, no worries...

p.s. make sure the beer is totally flat.

 

[VanHolton]

Cool! I'll try that! How do I flatten my beer? Just pull the pressure release valve and turn it so it stays open? Would I have to worry about oxygen getting in there or would the Co2 that's already there protect it?

 

[nealf]

I am guessing the best way would be to take it out of the fridge to let more of the CO2 out of solution, just pull the pressure relief valve until it stops hissing for a few days. Also, as long as there is positive pressure in the keg no O2 will be able to get in.. If some does get in I would be too concerned since CO2 is heavier that O2 it will form a "blanket" at the top of your beer.

Best of luck!

 

[dontman]

The beer does not have to be flat for this to work fine.

I would rack but another option is to sterilize a hop bag and tie it to the dip tube so that it filters out the hop sludge on the way to the glass.

And +1 to filling the receiving keg with co2 prior to beginning the transfer and then making the transfer as gentle as possible to protect the co2 bed as it fills.

 

[VanHolton]

Thank you guys! I will try this out as soon as I can get a hop bag or something to filter with.

 

[shortyjacobs]

Siphoning carbonated beer SUCKS. I did the same thing as you, and if I had to do it again, I'd do one of two things.

1) Vent pressure from keg. Leave pressure release valve open. Remove liquid out post, remove poppet from post, reattach post. Attach a picnic tap to the liquid post, gas to the gas post, and supply pressure to push beer out the picnic tap. Do this until beer runs clear, then vent pressure, remove picnic tap, attach jumper, and jump the beer into a fresh keg. Hopefully you leave the rest of the hops behind. In fact, if you don't want to transfer, just take the liquid poppet out so it stops clogging up. Put a post it note on the keg reminding you to purge pressure before removing the liquid disconnect, or else you have a fountain.

2) Buy or make a hop filter, put it on the dip tube, and dispense as normal.