tapped then untapped keg

[graffij1]

My buddy just called with this question: they tapped a keg last night poured two beers then untapped it. They want to save it for next Saturday. They have it stored in a walk in refrigerator. Will it go flat?

I think it will be fine my buddy asked I'd he should get a tap and pump it?

Do you guys have any thoughts?

 

[Bobby_M]

How did they dispense it? CO2 bottle or hand pump? If it's hand pumped, it's going to be pretty oxidized by next week.

 

[graffij1]

Hand pump. Is there any way to keep it fresh?

 

[Raenon]

Hand pumps are designed for parties- where you will consume the entire keg in one day.
They don't introduce more co2 to keep carbonation, instead they introduce low pressure air containing large amounts of oxygen and even possible contaminants.
Its pretty much the worst case scenario for a keg.
Get some friends together and get drinking, anyone with a working set of taste buds will know its off by next weekend.

 

[graffij1]

It was only tapped for about ten minutes. I'm not sure if contaminants git in there. Or does it not matter because a seal of some sort gets broken when a keg is tapped?

 

[JRems]

If they tapped it and just dispensed beer and did not pump it should be fine. They shouldn't have had to pump it when it was full. But you never know.

 

[Yooper]

If they tapped it and just dispensed beer and did not pump it should be fine. They shouldn't have had to pump it when it was full. But you never know.

If they tapped it, and used the pump at all, the beer will be no good by next weekend.

Even if they claim they didn't pump, I wouldnt' believe it! It's like guys HAVE to pump it. They just have to, even though it makes the beer foam.

 

[Bobby_M]

I've tasted hand-pumped kegs the very next day with pretty bad oxidation. If it wasn't pumped at all, it will be fine. If they did it a little, it may be OK. If they pumped a few times in between a few servings, eh... not so good. Whatever you do, try not to shake the beer around.

 

[bob1852]

If they tapped it, and used the pump at all, the beer will be no good by next weekend.

Even if they claim they didn't pump, I wouldnt' believe it! It's like guys HAVE to pump it. They just have to, even though it makes the beer foam.

Ha! So true! This happened all the time in college.

"This keg is too foamy."

Frat guy: "well, pump it some more!"

 

[Yooper]

Ha! So true! This happened all the time in college.

"This keg is too foamy."

Frat guy: "well, pump it some more!"

Yep, and not just college guys. It's like anything with a Y chromosome cannot see a button, lever, or handle and not DO something with it. That's why I had to "hide" the keg charger for portable dispensing. Even though the keg poured perfectly, my brother-in-law (age 40) HAD to press the "gun". He HAD to, and couldn't help himself.

 

[bob1852]

Yep, and not just college guys. It's like anything with a Y chromosome cannot see a button, lever, or handle and not DO something with it. That's why I had to "hide" the keg charger for portable dispensing. Even though the keg poured perfectly, my brother-in-law (age 40) HAD to press the "gun". He HAD to, and couldn't help himself.

I admit to always turning up the CO2 on those portable micro dispensers.