Ballihoo equipment, PB pressure, St Peters Ruby Red; looking for advice.

[Jonneyney]

Hello all!

Noob/lurker here.

Just looking for some advice. I have started my first brew of a St Peters Ruby Red, kit. Followed instructions, but listened to advice here on the forum about extending the amount of time in the FV for example. Brew was in FV for approx 2 weeks, kept at 18-20 celsius. All looking ok so far.

Transferred over to PB, primed with 70g of sugar about a week ago, however temps have dropped to around 16 degrees. Gave it a small taste today, bit fruity for me but otherwise quite nice. Still cloudy but hopefully that should clear up in the coming weeks.

However the beer is resoundingly flat, I'm looking to figure out why exactly and what I can do to save the beer.

Attached are some images of the equipment I have. (These are from my second PB, so that is why they are not in-use currently)

The cap has a valve that I can use to top up pressure with Co2 canisters, although as far as I am aware that should only be done once the keg has been drunk somewhat.

Is there anyway I can check if the PSI is correct? How will I know if the sugar is working with the yeast and producing Co2?
I have a PSI tire gauge that apparently I can pop on top of the valve to measure, however this either doesn't fit or I'm not using it right as it seems to do nothing?

Any advice would be appreciated, I've got an IPA in the FV at the moment so I'd like to get this process down.

Thank you in advance!

(PS for the third image, any advice on how to make sure the rubber ring connects to the plastic top properly, it keeps popping out for some reason)

 

[Larse]

Have you any idea of gravity readings at the start and when you kegged?

Also, looks like there was no secondary fermentation in the keg and hence it's flat. Maybe try and get it warmed up a bit first?

What method are you using to add CO2? Are they the small sparklet bulbs or something bigger?

 

[Jonneyney]

Have you any idea of gravity readings at the start and when you kegged?

Also, looks like there was no secondary fermentation in the keg and hence it's flat. Maybe try and get it warmed up a bit first?

What method are you using to add CO2? Are they the small sparklet bulbs or something bigger?

Thanks for the response Larse

As this is my first kit, I foolishly did not take gravity readings (note for next time)

I've now put it somewhere that is closer to 19-20 degrees.

For CO2 I've only added the required sugar, I have this thing below, alongside some CO2 capsules (I have not used these yet)

 

[Rwilts]

70g doesnt sound like enough sugar to carbonate / condition the beer to me, HOWEVER I dont use a PB and the only time I did (many years ago, it failed to hold pressure).

So in furtherance to @Larse good points , i would check the amount of fermentable needed (you might have this right) and also make sure that the PB is well sealed, or all your produced CO2 will leak away and the beer will continue to be flat.

Also just for info the bulbs will only be enough to maintain a serving pressure once the PB is carbonated , they are not enough to carbonate your beer.

All of the above you probably know :)

 

[Larse]

Thanks for the response Larse

As this is my first kit, I foolishly did not take gravity readings (note for next time)

I've now put it somewhere that is closer to 19-20 degrees.

For CO2 I've only added the required sugar, I have this thing below, alongside some CO2 capsules (I have not used these yet)

View attachment 106063

Yeah, those are the sparklets bulbs I mentioned. About 12g of CO2 in each I think.

The problem with those plastic kegs (I used to use them in the distant past) is that there's a lot of headspace in them which takes forever to fill with naturally created CO2 and so I never got decent carbonation in them.

If I were you, I'd probably blast a few of them into the keg to get the pressure up so there's some chance of carbonation.

 

[starseeker]

Have you applied a small amount of vaseline or similar to the sealing ring (both sides) before assembling ? This helps to ensure you have a air tight seal ,

 

[Dazzelknight]

Sounds like u have a leak …. As above .. Vaseline your o’ring,, do not over tighten.. fire in a Co2 bulb.. wipe some washing up liquid and a dash of water round ur seals (top and tap) if no bubbles ur good to go

 

[Gaz_h]

Jonny, I'm relatively new and made about 6 st peters kits....and in all but 2 I've had a problem with flat beer. They don't provide enough priming sugar. Since I upped mine by 50% they've been way better.

I ve also just used my PB for the first time with a St Peters Cream Stout. I've used the same canisters as you have and it's soooo good. You need to pressurise the head space as soon as you've filled it and leave it. You'll be able to tell when it needs a top up after drinking a few pints.

 

[Begbie]

Hi Jonney,

My tuppence worth.

Assuming you're trying to carbonate approximately 21L (having racked off of the primary FV, leaving 1L to 2L of trub), you should have added about 125 - 130g (for 2.4 vols of carbonation, which is what I tend to default to) of sugar rather than 70g.

I used the Brewer's Friend calculator when I was priming with sugar (I now force carbonate my kegs) and it always resulted in good carbonation. Link is below for your quick reference. Hope that's of some help.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

 

[Jonneyney]

Thank you for all the advice.

Just an update: Pressure was reading at 0.0, took off the lid. No pressure whatsoever, okay. It was stored at 16 degrees for a week so perhaps that was too cold? It's been moved somewhere closer to 18-20 now.

Instructions state: "1 carbonation drop per bottle or half a teaspoon of sugar per pint (max. 100g per pressure barrel) (for 23 L)

23L = approx 40 pints

= 20 teaspoons of sugar which is approx 100g

So firstly I hadn't put enough priming sugar in the barrel, I've now put probably 140g overall (take that instructions)
Alongside a canister as Gaz has mentioned above. I poured a pint, it wasn't completely flat and it had a head!

Originally I could read the pressure at around 5.9, it then went down overnight to around 3.5.
Does this mean?

A. There is a leak?

B. CO2 is absorbed by the beer?

C. Both?

I've just poured another pint (I cant help it) and it still needs more carbonation in the beer, but had a head.
Although my psi tire reader thing showed 0.0, so I assume that's not working for some reason.

I didn't realise PB's could be so finicky. I have a St Peters IPA in my FV for another week and another PB waiting.
I'm getting bottling equipment for Christmas, I'm wondering whether to discard the PB's completely and switch to bottling.

 

[Rwilts]

I know some use them but as previously stated I couldn't get on with them. I have kegs And a keezer but majority of my brews get bottled in 500ml PET bottles. Perfect size for storing and sharing..

O and my PB makes a very good bottling bucket , so gets a lot of use .