Where's the beer?

[Cugel]

Just tried kegged yesterday for the 1st time. I have had the beer in 14 psi for 18 hours. Just for kicks (and maybe a sample) I hooked up my picnic tap and beer line and tried to get a sample. Nothing happens when I press down on the picnic tap's lever.

I just snapped the connect onto the "out" line and depressed the lever. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

What have I done wrong? Is it wrong to sample beer in the morning?

Thanks!

 

[Wade E]

Is your C02 still hooked up? You should have released all pressure in the keg, turned your regulator pressure to the amount given by the length of your dispensing hose.

 

[Blender]

Assuming that you have confirmed that there is pressure in the keg with the relief valve then it can only be the poppet, the quick release or the tap itself. Are you sure the quick release was tightly on the poppet?
Well, I guess the dip tube could be clogged but it is not likely is it?

Its is quite normal to sample beer in the morning especially with a new toy.

 

[Cugel]

There's pressure alright. I tried 3 different beer lines and taps with no luck. I have the beer at room temp at 14 psi while naturally carbonating it. Hooked the co2 up so I could get some beer to sample - not trying to force carbonate.

The beer lines are 4 feet long so pressure of 8-10 psi should be enough I think.

How do I check the poppett?

Thanks for all your help!

 

[Fingers]

Perhaps you reversed the dip tube and the gas in tube? Does your tap hiss when you press the lever?

 

[david_42]

Checking the poppet is messy business. Pull the relief valve to remove pressure, then put 1-2 psi on the keg. Get a towel and a screwdriver. Push the poppet valve in (it's the small disk in the middle of the out plug), catching the spray with the towel. No spray, then you probably have a plugged beer tube. This will require removing the out plug and cleaning the tube.

If it does spray, then you probably aren't seating the connectors all the way. Try a little keg lube (or just plain petrolium jelly) on the plug & o-ring.

 

[Cugel]

Perhaps you reversed the dip tube and the gas in tube? Does your tap hiss when you press the lever?

No - tap does nothing when lever is depressed. Not a sound - nothing. I'm pretty sure the gas in tube and beer dip tubes are in the right locations.

 

[Cugel]

Ah. Ok. Solved it. It looks like I have to press on the connector to the out line while pouring through the tap. Looks like the connector was not seated correctly.

Now have a muddy, but tasty belgian golden (well not right now) ale.

Anyone know a quick way to clean out the beer lines?

Thanks to all for your help!

 

[Blender]

The first 2 pours may contain some trub that has settled and then it should run nice and clear.

 

[Cugel]

'Tis clearing out and looks (and tastes) fine! Needs a few more weeks for some taste integration - the alcohol, hops and malt tastes are all distinct yet.

 

[Cugel]

I hate to do this... but this problem has never really gone away.

As I stated above, I cannot get beer to flow reliably through the beer out valve on my keg. I thought I had the issue solved by pressing down hard on the connect, but this doesn't work reliably.

When I press down onto the center of the 'beer out' poppet beer is sprayed across the room which implies (to me as least ) that there is no problem with the poppet or the beer dip stick.

According to my LBHS guy I use a pin-lock connect which came with the kegging system - craigslist and in excellent physical appearance. Should I be using a ball-lock connection? Where do I go from here?

Many thanks!

C

 

[TexLaw]

According to my LBHS guy I use a pin-lock connect which came with the kegging system - craigslist and in excellent physical appearance. Should I be using a ball-lock connection? Where do I go from here?

Many thanks!

C

Do you have a ball-lock keg or a pin-lock keg? Pin-lock ones have pins on the posts (two on the gas post and three on the liquid post). If you are trying to use a pin-lock fitting on a ball lock keg, I would not expect it to sit well. It wouldn't work at all if it were the other way around.


TL

 

[EdWort]

Sounds like you have a wrong connector issue. Got a picture of your keg posts?

 

[Cugel]

Thanks for your responses!

I did manage to sample some beer from the infamous keg last night using my pin lock connectors. I released some pressure from the keg (had it at 20 psi) and brought the pressure down to 10psi. Then the one connector/beer line worked just fine once I pressed down on the connector. If I stopped that downward pressure the flow would stop. Beer is clearing nicely and the Belgian Golden Ale tastes excellent!

I'll take some photos of the keg posts and connectors tonight and post them. Feel like a total dumb@$$!

 

[mmb]

If you have to push down on the connection to dispense, then it isn't seating properly in the first place. If it were, the connection would push the poppet valve down when you attached it to the keg without the extra down force you apply.

Do you have another beer out connector to try?